How to Spot a Serval

A serval is a small cat that's bred and usually kept as a house pet. It has distinct features that makes it easy to tell it apart from a regular house cat. If you are lucky, you will be able to see a serval in its natural habitat. However, you'd have to travel to Africa to do so. Whether it's domestic or in the wild, look for identifying features to spot a serval.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Examine the physical build of the serval. These cats have a slender body with long legs. The back legs are longer than the front legs. Compared to its body, servals have small heads. Their ears remain erect and are large in proportion to their heads. Servals also have a long neck.

2. Identify the exotic coat. Unlike your house cat, the coat on a serval can look similar to cheetah. It's a yellow or tan coat with black spots, stripes and bands on it.

3. Determine the approximate weight of the feline you're looking at. Servals weigh about 30 to 40 pounds. Males are larger than females. The average serval is 27 to 39 inches long and has a tail that's 13 to 17 inches long. At the shoulders, servals are about two feet tall.

4. Look in the water. Unlike your regular domesticated cat, servals love the water. If you see a cat in the water, it's likely a serval.

5. Listen for a chirp. Servals make a distinct chirping noise that some say sound like a cross between a young kitten's meow and a bird call.

6. Find the cat that acts like a dog. Servals display many features similar to a dog, such as panting or even playing fetch.