Exotic Hybrid Cats

You may have met a tabby named Tiger, but it was unlikely he had any wild blood in him. Exotic hybrids, such as Savannahs and bengals, are domestic cats who have been bred with their wild cousins. These cats are usually intelligent, inquisitive and stunning to behold.

  1. Savannah

    • The savannah cat breed was first developed in the mid-1980s when a breeder bred a Siamese cat with a wild serval cat. After several generations of breeding, the Savannah breed was accepted by The International Cat Association in 2001. The Savannah is an active and hardy breed. They are sometimes considered dog-like since they love water, like to play fetch and can be trained to walk on a leash. Savannah̵7;s look a lot like smaller versions of servals. They̵7;re tall, with long legs and a long neck. Large, erect ears sit on top of their heads. Their coat can be golden tan to silvery white with dark swirling tabby markings.

    Bengal

    • The bengal cat was first bred by crossing a domestic short hair with wild Asian leopard cats. TICA accepted bengals as a breed in 1986. Bengals are curious cats who are always investigating the world around them, typically perched up as high as they can climb. Bengals aren̵7;t the ideal breed for someone who spends a lot of time away from home since a bored bengal is a destructive bengal. Like Savannah̵7;s, bengals like to play in water and can be taught tricks. Bengals have short brown tabby coats with leopard looking spots.

    Toyger

    • The toyger was created by breeding a domestic tabby with unusual markings and a hybrid bengal. The breeding successfully created a domestic cat who looked like a tiger in miniature. TICA recognized the breed in 1993. Toygers are energetic and playful cats who get along with almost everyone. Toygers look like tiger cubs. They have orange fur with dark stripes and a white belly, just like the brethren they̵7;re modeled after. The toyger̵7;s fur has the added beauty of glittery gold fur mixed in.

    Chausie

    • The chausie is named for the Latin name for a jungle cat: felis chaus. The chausie is a mix between a jungle cat, a wild cat kept by ancient Egyptians, and domestic cats. While jungle cats and domestic cats had been breeding for hundreds of years, the chausie was not recognized as a breed by TICA until 1995. The chausie resembles a jungle cat in many ways. They are tall cats with long bodies. They have long angular faces and large ears that face outward from the head. The coat is a ticked tabby, which means they have an even mixture of tan, brown and black fur.