Serval cats are wild cats native to Africa that resemble smaller leopards. While some people have domesticated them as pets, they still retain many of their wild instincts. @chloetheserval is one of those unique cats. She’s a 19-year-old serval who lives with her human parents, Matt and Shannon, who share videos about life with their big feline.

In a recent Instagram video, Shannon showed what happens every night at dinnertime. Chloe definitely knows when it’s mealtime and has no problem letting her dad know it’s time for supper! Make sure your sound is on because her meows are surprisingly tiny for such a majestic cat!

We originally found the video of Chloe asking for dinner on Facebook, where it quickly went viral and has garnered more than 73 million views. People were just as surprised as we were by her tiny meow!

Related: Orange Cat Has Dramatic Reaction to Mom Telling Him He Can’t Have More Dinner

Do Servals Make Good Pets?

People left so many comments about Matt and Shannon keeping Chloe as a pet. What does she eat? What does she do all day? Shouldn’t she be outside at least? Shouldn’t she be in the wild? One commenter shared, “She’s pushing 20, wouldn’t be surprised if they saved her or something…”

According to a Facebook post by her pawrents, Chloe was purchased from a breeder (side note: you can expect to pay at least $5,000 for one!) as a 7-week-old kitten and has been hand-raised and domesticated by her family since then. They’ve had her for a very long time!

But that doesn’t mean that servals make good pets. In fact, most of the information we read about them discourages people from making them pets. Carolina Tiger Rescue shared several reasons why servals do not make good pets, including their wild instincts, dietary needs, space requirements, and, of course, legal restrictions since they are considered exotic pets.

The rescue shared, “Servals are wild animals with strong predatory instincts. Even when born in captivity, they retain their natural behaviors. This means they may exhibit hunting and territorial instincts that can pose dangers to humans and other pets.”

When it comes to feeding them, that can be a challenge as well. “Servals have a specific diet, primarily consisting of small mammals, birds, and insects. Maintaining their nutritional requirements can be expensive and challenging, as their dietary needs are difficult to replicate in a home environment.”

What happens when people bring home a serval and realize that they cannot properly care for them or that the serval is still a wild animal? They end up at places like the Carolina Tiger Rescue. “The small cat crisis refers to the prevalence of servals and other small wild cats being kept as pets, bred for profit, or abandoned when their owners can no longer care for them. Carolina Tiger Rescue plays a crucial role in rescuing, rehabilitating, and providing lifetime care for these animals, ensuring they receive the necessary support they need to thrive and enjoy their natural behaviors.” They currently have 18 servals that were given up by their families that they are caring for.

While Chloe the serval’s domestication might be a success story, most animal experts agree that servals should remain in the wild where they belong.

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This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Oct 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.