Servals

[matt1991]

has anyone here ever owned a serval or savannah cat? im trying to find out why some are solid black or white ic ant find anything online about it and was curious as to if anyone here has experience with one

 

[abyeb]

The first thing you need to realize is that Servals are not a breed of Domestic Cat. They are a wild species of feline, native to Africa. Because of that, you can’t expect the same docile behavior of a Domestic Cat. There’s also no rabies vaccination approved for use in Servals. Additionally, as an exotic pet; some areas will prohibit keeping them as pets, so you’ll need to check your local legislation before obtaining one.

Regarding your question of melanistic (black) and white Servals, I don’t have the stats on how many melanistic Servals are around. I believe that there are only two white Servals in the world, both of whom reside at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida.

Savannah cats will have a calmer temperament than Servals, but are still not permitted to be kept as pets in some places.

If you like that wild look, have you considered Bengals? These are a hybrid of Asian Leopard Cats and domestic cats. Typically Bengals are 4-5 generations removed from the wild, so they will have more of a domestic temperament. Another breed you can consider is the Ocicat. These cats were bred to look wild, by mixing Abyssinians, Siamese, and American Shorthairs (all purely Domestic breeds) to create a stunning spotted pattern and muscular body.

 

[StefanZ]

If you can imagine a hairy individual, look into Maine Coons. There is a group whom look sweetish, but the other branch looks very savage... And they are big, 20 kilogrammes isnt impossible for some males.

 

[Willowy]

That's cool, I just looked up the info on solid black servals. Apparently there has only been one that's been photographed, but there are recent reports of them in a few countries in Africa. None in captivity. Melanistic is a common mutation in most animals, but in this case, since all reports of black servals are recent, I wonder if they got that way due to interbreeding with domestic cats, since obviously they are able to produce viable offspring.

The only white one I could find is that one at Big Cat Rescue who lost his nose to skin cancer . Which is always a threat to white animals.

If you want to keep a wild animal as a pet, there are alot of hoops to jump through. You have to check your local laws, get all the right permits, etc. And keep in kind that rabies vaccines are not legally recognized in wild animals, so even if your wild pet is vaccinated, if there's ever a bite or scratch incident your pet WILL be put down (unless the victim is willing to get rabies shots), no option for quarantine.

If you just want the look, I'd recommend a Bengal or a later-generation Savannah. I believe they have to be at least f4 before the wild animal laws no longer apply.

 

[matt1991]

ill be in orlando florida which have very loose pet laws luckly for me i just want a big cat its not about the look that i want its more of size mainecoons are cool but i like a certain type and it seems hard t find what id want