wildcat breeding??

[wildcat mom]

my kitten is saved from a stray litter. I took "mama" cat into the shelter as this is the second litter she has brought to me. I did keep one of the kittens and I'm curious about his markings. He has very strange markings that could be part wildcat (I do live in the mountains). If he does have wildcat breeding how can I tell which wildcat it could be? I do know that bobcats and lynx are in our area. He doesn't have a bobtail though. I have taken him in for all shots and neutering. thoughts and opinions are appreciated. signed... oreo's mom.

summer of 2015 (11).JPG

• wildcat mom
• Sep 10, 2015

 

[mservant]

Wow, Oreo is gorgeous.  

    I don't see signs of lynx ears or wild cat / bob cat features but that isn't to say there isn't any.   He looks very relaxed and friendly too.

What I think I see is a beautiful ticked tabby with white but others more familiar with ticked tabby appearance might want to take a look:   @Norachan  does this look like ticked tabby fur with white belly and paws to you?

 

[wildcat mom]

Thank you MServant! He does have a white belly with the usual soft fur but his back hair is thicker and courser than the rest. that's what made me think he may have something in him.

 

[StefanZ]

That only pic isnt good enough to see anything more unusual than a nice young cat.

If he is friendly etc, he cant be a half wild cat...

Let me tell it so.   I read the other day in a semi-scientific book by a british author, they had made extensive dna searching among the domestic and wild small cats of Asia.

Apparently there are some meetings.  They found traces of domestic dna in many of these wild cats.

But none traces in the domestics!

The author didnt explained it clear cut, but as I understand from what he hinted, the reason is simple: mixes arent friendly enough for anyone to bother and keep them.   The mixed kittens "punish" themselves out, they either flee, are thrown out, or are otherways disposed of.  Why bother to keep a cat you cant have, when you have lotsa of other friendly, manageable cats, or at least are fully possible to socialize into nice pets with some love and patience, just to take your pick?

In Europe / USA, with our contemporary tradition of helping the shy and homeless, it may of course be in part somewhat different, and I suppose some of the more shy semiferales  ARE mixes...   It may explain why some ferales are fairly easy to foster, while others on the scale are virtually impossible.

  But if he manages nicely in "furnitured rooms" he  simply cant be no wild cat mix.   He cant, no way.  

EVEN if he is a ticked tabby, also known as the wild coloring...

Nay, if y our question is his ticked tabby, seek sooner his rots as a natural son or grandson to a  abyssinian, where its common they are natural wild colored, ie are ticked tabbies.

The head shape isnt totally unlike abyssianian either.

ps. the thoughts go on.   It is fully possible to manage tiger kubs, and lion kubs to foster into decent home animals.  We have all seen the pics of adult lions whom lovingly greet their fostereres several years later...

But it seems the european wildcat, as almost the only specie, is known as virtually impossible to domesticize.. As said above, it seems some other small cat species are similiar in this..  Why is it so?