Servals

[catlikes2]

These are wild cats about the size of a large Maine Coon house cat with the coloration of a leopard. I'm posting here because I like this breed, but it's considered a "wild animal" by some states, and you actually have to have a special permit and an enclosure to keep one, as if you were keeping a lion or a tiger, even though the Savannah breed is related to them.

Do you know of any serval enthusiasts and breeders in the state of Texas? I'm all for this breed, and I think it's unfairly on Texas' list of "big cats." Did the people who made that list even know what a serval was?

 

[Willowy]

It's not a breed; servals are wild animals. They aren't housecats. Some of the smaller wildcats are more challenging to keep than bigger cats. While I'm not entirely against keeping exotic pets, they are much more challenging than domestic animals, and you do need to have the proper accommodations. Many exotic pets end up being put down because their owners weren't able to fulfill their needs.

 

[catlikes2]

Are there any Serval / Savannah enthusiasts in the state of Texas?

 

[She's a witch]

I am a serval enthusiast, I’ve seen one in Kenya and it was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. How would such animal find his way into Texas?

 

[catlikes2]

Unless I'm mistaken, in the state of Texas, owning a serval is about the same as owning a Savannah? The rules concerning "dangerous wild animals" apply as much to Savannahs as it does to servals as it does to cougars? Why not just check out a serval if the state is going to penalize for trying to own an interesting house cat?

 

[Moka]

Unless I'm mistaken, in the state of Texas, owning a serval is about the same as owning a Savannah? The rules concerning "dangerous wild animals" apply as much to Savannahs as it does to servals as it does to cougars? Why not just check out a serval if the state is going to penalize for trying to own an interesting house cat?

Savannahs are not just some "interesting house cat". They can get very large and need an experienced owner willing to spend the time and money and make actual lifestyle changes to accommodate these cats. Just because they are part domesticated cat does not mean they will act like one. Savannahs will often need an outdoor run and have a habit of spraying everything once they mature even if they are fixed. A huge number of savannahs are abandoned every year and because they are part serval, most animal shelters will not adopt them out. They will just euthanize them. There are massive waiting lists at animal sanctuaries for people wanting to give up their savannah cats. Check out Big Cat Rescue based in Florida. They have quite a few hybrids in their care right now and regularly get requests to take in more.
Anyone wanting a savannah should be careful and thorough in researching all of their unique requirements before taking on such a responsibility. There are probably plenty of great savannah owners out there, but there are also a lot of people who quickly realized they were in over their heads. Savannahs are big cats with big needs.

 

[Norachan]

Are there any Serval / Savannah enthusiasts in the state of Texas?

Why not visit or volunteer at a big cat sanctuary in your state? You'll learn about the care that big cats need and about the challenges of looking after one properly.

Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary | Wildlife Refuge: Tyler, TX

Main Home - Pride Rock

 

[FeralHearts]

Why not just check out a serval if the state is going to penalize for trying to own an interesting house cat?

The fact that you've said this makes me nervous for that type of cat to be in your care - at least right now. They are absolutely not a house cat. They require A LOT of room to run for starters. Not just a pen outside. We are taking acres of land to run and closed in with some good fencing and cat-proof top as they can jump.

I'm NOT trying to be mean when I say that. What I am saying is that you would need to educate yourself more before you even considered it.

I absolutely LOVE Norachan 's idea of volunteering at a sanctuary. That would give you a chance to get to know the breed, learn how to care for them and see if you are up for the challenge. You might be. Who knows - but based on what you've said. I'd think being ready would be a way down the road yet.

Volunteering is a great opportunity to be close to them and see them.

Here is a link to help you learn a bit more!

Servals are Not Pets | Big Cat Rescue

 

[Willowy]

If you volunteer at a sanctuary (great idea, btw). . .you would probably eventually end up with a few as your own "pets", if you were able to provide proper accommodations. There are more unwanted exotic pets than sanctuaries can take in, so some end up with knowledgeable volunteers/employees. So that could work out in a few different ways. You'd learn what they need, and then if you determined you could meet that need, you'd know of plenty of wildcats up for adoption.

 

[LTS3]

Finding a vet for a "pet" wild cat will be difficult. No "regular" vet for dogs and cats would be willing to provide veterinary care. An exotic vet that generally sees rabbits, birds, and small companion / pet animals like those may or may not be willing to provide care for a wild cat. You would need a zoo vet, one who is familiar and experienced working with wild cats like a serval.

 

[StefanZ]

Re having a big cat demands a lot of work and dedication... There is a nice illustration of this. On Youtube there is a serial about a smallish mountain leion owned by a russian pair. Messi, Im_Puma. He lives essentially the life of a big, friendly, gentle house cat... Very sweet and adorable in every way. Swell no?
Now. First, his health isnt perfect, its not only he is much smaller than the other puma males (and wouldnt survive in the free, the other males would kill him.) I know they had periodically given him much medical attention, and possibly he has still some rests, slowing him and his energhy down some. The other is, they make sure he is occupied, has something to do. They go behavior and dressage courses together with dogs (he is the size of a german shepherd), they take him out on a leash and visit things, they play much with him inside, and are much together with him... He is almost always occupied by something.
So yes, they live a wonderful life with this wonderful friend, but there is much work with it...

He is btw OK with their cat, but they arent really friends. But he doesnt mind dogs, nor dogs doesnt mind him.

 

[basscat]

C catlikes2 , Is there something I can help you with?

 

[Norachan]

Show 'em your scars basscat If you post cute belly shots like that everyone is going to want a bobcat.

 

[FeralHearts]

Good idea Norachan ! Cause yup - cute! C catlikes2 should look through basscat s media. They can see the proper space that basscat has. The enclosure outside, how perfect it is. These are only some of the thing people need to consider. I'm shocked now I didn't think to add them into the thread. They are a great person to talk to.

I'm no stranger to having exotic animals or being near them. I've taken in many types and looked after them until they found proper homes in zoos or sanctuary's. One in particular was a reticulated python that was abused by someone. I was never so happy in all my life when we finally found a sanctuary to take that one in. I'm not scared of snakes - but that one was a way to out of it's mind. I was afraid of it.

A friend of my family, when I was younger, had some big cats as part of their magic act (I have a different view of those sort of things than I did back then) all was great until a truck hit them and the police nearly shot the cougar. From what I remember being told she was screaming "My baby's in the van!" panicked. (I'd have no doubt done the same.) so of course the police weren't exactly expecting to be face to face with a lose cougar.

Thankfully that ended well. Not all of those situations do.

 

[basscat]

Show 'em your scars basscat If you post cute belly shots like that everyone is going to want a bobcat.

With a Bobcat (or a Serval/Caracal/Lynx/Hamster.....) You have to have some sort of idea of what to expect AND back up plans if things don't go anything near as you thought they would.

1) My plan was to have a pet bobcat that I took care of, lived in the house, got along with the other cats, could go with me whenever I wanted him to go with me on a leash, and had an outside enclosure he could go to for some unrestrained romping.

2) My back-up plan was that I had a bobcat that lived in an outdoor enclosure that I took care of every day, much like one would take care of livestock, or other outdoor pets. As strange as it may seem, around "rural" here, many people have outside cats and dogs that never go in the house.

Plan 1) was coconut cream pie....Plan 2) was boiled cabbage. BUT, BOTH plans consisted of ME taking care of the best thing in the world OR the ultimate mistake. (I'm not certain there's anything worse than boiled cabbage....but if you make it for me, I'll eat it and you won't hear complain one bit)

Reality ended up somewhere right in the middle...as is generally the case.
He's in the house every night, some weekend days, and during shiddy weather. He's outside in his enclosure during the day when we are working.
He has his own room in the house (ALL HIS). He doesn't spray, but, he will leave a little pee in corners to mark his territory. It's a constant cleaning battle to keep the smell down to "cat nose-blind level". I doubt the aroma ever goes away in his room, but, as a cat owner there's an acceptable level where it doesn't bother us.
He has his own room because we just don't want this in the entire house. AND, he can and will destroy anything he takes an interest in in the rest of the house. AND he can no longer play with the house cat due to a few stupid mistakes we made early on when he was a kitten. He does get to run and romp throughout the whole house every few days, but we have to go through and "bobcat proof" the house prior to letting him out of his room. And we have to hide the tabby somewhere.
It's not like sticking him in a bedroom and closing the door though. His room is the sun room. It has two outside walls that are basically solid glass and all those windows open in nice weather. This room has four french doors that open into the rest of the house as well, and those are glass as well. He see's everything that goes on outside, and everything that goes in inside. And it's a fairly large room. Big enough that he can make full speed passes end to end when he's "bouncing".
He's a little over 3 years old now and has calmed down CONSIDERABLY in the last year.
As of now, he's actually a lot less of a pain in the butt than the tabby. Might even be nicer all things considered. But, getting to this age/stage sure had some challenging moments. And a few painful ones as well.
We never minded these challenges though. We are outdoors-y people and continually experience the best and the worst things that can happen when working/playing. You bury a fish hook in your hand or face, you don't stop, you pull it out and get back to fishing. You get a bobcat latched onto your arm to the bone, you never even remotely consider a new home. You bandage it up and head right back out to play with him some more.
Nobody really knows what to expect with new adventures. You just need to realize that you're the kind of person that thrives on new adventures....or not.

 

[catlikes2]

Cute! Besides the size, though, what's the difference between a small wild cat and a kitten that's never had any human contact? Aren't they both somewhat difficult to manage if you don't work with them a bit?

Why is the enclosure required? Aren't things like bobcats found in the wild? People don't try to cage them, and wouldn't a wildcat be afraid of people it doesn't know anyway?

If Savannahs are outlawed in some states or if there are permits required for them, why are wolf dogs sometimes allowed without permits?

In a lot of ways, isn't the government just kind of expecting us to cowtow to other people's fear and ignorance?

 

[FeralHearts]

Cute! Besides the size, though, what's the difference between a small wild cat and a kitten that's never had any human contact? Aren't they both somewhat difficult to manage if you don't work with them a bit?

Why is the enclosure required? Aren't things like bobcats found in the wild? People don't try to cage them, and wouldn't a wildcat be afraid of people it doesn't know anyway?

If Savannahs are outlawed in some states or if there are permits required for them, why are wolf dogs sometimes allowed without permits?

In a lot of ways, isn't the government just kind of expecting us to cowtow to other people's fear and ignorance?

C catlikes2 I know this was probably meant for basscat but I really felt the need to chime in.

While I understand your point about "Granny government style". Often the laws are in place to protect the wildlife, and people, from other people not equipped to deal with specialized animals. Also exploitation, and very frankly people that are just plain old fashioned stupid and have no common sense. I'm not a full believer in the whole "let stupid kill itself off" because stupid usually puts other people (and animals) in danger.

I live in an area where there are both Coyotes, wolves and coywolves. I can tell you first hand you CAN haze a coyote to learn where my property line is (and where it needs to stay away from) - good luck trying to do that with a coywolf. Different animals, different needs, different communication etc. I will tell you not one coywolf I've run across is afraid of me in anyway. Not all wildlife is afraid of people.

I had rottweilers before most people knew what the breed was. People would often comment why, when my backyard was 30 feet from my backdoor, I would take them out to the yard on a leash. Simple. That is ONE powerful dog. Friendly, loving... but all it takes is a neighborhood child to get excited, call the dog over.... dog runs... dog knocks down child in pure excitement... completely innocently and unintentionally. The child is now hurt, possibly afraid of dogs now and guess what... the Dogs is in trouble now even thought it did nothing wrong. All because I know it's a good dog and I *think* I will always be in control.

It only takes once.

Domestic or not. Well trained or not. It is no guarantee something won't happen. Did I trust my dogs - 100%. Could I guarantee something would NEVER happen - nope. So I used my brain and took the little added effort to be sure.

The difference between a cat (kitten) and a wild cat is, for starters, the sheer POWER they have. A wild cats gets pissed - it swats you in the face, say goodbye to half your face and probably your eye. It bites you? There is no doubt you'll have many stitches and plastic surgeries. (It can do that even in rough play.) If you don't care enough about yourself to care about that - you should care enough about someone else- and care enough about the fact that an "accident" will cost that animal it's life. There are no second chances in those situations.

They also have very different natural temperaments and predispositions.

On one had I'm really glad you are asking these questions on the other it solidifies my original thoughts about the need for your to spend a lot of time learning in a controlled environment . If nothing else it would be a great help to the sanctuaries and also a great experience for you - with little risk to you or the animal.

 

[catlikes2]

In places where wolf dogs are allowed, aren't they essentially saying that what you would use to confine a regular dog is good enough for a wolf dog? If that logic makes sense for wolf dogs, why doesn't it make sense for hybrid cats, like the Savannah breed?

Maybe other people's ignorance is a good excuse to have some restrictions, but am I really responsible if my neighbor decides to let her child play in my swimming pool or backyard pond? Using the aforementioned logic, does that mean that the government could make laws against people having pools or ponds unless they're covered and child-proofed when not in use?

I may have never experienced what I would consider true "aggression" from any member of the feline species. Maybe a feral kitten or two hissed at me or tried to scratch me because it was scared, but other than that my experience with cats has perhaps been generally positive, except in cases where people have perhaps abused cats, such as engaging in inhumane practices such as declawing or keeping the animal confined for long periods of time.

I may also think that some of these "rescues," like maybe Big Cat Rescue, may work to make the animals less appealing and more aggressive by not handling or interacting with them. If you don't interact with a small animal or handle it regularly, aren't you going to end up with a generally skittish creature? Maybe it's just me, but maybe I get the idea that the man who founded Big Cat Rescue just doesn't get cats. Maybe it is "wrong" for some people to own wild cats if they don't know how to care for them, but aren't there others who know how to care for cats fairly well who don't have those negative experiences or if they do have them, know how to work through them?

Why do I think that? I may have gotten that idea when he suggested that people who want big cats get a dog instead! What self-respecting cat person would suggest a thing like that? It might be my opinion that there are people out there who just don't understand cats nor the appeal cats have for people who love them.

 

[catlikes2]

I also may have trouble believing that a later generation Savannah cat could hurt me any worse than any other domesticated cat, regardless of if it's hybrid or not, simply due to its small size.

 

[FeralHearts]

In places where wolf dogs are allowed, aren't they essentially saying that what you would use to confine a regular dog is good enough for a wolf dog? If that logic makes sense for wolf dogs, why doesn't it make sense for hybrid cats, like the Savannah breed?

Maybe other people's ignorance is a good excuse to have some restrictions, but am I really responsible if my neighbor decides to let her child play in my swimming pool or backyard pond? Using the aforementioned logic, does that mean that the government could make laws against people having pools or ponds unless they're covered and child-proofed when not in use?

A wolf is a wolf, a cat is a cat and a dog is a dog ... and then there are breeds within that as well. Each one requiring different care due to temperaments, body make up ... and the list goes on.

Anyone who thinks a dog and a wolfdog are the same - is very, very wrong. You literally have to build you life around a wolfdog and what's needed, again, most people are ill equipped or uneducated in their proper care. It usually ends in disaster. So no, it doesn't make sense to treat them the same. Anymore then treating a Serval the same as a domestic cat, or a Savannah for tat matter. On top of that a Savannah is very different from a Serval. Savannahs are at least a little closer to a domestic cat than a Serval.

A Savannah is a mix between a wild cat and a domestic.A Serval - is a Serval. Big difference.

Here's a short VERY BASIC video that outlines only a couple of the differences between the two:


You being responsible for a neighbor neglect of their child is different than someone being in control of an animal with a child nearby.

As a responsible person - I'd child proof a pool just because it's smart.

I may have never experienced what I would consider true "aggression" from any member of the feline species. Maybe a feral kitten or two hissed at me or tried to scratch me because it was scared, but other than that my experience with cats has perhaps been generally positive, except in cases where people have perhaps abused cats, such as engaging in inhumane practices such as declawing or keeping the animal confined for long periods of time.

I have and I promise you the cat was not neglected or abused. It's just his temperament. I'm still learning to avoid things that might trigger him. Maybe he has a mental illness or a screw loose. I don't know. It's my job as his guardian to sort it out and learn to work within his boundaries.

I may also think that some of these "rescues," like maybe Big Cat Rescue, may work to make the animals less appealing and more aggressive by not handling or interacting with them. If you don't interact with a small animal or handle it regularly, aren't you going to end up with a generally skittish creature? Maybe it's just me, but maybe I get the idea that the man who founded Big Cat Rescue just doesn't get cats. Maybe it is "wrong" for some people to own wild cats if they don't know how to care for them, but aren't there others who know how to care for cats fairly well who don't have those negative experiences or if they do have them, know how to work through them?

And that my friend is what is called ignorance. This is why it is so important to learn, research, experience etc. An opinion is great to have, but without the knowledge, experience etc to go with it. It's an opinion based off of fantasy or a romantic idea of how something should be or how it works. It's quite frankly - foolish.

And again - I'm not trying to be mean here. I'm trying to lead you down a path where your eyes are open and you get a full picture and really understand things.

For all I know - you've had 12 of these wild cats before and are well equipt to handle things. To be fair - I'm not getting that impression though. I can only go by what you are saying.

Why do I think that? I may have gotten that idea when he suggested that people who want big cats get a dog instead! What self-respecting cat person would suggest a thing like that? It might be my opinion that there are people out there who just don't understand cats nor the appeal cats have for people who love them.

Someone who was trying to stop people from making poor choices. While I disagree with what he said - I can read enough to the sentiment to understand WHY it was said.

He's obviously tired of seeing these big cats come in because they were in the hands of the wrong sort of people. I can't blame him.

I feel the same way every-time I see a Rottweiler with someone who very obviously doesn't understand the breed. Pure frustration.

I also may have trouble believing that a later generation Savannah cat could hurt me any worse than any other domesticated cat, regardless of if it's hybrid or not, simply due to its small size.

But again, a Savannah is not the same as a Serval.

Size doesn't matter either when it comes to animals - or even people for that matter.