Singapura vs African Serval - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The African Serval is a wild cat that hails from Africa. You’ll see them on Africa’s savannas where there is tall grass and reeds, preferably near water.

If you want to own a serval cat, you have to check whether you require licenses and permits as they are particularly difficult to rehome once you have owned one. Humans have kept them since ancient times, but they are not domesticated cats as such.

Breeding servals arrived in the United States many decades ago. Breeders have also crossed serval cats with domestic cats to produce hybrids, one of which is the Savannah cat.

There are conflicting stories surrounding the origination of the Singapura. It does seem however, that natural Singapurans were found in Singapore.

The first documented account was of a cat known as Chiko who was found in a Singaporean SPCA in 1980 by Sheila Bowers and WA Brad.

It is regarded as a national treasure by the country’s government.

The Serval is a medium to large-sized cat that stands at between 54–62 cm in height and weighs in the region of 9–18 kg.

Some people think its a cat that looks similar to a Cheetah and this is because it also has a small head. It is known for its large ears which are black at the back with a large white dot. The attractively patterned coat is both spotted and striped with black against a golden/tawny shade.

These wild cats make a number of different noises - high pitched cries to growls, spitting sounds and purring. Another well-known feature with the cat is its particularly long legs. The tail has some black rings and it is black-tipped. The eyes of the Serval are a brown/greeny color.

The Serval cats will only come together for mating and then they resume their solitary lives. Gestation lasts for roughly 73 days after which up to 6 kittens can be born. In captivity, a Serval can live to be about 20 years of age.

Temperament:

The Serval is an active cat night and day. They are solitary animals not known for strong social interactions with humans but they can be playful with the few humans he gets to know.

People need to always know that owning a wild pet like this comes with risks. Not only that, a Serval wants to mark its territory and while you may provide a litter box, it's not to say he will use it.

They are able to bond with humans to some extent, more so if they were hand-fed from early on. They bond with one person and can form an affectionate relationship with that one person.

The Singapura cat is small in size, not weighing more than 2, 3 or 4kg. This short-haired, ivory-colored coat has brown ticking.

The cat is a natural breed and is muscular and strong. It is actually the smallest of the domestic cats. The cat has big ears, large green or yellowish eyes and is often referred to as ‘Pura’.

While the Singapura looks like a small, finely boned cat, when you pick him up, you discover that he is actually deceivingly heavy. The cat has slender legs with the back legs being slightly longer than the front legs. The tail ends with a recognizable black tip.

Temperament:

The Pura is intelligent and inquisitive and loves leaping onto high surfaces to explore. They then love to come bounding down and to land in one of his family member’s laps. This cat is a bundle of energy and playfulness. You'll need to invest in toys for your fun-loving Pura who loves nothing more than to be playing with soft little balls or scampering after a toy-mouse.

He is social and extroverted and gets along well with children and dogs in the house. He isn’t as vocal as some of the other cat breeds and actually has a quiet voice. The Singapura cat personality is outgoing, active and inquisitive and full of tricks and he is always ready to join in with any games.

The African Serval is a wild animal and should be left in the wild.

However, if you do decide to bring one into your home as a pet, they aren’t recommended for homes with young children or for a first-time pet owner.

Their play is rough and they like to use their teeth and claws during play. If the child gets hurt, then in typical unfair human fashion, the Serval is the one who suffers. They are capable of making good pets though but it is not recommended.

Singapuras make awesome pets and with all their energy and antics they provide hours of entertainment. They are intelligent, energetic, and playful. The people who have them say they become your best friend because they are cats that are sensitive to the moods of their human owners.

Dynamite comes in small packages, and that’s exactly what you get when you bring the small Singapura cat into your home and life.

Make sure that before you take in a Serval as a pet you have access to a good veterinarian who is experienced in helping exotic pets.

Also, the African Serval, when domesticated, will need the same cat vaccines that you would give your regular kitten.

Your sweet Singapura cat has no particular genetic problems to deal with and also no specific health concerns. Although he is a generally healthy cat, one health condition that you want to be aware of is uterine inertia with the females.

This particular condition was found in one of the foundation cats and still appears in some Singapura females.

Look after him well and return his love, and health issues will remain low. Having said that, every cat breed can develop health problems, and it pays to understand some of the more common cat illnesses.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease is something that both male- and female cats can get. Watch that your Singapura doesn’t become overweight or unfit because this disease often occurs in cats who have become overweight.

Stress with a cat can also bring about this most uncomfortable disease in your cat. You’ll see your cat straining to urinate, he cries when urinating, and he isn’t his usual chirpy self. He may even have bloody urine. Get your pet to the vet immediately as not being able to urinate is an emergency.

Diet:

The Serval is a wild cat so in the wilds it eats prey such as frogs, birds and reptiles. They are known for leaping high into the air to catch prey but they will also burrow into holes to get prey out.

You should try to provide your Serval pet with some whole prey. Do research on the food of Servals because you will need to offer your wild pet a feline supplement. There are also formulated pelleted food, but this shouldn’t form the bulk of his food but rather be a supplement to his meats. Choose a variety of meats such as chicken, mice, turkey, beef, duck as well as rabbits and birds.

Space:

If you keep a serval, it is imperative that it has large outdoor areas to roam in. They’re nocturnal animals, so they become more active at night. They’re used to living near streams in the wild so some kind of pool will be required for him, possibly even a fish pond where he can catch his own fish.

Your Singapura cat’s short coat is easy to groom. Brush your pet every week to remove the loose hairs and to also keep the coat sleek and shiny.

Every cat is a carnivore. Singapuras need meat if you want to avoid your cat getting some of the cat health problems there are. Singapura’s digestive system isn’t designed for foods that humans eat.

He will need high-quality food to ensure his ongoing good health. If you are going to feed your Singapura commercially packaged foods, take a good look at the ingredient list and make sure that meat and protein is at the top of the list.

Always buy age-appropriate food. You can imagine that a tiny kitten’s food requirements will be very different to that of an adult cat.

A kitten will require at least 3 or 4 meals a day. It is always a good idea to consult your vet for suggestions on what brand- and type of food to give your kitten and your adult Singapura.