Kimbo is another pet caracal – an exotic pet. They are popular on social media platforms. Sometimes I think people purchase a pet caracal so that they can become a celebrity on social media through their cat’s celebrity. See vicarious celebrity,
In fact, I’m sure this is what is happening. The only pet caracals that I have seen on social media are obese. Kimbo is another. I’m told that he lives in England and that he is about three years old. He does not get enough exercise and he overeats. Caracals are incredibly athletic. They are very capable and energetic. They have the ability to jump vertically to great heights.
He’s fed raw chicken but I wonder whether his owner adds the requisite supplements to ensure that his diet is entirely balanced and healthy. I don’t think straight raw chicken is enough. You need to add supplements but perhaps he does. Although I’ve not seen supplements being added to his diet on Instagram.
RELATED: Raw Food Diet (for a cat)
Pet caracals (“exotic pets”) invariably have multi-social media exposure such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. As much exposure as possible is the desired objective. This tells me that purchasing these exotic pets are all about social media exposure and gaining celebrity. And through celebrity you make money. I’m sure that often the owner thinks that they can make a living out of presenting boring videos and photographs of their obese caracals on social media.
Here is Kimbo messing in the snow. I hate to see obese caracals.
I think people have lost sight of what a caracals should look like. They are very athletic in the wild. They are very muscular with no fat. They are not slender but quite stocky when fully adult. The caracal below is probably a subadult. When I look at Kimbo I weep at his fat.
Subadult caracal. Relatively slender
Adult caracal body conformation
Bored – eating for pleasure
And my argument is that he is obese because he’s bored being confined to a home. He gets some outings on a harness it seems but I don’t know how far they go away from their home on a harness. I don’t think it is really viable to take a caracal around suburbia on a harness as if they are a dog. I think it would frighten the neighbours. And what if you come into contact with a dog? There’s going to be chaos at least potentially.
License required in GB
People should realise that in the UK you will need a licence from the local authority to own caracal as a pet. There’s no guarantee you’ll get it and there should be inspections. It amazes me that licences are granted because in truth – and I’m being brutally honest – a human home is an entirely inappropriate place for a pet caracal in which to live.
Wild caracal home range is huge
People should realise that in the wild caracals can have home ranges of 65 km². The home ranges will vary depending upon where they live. Male caracals will have larger home ranges and females. A female home range might be about 6 km². My research indicates that around 20 km² for a male caracal is not unusual.
Imagine the difference between what a caracal considers to be home in the wild namely an area which is 4 km wide and 5 km long, compared to a three-bedroom home in suburbia!
Unqualified zookeepers
Pet caracals living in the human environment inside a home are essentially in a zoo. They are captive cats and the zookeeper is often an unqualified person. Personally, I just don’t get it. I know I am going against the grain here because if you go onto the social media platforms, in comments, people gush about the beauty of the caracal and what a wonderful smile they have when in fact they are hissing at their owner while he tries to give them some fresh chicken! Caracals hiss a lot perhaps because they feel out of place in the human home.
Anxiety?
It’s hard for them to settle and feel whole and normal. They may be anxious from time to time and in some instances, they might be anxious all the time.
Caracals should not be pets
My personal viewpoint is that caracals and servals should never be pets. It doesn’t work but the public likes to see them because they are exotic. It’s a great shame, therefore, when they become obese because they lose that beautiful streamlined, feline anatomy. They become a pudding, padding around their captive environment.
