The Serengeti is a
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
breed
A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...
of
domestic cat
The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small Domestication, domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have sh ...
, first developed by crossing a
Bengal
Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
(domestic and wild
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
) and an
Oriental Shorthair. Created by biologist Karen Sausman of Kingsmark Cattery in California in 1994, the breed is still in the development stages, but the ultimate aim is to produce a cat that looks similar to a
serval
The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a wild small cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, where it inhabits grasslands, wetlands, moorlands and bamboo thickets. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and ...
, without using any recent
wild cat
Felidae ( ) is the family of mammals in the order Carnivora colloquially referred to as cats. A member of this family is also called a felid ( ).
The 41 extant Felidae species exhibit the greatest diversity in fur patterns of all terrestria ...
blood.
Serengetis are spotted cats, with long legs and very large, round tipped ears.
They have a long neck which blends with the base of the skull without tapering.
Males are generally slightly larger and heavier than females and can weigh between ; females generally weigh between .
[Cat Breed Junction. (2009). Serengeti Cat... Cat Facts. Retrieved December 11, 2012, from http://www.catbreedsjunction.com/serengeti-cat.html] They are recognized by TICA in tabby, ebony silver, ebony smoke and solid black.
Recognized and registered by
The International Cat Association
The International Cat Association (TICA) is considered the world's largest genetic cat registry. Originally a North American organization, it now has a worldwide presence. The organization has a genetic registry for pedigreed and household pet ca ...
(TICA), no other first generation crosses can be registered as Serengeti. From the Bengal × Oriental cross came the first foundation Serengeti. Breeders then worked with the cat to produce a cat that resembles the breed profile set by TICA.
(Bengal cats originate from hybridization of
leopard cat
The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a Felinae, small wild cat native to continental South Asia, South, Southeast Asia, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely di ...
s and domestic cats. Most Bengal cats used in Serengeti breeding programs are many generations removed from these origins and possess few genetic contributions of the wild forebears except
allele
An allele is a variant of the sequence of nucleotides at a particular location, or Locus (genetics), locus, on a DNA molecule.
Alleles can differ at a single position through Single-nucleotide polymorphism, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), ...
s affecting coat color.)
Serengeti cats are generally a healthy breed, with a few health issues, such as urinary crystals.
The tabby is known as the brown-spotted in the UK. However spots can be black or dark brown on a tan, light beige or gold background. The silver has black spots on a silver background. Ghost spotting can sometimes be seen on the solid black version.
See also
*
Chausie
The Chausie () is a domestic breed of cat that was developed by breeding a few individuals from the non-domestic species jungle cat ('' Felis chaus'') to a far greater number of domestic cats ('' Felis catus''). The Chausie was first recognized ...
, a breed of cat hybridized with jungle cat
*
Savannah
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...
, a breed which integrates the serval's genes
References
External links
The International Serengeti Cat Club
Cat breeds
Domestic–wild hybrid cats
Cat breeds originating in the United States
Experimental cat breeds
Second-generation hybrids
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