Turkic peoples called this cat “Black Ear,” Kazakhs called it “Black Tassel,” and to us this member of the cat family is better known as the desert lynx, or caracal (Caracal caracal). Read on to learn how this cat adapts to life at home and how to care for it.
Contents
- Appearance
- Personality
- Can You Keep a Caracal at Home?
- Care
- Feeding
- Where to Buy and How Much It Costs
The caracal stuns you instantly with its exotic look. Resembling both a lynx and a cougar, it looks equally good in a home interior and in untamed wilderness. A caracal kept at home and its wild cousin are practically identical.
Appearance
There are several subspecies of caracal, but a non-expert won’t see any difference between them in photos. All caracals are tall animals: an adult typically stands about 20 inches at the shoulder. Still, you couldn’t call the caracal massive. Caracals are more graceful than heavy.
- The caracal’s head is long. The ears are narrow and long, ending in tufts. They’re set far apart and stand upright. The backs of the ears are solid black or flecked with gray.
- The body is short and lean. The tail is shorter than half the body.
- The legs are long and lean. The paws are large.
- The coat is short and reddish: a mix of ochre and sand, or sandy red with no crest. It’s longer on the belly and chest. There’s a strip of yellowish fur under the eyes. Males and females have the same coloring.
Adults weigh about 35 to 45 lb. They live about 15 years.
Personality
With the right upbringing, this wild cat from the wild becomes a completely social creature at home and shows traits like:
- Playfulness and curiosity;
- Balance and loyalty;
- Kindness and trainability.
In the past, tame caracals hunted alongside people, doing the jobs of a hunting dog and a dachshund at once. A modern caracal at home eats and sleeps with people and shows all the qualities of an ordinary pet.
Can You Keep a Caracal at Home?
Yes, but only if the law and your lifestyle allow it!
Owner reviews of caracals aren’t common enough to form a full picture of the breed, but they make it clear that if kittens get proper, consistent training from the start, they won’t cause problems as adults. The critical period is the kitten’s first two years. You need to figure out right away how to tame this ex-wild animal. Until age two, it’s like a mischievous teenager, but consistent, structured training will help the caracal understand the hierarchy and figure out who’s who in the pack.
Keep in mind that a caracal is a wild animal, not a domestic cat breed. In the US, caracals can be kept legally in only a minority of states, often with a permit, and they’re banned outright in roughly half of the states. Even where your state allows them, your county or city may not.
Also read: The rarest cat breeds.
Care
If you’re a professional strongman and can easily handle 40 pounds, 20 sickle-shaped claws, and a caracal’s teeth, you can bathe it every week. If not, save this thankless task for emergencies. Only bathe a caracal when it’s very dirty, but do brush it with a rubber brush once a week.
Don’t forget to trim the claws and to wipe the eyes and ears. Some owners have young caracals declawed, but declawing is considered inhumane by vets and is banned in many US states and cities, so it’s not a solution.
If you’re not a breeder, it’s best to neuter your caracal at about 9 months: there will be less unpleasant odor, and less aggression later on.
And the cherry on top: this cat needs to be walked as often as a dog! On a sturdy harness, and preferably with a muzzle.
A bonus for buyers! Caracals rarely get sick, since they have a strong immune system inherited from the wild desert lynx. You’ll still need a vet who works with exotic cats.
Feeding
Let’s look at what a caracal eats in the wild: antelopes, hares, jerboas, hedgehogs, foxes, birds, lizards, beetles, and even scorpions. You’re unlikely to be able to provide that menu at home. But don’t count on commercial cat food either: a caracal probably won’t eat it. It won’t be fussy, but it will prefer meat and fish. And not necessarily beef: a caracal will happily eat rodents and poultry. Some cats eat cooked meat. With this kind of diet, you must give your pet vitamin and mineral supplements.
And every few days, plan a fasting day for your caracal and don’t feed it, no matter what puppy-dog eyes it makes at you (ask your exotic vet how to set this up).
How to feed:
- about 10 oz to 1.75 lb of food a day;
- 2 times a day;
- access to fresh water.
Not sure you can handle a caracal? Choose another breed:
Photos
Buying a Caracal Kitten
Caracal hybrids are popular:
- The Caracat (a cross between a caracal and an Abyssinian cat);
- The Servical (a cross between a serval and a caracal).
As for the caracal itself, the price of a kitten depends a lot on its age and sex. An adult costs less than a kitten.
It’s easier to buy a male than a female, since females are in higher demand. And of course, we strongly advise against buying a caracal anywhere but from a licensed breeder. Otherwise you may end up with an animal that has no “inherited upbringing”: half-wild and untamed.
Kitten price
In the US, a caracal kitten from a breeder usually costs about $7,000–$25,000. Be very wary of “cheap” caracals for a couple of thousand dollars: that’s usually a scam or a red flag. On top of the kitten, budget for permits, a secure enclosure, and an exotic-animal vet.
Where to Buy a Caracal in the US
First, check your state, county, and city laws. Then buy only from a USDA-licensed breeder (you can verify a license with USDA APHIS), visit the facility, and meet the parents if possible. A responsible breeder will insist that you have an exotic-animal vet lined up before taking a deposit. Caracals aren’t registered with TICA or CFA, so there are no cat-registry breeder directories for them.
Photo credits:
- Darja Cat
- Olan.best
- DjangoEkzoCat
- LuxuryCats
