El felis catus it is an animal that little by little we are really getting to know. For the moment, what we have been discovering has been, to say the least, wonderful: it has a character and personality similar, on some occasions, to those that we may have. When a human being meets a feline considered domestic and befriends him, you can take for granted that friendship will be pure and true.
But Is it the same with hybrid cats? These furry animals have been created by and for people, who wanted to have a feline with a wild appearance but that was docile at home. And the truth is that, yes, they have achieved it. Today these animals are gaining popularity. The motives? Those that we will know next.
How do you »create» a hybrid?
Getting a hybrid is relatively easy, since you only have to cross two animals that belong to the same subfamily, in this case, two cats which are members of the feline or Felidae subfamilies. This group of carnivorous animals has several genera distributed in four subfamilies that are: Felinae, Pantherinae, Machairodontinae and Proailurinae, the latter two extinct.
Thus, for example, one could cross a happy daisy (desert cat) belonging to the genus Felis found within the subfamily Felinae, with a badia catopuma (Borneo red cat) that belongs to the genus Catopuma, which is found within the same subfamily.
To make wild behavior disappear, what is done is to be very aware of the kittens: having them in your arms a lot, paying attention to them, and not letting the mother take much care of them, at least the first generations, since the mother is a wild animal, which has intact genetics and, therefore, you will educate your children as you would in a natural state. And that is precisely what the human being is not interested in, because he seeks to have exotic kittens with a docile character.
Little by little, and as new generations emerge, the new hybrids are gradually becoming furry, not domesticated, but more homely and affectionate than their parents.
What are hybrid cats?
These cats belong to breeds very little known yet, but more and more people want to share their life with one of them:
Bengali cat
El Bengali is a hybrid cat of the domestic cat or felis catus with the Prionailurus bengalensis (leopard cat). It is an animal that is characterized by having a brindle coat, with very marked black spots. It is somewhat larger than a domestic cat, weighing 7 to 8kg, and has considerably more energy.
Chausie cat
El chaussie It is a hybrid cat between the domestic cat and the Asian wild cat (happy bye). It is a furry that has a short coat of hair of a color very similar to that of the puma. His body is very slender and agile, in addition, he is charming 🙂.
Cheetoh cat
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The cheetoh it is a hybrid between the Bengali race and the ocicat. The coat of hair is mottled, like that of a cheetah, which is what gives it the name (cheetah in English it means leopard).
Savannah cat
El savannah it is the "heavyweight" of domestic or domesticated cats. They are hybrids of domestic cat with serval (Leptailurus serval) that can weigh about 20kg if it is F1 or F2. The character increasingly resembles that of the felis catus; however, they are still waiting for it to become more tame and smaller.
Toyger cat
El toyger It is a variety of Bengali. The spots are narrower, so that it is more reminiscent of tigers. This feline, like the Bengali, loves to run and explore its home, especially if it has a garden or patio where it can sunbathe.
How much does it cost to buy one?
Getting one of these cats is difficult. In the United States they are very popular and are raised more, but in the rest of the world it is complicated. To this we must add the price: they are not cheap. At least it can cost you 800 euros, being perfectly worth a thousand euros or even more depending on which one interests you and where you buy it from.
In addition, you must first find out about the legislation on the keeping of hybrid animals since in some areas it is prohibited, as in Australia.
What care do hybrid cats require?
It must be taken into account that a common domestic cat is not a hybrid cat. This, although it is obvious, is very important to keep in mind. Hybrids are the result of a cross between a wild animal and a domesticated one, so that to be happy they will need to exercise more than a common European feline for example, and let's not even say a Persian.
Therefore, it is highly recommended teach them to walk on a leash from a very young age, since when they are older they will need to go outside unless the house is adapted to them, which would mean putting ramps, shelves at different heights, scratching trees and others so that they can exercise.
Is it worth sharing your life with them?
It depends on what each one is looking for. It is a very personal decision. If you have time and desire, and also money, of course you do; Now, if you want it just because it's exotic, maybe you should rethink if you really want to have a furry life partner.
What do you think of hybrid cats?