Serval - breed description and cat character

Man is increasingly moving away from nature, therefore, although small reminders that there are endless plains, wild forests where untamed animals live, he is very pleasant. Therefore, many decide to have a wild cat.

Wild pet - guest of the hot continent

The ideal solution to make a wild child a pet is to place a serval cat in the house. His very appearance evokes dreams of hunting and incredible travels, and not surprisingly, because the homeland of this cat is distant Africa, in which the serval often lives outside of home. More recently, their number was quite numerous, but beautiful fur attracted poachers, and because of this the number of servals began to decline sharply. Large animals also hunt them, especially leopards.

In this breed, you can recognize caracal and wild golden cat, as well as cheetah - so their colors are similar. However, in the mountains of Kenya there are individuals repeating the color of the graceful black panther. They are distinguished by calling them black servals, or melanists. White color is a very rare exception, in the nature of their units.

For the serval, its favorite natural habitat is more often the African savannah, less often the mountainous areas, they are also found on the mountain slopes, the height of which is more than 3 km. The desert does not appeal to them primarily because there is very little water. But forests with high humidity are also not their refuge, although at the edges of the serval can sometimes be found.

Serval, although small, is a real predator, and the height of its hunt falls at night. Its victims are mainly animals quite small, this is a family of rodents, snakes, hares or other representatives of the animal world, whose weight does not exceed 200 grams. They hunt very skillfully: they can still be ambushed, not moving, for a long time, and then, having caught even a small rustle, they jump on the victim.

In a flock, these animals do not stray, but live alone. However, the male necessarily protects his terrain, marking it up to 30 square meters. m, and the female - up to 20 square meters. m

Serval children appear regardless of the natural seasons. The gestation of kittens lasts from 65 to 77 days, one or four babies may appear in the litter, but usually twins are born. Interesting fact: lambing occurs either in a constructed nest among thick high grass or in holes buried by aardvarks - animals very similar to anteaters.

Just born babies have a weight of 250 g., Eyes begin to open in the interval from 9 to 14 days. The kitten goes on the first hunt when he is 6 months old, and only at the age of one year begins to live independently, without maternal care.

Scientists identified 14 varieties of this breed, first of all, distinguishing each by color. And the breeders, having worked pretty hard, were able to tame some species, and so, thanks to them, there were servals that can live at home.

Standard external differences

In addition to color, the serval is significantly distinguished by several other significant factors - the unique grace and predatory appearance. This is the merit of nature, which tried to help the serval hunt successfully in order to survive in difficult conditions.

Standards of this breed are not fully established, but the main description has already been worked out and taken into account.

Serval is ranked as a medium sized cat, although some breeders claim that they are almost giants compared to other domestic cats.The length of the body can vary in such sizes: from 58 to 95 cm. It weighs an average of 16 - 18 kg.

Breed Standards:

1. The head is small.
2. The eyes are almond-shaped, but only from below. On the upper eyelid they have a shape resembling a boomerang.
3. Ears disproportionately to the body are very large, set high to respond perfectly to the slightest movement in the grass or on the tree. Inside, they are very pubescent, on the outside, white and black stripes are clearly drawn.
4. The nose and nose are quite wide.
5. The tail should not interfere while this predator is waiting for prey, because it is short, about 20 to 45 cm, but thick.
6. Paws are long, this is especially noticeable due to the ratio of body size and limbs. It is the paws that make the animal 20 cm higher. And again, this is due to the fact that it was more convenient to hunt in tall grass and quickly notice the future lunch. The rear is longer than the front.
7. Vibrissa is a prerequisite, in addition, they must be long and dense, pads pronounced.

In healthy servals, the coat is shiny and thick, very delicate. Basically, these animals are born with a golden brown color, but there are colors from light sand to red with brown shades. Color varies due to geographical location:

• if they are forest representatives, then their hair is darker;
• Steppe residents often have very large spots and lighter coat.

The chest, abdomen and muzzle are lighter than in other places, they are almost white. But the most spectacular ones are black spots that harmoniously turn into stripes on the back.

Nature endowed Serval with a freedom-loving disposition

The owners of the serval will have to agree that the genes of wild ancestors can appear at any time, otherwise it will not be possible to make friends with a pet. It must be remembered that hunting instincts can make the recently resting serval jump to 3 meters in height to catch a flying bird. He does not need a run. But even in the room he will not leave his habit, and will conquer every skyscraper. As a result, chandeliers, curtains, paintings, etc. can become unusable.

They are very playful and agile, and you can’t forbid them to often be on the move. Having such long legs, the cat can reach speeds of up to 80 km / h.

Serval should always know what is happening on their territory, because in the house should examine every room, all cabinets, even closed. They are very friendly, however, raising them, you have to show maximum patience.

Basically, a serval appears in the house with a still small kitten, and he immediately begins to nibble everything in a row, without distinguishing whether it is a valuable thing or a sheet of paper. Breeders advise to buy a special cat spray together with a kitten, it will prevent a dangerous situation if the baby gets to the wiring.

The action will be a failure, if you try to shout or punish the kitten, it can hold a grudge forever. Professionals advise a more effective means - having uttered the command “it is impossible”, to douse the naughty boy with water from the spray gun. When playing with a small pet, it is not recommended to allow it to bite the owners' hands or feet, as it will perceive them all its life as elements of the game, attacking, biting and scratching even in adulthood.

If you need to teach a leash, it is advisable to do this at an early age. On the street, where there are a lot of extraneous unfamiliar odors and strangers, the owner should be a protector for the kitten and a true friend - this is how you can gain the trust of the serval for life.

Health must be strong

Small kittens haven’t gotten bones yet, but jumping from a great height is already very interesting. Therefore, you need to make sure that the pet does not break its limbs at a young age.

The serval may have bowel problems. Therefore, if diarrhea occurs, you will have to immediately contact a veterinary clinic.

The health of this breed is notable for its strength, but vaccination for prevention is necessary. However, owners should clearly remember that a vaccine that contains active viruses is a vital danger to this breed.

Serval is still a wild animal, therefore it marks its territory endlessly. According to statistics, this procedure can occur more than 50 times per hour. Everything would be fine, but the smell is strong, and getting rid of it is not easy. In this case, there is a way out - this is sterilization. For cats, it can be done at 8 months of age, cats per year.

At home, serval lives much longer!

Caring for a cat is easy. Going out for a walk, and at a young age it is advisable to feed by hand, so that the kitten will perceive the owner in a friendly manner.

Feed should be given the predatory nature, meat and offal, eggs. He will not refuse from rodents and birds. The daily need for meat is up to 0.5 kg. Be sure to ensure that water is in large quantities. Supplement the diet with vitamin complexes.

Video: Home Serval