Hi,
Did you know that African servals were one of the very first domesticated cats? Most people don't consider them domestic because they still have wild ancestors, even though they were domesticated before any other domestic cat breed. When I say domesticated, I mean kept as a pet and allowed to roam freely in the family home.
If you consider domestication to be an animal that is completely dependent on humans for its survival, then there are no fully domesticated cats or dogs. If you release them back into the wild, they will be able to survive on their own. Their instinct to hunt and survive is still there. Does that make them dangerous pets? This is apparently the excuse used by many officials and people to argue that servals should not be kept as pets.
Servals have been kept as pets for thousands of years, and most servals you see as pets today are not taken from the wild. They have been bred in captivity around the world for hundreds of years. Many of today's servals probably descend from Egyptian domestic servals.
In 2018, archaeologists in Egypt discovered a collection of mummified domestic cats in a series of ancient tombs. Some of the burials of the exotic pets were more than 4,000 years old. The tombs are located in Saqqara, south of Cairo. The vast pet burial grounds that were uncovered served the city of Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt for 2,000 years. The mummified cats found in the tombs included lions, cheetahs, servals, and several smaller cats that are now extinct.
There were no domestic breeds at that time that most people today consider to be common house cats. These came much later and are descendants of exotic cats that the Egyptians kept as pets.
I understand that some people want to dispel the stereotype by claiming that any cat with spots, exotic appearance, or larger size belongs in the wild. Did you know that domestic servals are healthier and have a longer lifespan than wild servals?
However, we would like to add that there are several important factors to consider before deciding whether to get a serval as a pet.
First, servals are still wild animals and can be unfriendly if not properly trained and socialized. They are not like domestic cats, at least in size and strength. They require a lot of attention, especially up to 2 years of age.
Secondly, servals are illegal in many parts of the world. In the Czech Republic, we are lucky that they are only subject to registration and a few conditions must be met for breeding approval.
Finally, servals are more expensive to care for than "regular" cats. They require outdoor enclosures, a special diet, and regular veterinary care. If you are not prepared to make this financial commitment, then a serval is not the right cat for you.
If you are considering a serval as a pet, be sure to do your research and consult with a professional. Servals can be great companions, but they require a lot of care and attention.