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  1. #1
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    Default Civet cat in Sandton

    This morning around 6:00 my female jack russell went nuts, barking growling etc. She kept on running up the stairs to my study and then down again. Normally she is a very calm dog and doesn't bark much. So naturally I went to check what was happening. The two siamese cats were lounging around, ignoring the dog (what they usually do). So I left it alone and carried on getting ready for work. Then my wife checked upstairs and saw nothing. Finally I went back up as the dog was frantic.

    I didn't think there was another cat as our cats were calm. I decided to encourage the dog to "Get it!"; "Take it" to see if maybe she had found a rat / bird. Next thing, a blur and I saw what appeared to be a bengal cat run across the room and hide behind my desk. I called the wife (she goes nuts for Bengals). As she entered the room, the Civet ran at us and scrambled out an open window onto the roof and was gone.

    I didn't recognise it at first - however we both agreed it wasn't a domestic cat due to body shape, length of the legs etc. Only after chatting to a colleague in the office did I figure it out. Initially we thought weasel / meercat because of physical shape, but the colours were all wrong.

    I guess this is very unusual. We are in the middle of Sandton, not close to rivers parks etc (Morningside country club is a stone's throw away, however that is not a large green belt).

    Easily trumps the vervet monkey I saw in the heart of Bryanston a few years back.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Civet cat in Sandton

    Graham, I stay down the road from you in Bryanston near river Club. The river (near Jackson etc) is not far from you maybe it came from that area?

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  3. #3
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    Default Re: Civet cat in Sandton

    Civets are a lot bigger than weasels/meerkats. Are you sure it wasn't maybe a genet? Genets are more cat sized.

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  4. #4
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    Default Re: Civet cat in Sandton

    Yup, up the road from the river. Entirely possible, although quite a distance (in an urban environment). I don't know how far across an urban environment animals will travel.

    Genet vs civet - to be honest, not sure. Colour more civet, size, more like a genet.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Civet cat in Sandton

    My sister lives in Gallomanor, the other day they found a small spotted genet in their garden.
    Was confirmed by nature conservation, my sister called them as her Alsatian got hold of the poor thing.
    They said there were quiet a few of them in River Club.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Civet cat in Sandton

    Genets are very adaptable and could survive anywhere a domestic cat can. They are about the size of an average domestic cat, but with shorter legs and longer body and tail.

    Civets are much larger with bigger body, similar size to a staffie / bull terier, whith somewhat of a pot belly and very short legs. Body spotted almost like a leopard.

    Your descriptions seems to point more to a genet. Check out some pics and compare.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Civet cat in Sandton

    Chatting to friends in the neighbourhood, seems genet are common especially near the spruit. Never realised that. The colouring was darker, making me think civet, but size definitely genet. I'm going with a genet. Damn thing sprayed somewhere upstairs, the dog keeps going back and barking!

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  8. #8
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    Default Re: Civet cat in Sandton

    Quote Originally Posted by Graham12 View Post
    Chatting to friends in the neighbourhood, seems genet are common especially near the spruit. Never realised that. The colouring was darker, making me think civet, but size definitely genet. I'm going with a genet. Damn thing sprayed somewhere upstairs, the dog keeps going back and barking!

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
    Ai bud that's a shit smell, a little domestos and water in a spray bottle should sort it out. Generally where your other cats would relax.

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  9. #9
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    Default Re: Civet cat in Sandton

    Quote Originally Posted by dsmerrills View Post
    Ai bud that's a shit smell, a little domestos and water in a spray bottle should sort it out. Generally where your other cats would relax.

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
    Thanks, I'll try that. Good idea as to where to spray, that's what I was wondering...

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

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