Picture of Scottish Wildcat Leaping

This is another rare Scottish wildcat photograph by Rosie of Rosemarie Lamb Photography. We don't see many pictures of this small wildcat in mid air leaping after prey. It is published here with her permission. If you want to use it please ask the lady. The ticked coat and mackerel stripes are visible in the photo. The tail is heavily banded with a solid black tip. The Scottish wildcat is known for its ferocity when required - for example in defending cubs. Although this cat looks like a domestic cat it is usually about 50% larger and more muscular. The similarity between this wildcat and the domestic cat arises because the domestic cat was originally a domesticated African wildcat (Near Eastern wildcat). The outstanding problem with the cat in the picture is this: is it a purebred Scottish wildcat? It might be a domestic cat/wildcat hybrid because they interbreed. For me, the cat in the picture has a hint of hybrid about it but what do I know? This cat is in captivity. In general wildcats don't do well in captivity.

Picture of Scottish Wildcat Catching Prey

A very active and dynamic picture of a Scottish wildcat catching prey by Rosie of Rosemarie Lamb Photography. The photo is protected by copyright - ask if you want to use it, please. The cat is in an enclosure but this is still an excellent photograph. You won't see a Scottish wildcat photograph like this very often if ever. You can see the brown/grey tabby coat of this rare wildcat (400 left). And you can see those deadly claws, a part of large paws. The cat's body is twisted. The left hind leg is pointing to the rear. The expression on the face is priceless.  The Scottish wildcat is similar to a domestic tabby cat only a little bigger, heavier and well..wilder! It is said to be very fierce when cornered. This wildcat mates with domestic cats producing hybrids, which dilute the purebred stock of this wild cat. This is the greatest threat to its survival in the wild. Read more about sightings...See Rosie's original photo on Flickr (I made some small adjustments).

Pallas's Cat Picture

Manul or Pallas's cat - photo copyright all rights reserved: Rosemarie Lamb Photography

This is a Pallas's cat picture with impact by Rosemarie Lamb Photography published here with her permission. It is copyright protected. If you would like to use it please ask her. You can see the original on Flickr if you want to. Pallas's cat is a small wildcat that steps out of line in terms of appearance. The other, and perhaps more proper, name for this cat is "manul". This is a cute looking cat that reminds me of the domestic Persian in a very roundabout way. The very long fur and small ears with a rounded head are similar, which brings me nicely to a 19th century idea that the domestic cat was mated with the manul to produce the long haired Persian. That now looks far fetched and is wrong. All domestic cats originate in the Near Eastern wildcat which is short haired and relatively lanky so how did we arrive at the stocky, rounded Persian? Well, the original long haired cats may have come from Persia but the modern Persian cat has no genetic connection with cats from that part of the world. Things have moved on and the Persian domestic cat is wholly created in the West. The manul is the same size as an average domestic cat at about 6-10 lbs (manul description). It lives in the area north of India up through Mongolia to Russia. A chilly climate, hence the long coat. It feeds on small mammals such as pickas (a mouse hare) and gerbils.

Savannah Cat Picture

An active, dynamic Savannah cat picture by Helmi Flick. She is very good at capturing movement and shape on digital camera. A photograph of a Savannah cat should be dynamic because this is a large, active cat. When I say large I am referring to the F1s and F2s which can weigh up to 30 lbs. This is because the wildcat parent is a serval, which is a medium sized cat, the size of a large dog. The serval is quite intimidating. The Savannah cat, however, is a very beautifully socialized domestic cat no matter whether the cat is a first or fifth filial - proper socialization is emphasized. The F1-F2 Savannah cat is the cat of kings, the rich and the super rich. These are the world's most impressive domestic cats. The number one breeder is A1 Savannahs in the USA.

The guiding objective in respect of appearance is the wild cat parent, the serval, which has a clean, high contrast, spotted coat on a rustic, functional, buff-yellow background. The tail is not long and the cat is elegant in conformation. This is a long legged athletic domestic cat. The body conformation is really about function, which I think is sensible as it makes this breed a true cat rather than a fluffy accessory. You should have proper expectations of cat management if you intend to adopt an F1 or F2. The first three places in respect of the world's biggest domestic cats go to Savannah cats: Trouble (F1), Magic (F1- former world champion) and Motzie (F2). The serval has large ears for homing in on small prey in long grass. The Savannah also has large ears. Read and see lots more on this majestic cat breed....

Safari Cat Picture

A rare Safari Cat picture by Helmi Flick. This is wildcat hybrid that you will not see very often. I doubt whether they are shown at cat shows. Perhaps they make the odd appearance. The Safari Cat is not registered with TICA and they are perhaps the most adventurous cat association. That is not to say that this cat breed is unpopular. As you can see this cat has a stunning appearance. The Safari Cat is the result of a mating between the small wildcat Geoffroy's cat and a domestic cat. Sometimes the selected domestic cat is the Bengal cat (itself a wildcat hybrid). The Geoffroy's cat is sometimes (but rarely) domesticated itself. Clearly Geoffroy's cat is one of the small wildcats that can be domesticated. Incidentally the leopard cat - the wild component of the Bengal cat - can't! The picture above is an F1, first filial, Safari Cat. The coat is pure, dense, spotted tabby. The background color is a warm gray. The eyes are piercing and the face very strong. This is a large domestic cat at up to 25lbs (F1). You'll need to make special arrangements and have realistic and informed expectations. Read and see more....

Chausie Picture

A beautiful cat and picture by the well known, American, professional cat photographer Helmi Flick. This a show cat. The Chausie is a purebred cat. The breed is relatively rare it seems to me. It is a wildcat hybrid. The better known wild cat hybrids are the popular Savannah and Bengal cats. The wildcat parent of the Chausie is the jungle cat. The jungle cat looks like a wild domestic cat. All wildcat hybrids are intelligent and active. The more wildcat blood in them (higher filial) the more wildcat they are, of course. The higher filial wildcats will be larger too. The Chausie has a ticked tabby coat - see the "M" on the forehead and the banded tail with black tip. This is a solid, large looking cat. You'll need to provide plenty of input as a cat caretaker and have the right expectations about this cat's behavior before adopting. Helmi and Ken Flick kept an F1 Chausie for a while. See what they say about this cat breed.