Last Updated on February 14, 2022 by Pets Feed
The caracal is a wild cat. His homeland is Africa and Central Asia. Initially, these cats were classified as lynxes due to their great similarity – the same tassels on the ears. But then scientists distinguished caracals into a separate genus
Caracal cat photos
Caracal cat breed description
It may seem to some that having a real feline predator at home, even if not the biggest one, is a dangerous business. However, on the whole this is not the case. The wild caracal cat living at home is indeed not wild at all, but very affectionate and open. And its majestic appearance and predatory nobility will cause admiration and delight.
Caracal – a cat, to say the least, large in size – at the withers it reaches 45-50 cm in height, the length of the body is about 80 cm, plus the length of the tail is another 30 cm. Muscular, very proportionate, the legs are long, strong, with a short hard coat, which simplifies movement on sand and rough terrain. The muzzle is slightly elongated, wedge-shaped, the eyes are large, very expressive, the ears are long, with black tassels at the ends. The average life expectancy is over 15 years.
Character
In nature, it is a ferocious and impregnable predator, an ideal hunter, fast, discreet, strong. However, at home, the caracal turns into a loving and favorite friend for each of the family members. Of course, provided you raise it without blows, with respect and love.
These cats have an excellent memory and a highly developed intellect, they are ideally ground-oriented, of course, they have excellent hunting instincts, they love to spend time outdoors. If you want to have a caracal in a city apartment, remember that he cannot live without walks.
On the whole, the caracal behaves in the family like an ordinary cat – loves attention, likes to spend time with people, becomes very attached to them, loves affection and willingly gives affection to others. On the other hand, it’s very territorial, and if you live in a private home with your own yard, be sure that stray dogs or cats, and even uninvited guests with bad intentions, will bypass your house. on the tenth road. However, you will need to take care of a high fence so that your pet does not decide to expand its possessions and wander around.
The Caracal breed is friendly and open, gets along well with other pets, except rodents and birds. Children are treated well, but the child must be careful when playing with the caracal, because when the cat gets tired, it can show its teeth, moreover, it is a very strong animal with large claws. It is better for the child to play with him through toys.
In an apartment, it is better to allocate a separate room for it, build several ladders, shelves there, put a scratching post there and generally equip this room so that the animal can jump and climb for fun.
Health
The Caracal is a healthy cat that usually does not cause the owner much trouble in this regard.
Basic care
The Caracal breed molts, especially in the summer, and therefore needs regular combing. Usually they are rarely bathed, or if the cat is very dirty, for example, walking down the street, because they hate water, and given the size, weight, teeth and claws of this animal, bathing him is not an easy task.
Be sure to teach your pet to sharpen its claws on the scratching post, otherwise the upholstered furniture will need to be changed monthly. Do not forget to brush your teeth 3 times a week, clean the eyes and ears of the animal from deposits and trim the claws once every 10 days. Keep in mind that an adult caracal will mark its territory and it is extremely difficult to wean it.
History
A caracal cat is a real oriental beauty, wild and affectionate at the same time, mysterious and extraordinarily spectacular. Today, a large number of these animals live in the wild, let’s say more – there are many more animals of this breed living in the wild than domesticated or bred in captivity.
The caracal is an ancient breed known from the steppes and deserts of Africa, the Middle East, Asia Minor and Central Asia. Also, but to a lesser extent, it is found in Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, in some regions of Uzbekistan, in addition, about 100 wild individuals live in the mountainous and steppe regions of Dagestan (in this region their number is steadily decreasing).
The name “Caracal” comes from the Turkish expression “kara kylak”, which means “black ear” – the back of the ears and the tassels on them are black. There is also a black border on the inner edge of the ear. These animals have been known for a very long time – there is a lot of evidence in the form of texts and images not only about the existence of caracals in the wild, but also about the joint hunting of people with these animals.
Of course, they had to be tamed first – in this respect, by the way, the caracal is one of the easiest big wild cats to tame. With them they hunted birds, antelopes, small game. In India, these animals were called and are still called “cheetahs for the poor” in some states of the country. Firstly, for the incredible speed these cats are capable of developing (but they cannot run fast and long), and secondly, because the poor classes of Shudras and Chandalas, from which hunters usually come, could not allow real cheetahs. .
Catching and taming a real cheetah is incredibly difficult and the prizes, current and old, match the complexity of the task. Joint hunting was common not only in India, but, in fact, wherever people managed to tame the caracal. Now they are listed in the Red Book as “Animals of Least Concern”, but, nevertheless, there are still fears of their extinction.
At one time these big cats were considered a type of lynx, due to the tassels on the ears and other similar features, but they were later identified as a separate genus. To acquire a caracal at home, you will need either a trip to Africa or Asia, and the ability to tame wild cats, or an impressive amount of money, because the caracal is very expensive. Moreover, it is one of the most expensive cats in the world.
