African Servals

General Information

     Hunted for it's beautiful striped and spotted coat, the serval is now a threatened species. Some fall prey to natives who also hunt the cat for its meat.  As a predator itself, it's a great hunter of rodents, fish, reptiles, and other animals. The very large ears provide great hearing ability, and with a vertical leap of 10 feet, it's a great pouncer.

    Servals primarily hunt alone.  In the absence of suitable small prey they have been known to team up on larger animals.  While servals are well adapted for hunting by jumping and snaring or pouncing, they seem very skilled at probing holes with their long forepaws.  Servals in captivity will frequently stick their paw in ones pocket to fish around for interesting items.

Behavior

  Servals have been associated with man for centuries.  It is reported that the Egyptians kept them either as living idols or as protection for the huge amounts of food stored in granaries.   The serval has been kept in Europe as a pet for many centuries and has more recently gained popularity in the United States.  Servals are one of the few wildcats that make a good companion.  They bond very strongly with the caretakers.  They do not become aggressive as they mature.  They are extremely affectionate.  For cat lovers they are the ultimate cat.

Care and Feeding

    In the wild, servals eat a wide variety of foods depending on habitat and availability.  Small rodents such as mice, rats and squirrels are commonly eaten. But they will also eat a variety of insects, reptiles and amphibians.  Studies have found that they also consume a surprising amount of vegetable material and fruit.  In captivity they will consume many types of grass.  Some are also fond of vegetables such as corn on the cob and spinach.

Responsible Serval Ownership

    When you accept the responsibility of caring for any animal like a Serval, you must realize that the animal depends on you not just for food, shelter and medical care, but also depends on you for companionship and love.   Each Serval has their individual personalities and quirks, so each is different. A Serval may bond with you and never bond with another person for the rest of its life.  This may make it hard for the Serval if you decide that you cannot care for it anymore.  Not many people want to spend decades caring for an animal that they can't have a relationship with.  Bear this in mind and realize that a Serval may live up to 20 years.  The Serval will depend on you for that length of time.  Some Servals may be able to bond with a new owner but that is not guaranteed.  Even at best, bonding with a new owner takes time. If for some reason you are unable to take care of the Serval, please contact the breeder if you need help in finding a new home.  Always have a back up plan, in case something happens to you like hospital stay or worse. Have a relative or a close friend become the serval's playmate in case you are ill.