Hello, our readers!
I am glad to welcome you to the pages of the “Cat City” blog.
Let's talk about servals - these are representatives of large wild cats. I heard a lot about them: read, saw in photos and exhibitions. But this was the first opportunity to meet a young cat family in person.
Imagine, I go into a pet store in the capital and see the following picture: on a leather sofa for guests, a full-length adult African mini-cheetah, a serval, is stretched out!
“Learn a description of the breed and character, breeding conditions from the owner himself...” - a thought began to pound in my temples. From excitement, I even forgot why I came: I stood and admired the exotic beauty.
Appearance
The serval, also called the bush cat, has the pride and grace of an African predator. Its size is small compared to other African brothers and simply gigantic if we equate it to an ordinary domestic cat. The weight of spotted pets ranges from 8-18 kg. Height is 40-65 cm, and body length can reach 130 cm.
The head is relatively small, the muzzle is not elongated, but the ears are quite large, set high, and well-furred inside. The bridge of the nose and nose are wide. The eyes are almond-shaped and large. Servals are truly top models in the cat world. Their limbs are the longest in relation to the body, with the hind legs being slightly longer than the front ones.
The coat is short, thick and shiny. The main color is golden brown. On the chest, belly and face there are lighter areas, almost white, and the main decoration of the cat is contrasting black spots arranged in stripes. The color may have some differences depending on the geographical homeland. Servals from the steppe regions are distinguished by large spots and a light background, while forest cats are darker.
Serval hybrids
In captivity, servals sometimes mate with ordinary domestic cats. Based on such hybrids, a new breed was developed, which was called Savannah. There was also information about the appearance of a hypoallergenic breed with the beautiful name Asher. Subsequently, they turned out to be the same shrouds, the price of which was greatly exaggerated by the scammers. In addition, matings of bush cats with steppe lynxes and caracals are often quite successful. As a result, the so-called servicals or caravals are born.
History of the origin of the breed
The domestic serval is valuable because in appearance it looks exactly like a wild cat. Yes, in fact, he is a wild cat who decided to live in a nice mansion for a while. The homeland of the Serval cat is Africa. On the hot continent, their population, which was initially fairly large, has declined in recent years due to the fact that the beautiful fur of this cat attracts poachers.
Today there are 14 species of wild servals, which vary in coat color. Not long ago, breeders found out that the breed is perfectly domesticated (if you approach the matter wisely).
This is how domestic servals appeared.
You may also like the article about the Bengal cat.
Servals in the wild
Servals are distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Africa, with the exception of the south of the continent. There are 14 subspecies in total, some of them are endangered.
In the wild, servals live in bushes and grassy thickets near water. They are active mainly at dusk, as well as at dawn. Thanks to their high limbs and well-developed hearing, servals move carefully in tall grass, looking over it for prey. The hunting tactics are similar to the caracal; the serval does not like chases, it prefers ambushes and long jumps. From a standing position, a cat can jump 3 m in height and up to 5 m in length. The serval often has to simply dig rodents out of their holes. It climbs onto tree branches after arboreal animals and swims well.
Servals lead a solitary lifestyle and try to avoid all conflicts.
They breed throughout the year. During courtship, both the female and the male rest and hunt together for several days. Pregnancy lasts 65-75 days. There are usually two or three kittens in a litter. Up to 5 months, their mother feeds them with milk, and at the age of about a year they go free.
Character, intelligence and habits
Domestic servals raised in nurseries are surprisingly friendly and affectionate animals that pose virtually no danger to humans. However, they are categorically not recommended for families with small children who have not yet learned to respect animals.
In general, servals are sociable, playful and intelligent. They are very kind and gentle towards all family members. They prefer to sleep in bed and are rarely aggressive towards strangers. Only if they have not previously had experience communicating with other people can they avoid contact. One could even say that the serval’s character contains a certain timidity and cowardice. It is important for these cats to feel protected and to know that there is a safe place nearby.
By nature, servals are very curious; they enjoy learning new games and exploring previously unfamiliar territories. As a rule, they get along well with other cats. Cohabitation with a dog depends on the latter’s character. The serval will not mind making friends and playing together if they do not show aggression towards him. Rodents, birds, and ferrets will remain potential food for the cat, so you shouldn’t tempt it, much less scold it later for usually displaying the hunting instinct.
Servals are very smart, they quickly remember house rules, but besides this, they are easy to train and can learn several commands. They are distinguished from an ordinary cat by their size and speed of reaction; in addition, servals are very fond of water.
Photo
The domestic Serval cat is a prestigious animal, high-status and not cheap. Photos in royal interiors are the most successful in the African handsome man’s portfolio.
Not ready for such a cat? Take a closer look at the Siberian cat.
Conclusion about the breed
To get a correct idea of the character of African Serval cats, you need to understand how similar this breed is to dogs!
They easily begin to walk on a leash, with a certain amount of patience they begin to carry out even complex commands and are quite friendly with other animals... if they are the same size as them. In other words, you should not introduce a serval to a kitten or a parrot - hunting instincts will take over and only a serval will live in your house.
Representatives of this breed, in terms of harmfulness to furniture, are ready to cooperate with bark beetles - servals love to chew everything so much. And also tearing, turning over and overturning. In general, this cat needs space and a place to “walk”. Under no circumstances punish the serval for his pranks - this way you will achieve the exact opposite result, and you will also anger the luxurious kitty.
Be prepared for the fact that the Serval cat marks the territory about 50 times an hour and think about castration in time.
As a must, we can advise you to bathe your serval more often – they love water. But they don’t like scandals, so servals cannot be called stress-resistant.
Servals have no hereditary diseases.
Reviews from Serval breed owners
Julia : “I am a breeder of servals and I hasten to say that I have never met a more intelligent and elegant breed. My cats and cats understand commands very well. It’s enough to say in a confident voice: you can’t eat, go for a walk, go to the toilet - and the cats follow orders. African cats sleep in the same bed with us and they are quite friendly with each other. In general, the imperial breed!”
Olya : “Our Serval kitten scared me at first. We adopted him at the age of 5 months and he constantly hissed and growled at me and my husband. But then our patience and perseverance broke his bad character. Today he has stopped hiding in the corners of the house, plays with his toys and even sometimes goes to the restaurant with us!”
Ilya and Elena : “Our Asenka is our child. We spoil her all the time, and she takes advantage of it. Recently I myself made for her, it seems, a whole city instead of just one house. This is a multi-level complex in which our cat improves her hunting skills. We also take her on trips and Asya fits perfectly in all the hotels. There are no problems with this cat when traveling - she walks calmly on a leash and easily gets accustomed to a new litter box.”
Keeping a serval at home
It is recommended to have a Serval only to live in a private house with an attached enclosure and free access to it from a separate cat room. It is important that the animal always has a place where it can hide or simply retire to rest. Sometimes servals are brought into apartments, but this is not the best option. Servals need a lot of exercise to stay fit and healthy.
Servals do not need special care, they do not have a specific odor and are very clean.
Not so long ago, they didn’t even suspect the possibility of professional fur care, and therefore got used to taking care of their personal hygiene themselves. True, many owners, in order to maintain a neat appearance during seasonal molting, comb their cats using natural bristle brushes or special mittens. Caracals can be offered bathes as fun, but they do not need to be washed with professional shampoos or conditioners. Servals go to the toilet using a potty with litter, which differs from a cat's only in size.
It is also worth considering that with the onset of puberty, servals begin to actively mark their territory. In this regard, castration/sterilization is recommended for animals not for breeding.
Video about keeping a domestic serval:
Features of education
In raising a serval, you will have to show considerable patience, and it is important to take into account a lot of features and not neglect the advice of breeders.
Serval kittens love to chew everything, in this they are similar to puppies. Many toys will help distract your baby's attention from valuables. to. It is recommended to spray electrical wires and electrical appliances with special cat sprays from the “anti-rodent” series, which are sold in regular pet stores. Under no circumstances should you scream or hit a cat; it may not forgive you for this. In addition, a clear command “no!”, supported by water from a spray bottle, will be more effective. You should not play with your baby’s hands or feet; as he grows up, he will perceive them as his toys and may scratch, bite or attack from an “ambush”.
Leash training should be done as early as possible. On the street, a kitten should feel absolutely safe next to its owner; this is the main key to success.
Dog behavior
Mini-cheetahs behave like royalty: sedately and elegantly they take food directly from the hands, caress, rub their heads against the mistress’s legs, purr and say something during the meeting.
Africans purr in their own way: they either meow, or chirp, or even grunt in a hoarse voice.
Because of their dog’s devotion, good nature, love of water and constant desire to chew on everything, Anna calls the fluffies “cotops.” “Little ones” even love walking equipment: a harness with a leash.
What to feed a serval
The serval needs to be fed in such a way that it does not even think about yearning for the African savannah. In the wild, most of the predator's diet comes from rodents and birds. The minority consists of snakes, lizards, and insects. Of course, you don’t have to catch grasshoppers for your cat; it’s enough to create the right menu of meat (beef, veal), food mice, rats and poultry. As a compliment from the cook, you can offer the animal quail eggs and offal. Vitamin and mineral supplements must be included in the diet. Water should always be freely available.
Mistress of impressive animals
While I was admiringly looking at the living predator, a young, beautiful girl quietly approached me. She introduced herself in a pleasant voice: “I am Anna: the director of the Serval_family pet store, and part-time, the owner of charming creatures named Stephanie and Toby...”.
The owner and the cats were so remarkably similar to each other that I couldn’t resist showering them with compliments... Then I asked them to share with my readers the main secrets of raising African beauties.
Health
Servals usually have good health and good immunity. With proper care and nutrition, they practically do not get sick. But before you get an unusual pet, you should make sure that there is a veterinarian nearby who can provide qualified assistance. Servals are vaccinated with regular cat vaccines. The lifespan of a serval is 13-15 years, some individuals can live up to 20 years.
Choosing a serval kitten and price
The optimal age for a kitten to move to a new family is 2-3 months. During this period of life, the baby begins to get used to smells and rules. He chooses his “favorite” among people and begins to become a full-fledged member of the family. At this age, the animal begins to be actively raised, accustomed to walks, etc. It will be more difficult for older servals to adapt to a new home.
It is very important to buy exotic animals from breeders and not from resellers. The baby and his parents must have a full package of documents confirming their origin and health. But it is more important that he is accustomed to humans from an early age.
If an animal was caught in the wild or raised in a closed enclosure, this can later result in huge problems with behavior and taming.
The cost of servals depends on many factors. Breeders set prices themselves, focusing on the average market value 2 in the country; in Russia it is 400 thousand rubles. In some nurseries, kittens can cost 8,500 or more. In other CIS countries, the price of a serval is usually slightly lower - 7000-7500 thousand dollars. Kittens for breeding are always more expensive than those sold as pets for castration/sterilization. The main thing when buying an exotic animal is not to run into scammers.
Breeding
The African serval is a loner, but during the mating period, natural instincts take over. In natural habitats, male territories are adjacent to territories where many females live for optimal reproduction. Mating often occurs in the spring. The female herself looks for the male and cares for him before the estrus, which lasts only 1 day.
Breeding servals in captivity is impossible without some knowledge of this process. In the world of wildlife, the birth of kittens is a real miracle. Babies are born desired by everyone.
The gestation period lasts 10-11 weeks, 2-3 kittens weighing about 250 g appear in the litter. In the first 11 days, the weight of the babies doubles. Permanent canines appear at six months. Sexual maturity occurs at 18-24 months.
Interesting. Servals are not designed to breed in captivity, but if desired, they can produce wonderful offspring. This process becomes a kind of challenge for breeders: will the person cope or not?
During the breeding season, the behavior of animals changes: anxiety and excessive mobility appear. A cat may bite or scratch a person or other animal. Kittens can be born viable, but sometimes require human assistance.
If a cat becomes pregnant by a normal cat, she can kill the hybrid offspring. Therefore, the owner must be on alert. Such kittens weigh 90-110 g. Males remain infertile for three generations. Cats with a high percentage of wild blood may be fertile, but sometimes become parents of small litters. When kept in captivity for several generations, mating efficiency increases.
