What Breed Is This Handsome Guy?

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
Can anyone identify the breed of this handsome guy?
I don't know much about him, my teenage son found him badly injured and on the verge of death. My son spent the last year nursing him back to health (physical and emotional).
The vet classified him as a long hair domestic, but he has such a unique look.
 

abyeb

Charlie's Purrson
Veteran
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
7,565
Purraise
9,600
He’s very handsome! Domestic Longhair is technically the right classification, if he doesn’t have papers. I think the closest breed lookalike would be Siberian- with his thick fur, big paws, and round head.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
He’s very handsome! Domestic Longhair is technically the right classification, if he doesn’t have papers. I think the closest breed lookalike would be Siberian- with his thick fur, big paws, and round head.
I was not familar with the Siberian breed, but after a quick google search, I see the resemblance. Thank you!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
He's an American Curl, he's gorgeous and he's so lucky to have you all!
That is what I originally thought, and called him in lost and found flyers and post...he wasn't chipped and no one claimed him, so he join our family. Thank you for your kind words.
 

neely

May the purr be with you
Veteran
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
19,638
Purraise
47,808
He is an extremely handsome big boy. What's his name? Your son is an angel for nursing him back to health. :thumbsup:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
He is an extremely handsome big boy. What's his name? Your son is an angel for nursing him back to health. :thumbsup:
His name is Sushi, because of his love of fish.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
He looks just like a bobcat or lynx!!! Beautiful animal, your son must be proud of him. And you must be proud of your son ❤
Thank you for your kind words.
 

jen

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 27, 2001
Messages
8,501
Purraise
3,009
Location
Hudson, OH
Are his ears naturally like that or were they injured or frostbitten? Someone said he is an American Curl but those are not exactly common so I wonder the condition of his ears.
 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,999
Purraise
10,648
Location
Sweden
Are his ears naturally like that or were they injured or frostbitten? Someone said he is an American Curl but those are not exactly common so I wonder the condition of his ears.
Yes. And what country and country part are you in? T TereO

My thoughs is he may even be a wildcat! Not least these smallish ears give me this idea.

Wildcats are naturally very difficult to foster even as kittens, as adults wirtually impossible - the ancestor to our common house cat the north african wildcat Felis Lybica are easier to socialize. And that is why its Lybican whom become the ancestor to our loved furry friends.

The fostering is of courese easiest with small kittens, 2-8 weeks.
BUT there is a Window with adult domestic ferale cats, and I suppose it will be with wildcats too:

If you help them when they are severely wounded or sick. And they do recognize you are doing your outmost to help out. IF they survive the crisis, the fostering comes almost automatically with it. Sometimes in astonishighly short time.


If this speculation falls apart, the nearest guess will be Siberian cat as mentioned. Not that he is very typical, but siberians are a natural breed, adapted and fostered through the severe cold winters in Siberia... He hasnt full winter fur, not on these pics.

Compare with a natural siberian, please google on Masha Obninsk. A nice story at that, quite an opposite parallell to this here with your son and you helping out a little brethren.


ps. If he isnt a wildcat (which is easy to prove genetically if you so wish), I still think he may have been a ferale. Whom got through this Window, together with being saved to life and health - and a good home.
 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,999
Purraise
10,648
Location
Sweden
Ps. A decently skilled vet should too be able to examine if its a wildcat or not, its not just DNA-tests. As I remember it, the number of teeths isnt the same... And there are also other minor anatomical differences.

Although if you dont want it to be known you do have a fostered wildcat (laws or pressure from individual people), easiest is to stick he is a siberian look alike - dont even talk too much he is a rescued prob ferale, not to give folks any thoughts nor suspicions...
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
Are his ears naturally like that or were they injured or frostbitten? Someone said he is an American Curl but those are not exactly common so I wonder the condition of his ears.
I doubt they are frost bitten, we live in South Texas, it snowed in 1983 and rarely freezes. I'm not sure of his life before us, he could have been lost or traveled across the county. The vet thought his ears were natural. I asked, because I originally thought his injuries were caused by abuse. He had a horrible wound on the back of his neck, that was infected and covered in maggots, vet thought the wound was from a animal.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
Yes. And what country and country part are you in? T TereO

My thoughs is he may even be a wildcat! Not least these smallish ears give me this idea.

Wildcats are naturally very difficult to foster even as kittens, as adults wirtually impossible - the ancestor to our common house cat the north african wildcat Felis Lybica are easier to socialize. And that is why its Lybican whom become the ancestor to our loved furry friends.

The fostering is of courese easiest with small kittens, 2-8 weeks.
BUT there is a Window with adult domestic ferale cats, and I suppose it will be with wildcats too:

If you help them when they are severely wounded or sick. And they do recognize you are doing your outmost to help out. IF they survive the crisis, the fostering comes almost automatically with it. Sometimes in astonishighly short time.


If this speculation falls apart, the nearest guess will be Siberian cat as mentioned. Not that he is very typical, but siberians are a natural breed, adapted and fostered through the severe cold winters in Siberia... He hasnt full winter fur, not on these pics.

Compare with a natural siberian, please google on Masha Obninsk. A nice story at that, quite an opposite parallell to this here with your son and you helping out a little brethren.


ps. If he isnt a wildcat (which is easy to prove genetically if you so wish), I still think he may have been a ferale. Whom got through this Window, together with being saved to life and health - and a good home.
This guy was not difficult to foster, after a few cans of tuna my son was able to handle, put in a crate and transport to the vet. He was skittish around the rest of the family for a few months. Now he walks around like he owns the place.
Couple other unique attributes, he has no fear of dogs and when he is vocal, he sounds like a crying baby.
 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,999
Purraise
10,648
Location
Sweden
This guy was not difficult to foster, after a few cans of tuna my son was able to handle, put in a crate and transport to the vet. He was skittish around the rest of the family for a few months. Now he walks around like he owns the place.
Couple other unique attributes, he has no fear of dogs and when he is vocal, he sounds like a crying baby.


Yes. As said, when desperate, being sick or cornered in total despair, they can often beg humans for help. And the subsequent fostering is easy. Another examples are wild koalas in Australia, whom often asks humans for water...
Many examples of different species on youtube.

Anyways, as you tell he was skittish it confirms, if he isnt a wildcat specie, so he was a feral. And now he is apparently totally at ease, fully fostered and fully socialized.

The sound of crying baby can many cats have it. Esp as their war cry. But to have it as their everyday sound - it may be telling, but I dont know enough.

Please, which country are you in? And if USA, what part of the great USA?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
Yes. As said, when desperate, being sick or cornered in total despair, they can often beg humans for help. And the subsequent fostering is easy. Another examples are wild koalas in Australia, whom often asks humans for water...
Many examples of different species on youtube.

Anyways, as you tell he was skittish it confirms, if he isnt a wildcat specie, so he was a feral. And now he is apparently totally at ease, fully fostered and fully socialized.

The sound of crying baby can many cats have it. Esp as their war cry. But to have it as their everyday sound - it may be telling, but I dont know enough.

Please, which country are you in? And if USA, what part of the great USA?
After researching wildcats I see some resemblance, especially when he eats. He tears at his food, even though it has been shredded for him. We thought he had a dental issue but the vet did not see anything abnormal.
I am definitely going to have him DNA tested when the commercial system is vetted.
I live in the USA in South Texas, outside of San Antonio.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #19

TereO

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
19
Purraise
16
After researching wildcats I see some resemblance, especially when he eats. He tears at his food, even though it has been shredded for him. We thought he had a dental issue but the vet did not see anything abnormal.
I am definitely going to have him DNA tested when the commercial system is vetted.
I live in the USA in South Texas, outside of San Antonio.
BTW: we are curious about his breed, because he doesn't behave like any cat in our neighborhood feral colony and he has a issue with reoccurring eye infections, we thought it may be specific to his breed. When ask, we say he is 1/2 raccoon.
 
Top