# Anyone keep Caracals?



## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

Hi all,

I wondered if anyone has any experience with Caracals (_Felis caracal_) and whether they are kept as 'pets' in the UK. Guessing these are DWA.

I've heard people have had success with taming them from kits and that they are very intelligent. Wanting to hear first hand experiences though 

Cheers


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

I've not worked with them myself, but saw someone on a TV programme with captive one. Even though it would come up to them and roll around for a tickle, it had to be treated with a lot of respect as it turned and walloped the owner with a deep scratch. So I think that they must be quite skittish. 

If you had one in the US, you could probably let it roam around the house, but I'm guessing here it would need to stay in it's enclosure.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

Yeah DWA pets loose in the house is a no no. Breach of license I think!


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## animalsbeebee (May 19, 2008)

we hope to get some this year.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

I would be extremely interested to hear your experience of keeping them when you get some. A kind of little big cat diary if you will  I was blown away by some of these when I saw them in a private collection in Germany and have wanted some ever since.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

They are indeed DWA, I know of a private zoo who keep them in the UK, they keep them in a secure enclosure like most of their cats, with an outdoor space and inside den and whilst they do go in the enclosure with them all due care is taken. I suspect for the purposes of the license you would require a secure locked enclosure and couldn't keep them as a house pet. I believe they're classed as an endangered species now so I imagine they're quite expensive/hard to get hold of, I've never seen any offered for sale personally anyway.


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## animalsbeebee (May 19, 2008)

As most of you know we already have lynx,snow leopard,serval and ocelot,would love to add caracal and amur leopard,i think that would be it then in the cat department.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

Colour me green for your collection of cats. It must be a great pleasure to be able to keep such a variety! Do you do tours?! :lol2:


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

Nix said:


> Colour me green for your collection of cats. It must be a great pleasure to be able to keep such a variety! Do you do tours?! :lol2:


I would also be interested, we could make it a day trip :lol2:


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