This video shows a serval acting like a domestic cat. There is virtually no difference. An interesting aspect of the play is the high leaps by the serval reminescent of their style of hunting when they stun rodents in long grass with their front paws when coming down from a great height. Of course domestic cats also do this but it is a specialism of the serval.
Servals can be domesticated but in my view the domestication is never as complete as that of the domestic cat (domestic cats themselves are barely domesticated!). Also “domesticated” servals are almost invariably declawed. They are too strong and their claws too large to be left on. Sounds ghastly but it is true. The price of domestication is mutilation.
