August 2, 2024, 11:52 am | Read time: 6 minutes
Bengal and Savannah cats are popular because of their exotic appearance. These agile animals look like small predator cats and are considered friendly, outgoing companions, but they are very demanding of their owners. PETBOOK reveals why keeping them is not a good idea.
Which cat lover wouldn’t dream of having a miniature leopard lounging in their living room? With a Bengal or a Savannah cat, you could fulfill this wish. But animal rights activists advise against keeping these two cat breeds for good reason.
What are Bengal or Savannah cats?
The Bengal cat originated from crossbreeding a black domestic cat with an Asian leopard cat, a distinct wild cat species. Although the leopard cat is unrelated to the leopard, the small cat is a wild animal through and through.
The Savannah cat accidentally came about by crossbreeding a domestic cat breed and the predatory Serval. A breeder borrowed a male stud cat for her female Servals. However, he mated with her Siamese cat, kept in the same enclosure. A new breed was created and deliberately bred further.
Breeders of both breeds focus on combining the wild cat’s external exotic characteristics with the domestic cat’s character traits and behavior.
Only the fifth generation of the breed may be kept as pets
If an Asian leopard cat or a serval is crossed with a domestic cat, the first generation is referred to as F1 (filial 1 generation). If the female animals of the F1 are crossed with a domestic cat – because the male hybrids are sterile in this generation – the resulting offspring is referred to as F2. The offspring resulting from the cross between the F2 and a domestic cat is the F3 generation, and so on. The first four generations (F1-F4) are still called hybrids, legally considered wild animals. Only from the fifth generation and beyond are these cats recognized as a domestic breed.
Dangerous breeding with a high risk of premature and stillbirths
Breeders use domesticated cats as mothers for the initial generations, ensuring better control over the birthing and rearing processes of the kittens. Mating – especially with servals – can have devastating consequences for the physically much smaller cat. First of all, the male wild cat is significantly larger, stronger, and heavier than the female cat, which can lead to stress and physical pain for her during reproduction. When cats mate, there is also a neck bite. Wild animals bite more roughly than domesticated animals, which can lead to severe injuries. Due to the size differences in hybrid breeding, especially with servals, this can also lead to fatalities.
However, it is not only the act that poses great risks for the female. The birth can also be problematic. The kittens of the first generations are often too large for the mother, and the risk of miscarriages and stillbirths, therefore, increases. When serval cats are crossed with domestic cats, the kittens are often born immature because the domestic cat is pregnant for around 63 days. Pregnancy in servals, however, lasts ten days longer. Consequently, to produce suitable domestic cats from the fifth generation onwards, the mother cats of earlier generations endure significant suffering.
The Bengal cat’s gestation period and size are more compatible than the Serval’s. However, here, too, the size ratio of the animals is not balanced, and mating is usually accompanied by pain for the domestic cat. All this is done merely for the sake of a unique coat pattern.
Are Bengal and Savannah cats legal to keep in Germany?
In general, keeping Bengal and Savannah cats is legal in Germany, and they do not have to be registered as long as they are animals from the fifth generation of a breeding line.
Leopard cats and Servals, as well as hybrid animals (generations F1-F4), however, are protected species according to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Both the procurement and keeping of these animals are regulated. Importing and exporting to the European Union is only possible with a permit. The keeping of animals is subject to specific requirements, which are set out in Section 2 of the German Animal Welfare Act.
Animal-friendly husbandry is impossible for these breeds
Although both Bengal and Savannah cats are considered domestic cats from the F5 generation onwards and may be legally kept, this does not mean that the wild animal character has been entirely bred out. Many animals still have an extremely pronounced urge to move, are nocturnal, and demonstrate a strong hunting instinct. Some develop behavioral problems over time because their owners cannot meet their needs. They are, therefore, not suitable as indoor cats.
The behavior of both breeds depends heavily on the respective generation of the animal. Earlier generations, in particular, still strongly resemble wild animals in character and do not generally get on well with humans, even after socialization. They tend to be shy loners and prefer to socialize with other animals, if at all. They are often impulsive and temperamental, which makes it difficult for owners to assess their behavior correctly. As a result, many owners find themselves quickly overwhelmed. They can also hardly cope with the cat’s strong urge to move.
If you try to give your cat enough exercise by letting it out, you will increase the number of problems. Both Bengal and Savannah cats are significantly stronger than most outdoor cats, posing a danger and potentially seriously injuring them in territorial fights. With their strong hunting instinct, they can also disrupt the cycle of nature and decimate the population of birds and smaller mammals. While roaming free, they can also inadvertently mate with European wildcats, endangering their survival – another potential threat.
Feeding the two breeds can also be difficult, as many animals are pretty demanding, and a diet of canned food alone leads to deficiencies. Many owners are not aware of this. Keeping these animals is absolutely not recommended or animal-friendly for these reasons. Animal welfare activists, therefore, strongly advise against keeping these two breeds. Additionally, purchasing these breeds perpetuates crossbreeding with wild animals. Thus, if you greatly desire one of these animals, you should adopt them from an animal welfare organization.
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Sources
- peta.de, „Warum Sie niemals eine Bengalkatze kaufen sollten“ (accessed on 28.02.2024)
- welttierschutz.org, „KeinHaustier: Savannah- und Bengalkatzen als Haustier halten? Bitte nicht!“ (accessed on 28.02.2024)