Diverse and many-sided nature sometimes resorts to some irony, recreating truly wonderful forms of life. The most striking example we can see in the serval breed. A cat of African origin is truly worthy of attention and universal admiration. Imitating a cheetah color, being graceful and having graceful body proportions, these bright animals attract attention. Let's take a closer look at this mammal and the moments of care and upbringing of these representatives of tropical fauna at home associated with its content.
Serval - a cat of southern latitudes
The birthplace of animals, the name of which is more capaciously and accurately presented in the title, is Western and Southern Africa. Tanzania is by far considered the most favorable place for these "mini-cheetahs", they are home to about 40 individuals per 100 square meters. km. Some subspecies are listed in the Red Book.
Feature of the breed
Serval skin is of some value. Original dark stains and lines on a yellowish background of animal fur, randomly located on the bodycat black spots of various shapes and sizes give her a gorgeous look. The western part of the mainland, due to the dense population of people, has become an incredibly dangerous territory for the serval, where hunters ruthlessly kill for the sake of exotic fur.
It is worth noting that of the 14 species, the most interesting representatives of the breed are absolutely domesticated, since only thanks to the painstaking work of breeders, the world was shown a white color with silver patches on the skin in the form of spots. Nevertheless, it is the primordial beauty of the breed that is valued in the circles of specialists, which determines the purity of the species and its "naturalness".
Paws, muzzle, tail, or Traits of a serval
In addition to the coat, the signs of purebredness are the proportions of the body, the shape of the ears, the color of the eyes and other features that strictly correspond to the canons. Serval is a "high level" cat. This applies not only to the price of the animal on the market, but also to real physiological indicators: the height at the withers is 60-65 cm, while the length is 120-130 cm, excluding the tail. This is a kind of champion among the cat family: the longest legs and ears are inherent in this particular species (in relation to body parts, head size).
Despite the "marathon" data, the serval cannot pursue its prey for a long time and prefers tracking tactics, using the surprise factor in the hunt. The mass of the cat also does not predispose to a long run. The weight of an adult often reaches a significant figure - 18 kg, whichcorresponds to the weight of a dog of the well-known Doberman breed.
Peaceful Predator
Special attention should be paid to the description of the character of the hero of our story. Few animals of the wild breed show friendliness and a sympathetic desire to be tamed. Meanwhile, the serval is a cat that can be called a good-natured and predeterminedly docile animal, despite its powerful family ties with representatives of a far from peaceful part of the animal world. However, this does not mean that individuals of this breed will tolerate insults.
Of course, when establishing contact, the owner must make it clear to the animal who is the boss in the house. Moreover, in no case should you shout and physically punish a serval, since the cat will remember the aggression you have shown for a long time and will enter the warpath, selectively annoying the offender. An elementary shout “No!” will be enough, which will subsequently become a signal for the pet. The African cat (serval in scientific terms), despite its hot temperament of a wild individual, actually quickly adapts to a new environment and gets used to a new environment incredibly easily.
It is worth noting that some of the habits of the spotted animal will clearly resemble those of a dog. Therefore, you should think about your shoes in advance: representatives of this breed really like to gnaw on everything. However, the character of a cat is not limited to such qualities.
Wild desire to be a pet
If among the hugevariety of animals that you can have as pets, it is the Serval cat breed that impresses you, you should pay tribute to your taste and at the same time courage. To take responsibility for the maintenance and, in general, the life of such an unusual representative of the cat family - you need to decide on this, having thought it over well. What is the uniqueness of this animal and why is it necessary to be careful?
- Firstly, this is a wild breed, given the large number of subspecies and, of course, heredity.
- Secondly, the size of an adult is by no means small, so the safety of interior items and general decor elements is very doubtful.
- Thirdly, the serval's diet cannot be classified as a diet. The animal is carnivorous and, by definition, eats meat. Moreover, protein-rich "game" should, of course, be fresh. Be sure to factor in this rather costly upkeep moment.
- Fourthly, the cat tends to be nocturnal. Therefore, if you are ready to put up with the night and early morning outings of your household, you should know the following. Quite active movements of the representatives of the breed are often associated with jumping, rumbling and a host of other sounds accompanying the hunt. Well, given the size and weight of the animal, in the morning you will be able to assess the damage if you do not wake up earlier from the roar of falling flower pots.
- Fifthly, the wild cat serval, in addition to beautiful wool and grace, has a pronounced personality and always remains a full mistresssituations, so it can sometimes resist training (training).
But you can get along with all this if you resort to the advice and recommendations of experienced cat lovers.
Maintenance and Care
. In the event that other representatives of the fauna live in the house, devote as much time as possible to the process of getting to know the new family member, which will be the serval. A cat in the home feels great if she creates a friendly environment.
Universal rule - treat your pet with love, and he will reciprocate - let it become the main one for you. By the way, the serval is a pretty capable student. By devoting a minimum of time to training, almost the next day you will be able to detect its first results. And most importantly: representatives of the breed simply adore water. Therefore, do not forget that the bowl should always be filled with fresh liquid.
Dear cat
Probably, it was worth talking about this earlier … Perhaps you are interested in the question of how much does a serval, a cat of African blood, cost? The answer is unequivocal: not cheap. However, the breed deserves it. In general, for a purebred kitten youyou will have to pay about $ 25,000. A hybrid brood member can be purchased for a less shocking amount of around $10,000. So the pleasure is not from the category of public.
In conclusion
If, after weighing all the pros and cons, you decide to give up the idea of having a serval as a pet, you can admire the representatives of this wonderful breed by visiting the local zoo or sitting comfortably in your favorite chair and watching a documentary a film about the life of servals in the wild. Fascinating views!
