Serval cats are unlawful to maintain as pets in lots of locations for a purpose, you do not need to get of their means.
Mar. 18 2024, Published 11:07 a.m. ET
Serval cats are grassland cats native to sub-Saharan Africa. Although they’re wild animals, some states enable servals to be unique pets. However, a serval’s pure wild instincts, habitat wants, and general territorial habits could make having one in your home troublesome and even harmful
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Servals are bigger than a home cat, and if you see their enamel it’s possible you’ll end up asking: can a serval cat kill a human? Here’s what the analysis says.
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What are serval cats?
Serval cats are wild animals native to sub-Saharan Africa. They are thought-about exotic pets, though they’re solely authorized in some states. Servals are bigger than the common home cat, reaching about two toes in size and weighing anyplace from 20 to 40 kilos, per The Spruce Pets.
According to Petful, most servals within the United States are found in zoos or cat rescues. Although they are often domesticated, they’re historically wild animals and never straightforward to take care of. Owning a serval is just not solely a troublesome endeavor however a long-term one too. The regular lifespan of a serval is 20 years, whereas, in response to PetMD, a home cat lives on average 13-17 years.
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Because they aren’t home creatures, servals additionally want giant habitats. These cats want room to do issues they might do within the wild, corresponding to looking, operating, and swimming. Most servals find yourself in a big zoo-like enclosure as an alternative of a home as a result of they’re additionally identified to be intelligent and can escape if not given the house they want, per Petful.
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Can a serval cat kill a human?
It’s attainable for a serval to kill a human, nevertheless it is not very doubtless.
According to The Dodo, throughout a birthday celebration on the Potawatomi Zoo in Indiana in 2018, a serval cat bit a toddler on the top. PR supervisor for Big Cat Rescue (BCR), Susan Bass, instructed The Dodo, “Approaching any animal from behind, even a home cat or canine, could cause damage when the animal is not conscious you are there. When these wild instincts kick in, the animal can harm and even kill a toddler.”
While servals are not usually aggressive towards people, they’re nonetheless undomesticated animals faraway from their pure habitats. When their wants aren’t fulfilled, they’ll turn out to be pissed off or careworn, per Lions, Tigers, and Bears, probably making them extra aggressive.
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If you do select to have a serval, in response to The Spruce Pets, they don’t seem to be really useful to be round different pets or kids. As carnivorous predators, servals are accustomed to attempting to find their very own meals, probably placing different small mammals (corresponding to guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, or different rodents) round the home in danger.
Servals will also be dangerous to humans and pets as a result of they’re very territorial, and their instincts can take over, per Carolina Tiger Rescue. In 2019, a canine in Ohio was attacked by a loose serval cat, which led to the serval cat finally being shot as a result of deputies didn’t know whether or not or not the cat was going to attack them, per 10 WBNS.
