They mated a cat with a what????

The African Serval (Leptailurus serval) would normally react to a domestic cat by eating it, not mating with it.

But in America, cat breeders have successfully (if that's the word) forced mating of these two species and derived a new fashion pet - the so-called "Savannah" cat. 

Normally, I'd roll my eyes and sigh "only in America...".  But no.  Some fashionable pet businesses in Australia have decided to import this serval-cat new breed so they can sell them to Australian's with a lazy $5000 sitting around.

Apparently our biosecurity system never anticipated people developing hybrid wild-domestic crosses.  So this breed is allowed to come in as a "domestic" cat breed.  No formal consultation necessary with experts like those on the inter-government Vertebrate Pests Committee.

We need a rethink here.  I don't think these cats should be allowed into the country.  They are apparently twice the size of normal domestics and can leap two metres in a bound.  Those are genetic traits we don't want entering our feral population. 

We are also allowing people to profit from animal cruelty.  The practice of mating a 20kg wild African Serval with a domestic cat weighing maybe 5-7 kg should be condemned, not condoned.  Big Cat Rescue have a You Tube video that is pretty instructive about how dumb this practice is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiLAcEp5Vng

Comments

[Amber]

I think they should not of done that it could get in to someones yard and eat small animals such as a guinea-pig.

[bushanwater]

No matter how much an animal cost, sooner or later a less desirable kitten will be sold at a cheaper price. All it takes is an irresposible owner to allow cross breading to produce even cheaper possibly free kittens to be distributed to other irresposible people who will allow fertile escapees into the bush, neighbourhood to breed. It isn't a matter of cost will prevent,it is a matter of human nature will allow.

[Fluffy]

That $5000 price tag won't last forever, as we've seen with many other premium species in both agricultural and pet markets... The danger is, once the price drops and without proper regulation to control the Savannah cats evenutally we will have one or two who haven't been de-sexed getting their genes out there.
I know that the US breeders have bred them over successive generations to be smaller and more domestic, but once these genes are in the feral population the breeding pressure will be in the opposite direction and the more serval cats will be the best hunters and most successful breeders.
I find it disturbing that people who consider themselves animal lovers can tuen a blind eye to the devestation that has happened to our native mammals and reptiles, and consider it a good idea to take an animal out of its natural habitat and transplant it to the other side of the world.
I have recently been to the Kimberley and seen one of the few areas in Australia where the native mammals haven't been devastated by introduced predators.
You should get out of your backyard and have a look at the rare beauty Australia has to offer before its lost forever...

[Tony Peacock]

It's not a matter of loving or hating any particular animals. I know rodents have a place - I just don't want the 60 indigenous Australia rodents to disappear due to invasive ones.

Our range of small mammals in Australia has been hammered - we have the world's worst extinction record since European settlement. Cats are a contributor (not by any means the only contributor, or even the biggest). We don't need genes from a savannah animal enhancing the range of existing ferals.

The price is not a barrier to entry into our feral populations. The same was said of deer - very expensive and lots of market forces to keep them well enclosed. They still ended up adding to the feral population.

[wynn]

Naturally the only negative comment here is nothing but lies from Big Cat Rescue, an organisation that thrives on its own hypocrisy. I don't know what planet you're seeing savannah cats running loose all over on, it sure isn't this one. I can't believe how far you'd go to ban these lovely cats, even spouting nothing but lies.

[wynn]

Naturally the one negative comment comes from Big Cat Rescue, the organisation that thrives on its own hypocrisy. Dunno what planet you're seeing Savannah cats running loose and feral, I've never heard of one running loose unless it was a rare accidental escape {usually it was rounded right back up again}. These cats make wonderful pets. Of course you'd love to see the banning of them, you think nobody but you should be allowed to own animals.

[catgetsdown]

I volunteer at many shelters in my area which has hundreds of acres of open space and a huge feral population. I have never had a hybrid (savannah/bengal/?) show up at the shelters. When any of these cats are lost, the owner and a whole team of concerned friends is out looking for the cat. Pet Savannahs must be neutered. Before posting any information such as this, both you and Big Cat Rescue needs to do research and cite your sources in your discussion for credibility. Then we can have a knowledgeable discussion.

[River's Rain]

Sir, I beg for your professional career that you
start fully researching the subject your statements comment about. To make unfounded, untrue, allegations not only diminishes your credibility, but places danger upon innocent animals and people.

[Tamara]

I would bargain to say that most people paying the price they do for a savannah are not setting them free to run wild. The servals that are used in breeding savannahs are not wild the are breed just like any other cats.

[HotSpots]

I see, after reading many more of your blogs, that your "hatred" has nothing to do with the savannah cat in itself....you clearly harbor a deep-seated fear of all creatures. Your site intimately condemns everything from rodents (which, by the way, do serve a purpose) to birds, fish and cats.....and of all things, dragons? Perhaps you would be better served to put your energy into seeking extensive psychological counseling rather than hating all of God's creatures.

[Oncilla]

BigCatRescue is sooo far off base it ridiculous. There are NO cast offs of Savannahs. The people, especially the owner, are sociopaths. They think that no one should own anything, except them of course. Savannahs make wonderful pets and are no threat to the enviromant.

Who ever wrote the article above is not very bright. Writing something they know nothing about. Stating completely wrong information.

[HotSpots]

Before you go sounding like an ignorant fool, may I suggest you meet one of these beautiful creatures you are so quickly condemning. The savannah cat is far less likely to go running about mating within feral cat populations BECAUSE that price tag virtually guarantees their owners aren't going to dump them on the street. Those that we do hear about in the news have either escaped by accident or have been "liberated" by A/R fanatics, with the distorted impression that they know what's best for the cat. The African Serval has been a companion of man since the days of the Pharaohs. They were prized for their graceful beauty and their dedication to their person. The savannah cat shares these traits, bonding to their person in a way that words can not express. The early generation savannahs can get quite large (but not always), however, the lower generations are typically no bigger than your average domestic shorthair cat. It's a shame that you feel this way about these cats, as you are truly missing out on one of the most incredible creatures on Earth.

[BigCatRescue]

Your concerns about the feral population interbreeding with the hybrid cast offs is warranted. We are seeing more and more hybrids showing up in animal shelters after being turned loose and I often see them running wild and obviously returning to their own feral state. It is a disaster you can easily avoid by banning the importation and possession.