The serval cat is one of the most desired exotic pets in the world today. Take one look at these furry felines and it’s easy to see why so many people want to own one. They’re bigger than your average housecat, featuring long, slender legs, distinctly pointed ears, and a luxurious striped coat.
Plus, the serval cat has an adorable face, showing all the cute expressiveness of the domesticated cat. Yet they retain a wild aesthetic, resembling their big cat cousins, giving them an air of elegance as they stride.
After one look at a serval cat, most people find themselves wondering whether they make a good pet. Who wouldn’t want an adorable yet fierce cat strolling around their home, showing love and affection as it purrs in their lap?
Unfortunately, the serval cat doesn’t make a good pet, for many reasons that we’ll outline below.
What is a Serval Cat?
For those unfamiliar, the serval cat is a wild cat species native to Africa. Found throughout the African continent, serval cats resemble their domesticated relatives, although do have a much larger build. The average size of a serval cat is around 40lbs, so they’re notably larger than your typical housecat!
Because they are a type of wild cat, servals are born to hunt the rugged desert landscapes of Africa. They have long legs for running at high speeds across large distances, making them one of the most efficient hunters of any wild cat species.
Like many domesticated cats, the serval cat loves to hunt all kinds of pretty, including rodents, birds, and even fish. Also, serval cats prefer a solitary life, hunting on their own as soon as they are old enough.
Sadly, their beautiful appearance, including their athletic build and large, perky ears, make them a big target in the exotic pet trade. Many serval cats are now bred in captivity and sold as exotic pets.
Why the Serval Cat Doesn’t Make a Good Pet
There is one main reason why a serval cat is an unsuitable pet – they are not domesticated.
Unlike the beloved domesticated house cat, serval cats are wild animals. They don’t have the privilege of thousands of years of living side by side with humans as our pet cats do. This makes the serval cat a very different animal from the domesticated cat.
Unfortunately, many people assume that because serval cats look so much like domesticated cats, they are just as suitable for pets. This is simply untrue, as the serval cat remains 100% a wild animal.
Here are some detailed reasons why serval cats aren’t good pets:
Serval Cats Need Lots of Outdoor Space
Serval cats are born to roam the African landscapes. They have long legs that help them explore far and wide, along with exceptional endurance for hunting their prey. Their lives consist of roaming, digging, jumping, and exploring the outside world.
As a result, they naturally prefer wide-open spaces, something that most pet owners can’t provide. Even if you have a spacious garden, serval cats still need plenty of trees and grasses to play and hide in.
Simply put, forcing a serval cat to live in confined spaces is against their nature. It’s cruel and only limits their freedom, something that goes against all their natural instincts.
Serval Cats Love to Escape
Providing serval cats with suitable housing is difficult. As mentioned above, they love wide, open spaces, something that most owners struggle to offer. Even if you have enough space outdoors, serval cats require an enclosure, otherwise, they’re guaranteed to escape.
For example, serval cats easily jump several feet in the air, meaning they’ll clear most garden fences with no issue. Like house cats, they’re natural climbers, so will scale fences, trees, and other high objects with ease.
So, if you want to keep a serval cat outside, it needs to be inside a roofed enclosure. Given how much space they need, this type of housing is unviable for most people!
Plus, even if you have a robust enclosure for the serval cat, it’s still going to try to escape by climbing, digging, or squeezing through weak points.
An escaped serval cat faces many risks, especially from traffic and other wild animals where you live. Furthermore, they’re natural hunters, so an escaped serval cat may kill other people’s pets.
Serval Cats are Not Suitable for Indoors
So, if serval cats love to escape, surely keeping them indoors avoids all the above issues?
Unfortunately, a serval cat is simply not suited for indoor living, as they cause all kinds of issues around your typical household.
For instance, an adult serval cat reaches around 40lbs, making them notably larger than any housecat. They’re also highly energetic, running around at high speeds and climbing all over the place. Their natural behavior makes them very destructive around the house!
While a pet serval cat doesn’t intend to destroy things, the simple truth is they are going to do so. Plus, their inquisitive nature means they’re going to accidentally chew and swallow random household objects. It’s not just annoying but also a risk to their health!
It’s Impossible to Litter Train a Serval Cat
As wild animals, serval cats instinctively mark their territory, including their owner’s house. As you can imagine, this results in all kinds of unwanted mess around the home.
Moreover, it’s impossible to train a serval to use a litter box. They may occasionally use the litter box with regular training, but they never fully overcome their instincts.
Plus, a serval cat doesn’t just mark the territory it lives in but also anything they claim as its own. Therefore, a pet serval cat is likely to mark its owner too! As you might imagine, not many people enjoy being urinated on by a 40lb wild cat.
Sadly, many serval cats are abandoned for their lack of litter training. Their instinct to urinate on people and their belongings makes them incredibly unsuitable for living in a house.
Serval Cats Are Often Dangerous
Serval cats do show love and affection, although this is often reserved for a single owner or handler. While not overly aggressive, their natural instincts cause them to play rough, meaning you may get hurt when playing with them.
As mentioned, these cats reach upwards of 40lbs, so even an unintentional bite or scratch will hurt.
Also, serval cats are natural hunters, and their prey drive never goes away. This means they are dangerous around other animals, especially smaller pets. They can easily kill or injure other animals, making them unsuitable pets for most homes.
Additionally, their roughness means they shouldn’t be near younger people. While they may look adorable to children, they can easily hurt a smaller person, even if just playing with them. Kids also lack restraint, so may cause the serval to lash out and hurt them.
Serval Cats May Not Be Legal
Another important reason that serval cats are not suitable pets is that they may be illegal. Various states have laws restricting ownership of exotic pets such as the serval cat. That means you may not legally be allowed to own one where you live.
Some states require a permit to own a serval cat, which is complex and expensive to obtain.
Keeping Serval Cats Healthy is Challenging
As a wild cat, serval cats have a complex diet that is difficult to replicate at home. You can’t just feed them ordinary cat food, as they require a much more unique balance of nutrients to remain healthy.
While it is possible to match their wild diet at home, it takes a lot of time and resources. Plus, they live for up to 20 years, so it costs a lot to properly feed them over their lifetime. As a result, keeping them fed and healthy adds to the already high costs of owning a serval cat.
Moreover, most owners struggle to find a vet with suitable experience caring for serval cats. Without a knowledgeable vet, finding adequate healthcare for a serval cat throughout its life is challenging. They are susceptible to various health issues like any animal, so finding the right care is not always possible.
Even if you do find a vet with enough experience with serval cats, expect expensive fees for their treatment.
Conclusion
As all the information we’ve laid out above explains, serval cats simply do not make good pets. The serval cat is a wild animal that deserves unrestricted freedom to hunt and explore. They have various tendencies that make them very unsuitable house pets – something many people find out too late.
Yes, serval cats are utterly adorable, with an exotic appearance and loveable expression on their faces. Their huge ears and big eyes make them look like cuddly toys, but they are in fact wild animals that make terrible pets.
Plus, we have thousands of lovable domesticated cats that make the perfect house pet! Rather than considering a pet serval, why not adopt one of their lovable relatives instead? It’s cheaper, cleaner, and much more rewarding!