Moscow man keeps tame pet lynx in his apartment

Feb. 1 (UPI) -- A Moscow man is drawing attention in his neighborhood after he was found to be keeping an unusual pet -- a lynx -- in his apartment.

Alexander Lyubarskiy explained after the lynx was spotted wandering his neighborhood that the big cat has been living in his apartment for six years, and occasionally takes walks on its own.

Lyubarskiy said the lynx, which is friendly and gentle with children, enjoys spending time on the balcony outside his apartment.

He said he became interested in lynxes after seeing one accidentally shot by a hunter.

"Once I saw a lynx being shot during hunting," he told Ruptly. "They were hunting a boar but a lynx came out. I do not know why, but one hunter killed her. It hurt my feelings and I became interested [in lynxes]. I went to an animal farm and saw how they live there, talked to the animal technicians and decided to buy one."

Lyubarskiy said the lynx, which he dubbed Lynxy, was purchased from the fur farm, where had likely been destined to be slaughtered for clothing.