Kongo
Kongo the white serval
Male White Serval
Born 5/21/97 - Died 2004
Kongo the white serval
One of only three White Servals in the world!
Kongo, littermate to Tonga, was born on Easy Street to parents Frosty and Nairobi. His mother is a normal serval, who has since been spayed, and his father is a White Footed Serval. Kongo was the more social of the two. He loves attention and will drool all over you when you pet him. Kongo is also very playful, always chasing after bugs and even snakes. He has caught more snakes (and garden hoses!) than any other cat out here.
Kongo injured his back and was ordered to be kept in a small cage for a week so that it could heal. To soften the floor of the quarantine cage, we filled it with soft hay. Kongo ate the hay and died overnight from colic, much like a horse would. The gas from the ingested hay causes the stomach to twist and death occurs very quickly. This was such a senseless loss and we will greatly miss this very rare and wonderful White Serval.
TRIBUTES FOR KONGO
“To me, Kongo was the friendliest of the white Servals. He was content to just sit with you. He always looked happy to have the company and would purr: a rarity for a Serval!! He was a nut about enrichment and his favorites were pine cones, he would chase and kill that pine cone for hours. He was my favorite of the “ONGOs”. “ONGOs” was our affectionate term for the 3 servals Mongo, Kongo and Bongo”…... Kathryn, Senior Volunteer Keeper
In Loving Memory of Kongo, the White Serval May 21, 1997 – 2004
Kongo was not just rare—he was one of a kind. Born on Easy Street to Frosty and Nairobi, he was one of only three white servals in the entire world, a feline whose beauty and uniqueness left an indelible mark on all who encountered him. With his striking appearance and larger-than-life personality, Kongo was a testament to the magic and mystery of the wild.
Unlike his more reserved littermate, Tonga, Kongo was a social butterfly. He loved attention, and his adoration for human companionship was as boundless as his playful spirit. A true entertainer, he would chase after bugs, snakes, and even garden hoses, proving that his zest for life was as vibrant as his snowy coat. Kongo's affectionate nature meant he never just accepted love—he returned it tenfold, drooling happily as he soaked up every kind word.
Kongo’s tragic and sudden loss was a painful reminder of how fragile life can be. In an effort to care for him as he healed from a back injury, we inadvertently introduced hay to his environment, which led to his untimely passing from colic. His loss was senseless, heartbreaking, and left a void that could never be filled.
Though his time with us was far too brief, Kongo’s spirit lives on as a symbol of the beauty and rarity of all wild creatures. He was a once-in-a-lifetime soul whose memory reminds us of the preciousness of every life, no matter how rare or fleeting. Run free, Kongo, chasing bugs and basking in the sun beyond the horizon. You were loved, and you will never be forgotten. - Carole Lewis
More Memorials at https://bigcatrescue.org/category/memorials/
