12 Hybrid Cat Breeds (With Info & Pictures)

There are many unique cat breeds with different coats, colors, sizes, and shapes. But what happens when you take some of the distinctive purebred cats and combine their most notable characteristics? You get hybrid cats, and several are becoming just as popular as purebreds.

Hybrid cat breeds can result from crossbreeding two domestic cats or a domestic cat and a wild cat species. This creates genetic diversity and unpredictability with varying markings, colors, temperaments, and sizes.

Check out some of the hybrid cat breeds in the world today.

The 12 Hybrid Cat Breeds

1. Bengal Cat

The Bengal is the most popular hybrid cat. Breeders created Bengals by crossing house cats and Asian leopard cats, and the oldest confirmed case dates back to 1934. However, it wasn’t until two decades ago that they were consistently bred.

Bengals are larger than most domesticated cats, and their coats retain the wild leopard-like spots on the back and belly.

2. Cheetoh Cat

The Cheetoh’s parent breeds are the Ocicat and Bengal cats, bred by Carol Drymon in 2001. She intended to develop a cheetah-like cat with a housecat’s gentleness.

These gorgeous cats are roughly eight generations removed from wild feline parents. Cheetohs are talkative, bond strongly with their owners, thrive in large and active homes, and love playing with other kitties. They are still rare breeds and are by no means small hybrids.

3. Savannah Cat

Savannah hybrids look like cheetahs and are taller than typical house cats. They are offspring of the wild African Serval and domestic cats and acquired their names after the Serval’s habitat in Africa Savannah.

Like their wild ancestors, Savannah hybrids are tall, with lean frames, long legs, big ears, and long necks. They are also intelligent, athletic, and generally spirited. They require spacious playrooms and lots of exercise for entertainment.

4. Toyger

A Toyger’s striped tiger-like markings may make you think they are wild cats. They are among the newest hybrids, developed in 1980 by Judy Sugden after crossing a domestic shorthair cat with a Bengal.

These mini-tigers have laid-back personalities, are easier to leash-train, and get along with other cats, dogs, and kids.

5. Chausie Cat

Chausies resemble small mountain lions and are products of a domestic cat (Abyssinian), crossed with a wild Asian jungle feline.

This French breed is rare and slower to develop; they can take up to 3 years to reach full maturity. Chausies are quick and adventurous, form deep bonds with owners, and enjoy walking on leashes.

6. Serengeti

Serengetis look like wild African Servals. However, they do not contain any Serval strain since they are a cross between Bengals and Oriental Shorthairs. This graceful Leopard-like cat has a unique spotted coat, an athletic build, and an amiable temperament.

Serengeti cats are medium to large cats with long legs, large round-tipped ears, a small triangular face, and bold eyes. They have short, glossy, and tight-fighting coats with rich gold coloring and widely spaced dark markings. Generally, Serengeti cats are instinctual, energetic, and active and require spacious playrooms.

7. Highlander

The Highlander is a new experimental hybrid developed in 2004. They are a cross between a Desert Lynx and a Jungle Curl. For this reason, the Highlander does not have any wild cat genes, and they’re docile, playful, confident, and loving.

They are large, muscular, highly energetic, and require plenty of daily exercise to stay healthy. Interestingly, Highlanders love water, unlike other cats.

8. Pixie Bob

Pixie Bobs are naturally occurring hybrids that started from an unplanned crossing between a female Domestic Shorthair and a male Bobcat in 1985. Ann Brewer, the Shorthair’s owner, named a female offspring Pixie, a cat that became the breed’s matriarch.

Pixie Bobs entered the International Cat Association’s (TICA) records in 1994. Due to genetic mutation, Pixie Bobs are wooly, muscular, large, have bobbed tails, and have wild appearances.

They may be products of the wild but are generally laid-back, affectionate, interactive, and excellent family pets.

• Related Read: Do Bobcats Make Good Pets? What You Need to Know!

9. Jungle Curl

A Jungle Curl is a product of an African Jungle cat and a domestic American Curl. They are rapidly gaining popularity thanks to their affectionate and social dispositions and wild appearance.

These felines have their ancestors’ intelligence and domestic cats’ affection and friendliness. Jungle Curls are relatively challenging to breed, making them rare. They can only be considered domestic after their fourth or fifth generation.

10. Burmila

Burmila hybrids originated from the U.K. in the early 1980s after crossing Chinchilla Persians and Burmese cats. They are sturdy, medium-sized, somehow compact, muscular, and heavy-boned.

Thanks to the original pairing, a Burmila’s coat is short, soft, and dense. They are attractive cats with round heads, round-tipped ears, and slightly slanted eyes. They are also easy-going, relatively peaceful, and retain their kitten-like traits into their adulthood.

11. Ocicat

This hybrid is an all-domestic breed, a cross between three domestic cats: the Abyssinian, a Chocolate Point Siamese, and a Seal Point Siamese. They resemble wild cats even though they are entirely domestic.

Ocicats have spotted coats, large ears and resemble Ocelots. They are relatively new and resulted from accidental mating in the 1960s. Despite their exotic appearance, Ocicats are friendly, social, playful, and intelligent.

12. Oriental Shorthair

Oriental Shorthairs are among the most distinct and smartest hybrid felines. With their large ears, athletic builds, and stunning eyes, it’s no wonder people refer to them as “the ornaments.”

Oriental Shorthairs have Siamese heritage but display different coat colors and don’t have color points. They share many features with Siamese cats, including long bodies and almond-shaped eyes. Oriental Shorthairs are energetic, highly curious, and people-oriented.

Summary

Hybrids are a recent and controversial phenomenon, and cat registries do not recognize all of them. However, over time, more hybrids are likely to become established breeds. Although they may have a place in most households, pet parents should be careful when considering adoption because they can be wild! However, they are unique, intelligent, and beautiful.

Featured Image Credit: stockelements, Shutterstock