All You Need to Know about Adopting a Serval

Research Serval Care Before Adopting

Before committing to a serval, you should make sure you fully understand the daily care they require. A serval’s diet is not the same as a domestic cat and it is important to understand the specific dietary needs of your serval. In the wild, servals hunt and eat a wide variety of prey including rodents, small antelope and birds. In a domestic home, this diet should be mirrored as closely as possible. Owners of servals have found that a raw or homemade diet works best for their pets. A serval also needs a large amount of space in which to live compared to a domestic cat. Servals need a large outdoor area where they can climb, jump and play. Serval claws are another important factor to consider when adopting a serval. Unlike domestic cats, servals have retractable claws. However, like domestic cats, they may still scratch you or the furniture. You can solve this problem by clipping your serval’s claws every few weeks or providing them with rubber-coated scratching posts.

Serval Care and Equipment

A serval needs a large outdoor enclosure with a roof and a roofed-in area to sleep in. A serval should also be given access to a cat-proofed room inside the house, with lots of soft places to sleep and climb. You should also provide your serval with a selection of toys to play with, such as balls or fishing poles, to keep them entertained. Outside, your serval will need a high fence with a wire mesh over the top to keep them in the yard. Inside, your serval will need a sturdy scratching post, and a litter box appropriate for their size. Because of their size and exercise needs, servals cannot be kept indoors as a pet in all but the largest houses, and even then only if the owner has ample time and energy to provide for their needs.

Finding a Reputable Serval Breeder

Before going out and adopting a serval, you should ensure that the breeder is trustworthy and has a good reputation. This can be difficult to do as there are not many serval breeders in the USA. When researching a breeder, there are several things you should look out for:

- Breeding practices. Breeding should be done ethically and responsibly and you should see evidence of this. You should also see that the breeder has had their servals spayed or neutered.

- Health of the servals. You should see that the servals are free of disease and are kept in a clean environment.

- Successful history of the breeder. A good breeder will have a history of successful breeding and satisfied customers.

Serval Cats: Do They make good pets? [2022]

Adopting a Serval from a Shelter

If you are not able to find a serval breeder in your area, you can try to adopt a serval from a shelter. In the USA, servals are not recognized as an acceptable breed for rehoming and you may have trouble finding one in a shelter. If you do come across a serval in a shelter, be aware that they are more likely to have been neglected or been kept in poor conditions compared to other breeds of cats at the shelter. If you do decide to adopt a serval from a shelter, you will have to make sure that they have been vaccinated and have been treated for any parasites. Be sure to keep an eye out for signs of any health issues and take your serval to the vet as soon as possible if you notice anything unusual.

Summing up

Overall, a serval is a unique and fascinating pet to own. They are relatively rare and are not seen in many households. A serval requires a large amount of space, a high-quality diet, and regular veterinary check-ups. Before deciding to adopt a serval, make sure you are fully committed to their needs because once you have adopted one, it is unlikely that you will be able to give them up! If you are prepared for the challenge, a serval can make a wonderful addition to your family.