When I was a visiting artist in 1993, my hosts in Venezuela had a Serval named Congo. The were merely driving home over the Andes from Colombia and spied a man by the side of the road selling kittens. The daughter fell in love and they brought the tiny cat home. He grew up to be a full bred Serval.
I did not know they had a wild animal that roamed the compound. Having just arrived, we were sitting on the sofa, having a glass of wine, getting acquainted. Suddenly, a giant spotted cat leaped up beside me and rested his head on my shoulder, playfully rubbing his huge noggin on my arm. I turned to Oscar whose eyes mischievously sparkled and pointing to the beast calmly asked, "Should this be here?"
Congo was my buddy. We napped together on the twin bed in my guest room during the day. In the morning, I was often awakened by him as he chased monkeys in the branches of the mango tree that shaded my room.
He was the gentlest of creatures. However, one day, I was sitting with my feet in the water of the swimming pool that lay in the middle of the compound. Congo swooped down from a palm and plopped next to me. One of the people I was with was taking a leisurely swim. Congo was fascinated by the movement. He purred in amusement, pawing my leg and banging his enormous skull on my upper arm, as was his habit. Congo's excitement grew with every lap. His low rumble grew to staccato yipping and then it happened.
Congo grasped my bicep in his jaws and clamped down. Hard.
I called for my companion to stop swimming, but he couldn't hear me. Congo shook his mighty head, play fighting. I tried to stay calm. I cooed. I went limp. And finally, the swimmer saw my distress. He swam quickly, but the splashing only drove Congo to a frenzy. Finally I screamed, "STOP DAMMIT!"
"What can I do? What can I DO?" exclaimed the panicked swimmer.
"I want you to stop," I replied mustering all my resolve.
"But I don't know how to make him stop!"
"Not him, you ass. YOU. YOU NEED TO BE STILL."
And Congo released me. Rubbed my face in his and disappeared into the mango tree.
My arm was black and blue for the remainder of the trip, but Congo never broke the skin. He was playing. Just having a good time with his buddy, The Furry Godmother.
So I give you this cautionary tale by way of introduction to Scarlett's Magic, a Savannah cat who trampled the title of world's tallest and longest domesticated cat. Savannah's are a cross breed between a Serval and a DSH. They are not legal in all states, but in California, they are rapidly becoming a very popular cat to own.
Scarlett's Magic is 18.7 inches form shoulder to toe, thereby making him the Guiness World Record of world's tallest cat. He also holds the title of world's longest cat at 42.72 inches. The two and a half year old cat is owned by Kim Draper who together with her husband, Lee, also own the California based Savannah Cat Shoppe.
At least he can never be accused of being the world's fattest cat.
Recent Comments