Tooth and Claw by T. Coraghessan Boyle

The main point of this story is living with what life dishes out to you. He "wins" a serval (an African wild cat) while playing dice in the local bar. A girl decides to leave him. He discovers the difficult trying to keep a wild cat in his apartment. (Obviously a wild can and an apartment are not a good mix) At the end of the story is a cliff hanger: He decides to go into the room with the cat...