We recommend you have a room in the house, and a large pen outdoors dedicated only for the Serval.   Always remember to keep the windows closed.  I had two Servals flying through the house and ejected themselves through a screen window.  Luckily they decided to chase lightning bugs, so it was easy for a rescue.  The need to make the room "Serval-proof", meaning free of dangers, such as electrical wires, dangerous chemicals, etc., knickknacks, where a Serval could get their leg caught, sprain or break it, open electric outlets, indigestible materials, etc. This room will serve as a den for your Serval, especially when you are away from home, or when the need arises for the Serval not to roam your home.  The outside enclosure should be long as a run, and it should provide adequate shelter from the elements.  An ideal outside enclosure would be attached to the house, with an enclosed "catwalk" to give the cat access to the inside of your house.  The outside enclosure should be Serval proof.  A Serval can jump 15 feet straight in the air from a stand still.  The outside cage should have a roof to prevent your Serval from jumping out of its cage.

Just remember, when you treat your Serval with the love and respect as the breed deserves, they will bond with the people that take care of them like no other animal you have ever seen.  They will welcome you into their pride and treat you as their pet.  You will have years of enjoyment and love. They will treat you like no other cat does.  They will chirp when they need your attention.  What a joy when your African Serval decides it is time to head butt you into his/her family!

Bonding

When you are trying to become friends with your Serval one of the best things is to feed them directly from your hands. This will teach trust. They will learn you are giving them something good when you are reaching for them.  Another way to bond with the Serval is, lay down on the floor with the cat and their favorite toy.  Standing will reflect as you being the predator against them.  Play with them so you are not towering over them like you would be if you are standing up.  When you are level with them, eye-to-eye, they are more at ease and they will soon become comfortable with you, no matter if you are standing, sitting or laying down.  You must remember you must be patient.  It may take a while for them to bond with you.  Never yell at your Serval.  This will teach them to run and be frightened when you are around.  Never force yourself upon them. And never physically hold them against their will.  They will learn to run from you instead of coming to you. 

Litter Training

When you receive your kitten from us, the kitten will all ready be litter trained.  But you must show your kitten where the litter box is in order for him/her to release himself.  A Serval will use a litter box to urinate and defecate if they are taught to do so.  They do not naturally cover up like domestic cats do.  Remember! Do not yell at your kitten.  This will start you two off in a bad way and will create problems.   In the wild they use one or two spots in their territory and tend to stick with those spots.  The Serval will use the litter box as their spot if they know that is the spot.  The litter box must be cleaned daily, and change the litter once a week. They may occasionally urinate or defecate elsewhere.  When you discover this is happening, you must clean the spot thoroughly. NO AMMONIA cleaning products, this will only encourage your Serval to use this place over and over again.  Rather clean the area with an enzyme-based odor remover such as "Nature's Miracle"  and then use "Feliway" on the spot to discourage this behavior. If you see the kitten going in the wrong spot you should pick it up and bring it to the litter box.  You should not scold the Serval for this.  When the Serval is small you can use a standard litter box.  When they get bigger you will need a larger box, approximately 16 inches in width, 24 inches in length and 18 inches in height or even larger to give them enough room.  Be sure to keep the box clean.  I have found that using two litter boxes, one for urination and one for defecation has helped a great deal in cleaning the boxes.  Also I have found that my Servals will refuse to urinate in a box that has been defecated in.  You must keep these litter boxes clean every day, after each use.   If you have domestics, do not allow them to use the same box as the Serval.  This will only deter the Serval from using ITS own litter box.  If your domestics have urinated on carpets, upholstery or furniture, so will your Serval.  You must thoroughly clean those areas with the above mentioned and forbid your domestics in those areas.  If you are having a problem with the Serval using the wrong spot consistently, contact me and I will be happy to give some suggestions to eliminate the problem. 

Feeding

Feeding your kitten is very important.  Servals need more nutrients than a domestic cat.  You may want to feed them regular cat food but they will not develop properly and I do not recommend this.  I recommend you feed the food I provide and consult with me as to the best diet as you go along.   For right now, what I am providing is the healthiest for your kitten.  At a later date, you may decide whether to feed your Serval  "Zupreem" or "Mazuri".  I really do not prefer these two brands.  My male Serval had developed stones due to the salt content of the Mazuri.   But lets for right now, stay with the diet I have provided.  You may start mixing raw chicken (chicken breast) with the food I have provided.  At a later time, when your kitten starts to mature, you may give him a chicken leg or neck.  Remember to remove the skin from the leg.  This will only cause a chubby Serval in the future.   When the Serval reaches maturity, you will be feeding the raw chicken with bones and all.  Do not feed cooked meat. Most meats contain high levels of phosphorus and if not consumed with the proper amount of calcium will cause small or brittle bones and other problems.  Exotic cats need the correct ratio of the two minerals to be able to utilize the calcium for bone growth.  It is best to let the Serval eat as much as they want but, do not leave the food out for more than a couple of hours.  By the time the Serval is about six months old they may be eating as much as a full can of food per day or a combination of dry and wet food.  Be sure to have plenty of clean water for them to drink.  I have four water bowls around in the house.  They like to play in water so make sure that you keep the toilet lids closed!  It is also best due to the chemical cleaners we use for the toilets!  It is not surprising to see your Serval peek a booing you when you are in the shower.  I also have a kiddy pool in their outside cage.  They have fun cleaning their toys!   It is normal for them to eat a lot one day and less the next day but if you see that they aren't eating you should have them checked at your vets.  Vitamin supplements must be considered. A feeding of grass once a week should be done for the digestive system.   Presently the brand I was using is now off the market.  I have been consulting with other breeders to see the results of the other brands.

Medical

When you receive your kitten, you will be receiving paperwork concerning the vaccinations given.  Servals require the same vaccinations that domestic cats do. If any is needed, MAKE SURE YOUR VET USES ONLY VACCINES MADE FROM ALL KILLED VIRUSES.  Exotic cats may become sick and die if live vaccines are used.  This is very important.  If your Serval is going to be a pet, my suggestion would be to declaw not only the front paws, but the back as well.  This will save you from too friendly play time and your furniture.  Remember these are tiger claws and they do plenty of damage.  I know!  The kittens I am providing to you today are completely declawed. Both males and females will spray once they reach sexual maturity if they are not altered.  I recommend having the altering done at between 4 and 6 months.  Please consult your vet regarding this, and always remember, if your vet needs help, I am a phone call away.  Either myself, or someone from the Serval community, will always help you and your vet.   For safe measure, if there is any reason that you suspect that your Serval is ill, please bring it to your vet.  Your Serval can't tell you what is bothering them so you have to be the one to look for signs.  Look for drastic mood changes, vomiting, diarrhea and straining while urinating.  Particularly, you should be wary of diarrhea.  In a young cat, this can dehydrate them in a few hours and they may need fluids intravenously.  If you see diarrhea (watery stools) more than twice in a row, it would be prudent to have the vet check out the Serval.  Treatment is usually easy and quick once the vet determines the cause of the diarrhea.  Diarrhea can sometimes result from a change in diet.  But this usually goes away quickly.  

Playtime

Servals are very playful as you will soon find out.  They are capable of jumping on anything that you have in your house. We have had to close our bedroom doors at night.  Our Servals would start playing, chasing each other and would be bouncing off of our bedroom walls while we slept.  They like being perched on tall pieces of furniture and on shelves.  Anything that is on a shelf or piece of furniture that is breakable should be put in a case or cabinet.  Cabinets should be high enough to be close to the ceiling.  I have come home from work and discovered my female Serval sound asleep laying on top of the china cabinet.  And watch out for the top of the refrigerator!  They like to paw at mini blind cords and drapery cords.  The cords should be pinned up out of their reach because they will jump up to play with them and may get them wrapped around their neck, which can be very tragic! Serval kittens like to chew like a puppy.  It is a good idea to have plenty of toys that they can chew on.  The hard plastic is preferable.  The soft plastic can be eaten, which is definitely not good. The more toys they have, then they will not chew on things that you don't want them to destroy or things that may hurt them.  If they begin chewing on electrical cords, a good solution is to spray the exposed cords with bitter apple spray (available at pet stores).  This will discourage them.  Re-apply frequently as needed.  This also works on other items that they may chew such as decorative pillows.  As they mature they usually do not chew very much.  When you find your Serval doing something that you don't want them to, it is best to reprimand them with a firm "No".  Squirting them with a water pistol works.  My Servals understand the water bottle means a definite NO!  Remember early I mentioned for you not to yell at your Serval.  If they play too rough (such as biting too hard), a firm "No!" and a light tap on the head will discourage them. If it does not work, walk away and quit playing. They are very smart, and also very stubborn, so it may take several repetitions in order for them to learn that you are not going to let them have their way. Servals love playing with toys.  As mentioned before when they are young, toys that are made for domestic cats will be fine. But, when they are older, those toys are too small and they will destroy most of them quickly.  Some toys may be so small that they will swallow them and choke or block their intestines.  Toys that are made for medium to large sized dog work well.  It is fun going to the pet store purchasing dog toys for your cat.  Just sit back and watch the reaction when the clerk says, "awww, you buying toys for your dog?" , and you reply, "no, buying toys for my cat."  I have had quite a lot of discussions at the check out as to what is a Serval?  If you want to be able to take your Serval places with you, you should have your Serval wearing a harness at an early age.   Every once in awhile put the leash on it and guide him around the house.  You must remember, they will think this is fun and will not cooperate at first.  But with time and patience they will start to understand that this is a routine humans prefer. Always use a harness, never trust a collar.  They can get out of a collar within seconds.  My female took 3 seconds and decided the collar was not the thing for her.  It is a good idea to put the harness on them and let them walk around to get accustomed to having the straps around their body. Then you should put the leash on the harness and let them run freely in the house or their cage.  Keep an eye on them and do not leave them alone with the harness attached.  They may get it hooked on something while jumping and choke.  After they are accustomed to the harness and leash with no tension you should hold the leash lightly so that they get accustomed to having tension on the leash.  Then you may want to take them out for short walks around the house, near your doors so if there is trouble you may have a fast entrance into the house. Make sure that they cannot get out of the harness at all.  Servals are contortionists when they want to get out of a situation.  If something scares them and they try to get out of the harness to run, you may not be able to grab them quickly.  They won't really be trying to run away from you but rather they are trying to run away from something that scares them or that they are uncertain of.  At all costs, try to prevent the animal from getting loose.  When they get loose outside, in an unfamiliar environment, they get scared and they may even be scared of you under those circumstances.  A Serval on the loose can cause a stir in the neighborhood. And someone may think that it is dangerous and shoot it.  Strangers who try to catch it will just frighten it more.  This situation should be avoided at all costs.  They can be caught but it can be an ordeal.  Servals usually like other animals.  They welcome play with almost any animal once they have time to get accustomed to each other.  Once the Serval is close to full grown you should exercise caution when introducing a new small pet (such as a young kitten).  They may think that they are a chew toys and hurt them.  Servals are natural retrievers.  They love playing fetch.   They will bring things to you for you to throw to them.   My female Serval will play fetch for hours.

A Final Word

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 me and I will help in finding a new home.  I understand life changes and I am more than willing to help find a safe, friendly place for a cat to go.  There is no embarrassment in doing the best thing for your Serval.  Always have a back up plan, in case of a hospital stay or worse.  Have a relative or a close friend become the serval's playmate in case you are ill.