Hybrids: Are these cats for you?

Hybrids are the result of mating a wild cat to a domestic cat. Many breeds are available today. The four main registered breeds are the Chausie, Savannah, Safari and the Bengal.

• Chausies are a cross between a Jungle Cat and a domestic cat.

• Savannahs are a cross between an African Serval and a domestic cat.

• Safaris are a cross between the Geoffroy's cat and a domestic cat.

• Bengals are cross between the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) and a domestic cat.

The Junglebob, is derived from a Chausie X Pixiebob or Chausie X American Bobtail. The Junglebobs are an experimental breed and are not registered. While currently unregistered, supposedly a group of breeders are working towards registration. Some hybrid cats tend to be difficult to breed, are rare, and therefore very expensive.

The wonderful traits in Hybrid Cats?

A hybrid can satisfy a person's desire to own a wild cat. They closely resemble their wild ancestors without encountering the difficulties of living with a pure wild cat or the permits required to own a pure wild cat. They have a more domestic personality while retaining some of the more favorable wild cat traits.

There are positive traits to all cats! All domestic cats are hybrids in some form or another after all, and our homes are full of them. But not all cats are right for your family. If you see an adorable little designer kitten and want to know if it is the right kitten for your family, research both parent breeds as thoroughly as you can, and then research the breeder as thoroughly as you can. There are kitten mills, and then there are great breeders who have a dream of producing the perfect kitten from the two breeds they love. Being informed will help you recognize the difference.

Some things to consider

Hybrids in another way are not like domestics. These are not cats you can just get rid of easily. They are more hyper, can normally jump higher, are more intelligent, eat more, larger litter boxes most of the time, and they bond strongly to those they own. If you are not ready for a cat flying through your house at lightening speed, you might want to think twice about a wild cat cross. They will be on and in everything. Some cane also be very difficult to take to the vet if needed. Usually the higher generations. Join some of the hybrid Yahoo groups and ask more about the personalities. Ask the pet owners and not the breeders though. Breeders will tend to soften some of the difficulties of owning these different cats.

Hybrid Vigor

Hybrid vigor (heterosis) is described by Webster’s Dictionary as, “The marked vigor or capacity for growth often exhibited by crossbred animals or plants.” While it is true that crossbreeding can result in hybrid vigor, it is no guarantee of the health of crossbred kittens! It is also important to know that crossbreeding can also bring in any negative genetic traits from both breeds, as well as the positive. No one can guarantee that a hybrid cat will be a certain size. Beware of breeders that do.