Genets--"Not kin to
cats at
all"
The Genet—Not Kin To Cats At All
By Lynda Watson
There are 10 species of Genets originally from Africa, Arabia, the Near East & Southwest Europe. The two species most commonly available in the US are the Common Small Spotted Genet (Genet Genetta) & the Large Spotted Genet (Genet Tigrina). They all have rows of dark spots or stripes the length of their bodies on a brown or gray background. Their tails are ringed like a raccoon’s, but not as fluffy & are about as long as their bodies. They have a long face with a pointed muzzle, long whiskers, large rounded ears & binocular vision. They have fully retractable claws on five toes on all four feet. They have unique pads on their feet that extend up the back of their legs beyond the part of the foot they walk on. This is particularly exaggerated on their hind feet. The purpose of the unusual pads is for coming down trees head first & they work like a charm.
The first time people see a Genet they spend awhile deciding what they look like. There seems to be a consensus – their body is spotted somewhat like a Cheetah. Their head is a cross between a cat & ferret. Then there is the extra long Raccoon style tail. And to top it off, they are crowned with fox ears, rounded at the tips. When they open their mouth to speak it’s a combination of dog – cat & genet –ees. They have a little Chihuahua bark, when hungry or wanting attention of a specific kind. They purr when seriously content with what is going on, like being rubbed under the chin. They make a little coughing, huffing, clicking or barking sound when they are upset with their situation or afraid. The more upset they get the louder the huff, cough, click until it develops into a little bark.
Genets can not be kept on a wire cage floor without damage to their feet, infection & possible death.
A suggested diet that we feel works well for adult genets is ½ can Alpo Turkey & Giblet Wet Dog Food & 1 mouse at night & 1 mouse in the morning. The mice are not absolutely necessary if you are not breeding mice. For treats they get Apple “Fig Newton” cookies. Pieces of bananas, apples, kiwi, etc are accepted by some of the genets, some of the time as treats. They also like Raspberry “Fig Newtons”. They get one or two cookies a day. Fresh water is always available in a bowl. The only cookies they seem to care for are the bar type cookies filled with fruit filling.
We keep the babies in a small pet taxi with a soft towel as bedding. We set the pet taxi with half of the taxi on a heating pad on low & half off the heating pad so they can get as warm as they need to be. If the room is less than 75F, try the heating pad on medium.
If the babies start huffing, coughing, clicking or barking they are afraid. By 6 weeks they can climb a pants (or bare) leg, shirt & up to a shoulder to perch. They will spend hours riding on a shoulder, given an opportunity. In the car, riding on a shoulder is a genet’s favorite place. On an hour trip in the car they will go to sleep lying across your shoulders.
By 6 weeks of age we allow our babies the run of the house except at night at which time they go in the pet taxi. They generally play where there is human activity or want to climb up & perch on a shoulder for a better view of what’s going on. As babies & juveniles they will always sleep in the same spot & potty in the same spot when they have run of the house. A potted plant is their favorite potty stop. We have had the best luck getting started with the potty box by making it available to them but then moving it to the place they have chosen once we have found it.
By 10 weeks house spiders, the sun coming in a window & hitting the carpet & toes wiggling under the sheet are eagerly pounced upon. Genets will continue with a bottle as a sole source of nourishment for at least 12 weeks & longer. At 12 weeks start trying them on dog food, ground turkey or small pieces of cooked chicken. Try solid food once a week. However, do not be discouraged if they do not eat solid food until 16 weeks or after. They will eat & probably prefer raw chicken but the danger of salmonella when feeding raw chicken is real. Once they start on solid food it can take up to a month to get them totally on solid food & off the bottle. They are very slow to develop in that area. Their mothers would not wean them in the wild until they are at least six months old & often a year, though she would be bringing them prey long before that.
Genets should always be kept on a leash when outside. Like a cat they tae off for a place of safety when startled, then evaluate the situation. That can put them in jeopardy. They can not be kept in a fenced back yard because they can climb anything like a rocket.
Genets will accept & be accepted as household companions with puppies, kittens & ferrets. As they approach adulthood they will see household birds as lunch.
Wild caught Genets are fine for breeders but are totally unacceptable as pets. It is very dangerous to buy young wild caught Genets. Importers & brokers who have not raised genets seriously misjudge their age. They regularly judge 10 – 12 week old babies as 6 month old babies as 6 month old babies because they are comparing them with felines –caracals, serviles & domestic cats. If they are 10 – 12 weeks they are too young to eat solid food & will not take a bottle. They will die rather than eat. When you complain to the importer – broker that they will not eat, you will be told you have stressed them out & this is all your fault. Many importer-brokers traditionally will not take responsibility for selling animals that are too young to be removed from their mother because they are ignorant of the needs of young genets. If you want a young Genet, buy a domestically bred, bottle fed baby. Save yourself a lot of heartache.
Genets which have been bottle fed as babies but then locked up in a cage & ignored for any length of time do not make good pets. They will no longer tolerate being picked up. Genets that are to be kept as pets, need to be kept as a cherished way & in a cage except at night, if you feel it is necessary. They need to be told firmly but gently early in their life what they are not allowed to do. If they are not allowed on the kitchen counter, never put them on the counter & if they jump up, firmly & sharply tell them “no” & put them down. By 7 weeks they understand & disregard “no”. By 8 weeks they are able to understand & regard “no”, if there is a consequence for disregarding it. A gentle but firm tap on the nose, along with a sharp “no” is plenty of consequence.
If kept as a pet they should be exposed to everything that will be required of them as early as possible. If they are going to have to get along with kids, invite the neighborhood kids over once a week, if you don’t happen to have any of your own. Put them in a pet taxi & take them to the vet so they know who this person is & know what that weird smell is. Let them ride in the car. Let them go downtown (with a collar & leash) & to the shopping mall. By 8 weeks its time to go camping & to the beach & for a paddle boat ride. Everything is possible for the if they are introduced to a wide variety of experiences between the time they are 6 weeks & 24 weeks old. Before 6 weeks they mostly sleep. They are great pets if trained correctly from the beginning & safeguards are made so that if they startle they cannot fly into the face of danger.
Some males need to be neutered by the time they are about a year old to keep the from spraying, but some don’t. Some females will need to be spayed at about 1.5 years to keep them from being nippy every time they come into heat, but some will not. It seems to depend on the individual animal. We suggest not altering the animal unless it proves necessary.
Linda LaFrentz
903-389-5339
mailto:critterhouse@hotmail.com
