A leopard on the living room couch? The desire for exotic pets is growing. Hybrid cats, which are a cross between domestic and wild cats, are becoming increasingly popular. Here’s everything you need to know about hybrid cats and their tamer descendants.
Hybrid cats are the first generations of cats resulting from the mating of a domesticated cat and a wild cat. This breeding typically involves a male wild cat and a female domestic cat. The outcome? Cats with extraordinary coat patterns, prominent cheekbones, and often a robust physique.
Within the breeds, the cats are distinguished by generations. Cats resulting from a direct pairing with a wild cat belong to the first generation (also known as filial generation). The higher the generation, the fewer wild cat genes the animal possesses.
History of Hybrid Cat Breeding
The desire for a touch of wilderness in the living room isn’t as new as the recent high demand for hybrid cats and their descendants might suggest. In the USA during the 1960s and 1970s, small African and Asian wild cats were crossed with domestic cats.
Initially, the Americans pursued these crosses for scientific research without any commercial breeding goals. This changed soon after an Asian leopard cat was bred with an American domestic cat. The offspring, initially part of a scientific experiment to develop a vaccine against feline leukaemia, were later given to private owners.
The combination of the exotic appearance of a wild cat with the tame nature of a domestic cat fascinated cat lovers, significantly increasing demand and leading to more breeding attempts.
Which Hybrid Breeds Exist?
Today, several recognised breeds originate from hybrid cats. The most well-known is the Bengal, along with three other notable breeds:
Bengal
Bengals are a cross between Asian leopard cats and domestic cats and are among the most renowned cat breeds with hybrid ancestry. Their exotic looks and wide variety of colours and patterns make these leopard-like cats very popular.
Savannah
The Savannah, a mix of African serval and domestic cat, is not only the largest hybrid breed but also the largest recognised domestic cat breed. These cheetah-patterned cats can stand up to 0.5m tall at the shoulder and measure up to 1.20m from nose to tail tip.
Chausie
The Chausie, a cross between an Egyptian jungle cat and a domestic cat, is particularly popular in its breeding homeland, the USA. Though lacking a striking pattern, its ear tufts resemble those of a lynx. Its high cheekbones and athletic body add to its exotic appeal.
Caracat
The first cross between a female caracal and a wild tomcat occurred in 1998 at the Moscow Zoo. Almost ten years later, breeders in the USA conducted a similar crossing by mating a male caracal with an Abyssinian cat. There were also breeding considerations between caracals and Maine Coon cats in Germany and Austria, but these have since been abandoned.
Other recent hybrid crossbreeds include Kanaani (African wildcat x domestic cat), Safari (Geoffroy’s cat x domestic cat), Bristol (long-tailed cat x domestic cat), Viverral (fishing cat x domestic cat) and Tilaran (oncilla x domestic cat).
Risks of Hybrid Cat Breeding
Breeding wild cats with domestic cats becomes problematic when the animals have significant differences in size, gestation period, and sexual behaviour. Domestic cats have a gestation period of 63 to 65 days, while servals and caracals generally have longer gestation periods of about 76 to 78 days, leading to potential complications in the first generations. Only Bengals have a similar size and gestation period to domestic cats, making complications less frequent.
Servals also have different sexual behaviours compared to domestic cats. As a result, serval tomcats might not recognise when domestic cats are in heat, complicating the breeding process.
The size difference between some wild cats and domestic cats can also cause difficulties during mating. Female domestic cats can sustain severe neck bite injuries during mating with a much larger male wild cat. This bite can be very strong if a caracal or serval tomcat is involved.
Wild Animal Traits Can Overwhelm Owners
In many countries, the illegal trade of crossbred wild cats is booming, often with dire consequences. Many owners are completely overwhelmed by cats whose generational background is unknown. First and second-generation cats often exhibit strong wild animal traits, making cohabitation with humans problematic.
First-generation hybrid cats are shy, avoid contact with strangers, are nocturnal, and display their claws readily. This affects not only their owners and other pets but also leaves deep scratches on furniture, walls, and wooden floors. Besides occasional aggressive behaviour, their tendency to mark territory poses another challenge for owners, often resulting in these animals ending up in animal shelters.
A popular hybrid cat breed is the Savannah. With its spotted coat, it looks very exotic.
The Cost of Cats With Wild Ancestors
Reputable breeders are aware of these issues and thoroughly inform potential cat lovers before selling an animal. Through personal discussions, they aim to determine whether the new owners have fully understood the characteristics and requirements of these special cats, ensuring they end up in good hands.
Cat enthusiasts should avoid animals sold without personal contact with the breeder, such as ads on the internet. Genuine papers and a pedigree, clearly indicating the generation of the cat, are essential when purchasing hybrid cats.
What To Consider When Keeping Hybrid Cats
The generation of a hybrid cat indicates how prominent its wild animal traits are. Cats from later generations (F5, F6 and beyond) are as tame, affectionate, and cuddly as domestic cats. However, they still have a strong desire for freedom and are very active. Keeping them solely indoors is possible if enough activity options are provided. For a species-appropriate environment, a second cat with a similar temperament is also recommended.
The tame descendants of hybrid cats remain excellent climbers, talented high jumpers, and fast sprinters, and they need appropriate space to move. If kept in an urban environment where free roaming is too dangerous because of busy streets or too many strangers and other animals, a cat-proof balcony or garden with climbing structures and a bathing area can be set up.
As mentioned earlier, keeping cats from earlier generations is possible, but strict regulations must be observed. These animals are also very demanding, making them unsuitable as pets for enthusiasts. Only consider animals from the fifth generation onwards.
The Right Diet
Proper nutrition is essential for species-appropriate keeping. This is more demanding for hybrids with direct wild cat ancestors than for regular domestic cats.
Many owners report that their cats do not tolerate industrially produced cat food and switch to raw feeding (BARF). However, barfing requires the correct understanding to meet the animal’s nutritional needs adequately.
Those who find this feeding method too complex should seek high-quality food. It should have a high meat content (rich in protein), fresh fruit, vegetables, and natural oils. The grain content in the food should be minimal or non-existent due to possible intolerances.
Many wild-descendant breeds that are allowed to hunt during free roaming supplement their diet with mice or small birds. Owners must consider these factors when determining the right amount of food.
Is a Hybrid Breed Suitable for You?
No doubt, wild-cat-descendant animals are true beauties. However, one should not acquire such a cat purely for its looks. As with any other cat breed, thoroughly research the breeding and keeping requirements before purchasing.
Ensure that you can fulfil these requirements. Can the cat move freely enough in its new home to avoid boredom? Do you have enough time to spend with your cat and help it adapt to living with people? Do you have sufficient knowledge about their care and diet?
Also, be aware that cats from generations one to four have special keeping requirements. Their pronounced wild animal traits make them unsuitable as pets. From the fifth generation onwards, the animals are classified as domestic cats and can be kept as such. Enthusiasts of hybrid breeds should only consider later-generation animals for keeping as pets.
zooplus Editorial Team
The zooplus editorial team consists of a dedicated team of experts with many years of experience in the field of animal husbandry: Luisa with her White Swiss Shepherd Elyos, Laura, Julio, and Florian. Together with a large network of animal experts, we work to make the zooplus magazine a trusted source of information for all animal owners and lovers. Our goal is to provide exciting animal knowledge and relevant information on the proper care of pets.
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