Two days of calm in Marbella gave way to a focused response from the city’s Veterinary Health team after reports of a wild-looking cat appearing near Nueva Andalucía. The large feline, later identified as a Karakat, traveled about 20 kilometers before entering the garden of a building in the Costabella urbanization. The encounter began when a homeowner noticed an unfamiliar, lynx-like animal move through the yard and initially mistook it for a wild cat before recognizing it as something more unusual. The homeowner promptly informed the authorities, alerting municipal officials that a potentially dangerous animal had crossed into a residential area.
The Karakat weighed roughly 20 kilograms and carried the name Jacquard. It had reportedly left its owner’s home on January 1 and was last seen along Avenida del Prado in Nueva Andalucía. That same day, the first alert emerged in the Costabella sector near Las Chapas, a distance of roughly 20 kilometers from the household where the animal had resided. In the moments that followed, residents described the creature as a medium-sized cat with a distinguishing presence, prompting a coordinated response from local agencies.
A 112 Emergency Service call captured accounts of sightings consistent with a lynx-like animal. Civil Guards verified these observations through photographs provided by a nearby neighbor. They determined the animal wore a collar, reinforcing the assessment that it was a domesticated pet rather than a wild lynx, though there was still interest in locating it for safety and welfare reasons. Despite an initial search in the area, no capture was made that day, and the Karakat remained at large.
On the following day, another report arrived from the family where the animal had briefly entered a garden, confirming continued interest and concern about the animal’s welfare. The Civil Guard returned to the property and alerted the municipal Veterinary Medical team, whose officers moved in to attempt a capture with care and caution to prevent stress or injury to the animal or bystanders.
The Karakat was eventually moved to the El Paraíso Zoo Health Park, where veterinarians conducted a full health assessment. The animal appeared to be in good health, and the team prepared the next steps to reunite Jacquard with its owner, who was required to submit the appropriate documentation for the pet’s safe release. The process emphasized documentation, proper identification, and adherence to local animal welfare regulations to ensure the animal could be returned safely if ownership was confirmed. The incident underscored the importance of responsible pet ownership, secure enclosures, and the readiness of municipal services to handle unusual animal sightings with professionalism and care.