These 6 breeds were created by crossing domestic and wild cats
2023. July 23 - Photos: Getty Images Hungary
2023. July 23 - Photos: Getty Images Hungary
For many, the idea of keeping an animal with wild ancestry and an exotic appearance can be extremely appealing. But hybrid cats can be problematic in many ways. Before you jump into such a sudden decision, or perhaps buy a pet without even knowing what you're actually getting into, be sure to find out the details! This is what we are helping you with now.
In the following article, we will present the cat breeds that were created by crossing domestic cats and wild cats, and we will also talk about why keeping hybrid cats can cause problems for the average owner.
In the 1950s and 1960s, you could get leopard cats in pet stores, which were popular among pet owners at that time. Breeder and environmentalist Jean Mill somehow got a leopard cat, which later mated with the lady’s house cat. She had no idea that such a thing could happen, so she was also surprised when it turned out that the kitty got pregnant. By the way, Mill was aware that poaching posed a huge threat to leopard cats. That’s why she decided to breed an alternative cat breed that would shift the focus away from leopard cats.
Parallel to Mill’s work, Dr. Willard Centerwall also crossed leopard cats with domestic cats at Loyola University. These wild cats were resistant to the deadly and contagious feline leukosis, so they wanted to find out if this trait could be passed on to the hybrid offspring. Unfortunately, it turned out later that mixes can become prone to the disease in the same way, some offspring even became infertile, and some vaccines that are effective for domestic cats did not work on them either. The research was completed, and the resulting individuals were given to various cat lovers.
Yes, but a person can become greedy and interfere in things – if one sniffs money – which can have serious negative consequences. We can argue whether the chicken or the egg came first – as with the labradoodle – that is, whether supply or demand came first. At this point it may not be so relevant anymore.
Even though these crosses produce undeniably beautiful kitties, most people feel that there is something wrong with the process. Many of these cats will never be able to adapt to the conditions provided by an apartment. They won’t be house-trained, they can be aggressive, they can’t be socialized well and their behavior is unpredictable due to their huge need for exercise.
Not to mention during breeding it is pretty common that the mother cat miscarries and deliver premature litters. In addition, serious problems can arise with the health of growing kittens. The already very pricey cost multiply very easily thanks to diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, extremely difficult to treat parasitic infections, Cardiomyopathy or Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). By the way, there is a vaccine against the latter, but we mentioned above that this has no effect on some hybrids.
Wild cats are fascinating, but you can admire something without owning!
The origin of the Bengal was presented in detail above. It is created by crossing leopard cats and domestic cats – mostly Egyptian Mau. It needs a lot of exercise and mental stimulation, it loves water and is a great tree climber. The most popular hybrid variety.
The Savannah is the largest of the hybrids, born from the crossing of servals and domestic cats – mostly Siamese, but Egyptian Mau, Serengeti or Bengal are also used in many cases. An extremely muscular and powerful cat, perhaps most closely resembling its wild ancestor both externally and internally. It does tolerate noise, crowds, and stress particularly poorly, and can become aggressive in such cases. It is extremely talkative and purrs a lot.
A Chausie can be created by mating a jungle cat and a domestic cat – mostly an Abyssinian or Oriental Shorthair. It’s true, like all hybrids, that it needs plenty of stimulation to stay balanced; much more than an average domesticated cat! It can form a very deep bond with its owner, but it does not tolerate being alone very well. One of the characteristics of the breed that it can inherit a shorter intestinal system from its wild ancestors, which makes it impossible for it to digest grains, vegetables, and plants. It is also particularly prone to allergies.
We are now stepping into interesting territory. The Serengeti cat is already a hybrid, created by crossing a domestic cat (Oriental Shorthair) and another hybrid cat (Bengal). The original goal with them was to make it look like a serval without bringing a wildcat into the equation. It has a smaller body compared to the previous ones; talkative, agile, intelligent cat.
The Cheetoh is a more recently appeared (2001) hybrid version, which is created by crossing the Bengal and the Ocicat (a domestic cat that resembles a wild cat, but does not have wild DNA in its gene pool). The bereeder created them to make a cat with a wild appearance but a friendly personality. Its popularity is growing, but so far no organization has officially recognized it.
The Toyger is “made” by crossing a Bengal cat and a tabby domestic cat. The creator of the breed, Judy Sudgen (by the way, the lady is the daughter of the breeder of the Bengal, Jean Mill), created the Toyger to draw attention to the protection of wild tigers. If he says so… The Toyger is a playful, sweet kitty who is easy to train and needs to be, otherwise it will become bored and unhappy.
What do you think? Are we really making a mistake by breeding and buying these breeds or is this the future?
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