Serval cats are native to Africa, where they live in the wild. In recent years, servals have become popular as pets in North America and Europe. While these beautiful cats can make great companions, there are also some important things to consider before bringing one into your home.
What is a Serval?
A serval is a medium-sized wild cat. The largest servals can weigh up to 40 pounds, but most are much smaller. Servals are tall and slender, with long legs and large ears. They are mostly tan with black spots, although their exact appearance can vary.
One of the most important things to know about servals is that they are not domesticated animals. This means they have not been bred over generations to live peacefully with humans.
Servals are also very active cats. They need plenty of space to roam and explore. A serval kept in a small home or apartment will likely become restless and destructive. If you’re considering getting a serval, be sure you have enough space to provide for its needs.
Why Serval Cats Don’t Make Good Pets
There are a few things you should consider before getting a serval cat. First, be sure you have enough space to provide for the cat’s needs. Servals need plenty of room to roam and explore, and small home or apartment will not be suitable.
Second, servals are not domesticated animals. This means they have not been bred over generations to live peacefully with humans.
Servals are wild animals, and their instinct is to hunt and kill.
This can pose a danger to small children and other pets in your home. Even if a serval has been raised in captivity, it is still a wild animal and may become aggressive if it feels threatened.
Servals can’t be litter box trained, so you’ll need to provide a large, outdoor enclosure for your cat. This type of setup is not suitable for everyone, and it can be expensive to maintain.
Servals can jump very high and dig very deep, so the enclosure will need to be escape-proof.
If a Serval were to escape its enclosure it would pose a serious threat to wild and domestic animals such as pets or farm animals. This would mean that farmers or animal control would use lethal force on a roaming Serval.
Over recent years people have created a Serval crossbreed with a domesticated cat known as a Savannah.
What is a Savannah Cat?
A Savannah cat is a cross between a domestic cat and a serval. Savannah cats are much larger than most domestic cats, and they can weigh up to 30 pounds. They have long legs and large ears, and their coat is usually spotted or striped.
Savannah cats are not as active as servals, but they still need plenty of space to roam and explore. They also require a lot of attention and may not be suited for busy families.
Like servals, Savannah cats are not domesticated animals. They have been bred to be less aggressive than servals, but they are still closely related to wild animals.
The Savannah is a devoted pet that will follow its master around the home. They can also be taught to walk on a leash and retrieve things.
Some Savannahs are known to be sociable and pleasant with new people and other cats and dogs, while others may run away or hiss before reverting to growling. It’s most likely the case that as Savannah kittens mature, exposure to other humans and pets plays a role in their sociability.