# Exotic cats



## Halfpint (Sep 11, 2009)

I was wondering what sort of exotic cats you can get as pets? Does anyone have any? Are there any laws having certain types of cat? Thanks for any answers


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

You can keep any exotic cat with the right facilities and licencing 

In the UK there are plenty, such as: servals, ocelot, leopard, lynx, fishing cats, asian leopard cats and privately owned tigers, ligers, lions 

They don't really count but there are a variety of civets and genets in the UK too : victory:


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## Halfpint (Sep 11, 2009)

If i look into getting an exotic cat, it would deffinatly be a small cat rather than a big cat, as much as id love to own a tiger i know my limit lol


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Plus the Bengal cat (domestic cat x Asian leopard cat) & the Savannah (domestic cat x serval)


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## naja-naja (Aug 26, 2009)

chausies (jungle cat x domestic) and less commonly, safaris (geoffrey's cat x domestic) are also available.
Exotic Cats - Exotic Cat Care, and Exotic Cats as Pets has a forum dedicated to exotic cats there, one of the members is a northern irish guy who has a tiger, most of the members have servals or savannahs.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

Re laws about cats. You will need a DWA license for most bigger cats. There are some exceptions though


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## danae (Jan 15, 2011)

what are the UK laws and licensing for servals?
i am looking into purchasing a juvenile pair and once i know official guidelines will also be building them a suitablely fenced run and shelter, im in ireland so these laws dont affect me yet but i want to be ahead of the curve when the laws are passed over here as well.


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## yugimon121 (Oct 4, 2009)

danae said:


> what are the UK laws and licensing for servals?
> i am looking into purchasing a juvenile pair and once i know official guidelines will also be building them a suitablely fenced run and shelter, im in ireland so these laws dont affect me yet but i want to be ahead of the curve when the laws are passed over here as well.


actually from my knowledge the government aren't even thinking of dwa, it would be finding a breeder in Ireland or the animal exporting/importing laws that would cause the hassle.


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## MaMExotics (Dec 4, 2010)

Nix said:


> Re laws about cats. You will need a DWA license for most bigger cats. There are some exceptions though


ok srry to dig up a dead thread but what exeptions are they i know there are different crosses out there like bengals but what cats like snow leopard,servals and that kind of stuff can you keep i know there are some like sand cat and other small cats but dont know if these need some sort of licence dose any one have a link to the cats you can keep with a DWA and one with out that would be great


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## akuma 天 (Apr 15, 2008)

Pouchie said:


> You can keep any exotic cat with the right facilities and licencing
> 
> In the UK there are plenty, such as: servals, ocelot, leopard, lynx, fishing cats, asian leopard cats and privately owned tigers, ligers, lions
> 
> They don't really count but there are a variety of civets and genets in the UK too : victory:


I dont get why Servals need a licence, they are only as big as an average to large sized dog, and only a fraction, if that as dangerous. And dogs don't need a licence.

I'd love a Serval, but no way would I ever get an appropriate DWA licence.


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## MaMExotics (Dec 4, 2010)

akuma 天;8461927 said:


> I dont get why Servals need a licence, they are only as big as an average to large sized dog, and only a fraction, if that as dangerous. And dogs don't need a licence.
> 
> I'd love a Serval, but no way would I ever get an appropriate DWA licence.


i really want a asian leopard cat when im older hiow to you go about getting a dawl any way?


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

Head over to the DWA section and there are some helpful stickies regarding 'how to get DWAL' 

And this is what it says on the list, regarding DWA Exotic cats.

All cats including the bobcat, caracal,
cheetah, jaguar, leopard, lion, lynx, ocelot,
puma, serval and tiger. (Need DWAL)
The following are excepted:
(a) the wild cat, the pallas cat, the little
spotted cat, the Geoffroy’s cat, the kodkod,
the bay cat, the sand cat, the black-footed
cat, the rusty-spotted cat and the domestic
cat;
(b) a hybrid cat which is descended
exclusively from any one or more species
within paragraph (a);
(c) a hybrid cat having as one parent a
domestic cat and as the other parent a first
generation hybrid of a domestic cat and any
cat not within paragraph (a);
(d) any cat which is descended exclusively
from any one or more hybrids within
paragraph (c);
(e) any cat which is descended exclusively
from a domestic cat and any one or more
hybrids within paragraph (c).

Also, if the species is endangered you need A10 certifcates

This is in the UK only and doesn't apply to Southern Ireland


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## akuma 天 (Apr 15, 2008)

MaMExotics said:


> i really want a asian leopard cat when im older hiow to you go about getting a dawl any way?


Your indvidual council issues the licence. Although I am not sure if the charging structure is up to them as well.

In York it cost £550 a year for your licence, and on applying you need to pay the full £550 and they can say no and keep the money. Apperently most councils say no first time round just to bag the profit and make you apply again and pay another £550.

Then you'd need to fortifiy your garden to the point it was ridiculas, and get get your nieghbours on board as if they objected they could really put a spanner in the works of your application.

All this for an animal this is less potentially dangerous than most large dogs for which you need no licence at all for. 

It pathetic ignorance from money greedy council. Well when it comes to some cats like Servals, of course I understand the issues if you wanted a Tiger!

Also some councils are more forward thinking, look at the Guy that was on tele and he had 22 crocdiles in a shed at the bottom of his garden, all fully licenced.

However in York, they'd crap there pants at the prospect of a "large cat" and you'd have to go massive, massively, massively OTT with the safey as in York they are just backwards and old fashioned.


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## MaMExotics (Dec 4, 2010)

akuma 天;8465711 said:


> Your indvidual council issues the licence. Although I am not sure if the charging structure is up to them as well.
> 
> In York it cost £550 a year for your licence, and on applying you need to pay the full £550 and they can say no and keep the money. Apperently most councils say no first time round just to bag the profit and make you apply again and pay another £550.
> 
> ...


ok ty also would it be easyer to get on if you lived in the contry side rather then in a town?


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

MaMExotics said:


> ok ty also would it be easyer to get on if you lived in the contry side rather then in a town?


All depends on the local council, each seem to make up their own prices based on.....nothing really.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

akuma 天;8465711 said:


> Your indvidual council issues the licence. Although I am not sure if the charging structure is up to them as well.
> 
> In York it cost £550 a year for your licence, and on applying you need to pay the full £550 and they can say no and keep the money. Apperently most councils say no first time round just to bag the profit and make you apply again and pay another £550.
> 
> ...


All this time Akuma, I didn't know you were in York!


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## akuma 天 (Apr 15, 2008)

Really?

The pro Leaping Lizards banner not give me away?

Where abouts do you live? I'm at Clifton Moor.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

akuma 天;8465711 said:


> Your indvidual council issues the licence. Although I am not sure if the charging structure is up to them as well.
> 
> In York it cost £550 a year for your licence, and on applying you need to pay the full £550 and they can say no and keep the money. Apperently most councils say no first time round just to bag the profit and make you apply again and pay another £550.
> 
> ...


Don't underestimate cats! Remember, cats have 5 sets of teeth - one set in their mouth & one set on the end of each foot!


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## akuma 天 (Apr 15, 2008)

Zoo-Man said:


> Don't underestimate cats! Remember, cats have 5 sets of teeth - one set in their mouth & one set on the end of each foot!


I owned domestic cats all my life, from regualr moggies to bengals. I've handled tame Servals too.

I'd love one of my own, my house and garden are big enough, but I live in a highly populated area with lots of families, and as soon as you mentioned "big cat" even though it isn't, peoples brain would switch off and say no/object by default.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

akuma 天;8466428 said:


> Really?
> 
> The pro Leaping Lizards banner not give me away?
> 
> Where abouts do you live? I'm at Clifton Moor.


I have sigs turned off. All the pictures drive me nuts.  Currently in Acomb (the nice part!) but soon moving to Heworth. 



Zoo-Man said:


> Don't underestimate cats! Remember, cats have 5 sets of teeth - one set in their mouth & one set on the end of each foot!


Good point. 



akuma 天;8471478 said:


> I owned domestic cats all my life, from regualr moggies to bengals. I've handled tame Servals too.
> 
> I'd love one of my own, my house and garden are big enough, but I live in a highly populated area with lots of families, and as soon as you mentioned "big cat" even though it isn't, peoples brain would switch off and say no/object by default.


 
If you have secure enclosures it shouldn't really a problem. The trouble with big cats is that York council live in the dark ages! Getting a DWAL out of them is hell by all accounts.


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