the only thing that will be here right now, is the Genet FAQ. this page will be set up differently when this site is officially open.
The Genet F.A.Q.
v.0.1
If you have any questions, or any info you'd like to see in this F.A.Q. please let me know.
I want to have one easy place for all the info, but I'm not sure of everything I should add.
Any ideas will be appreciated.
(for now, just email me - poisonedgrace @ yahoo . com with questions,
as this page isn't fully functional right now)
introduction
this FAQ was compiled from various on line sources and from my personal experiences as the
owner / friend of a Large Spotted Genet. I have lived with Nigel Rupert Toastwater III for around
ten months as of the writing of this FAQ. I do not claim to be an expert, or authority on genets,
but I am a loving, and informed pet owner. I read and researched about the genet for a year before
I bought one, and since then, I have never stopped trying to learn more. As of the writing of this
document, I am unable to locate anything more than a very basic 'genet info' page in the wired.
I hope that this is informative, and helpful to people who are either interested in wild genets,
or genets as pets.
I guess we'll do this in three sections. first, we'll have 'general scientific facts'. second,
'facts about genets in the wild'. and last, we'll have 'info about genets as pets'.
I also want to try to answer questions, so please, ask away if i haven't covered something.
If you see anything here that is incorrect, please let me know. most of this stuff was the
fruit of on line research, and has simply been compiled here. It is possible that fruityness could
be involved. Please let me know about any broken links.
section 1: the science part.... or "shut up nerd!"
The name "Genet" comes from the Arabic word "jarnayt."
(other languages)
Latin: Genetta
French: genette
Spanish: gineta
German: die Ginsterkatze
Danish: genette
Swedish: genett, ginstkatt
Swahili: kanu
(if you know of any others, let me know!)
if you are ever interested in looking into the taxonomy of any type of animal, you simply must try
this resource at the museum of natural history site
-Class Mammalia
--Order Carnivora
---Family Viverridae
(also known as...
The Mongoose Family
containing animals such as....
African palm civet - common palm civet - masked palm civet - Celebes palm civet
- small toothed palm civet - banded palm civet - Hose's palm civet - Owston's palm civet
- golden palm civet - Jerdon's palm civet - otter civet - Lowe's otter civet - African civet
-large Indian civet - large spotted civet - Malay civet - small Indian civet -banded linsang
- spotted linsang - African linsang - aquatic genet - common genet - Johnson's genet
- forest genet - feline genet - large spotted genet - Villier's genet - Abyssinian genet
- servaline genet - giant genet - Angolian genet - binturong - falanouc - fossa - fanaloka
- kusimanse - marsh mongoose - bushy tailed mongoose - black legged mongoose
- Alexander's mongoose - Angolian mongoose - long nosed mongoose - yellow mongoose
- Pousargues' mongoose - dwarf mongoose - short tailed mongoose - Indian gray mongoose
- Indian brown mongoose - Egyptian mongoose - small Indian mongoose - cape gray mongoose
- slender mongoose - ruddy mongoose - crab eating mongoose - stripe necked mongoose
- white tailed mongoose - Liberian mongoose - Gamiban mongoose - banded mongoose
- Selous' mongoose - Meller's mongoose - ring tailed mongoose - broad striped mongoose
- narrow striped mongoose - brown mongoose - meerkat)
(Viverrids:
Genets are in the Viverridae family. Viverrids are medium-sized carnivores with long bodies and
relatively short legs. Their bodies range from around 300 mm in length (excluding the tail,
which is usually moderately long) to 1000 mm in length. Most species have relatively small heads
with short, pointed or semipointed, erect ears and a relatively long, pointed muzzle. Their eyes
are of medium size. Most species have stripes, spots, or bands on their bodies, and their tails
are often ringed with contrasting colors. Their claws can be retracted. Most have perianal (not
anal) glands that produce a strong-smelling substance (supposedly Nigel won't be bad about this,
as he's been neutered before becoming sexually mature); in some species the odor is sufficiently
potent to ward off predators. The secretion of these glands, called "civet", is used as a perfume
base and medicine. (thus countless thousands of Civets [usually palm civets, banded civets, and
sometimes asian civets] are raised and slaughtered on farms every year. after being killed, their
glands are harvested, and used to make perfume. you might reconsider that Chanel no. 5 for
something that isn't made out of cute animals) Male viverrids have a baculum.)
----Subfamily Viverrinae
(containing: Civettictis - Genetta - Osbornictis - Poiana
- Prionodon(there's some really cute ones in here, they're like mini-genets! check out the
Spotted Linsang for instance) - Viverra - Viverricula)
-----Genetta
Species of Genets
In the Viverridae family, there are 3 genera and up to 14 species of genets. (but there seems to be
a lot of argument about this in the scientific community.)
Subgenus Pseudogenetta:
-Genetta thierryi (Thierry's Genet) -- savannah zone from Senegal to area south of Lake Chad
-Genetta abyssinica (Abysinnian Genet) -- Highlands of Ethiopia
Subgenus Paragenetta:
-Genetta johnstoni (Johnson's or Johnston's Genet) -- Ivory Coast, Ghana
Subgenus Genetta:
-Genetta angolensis (Angolan, Miombo Genet) -- southern Zaire, central and northeastern Angola,
western Zambia, northern Mozambique, probably southern Tanzania
-Genetta crisata (Crested Genet)(point of argument - apparently some people think this one is not a
species to itself. it's confusing.)
-Genetta genetta (Small Spotted, Common, or European Genet) -- France, Spain, Portugal,
Balearic Islands, southwestern Arabian Peninsula, northwestern Africa, savannah south of the Sahara
-Genetta isabelae (Ibiza Genet) (i'm assuming it's from Ibiza, or that area, but i didn't find much
about it. if so, it would overlap territory wise with the common genet, as Ibiza is part of the
Baleric Islands (and part of Spain also))
-Genetta maculata (Rusty Spotted Genet?)(some people feel that this also may, or may not be a
separate species. they think it might be a regional variation of the Large Spotted Genet, but others
disagree...)
-Genetta pardina (West African or Forest Genet) -- Gambia to Cameroon
-Genetta rubignosa (East African genet) (i didn't find much about this guy either...)
-Genetta servalina (Central African, Servaline, or Crested Genet) -- southern Nigeria to western Kenya
-Genetta tigrina (Large spotted, Rusty spotted, blotched, S. African Genet) -- Senegal to Somalia,
Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, and Botswana. (this one is Nigel) (some scientists
believe that the Rusty Spotted Genet may be a variation of genetta tigrina.)
-Genetta victoriae (Ugandan Genet, Giant genet) -- northern and eastern Zaire, Uganda (i want to see
a picture of a 'Giant Genet' SO bad, but i can't seem to find one!)
-Genetta villiersi (Villier's or Hausa Genet) (i know nothing about this one.)
section 2: the general part.... or "...so it's a cat, right?"
Description:
The genet has fur that is yellowish to grey in color, with small spots on its body and stripes on its
tail. It has a black muzzle, with white around the eyes and mouth. Genets from the drier areas of South
Africa have lighter colors and less stark patterns, while those in moist habitats have more vibrant
colors and patterns. They can also be melanistic, a word which here means that the genet is all
black in colour. Melanistic individuals are not uncommon (although i've never personally seen one
other than in pictures). The Rusty-spotted genet (Genetta tigrina ?? see above>) has a
ground coloration that is lighter, and its spots are more like rosettes that have a rusty color in the
center. Their fur is similar to a cat's, but softer.
Genets tend to be long and lean, with a tail usually at least as long as the body (body ranging from
16 to 24 inches [40 to 54 cm] long, with a tail 15 to 20 inches [40 to 49 cm] long, males weighing
between 5 to 10 pounds, females from 2 to 8 pounds). In appearance, Genets resemble somewhat of a cross
between cats and ferrets. The body is set on short legs, and the ears are large and rounded. Like
cats, genets have semi-retractable claws, and they can erect a crest of hair at the base of their spine
when frightened. Like all viverrids, they have well-developed perineal glands used to mark territory
(i haven't had him do this yet, but since it's more af a breeding issue, and he's been neutered, it
shouldn't be an issue). Genets have 40 teeth (glad someone counted, 'cause i sure as hell
wouldn't try! they have some seriously sharp teeth! even the molars are like needles!). Both the
front and hind feet have five digits (as opposed to cats who have four), with well-furred soles.
Their eyes are large and round with a vertical pupil, usually a brown or golden colour matching
the fur.
Genets are solitary animals but can sometimes be found with others during mating or if a female has
young. They are almost never seen in the day as they are hiding or sleeping in holes, thick brush,
trees, roofs of buildings, hay bales, tree hollows, rock crevices, or other suitable areas (by
nature, your house-cat is also nocturnal. this is easily changed, as most pets will adapt to the
schedule that their people keep).
Diet:
Genets have a wide variety in diet, and tend to be carnivorous to omnivorous. Their main diet consists
of small animals including rodents such as mice, birds, eggs, small reptiles, insects such as crickets,
scorpions, spiders, bats, frogs and on odd occasions grass and some fruits and vegetables. Genets will
adapt their diet according to the seasons, taking advantage of the most available food source. All
species are carnivorous but one, the Johnston's Genet (genetta johnstoni), which is largely
insectivorous.
Social:
The genets are primarily solitary and nocturnal. Much like cats, genets are stealth hunters, and kill
with a quick bite to the neck. Their sharp claws both allow them to pin prey, and make them excellent
climbers. They spend a lot of time in trees, and are very agile and among the best climbers in the
world. Genets can make a variety of vocalizations, such as mewing, purring, hissing, and spitting.
Territories of genets of the opposite sex may overlap, but same sex territories do not. They can breed
year round, but usually only come into heat heat during the wet season or around the time when food
will be shortly available. Copulation lasts only five minutes, which follows foreplay that can last an
hour. During copulation, both genets meow. After a gestation period of 10-11 weeks, 1-3 kittens are
born. some litters may have 5 kits, but as females have 4 teats, this is not as common. The babies are
born blind and helpless. Their eyes are open at about 10 days old. They are weaned at 8 weeks
(remember, this is talking about WILD genets, bottle feeding for captive 'pet' babies is different),
can fend for themselves at an age of roughly 7 or 8 months. Genets are fully mature at about 11
months, and sexually mature at about 2 years of age. The Average lifespan of the genet is
between 10 and 20 years.
Predators:
They are preyed upon by owls, leopards and pythons. Genets help keep vermin populations down, and since
they often live on the edges of a human community, this helps alleviate pest problems with crops.
However, genets are hunted for sport, and many of them end up on some rich guy's mantle. While
compiling this document, I personally ran across a place offering "African Big Game Hunt" tours, and
one of the features, was that you could hunt and shoot a genet. They even offered taxidermy services.
Large Spotted Genets are not currently listed as threatened or endangered, although many other members
of the civet family are.
section 3: genets as pets.... or "does it bite?"
This is the section that is most in need of your questions. I'll add things I can think of, but I'm
sure there will be a million things I'll never think of. So ask away!
All these answers and explanations are from my experiences with Nigel. I'm sure that different genets
have different personalities, just like dogs and cats and birds and humans and maybe even tape worms.
But he's the only one whom I can personally vouch for, as he's the only genet friend I've ever had.
If i say something like "Genets are __________." and then you meet a genet someday, and she isn't
remotely ________, don't blame me. You can consider this a disclaimer.
questions:
"Does that thing bite/scratch?"
answer: Yes. He does. He plays rough. If you've ever played with a six month old kitten (when
they're in that hopping stage) then you have a basic outline of how it is. So far, it's pretty much
always like that. He plays in a similar way that a kitten that age would. It's also rather like
playing with a rowdy ferret. Personality wise, he's like a cross between a playful kitten and a
hyper ferret. He plays games that I've played with both ferrets and cats. Some of the cat stalking
and attacking games, and some of the ferret rolling and sneaking games. That said, if you have
played with either of those animals, you know that they do tend to bite when they play.
He's never bitten anyone out of meanness or anger, but I'm absolutely sure that if you were to
deliberately hassle him, he would bite the living piss out of you, and not be the least bit sorry.
He does tend to play very rough, and scratch my hand and arm up quite a bit. he likes to tackle your
hand or arm, and hold on. Sometimes he kicks with his back legs while holding with his front legs.
I'd imagine that anyone who has a pet who plays rough type games experiences the same things.
"How does it play?"
answer: See above.
"I bet it can climb good!"
Not really a question... but yes, he can and will climb anything. if you are standing up, and he
feels the desire, he will treat you just like a tree. Pray that you are wearing long pants. He isn't
as bad about this as he was when he was smaller. I've been trying to teach him, but he's resistant
to learning. There's a tall metal post on my bed, and he will bear hug it, and climb it just like
those little guys do the coconut trees. Then he'll slide down the pole like a little furry fireman.
"Can it jump far?"
answer: You'd better believe it. He can jump really far, and really high. I have no idea what his
limit is, but he can easily jump a nearly five foot space from the dresser to the bed in my room.
Vertically, I've seen him jump at least four or so feet up. Not bad for a guy who is maybe 15 inches
or so long from his booty to his nose.
"Is he fast?"
answer: We have a theory, that he can actually teleport from one place in the room to another.
Before you can blink and see where he is, he can be on top of furniture, on the other side of the
room.
"What does it eat?"
answer: The souls of the damned! muhuhahahaha! No. Well... almost... He seems to enjoy this
particular brand of ferret food called Nutri-Phase the most. He sometimes will eat canned cat food,
but sometimes he's picky. He loves banana bread whenever he can get some, and he'll kick your ass to
take yours. He has also been known to steal tortillas, the occasianal mouthful of beans, and
basically anything he sees you eating. He likes dried fruits, and sometimes a bit of salad. He also
loves anything sweet. We sometimes share some 100% natural 'juice' style popsicles with him, because
he loves them so much. We do not give him any kind of raw meat, because of the risk of parasites,
and we do not give him any kind of chocolate, as it can be toxic to some animals. High quality cat
food, both canned, and dry are good, as is high quality ferret food. It's usually a good idea to
offer a variety of miscellaneous foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and even some grains. Common
sense is important in the 'what not to feed your genet' area. Remember: just because the genet wants
it, does not mean that the genet should have it.
When Nigel was a baby, he was bottlefed with KMR brand milk substitute. this should be available
anywhere pet supplies are sold. I got him when he was 7 or 8 weeks old, so he was only eating
3 times a day, and not during the night. Prior to this age, they need to be fed 4 to 6 times a day
at least. Usually they are fed every 4 hours or so, so that means getting up in the middle of the
night to feed them. Genets who are intended to be made pets of should be bottlefed for at least
the first 3 months. They can optionally be bottlefed for an additional 3 months after that if you
so desire. This is a very important aspect of genet raising. It causes a closer bond between the
genet, and the person doing the bottlefeeding. It will make the genet bond with you in a way that
an adult or even a weaned genet never will. the longer you bottlefeed, the closer a bond you will
establish, and the more tame your genet will be. When baby genets are removed from the mother,
they should be bottlefed every few hours around the clock until 7 or 8 weeks. From then until
12 or 14 weeks they should be bottlefed 3 times a day. From then, until you decide to stop
bottlefeeding, you can lower the feedings to once or twice a day. They should have solid food as
an option, should they want it, from 8 weeks or so on. It is perfectly acceptable for them to have
solid food, and still take the bottle. For solid food, good quality kitten food (such as Iams) is
reccomended. The food should be initially soaked in the KMR until they get used to the concept that
the stuff is food, then after that, soaking it in water is fine. When your genet has stronger teeth
(and you'll know this, 'cause it'll be biting you every day) you can give it food without any
soaking.
If you want your genet to remain tame and loving, it is probably a good idea to refrain from ever
giving it live food. The occasional cricket should be fine, but I would not reccomend giving your
genet live mice at any time. They can get all the proper nutrition they need without such things.
Genets are still wild animals, no matter if they were born in the dark jungles of Africa, or three
three blocks down the street at your friends house. They do not have thousands of years of captive
breeding behind them, like cats and ferrets do. They make great friends, and fun pets, but if you
awaken that hunting and killing instinct, it will never be the same. It is a genet's nature to hunt,
kill, be nocturnal, and fear all humans. Is that the kind of 'pet' you want? If it is, like if you
want one for display purposes, and have no intention of petting, interacting, or playing with it,
then I don't suppose it would matter. However, if you actually do want it to be an animal that
enjoys spending time with you, and is personable, live feeding is simply a bad idea. There is, of
course, the argument "well, wild genets eat mice!" well... yes, they do... they also do not live
in your house, now do they? Wild genets are hunted by leopards, and struggle to survive, so when
you feed your genet mice, should you get a leopard to complete the cycle, so your genet is in
touch with nature? Wild genets are not neutered. They enjoy marking their sexual territory with
their stink glands. You certainly don't want that going on in your house. It's pretty simple, but
some people seem to have a hard time understanding it. Which do you think would make a better pet?
a tomcat that is neutered, raised in the house and well cared for, or a grizzled old alleycat who
catches and eats mice, and pees all over everything to mark his territory? Once awakened, those
instincts can be hard to overcome, and i promise that your genet will never make the slightest
attempt to overcome them. You will have a wild animal on your hands.
"Does it run loose in the house? Does it have a cage?"
answer: Genets seem to do better in a smaller area. I'll go out on a limb here, and assume that it
reflects their natural range, or territory in the wild. From people I've talked to, and things I've
read, if you give a genet the entire house to live in, like you would a cat, they are never as tame
and friendly as they are if you give them a room to live in. I'm guessing (from common sense, and
observation) that they feel a need to patrol their area, and 'stay in charge of things'. If they have
too much room, it's probably hard to do this. From things I've read and heard, they appear to be
'stressed out' with an entire house to roam. That, and they could escape, or wreck the hell out of
everything, since they can and will climb anything that spider-man could. Right now, Nigel lives in
my bedroom, and at night he has a cage that he goes into for bed time. His cage has his food, water,
toys, a box to hide in, some t-shirts to snuggle, a well insulated and wrapped heating pad (just in
case) and a hammock to snooze in. I let him out as soon as I awake, and put him up right before I go
to bed. He seems to do really well with this. When I move, and get a bigger place, I plan to get a
place where he will have his own room. It will be a genet wonderland, and I'm looking forward to it
very much!
"Is he hypoallergenic or can people be allergic to him?"
answer: I don't know that a lot of research has been done on this, since they are not very common
as pets. Normally when people have pet allergies, it's because of the animal dander, more than the
fur. Animals with short fur, usually produce less dander. Nigel has fairly short fur. If you've ever
gotten to pet a really soft rat, his fur is slightly longer than that, so that is to say, it's not
as long as cat fur. He does not seem to produce much dander either. The breeder I got him from said
that you are less likely to be allergic to a genet than a cat, assuming you have those issues. But
it is posible to be allergic to anything I guess.
"Does he use a litter box?"
answer: The most wonderful, blessed, perfect thing about every predatory animal that I've kept as
a pet, is that they have a natural instinct to use a litter pan. Most animals who have to hunt for
their food (like cats and genets) know that if they leave poop layin around, the prey animals smell
it and know "hmmm, there's something here that's gonna eat me." So they hide it, by either going
somewhere outside of their living area, and/or burying it. Since Nigel had been old enough to control
his bladder, he has not made his mess anywhere that he was not supposed to. He seems to prefer
pine/paper chips over cat litter, but he will use either. I offer him both, so that he has a choice.
So far, he's been a perfect angel about it.
"I'm just curious how he is with other animals, namely cats, and children?"
answer: (First, I have to say I love the concept of children being 'other animals'. I know the
person asking this didn't mean it that way, but I imagine cute little snarling toddlers eating from
bowls on the floor and it makes me giggle with daemonic glee!)*clears throat* The only other animal
I have personally allowed Nigel to interact with is my ferret. This is mainly because it's the only
other mammal that I own (I don't think the Nige would have much fun with a turtle anyhow). They get
along great. When the ferret comes out to play, Nigel gets excited and plays with him. They play
ferret games where they chase each other, wrestle, and roll about. The people I live with do have
some cats, but they're nasty, mean cats, so I don't want them around Nigel. When I move, I plan on
getting a cat, and I plan on introducing it to Nigel. I expect them to get along well. I read about
a lady (I don't know her, so treat this as hearsay) who says she has (I forget exactly what, but it
was something like this...) like a genet, 2 ferrets, 2 cats, 2 small dogs, and a fennec fox who all
live in the house together. She said that the genet gets on best with the ferrets and the cats, but
it would interact with all the others as well. I would imagine that the same basic rules would apply
for dogs and children as far as genets go. If the dogs are small enough so they aren't massively
intimidating, it could be fine. If the children are large enough that they can behave around an
animal and not poke, chase, grab, and squeeze, it should be fine (Nigel has never [and will never] be
around a small child however, so there will be no practical application of this one). I don't imagine
that they'd like a lof of really loud ruckus, and they definately would not tolerate any kind of
restraint, or teasing. When he got his shots at the vet, he TORE UP the woman who tried to pin
him with no gloves. I think if the kids were old enough, or well trained in "being nice to the
kitty" it would be alright.
"How would you go about getting one?"
answer: There are quite a few exotic animal breeders who offer them in the states, believe it or not.
I would reccomend looking for a local breeder, or driving the distance to pick one up rather than
having your new baby shipped. Having said that, some breeders do ship them. You have to use a lot of
personal judgement and common sense when looking at breeders. Ask yourself if this person loves
animals, or if they're looking to make some bucks. I feel that it is inappropriate to buy an animal
that was "caught" in the wild, rather than born in captivity (if you have a choice, and there are
enough genet breeders that you do have a choice). You will never get the same bond with a caught
animal that you would with one you got to bottle feed. I got Nigel from a very nice, knowledgeable
man named Ryan, who owns Nigels mother and father, and has had the father for a long time. The
parents are his personal pets, who live at his house, and he cares for them very much. He is located
in Lubbock Texas, and is the owner of Walter's World of Pets.
There are other places and people who have them avaliable, and you can find them through searching
the wired, or possibly attending exotic animal (or even reptile) conventions and shows in your area.
I recommend being very careful where you buy a genet from. Some places may feed their genets live
food, making them less suitable as pets. Some places may wean them too early, thus thwarting your
chance to form a bond. See the appendix for a story about just such a place that I discovered.
"Do you have to obtain a wild animal permit?"
answer: I am sure that this varies from state to state. I believe that they (and most other exotics,
even including ferrets) are illegal to own at all (unless you are a zoo) in both Cal. and Mass. (I
could be wrong on that one though). You do not need a state permit in Texas, but some places may
have a county, city, or even neighbourhood ordinance. With many states, there are 'wild animal
permits' that apply to animals that are either native to the area, or native to the country. For
instance you would have to get one to own a raccoon, but not a genet, since genets are from Africa.
Some states also have what is called a 'fur bearing animal liscense' meaning that if an animal is
being raised, or is typically raised for the purpose of fur coat making (ick!) or whatever, you have
to get a special liscense. So you would have to get one for a mink, maybe a rabbit, possibly a
raccoon, a skunk, a leopard.. who knows... maybe a genet, but I really have no idea. Some
states / counties / etc only make you get a liscense if you plan on breeding something weird. Some
states have laws requiring permits for some exotics, and not others. Usually you need permits for all
exotic cats, and sometimes monkeys. The good thing about genets is that they aren't cats, or monkeys,
(even though they act a litle like both) and most people have never heard of them, and are unaware of
their existance, so there are not many laws affecting them (other than blanket laws affecting all
'exotics'). They stay small, so maybe that will continue, they're not very threatening to anyone. It
is always a good idea to look deeply into your state and local laws before making a decision to buy
a new animal. If you violate these laws, most states give you a big fine, maybe probation, and seize
and destroy your animal. That's bad stuff.
"How do you pronounce genet? It is Jennet, or Je-na (like french) or gennet (hard g)?"
answer: 'g' making a 'j' sound actually... 'gen' as in 'general' (or 'giraffe')
- 'et' making an 'it' sound as in 'dammit!' (which you'll prolly say a lot if you have a genet ;) )
"Are they hardy? Are they prone to any illness or health problems?"
answer: At the writing of this FAQ, he's 11 months old, and so far he has never been sick
or injured. I hope he never is! He plays really rough, and jumps and runs very fast, physically he
isn't the slightest bit fragile or frail. I wouldn't ever let Nigel associate with a cat or dog who
was an outside pet, or an indoor/outdoor' pet, because I wouldn't want to take a chance on them
bringing something in from outside that could be dangerous to him. Genets can catch cat
illnesses, and ferret illnesses, in addition to various things that all animals (and even humans)
can get. As far as being likely to get a particular thing, how some cats and dogs are, I think a
lot of that comes from so many years and years of animals being inbred to make certain bloodlines
and breeds, so they are more likely to fall prey to specific illnesses. Certain breeds of cats for
instance are more healthy than others. I read recently, that some kind of cat (I think it was blue
eyed persians or whatever) are something like 70% more likely to go blind than other cats because of
so much selective breeding. So far, genets don't have this problem. With such little information,
and vet experiences, it's hard to say. At this point, I am unaware of properly cared for genets
being prone to any specific disorders.
"Do they need any special grooming?"
answer: Nope. Like a cat, they're all good. "Dry clean only" ;) None of that foolish 'bath time'
like you get with a ferret or a dog!
"What about exercise?"
answer: Oh boy! You just try and stop him from exercising! He runs and climbs and jumps. He carries
on like a monkey on crack! Just letting him run about all day, and as much as he gets played with,
he seems to get plenty of exercise. He has none of the lazy behavior that cats have. So far at least.
"What kind of climate is best for them?"
answer: Since they live in the house, usually the regular climate that is comfortable for human/pet
living conditions is fine. I wouldnt want a space heater or a fireplace around him though. They'd
set their tails on fire in a space heater, knock it over, and burn your house up. Same thing with a
fireplace, except they could climb right up the chimney, and never be seen again. We had a squirrel
come down our chimney once, and I promise you, anywhere a squirrel can get, two genets could be.
Nigel and I live in Texas we have central heat in winter (when needed) and AC in summer
(when needed). I don't like to open the window with him loose, because I worry he could push the
screen out. When he has his own room, I'll cover the window from the outside with some kind of wire,
so that he can enjoy the nice weather without escaping. Over all, I'd pretty much figure that if
you're comfortable, and if a cat would be fine, so would a genet.
APPENDIX
where i'll have links to any other topics containing information / facts, or opinions about genets
or genet related stuff that doesn't belong in the FAQ itself.
1. An opinion on some pet stores, and the employees / owners thereof.
Featuring a personal experience relating to a pet store selling a Genet.