A few years ago, one of the most expensive four-legged pets in the world was presented at a cat show in Russia. The caracal belongs to the genus of Afro-Asian cats and its natural habitat is steppes, semi-deserts and savannahs. On Instagram, however, they are increasingly seen in the homes of the rich, where the caracal is a status symbol. Uma Caracal is just over a year old, and on a profile that has more than 12,000 followers, her owner posts daily videos and photos from a luxurious home near Moscow.
According to the law, an exotic cat can be kept at home in Russia, while in many other countries this is forbidden or requires a special permit and special living conditions. Although this is quite a controversial issue, causing mixed reactions, because the caracal is a big cat that has learned to live in the wild, Russian women are happy to have it as a pet.
The caracal – the most popular pet in Russia
Regardless of the different opinions about whether or not to keep a caracal cat at home, everyone agrees that the cat is a real beauty. It looks like a lynx, but has longer legs and shorter fur, and its total weight reaches up to 25 kilograms. The lush coat varies between reddish, grey and sandy.
The first thing you notice about a cunning sweetheart are the fringed black ears. Incidentally, the word caracal is of Turkish origin and means just that: black ears. Their closest relatives are the African serval and the puma.
An animal that needs a lot of attention, patience, but also financial affection, it is friendly when it grows up in the company of humans from an early age. For Russians, the caracal cat is a popular species to breed, but also to keep in the house as a sign of prestige.
To live with them, careful housekeeping is required and training takes a lot of effort. She needs fresh meat or fish every day, so the budget for feeding her can be three times the current budget, which of course is not a problem for rich Russians.