Can You Keep a Serval Cat as a Pet?
In states where they’re legal, exotic pets can make an exciting and beautiful addition to the right home. Servals, a mid-sized African cat, are an option for residents of just under twenty U.S. states.
It is legal to own a serval without obtaining a license in Alabama, Idaho, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Licensed exotic cat lovers can keep servals as pets in Arizona, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
What Is a Serval?
Native to the African grasslands, the serval resembles a small leopard. They are prevalent south of the Sahara Desert and comparatively rare to the north. The cat lives a solitary life, only pairing to mate before mothers raise litters on their own. Both males and females live and hunt alone once they’ve reached sexual maturity.
The serval’s distinctive, pointed ears provide for an impressive sense of hearing, and their long limbs help them to see over tall savannah grass. With an average lifespan of more than 20 years, servals tend to live longer than their common domestic counterparts.
Risks of Keeping a Serval as a Pet
A domesticated serval cat.
There’s a reason domesticated servals aren’t legal in all 50 states. Servals are wild animals and introducing them to home life is hard and often risky work.
Servals Require Specific Habitats and Diets
Keeping a serval content and engaged may require turning your home into a veritable zoo. A serval’s natural instincts compel them to jump, climb, and explore. Providing for these needs will likely be expensive and often necessitate creating an entire outdoor enclosure.
When it comes to their meals, servals can’t make do with your average store-bought cat foods. They require a specialized diet featuring a wide variety of protein and nutrient-rich meats.
Cost of Owning a Serval Cat
Owning a serval is not only a lifestyle commitment; it’s a significant financial investment. The initial purchase price for a serval kitten can range from $3,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on breeder reputation and lineage. However, the upfront cost is just the beginning.
Servals require specialized enclosures that mimic their natural habitat. Building a secure outdoor space with high fencing, dig-proof barriers, and enrichment features can cost several thousand dollars. These cats are powerful jumpers and escape artists, so standard fencing is rarely sufficient.
Ongoing expenses are also considerably higher than for a domestic cat. A serval’s diet typically includes raw meats, whole prey, and nutritional supplements, which can cost hundreds of dollars per month. Veterinary care may also be more expensive, as not all vets are experienced with exotic animals, and you may need to travel to a specialist.
Additionally, some states or municipalities require permits, inspections, or liability insurance for exotic pet ownership. These recurring costs can add up quickly, making servals one of the more expensive exotic pets to keep.
Servals Are More Aggressive Than Typical Cats
While servals are perfectly capable of showing affection, it’s hardly in their nature to relax on the couch or in someone’s lap. Their bites are nearly three times stronger than those of typical cats, and they love to roughhouse with their claws. While some serval owners may opt to declaw their pets to avoid injury and property damage, the procedure is both controversial and potentially dangerous to cats. Since 2019, it has been illegal as an elective procedure in the state of New York.
Servals Really Like to Mark Their Territory
In their native grasslands, servals occupy and hunt within a territory all their own. Many owners report that they don’t leave the habit of spraying urine to mark their territory behind once they’ve entered a home. Some servals won’t take to litter boxes, and they are known to regularly, emphatically urinate on furniture and even their owners.
Serval Cat Behavior in a Home Environment
Even when raised from a young age, servals retain many of their wild instincts, which can make living with them unpredictable. Unlike domestic cats, servals are highly active and require constant stimulation. Without adequate enrichment, they may become destructive, chewing on furniture, knocking over objects, or attempting to escape.
Servals are also crepuscular, meaning they are most active during dawn and dusk. This can lead to disruptive behaviors at home, including loud vocalizations, pacing, or bursts of energy when owners are trying to sleep.
Socialization plays a role in how a serval interacts with humans, but it does not override their natural behaviors. Some servals may bond closely with one person while remaining aloof or even defensive toward others. Sudden movements, unfamiliar visitors, or stressful situations can trigger fear-based aggression.
Because of their strength and instincts, even play behavior can be dangerous. What a serval perceives as play may result in scratches or bites that are far more serious than those from a typical house cat. Understanding and respecting these behavioral differences is essential for anyone considering serval ownership.
Should Exotic Cats Be Pets?
Servals are considered a particularly unsafe choice for homes with young children and/or other pets. Carefully reflect on your capacity to provide for the needs of such an unusual and demanding pet before bringing home a serval or any exotic cat.