Chilling rise of ‘psycho' cats – domestic pets crossed with wild animals bought online & now prowling UK streets
Savannah cats are the result of breeding wild African servals with domestic moggies - and a special Dangerous Wild Animal Licence (DWA) is needed to own first generation crosses (F1) of the "breed".
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It comes after The Sun exposed the dangerous exotic animal trade - with 12 lions and more than 70 venomous rattlesnakes currently being kept as pets in the UK.
Celebs and influencers, including Justin Bieber, are among those to have owned savannah cats - but experts warn they can be a major risk, especially to other pets.
Bieber's wife Hailey described his two savannah's as "pyscho".
Armed police were called in 2020 to affluent Billionaire's Row in Hampstead, London, when one escaped causing panic among neighbours.
The latest Government data shows at least 30 F1 versions of the species are being kept in the UK - but many more later generation examples are currently on these shores, with numbers rising.
F1s can cost as much as £20,000 - but sites like Pets4Homes list non-first generation savannah kitten litters for sale for as little as £200 each.
Chris Lewis, captivity research manager for Born Free, told The Sun people should not be fooled, and it's impossible to remove the wild genes and instincts in just one or two generations.
He said: 'I would strongly advise against anyone wanting to purchase a savannah cat.
'They're considered to be a step up from your common domestic cat, because they're bigger, they're quite striking in appearance and have featured in a number of online videos with influencers or celebrities.
'So they are considered to be a fashionable pet, I guess."
He continued: 'Once you get into the second generation of Savannah cats, you then don't need a license anymore, which I think helps with their appeal and also that raises questions as to whether that's even appropriate because you have this animal, which is only two generations away from its wild parents, and you suddenly don't need a license for it yet…
'It is quite bizarre, almost a bit of a loophole with the licensing.'
Chris said he would encourage people to remember that the domestication of cats and dogs occurred over the thousands of years over multiple generations.
'To assume that an animal after just two generations is suitable and capable of being kept adequately in a domestic environment within the UK is perhaps not appropriate, not advisable,' he continued.
'And any hybridisation of two species which are so noticeably different because the breeding of a domestic cat and a wild cat can be filled with welfare issues for the animals involved."
Savannah's are not simply high maintenance, they are different animals from domestic cats - described as energetically hardwired, they are often accused of terrorising neighbourhood pets when allowed to roam.
RSPCA scientific officer Evangeline Button told Discover Wildlife: 'It can be extremely difficult to meet the needs of a savannah cat.
'Providing an environment that meets the needs of these large animals is likely to prove extremely difficult, particularly in the average family home.
"Animals should only be kept in captivity if good welfare can be assured.'
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