Wild Cat Breeds

There are several wild cat breeds and species of wild cats kept as pets that are not domestic, meaning that they have not had over 9000 years of close contact with humans, and have not been selectively bred over centuries for adaption to such a lifestyle, as has been the case with the domestic cat (felis domesticus). These wild cat breeds are either hybrids-the result of crossing domestic cats with wild species- or they are completely seperate species from the domestic house cat. Consider them carefully. Enjoy the journey and always remember.......Cats Rule! King Cat

Hybrid Cat Breeds

Hybrids are crosses between domestic cats and any of a number of species of wild cats. They are often categorized by how many generations they are removed from the original wild individual and can act and look quite different depending on how great a percentage of their bloodline is wild. A bengal cat who has a domestic mother and an Asian leopard cat father is 50% Asian leopard cat, 50% domestic cat. If it is then bred back to a 100% domestic cat, those kittens will only be 25% Asian leopard cat and so on. Wild cat breeds and hybrids can be a handful, and some jurisdictions do not allow them. Think this over carefully.

Wild Cats

There are several wild cat species that are regularly kept as pets. These are species of cats, not breeds, meaning they are a different zoological classification from the domestic cat, and, in most cases, have very little history of close habitation with human beings. It is the centuries, and sometimes millenniums of co-habitation that create a domestic animal. Domestic animals have developed dependencies on humans for survival and in turn, have lost many of the natural instincts of their wild ancestors. Predatory, defensive and reproductive drives in domestic animals are greatly reduced, and often the tools that were once used for survival, fangs and claws, will be considerably smaller as well. Great care should be taken in the consideration of such a pet, and in general, they are not recommend for the average household.

Purebred Cats

Cats have been selectively bred for appearance and temperament for thousands of years, no doubt starting with the first good mousers who made themselves useful in the first farmhouses. Recently all sorts of exciting varieties have been developed including several hairless breeds and some fabulous felines like the Singapura which is one of the smallest. Along with different domestic cats there are an assortment of wild cat/domestic cat crosses (hybrid cat breeds) that add lots of spice to the mix. Exotic cats are in vogue too. Many of the varieties of cats listed here are pedigreed and recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association(CFA), the world's largest cat organization. Check them all out in our exclusive -CatStats- fact files.

fast cat facts

Inside Cat or Outside Cat?

Wondering if you should allow your cat to go outside unsupervised? Well there are definitely some pure breeds that should never be outside cats. Hairless breeds like the Sphynx are extremely vulnerable and should always be supervised outdoors. Docile breeds like the Burmese may not be able to defend themselves. All cats allowed outdoors are exposed to diseases and parasites that they would not otherwise encounter. Fred Flintstone put his saber-tooth out every night, but the cat jumped right back in the window - and he was a saber-tooth! Still, most of us feel a little envy when we see our domestic companion out on some high perch, sniffing the breeze of liberty, and there is no doubt that cats love their freedom. So what do YOU think ....Inside Cat or Outside Cat? Comment Here...