# Caracal as a pet. WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 18, 2023, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305 "2023-09-18T10:03:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/61 "2023-09-20T11:48:33Z")
Moderating: > [@pkbites](#): > > When you learn how to read go back to the OP. Hey, this is MPSIMS. Don’t be a jerk. M’kay. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/62 "2023-09-20T12:56:55Z")
To be fair, caracals growl and hiss even when they are chill. it’s their version of meowing and purring. So a lot of those hissing caracal videos are just them loving on their owners. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/63 "2023-09-20T13:04:53Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > And they giggle. Have you managed to find something that _no_ human dislikes? There’s _always_ someone, but it appears that video seems to have 42,000 likes and no dislikes. Although I don’t know if there’s rounding involved the way youtube shows it. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/64 "2023-09-20T13:09:55Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > > [@running\_coach](#): > > > > And they giggle. > > Have you managed to find something that _no_ human dislikes? There’s _always_ someone, but it appears that video seems to have 42,000 likes and no dislikes. Although I don’t know if there’s rounding involved the way youtube shows it. - YouTube has hidden dislikes since Nov. 2021. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/65 "2023-09-20T13:14:04Z")
It’s not often that I agree with **pkbites** , but…yeah. Wild animals aren’t pets. Want a big cute kitty? Get a Maine Coon or a Ragdoll. Just as cute, way more cuddly, and a helluva lot easier on the furniture. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/66 "2023-09-20T14:29:42Z")
And all sorts of easily accessible care information, suitable food, and in most areas veterinarians trained in the particular species. ETA: > [@running\_coach](#): > > And they giggle The cat who had been snoozing behind my computer was very interested in that sound. – I note that that fox also exhibited the piss-on-everything-and-roll-in-it behavior. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/67 "2023-09-20T14:43:40Z")
And if you really want a large house cat that looks like a wild cat, get a **[Savannah cat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_cat).** The are about 1/8th Serval, the rest good old _Felis catus_. They tend to be lean and tall. [![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53adb125e4b094aac18a8ee7/8f6b82f6-4964-4639-b308-7c7c4a8f2cfa/Savannah+Cat+on+a+walk.+Produced+by+F1HYBRIDS?format=1500w) ](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53adb125e4b094aac18a8ee7/8f6b82f6-4964-4639-b308-7c7c4a8f2cfa/Savannah+Cat+on+a+walk.+Produced+by+F1HYBRIDS?format=1500w) * * * * * * An **[Ocicat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocicat)** is 100% _Felis catus_ but very distinct and very trainable. Apparently fairly easy to leash train. A feat I’ve never succeeded with, with any cat. * * * * * * **[Bengals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_cat)** can be fun, another slight hybrid, large cat. This breed likes water. The wild cat ancestor is Asian Leopard Cat. Bengals are close to average size though. But striking appearance. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Cashmere.png) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Cashmere.png) **Dot** , the cat we recently lost was part Bengal. Her markings as an adult were muted but had many of the other tells. She loved playing in water, especially as a kitten/young cat. She was a rescue though. We don’t know her history. We nursed her from 4 weeks old and even spent 2 weeks nebulizing her as a kitten. Pics are Dot at 4 weeks and Dot 2 years ago. [![](https://i.postimg.cc/pyHkN74F/Dot-at-4-weeks-in-a-basket.jpg)](https://postimg.cc/pyHkN74F) [![](https://i.postimg.cc/CnbmC3C8/Dot-Throne-20210307.jpg)](https://postimg.cc/CnbmC3C8) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/68 "2023-09-20T17:38:09Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > An **[Ocicat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocicat)** is 100% _Felis catus_ but very distinct and very trainable. Apparently fairly easy to leash train. A feat I’ve never succeeded with, with any cat. I’ve known two people who succeeded in leash-training cats. One of them lived in Chicago and trained all her cats to walk on a leash because she feared injury/death if she let them roam freely. The other lives in a more rural area, but maintains his cats indoors because he doesn’t like losing pets to fights with raccoons or to hungry coyotes. His most recent leash-trained cat was a feral rescue (in fact, all but one of his litter mates and him were killed and eaten by a coyote after the coyote finished off their mother) who was leash-trained after he was about a year old. You CAN train cats, but it requires a lot of repetition and patience. Since so many people can’t manage to teach their dogs - a species that has a ridiculous impulse to please humans to start - even basic manners and commands it’s hardly a wonder they think cats are untrainable. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/69 "2023-09-20T17:48:20Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > You CAN train cats, but it requires a lot of repetition and patience. Since so many people can’t manage to teach their dogs - a species that has a ridiculous impulse to please humans to start - even basic manners and commands it’s hardly a wonder they think cats are untrainable. I had my Velcro semi-trained and could put her on a line. My daughter has trained Sammy with a lot of treats to perform 6+ tricks so far. But as far as harness and leash, he scrunches down and slinks and hides. Sammy also tolerates wings: [![](https://i.postimg.cc/s29wZQ9X/Sammy-Dragon-4b.jpg) ](https://i.postimg.cc/s29wZQ9X/Sammy-Dragon-4b.jpg) Cats really need a lot of treat reinforcement, where most dogs who love to please their humans, will respond well to praise. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/70 "2023-09-20T21:10:59Z")
Right. Dogs are like “Let me entertain you! Let me please you!” Cats are “What’s in it for me?” Both are trainable, but require slightly different approaches. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/71 "2023-09-20T22:08:07Z")
And caracals & other exotics are: “You look tasty. Is there any ketchup available? No? Oh well, no matter. Snarl _chomp_ **munch munch munch**!!!” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2023, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/72 "2023-09-20T22:29:11Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Also remember, nice friendly housecats can play too aggressively at times and rake your arms, now imagine a 35lbs caracal with their extra long and strong claws doing the same. I saw a nice, friendly 15 lb. housecat lose his cool while getting vaccinated at the vet. The technician will be missing a few days of work with both arms heavily bandaged. The examination room was trashed, blood and broken glass everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/73 "2023-09-21T00:09:18Z")
Yes, cats acting badly at the vet can be quite a battle. https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7166258647763553582 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/74 "2023-09-21T00:18:36Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > I saw a nice, friendly 15 lb. housecat lose his cool while getting vaccinated at the vet. Cats seem pretty quick and strong when they’re playing hard. But that’s still only like 10% of their peak power. My cat has never attacked anyone like that, but he does occasionally startle, say if someone throws a heavy thing in the dumpster outside. That engages his fight-or-flight response. If you’re holding him, that means he reorients himself to launch himself somewhere, extends his rear claws for maximum purchase, and then propels himself away. If you’re holding him so that his claws intersect with your skin during the reorientation process, bad luck to you. And the propelling step feels like getting hit with a bowling ball. All of this happens within a few hundred milliseconds; too little for a human to respond in a meaningful way. He’s on the ground _faster_ than if you’d just dropped him, since he can propel himself at several times gravitational acceleration. I have some scratches from this that aren’t too bad, but definitely drew some blood. With a cat that weighed 3.5x as much, I’d need stitches at least. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/75 "2023-09-21T02:33:45Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Yes, cats acting badly at the vet can be quite a battle Thank you for reminding to trim my cat’s claws before tomorrow’s vet appointment! ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/76 "2023-09-21T02:37:05Z")
Heh. My wee Sally has to go to the vet to get her claws trimmed. Not that she’d ever try to hurt me, but I’m the only human in the household and she can practically turn herself inside out to escape when I try to do it. She is, of course, a little angel for the vet tech. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/77 "2023-09-21T02:38:17Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > A feat I’ve never succeeded with, with any cat. My cats love little walkies in the backyard with their harness. But they want to go where _they_ want to. > [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > My wee Sally has to go to the vet to get her claws trimmed. We have one boy cat that wriggles a bit, but the new, younger cat seems to think she is getting a manicure or something, she is fine with it. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/78 "2023-09-21T02:40:05Z")
You’re fortunate. I’ve had cats in the past who were cooperative, no problem, but my little 6-pound girl is as agile at age 17 as in her youth, and will NOT be held. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/79 "2023-09-21T02:40:48Z")
Have you tried the cat burrito method with a towel? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305/80 "2023-09-21T02:42:52Z")
That assumes I can capture her to begin with. Any attempt to start wrapping and she’s gone like a shot. It’s enough of a carefully planned out project just to sneak up on her and grab her to get her into the carrier. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caracal-as-a-pet-wtf/990305.md?page=5)