The spotted fur of the feline family members is often found in the wild. In domestic cats, spots were practically uncommon until the American geneticist P. Casey took up the cause. The scientist was involved in crossbreeding wild and domestic animals with a spotted coat. The result was that spotted cat breeds became fit to live with humans.
The most popular spotted cat breeds
Wanting to get a spotted cat that looks like a leopard, future owners are advised to take a closer look at the breeds:
- Bengal Cat;
- Pixie-bob;
- Ocicat;
- Serengeti;
- Australian Mist;
- California Spangled;
- Savannah.
Bengal Cat
A genetic experiment resulted in a spotted cat breed. Scientists crossed leopards with common mongrel domestic cats. Bengals are animals with long, slender bodies and paws. The coat color varies from gray to brown. All individuals have oblong black spots across the body.
Bengals are a breed of spotted cat that resembles a leopard the most. In fact, the Bengal cat is a descendant of the leopard, although it has the personality of a pet.
Facts:
- Sociable;
- Clever;
- Non-aggressive;
- Can be trained;
- Love to swim.
For a pet Bengal kitten, the current average price is $4,000 – $10,000 (USD) when buying from a good breeder.
A Bengal cat can be taught to fetch objects and prey just like dogs.
Pixie-bob
The breed was bred in the early 2000’s. Breeders were tasked with creating a spotted cat that resembled a lynx. Pixie-bobs are a hybrid breed with a shortened tail (which is why the cat gets its name).
Pixie-bobs are quite similar to shrunken lynxes, they:
- Get on well with other animals;
- Not aggressive to people;
- Affectionate, very attached to people.
Pixie-bobs were created recently, so they are not widely spread.
Pixie Bob kittens prices can come with some amount of sticker shock depending on the cattery and the kitten’s lineage, color and gender. Average price is $1000 – $2500.
Ocicat
This is the spotted cat, a product of crossbreeding between Siamese and Abyssinians. The name Ocicat is consonant with the wild ocelot, because cats look exactly like these animals. The breed was bred by American W. Dale randomly.
Ocicats:
- Can’t have blue eyes;
- Have no wild ancestors;
- The coat can have many shades, up to blue smoky;
- The temperament usually calm, friendly.
Ocicats are quite large, have big oblong ears and almond eyes.
Ocicat kittens tend to cost from $800 to $1500.
Serengeti
A young breed, artificially bred in 2001. The ancestor of the Serengeti was the Bengal cat, which is reflected in the coloring with clearly visible spots.
Serengeti breed facts:
- Curious, they love to explore their surroundings;
- Aggressive to some objects and animals, but not toward people;
- Don’t get along well with dogs.
Average price $1600-$2000.
Australian Mist
The spotted cat breed is a result of crossing the Burmese and Abyssinian breeds. The Australian Mist cat has a bluish color, there are also individuals with a marbled coat.
This breed has the following distinctive features:
- Body and head of medium size;
- The ears are elongated, wide at the base;
- Almond-shaped big eyes;
- Friendly character;
- Not prone to aggression.
While playing with humans, cats of this breed do not release their claws, even if greatly annoyed. These cats are ideal for families with small children.
California Spangled
Leopard cat, obtained in the U.S. after crossing three breeds. They have a short coat of various colors with a brown tint.
Features of California Spangled:
- Has a special gait like wildcats;
- A very long, thin tail;
- Spots are round, square, or triangular in shape.
The California Spangled’s rarity may also have been impacted by their high price tag, they range in price between US $2000 and $5,500.
Savannah
This cat breed is like a leopard. The breeders were tasked with creating a breed that looked as much like a wild animal as possible, but with the character of a domestic pet. The result of crossbreeding and genetic changes was the Savannah. The breed was bred in 1986, and at the moment it is the rarest variety among spotted cats.
The Savannah breed is truly unique:
- Individuals are the largest and tallest at the withers among domestic cats;
- Savannah’s muzzle looks like both a Bengal and a California cat – elongated, triangular in shape;
- Has a graceful gait, love to swim, has great jumping ability;
- Colors: golden, brown, silver;
- The spots are small and cover the entire body.
The Savannah cat’s appearance is very similar to that of wild cheetahs, leopards. But the temperament of the cat is very calm, it is not aggressive. The Savannah breed also has its peculiarities in breeding.
Average cost of Savannahs can gain $6,000-$20,000.
Controversial breeds also exist.
The spotted coat appears only in certain individuals randomly (e.g., Austrian Mau). Cats with a spotted coat are charming in their own way, remind of their wild ancestors and are highly intelligent. People’s craving for wild cats has provoked scientists to breed safe and beautiful pets, which can now be admired by the whole world.