Cats with ears like a lynx

If you have made the decision to breed kittens of some exotic breed seriously, it is worth equipping a cattery.

Three pet cats that look like a lynx

In our today's material we have prepared for you three breeds of cats, such as: pixie-bob, caracal, as well as Maine Coon, which have an external resemblance to such an animal as the lynx, but have a very calm disposition and are quite easy to socialize.

The most beautiful and unusual cat, thanks to its spotted color and predatory appearance is very reminiscent of the wild lynx. Excellent immunity, high intelligence, intelligence, and just a phenomenal memory, not all what this cat can boast.

Pixie Bob is a friendly, peaceful and very patient pet, which is strongly attached to its relatives and constantly demands maximum attention to his person.

Caracal

These beautiful cats not only have a rather striking and memorable appearance, but are also directly related to the wild lynx. In addition, the caracal is included in the Red Book, where they are under the "iron" protection from extinction.

The caracal has long been everyone's favorite pet, which behaves calmly, affectionately and very gently in relation to its household, and any aggression is out of the question. The main thing is to correctly educate and train this kitty, then it will long time you will only please and pleasantly surprise.

Features

Cats with tassels on their ears are common. They have a slightly wild but attractive appearance. There are several theories that explain why pets need tassels.

• For the purpose of amplifying sound waves. They allow the pet to distinguish not only the immediate sources of different sounds, but also to pick up even minor rustles. These qualities are important when a cat is hunting, because at such times it is necessary to pay attention to any rustles and the softest sounds left by rodents or birds. It is generally believed that cats who lack tassels on their ears do not have the sharpest hearing.
• Tassels are peculiar beacons. Due to them pets can see and recognize each other even at serious distance. Being in the dense green bushes cats with tassels "are not lost" anyway.
• The tassels are an indicator of the age of the animal. The longer they are, the older and wiser the cat is.

Many members of the feline family are happy owners of tassels on the ears. Most often such additions occur in animals with long hair. The appearance of such pets to many people seems harsh and formidable. In fact, such cats are perfectly adapted to life in an ordinary city apartment or in a private home.

Popular Breeds

Whiskers of various breeds have tasseled ears. Let's take a closer look at the most famous species of such cats.

Maine Coon

The Maine Coon is a large domestic cat. Exact information about the origin of this breed is not available, but it is believed that it was brought to North America the Vikings. According to another version, they were brought by an ordinary seafarer.

Around these cats revolves a lot of different legends about their origin.

Representatives of this breed are considered the biggest domestic cats. Even small Maine Coon kittens have impressive size when compared to their other breeds. Sometimes the weight of an adult can be up to 15 kg. A distinctive feature of these pets – the presence of tassels on the ears.

Maine Coons have many external similarities with the lynx, but they are not wild. These giants of the feline family are perfectly adapted to the home environment. They behave calmly and do not show unnecessary aggression if they live in ideal conditions for them. A well-bred Maine Coon will not attack people or clash with other pets living with them in the same area.

The formidable appearance of these animals should not mislead humans.

Pixiebob

Representatives of this American breed are extremely rare. They are considered very unusual. Such pets have much in common with the domestic lynx, although they do not have a huge size.

This breed is relatively young. Its origin is little known and shrouded in many mysteries.

Tassels make these cats more desirable. If there are none, the points at the show will be greatly reduced. These animals have another interesting feature – the absence of a long tail. Pixiebob has a thick and flexible, but very short tail. The structure of this part of the body is passed on at the genetic level.

Breed description

There are quite interesting representatives of the feline world, which combine the traits of a wild lynx and a pet. Pets of such breeds easily find contact with children and large animals. At the sight of birds and small pets may begin to hunt, so the genes of wild ancestors are manifested. At the same time, in case of danger, they can protect themselves and their owners.

Some breeds were discovered accidentally, in the wild. Breeders in this case only fixed the characteristic features. Others were obtained through the painstaking work of specialists.

If the kitten was bred correctly, it gets only the best traits from both parents.

Pixie bob

The short tail and beautiful tassels on the ears indicate the kinship of such a cat with a lynx. Pixie bean was bred by American specialists back in 1985. The crossbreeding involved a tailless cat with many toes on its paws and a large-sized short-tailed cat. Let us consider the peculiarities of the appearance of such animals.

• The body is massive, muscular. Females weigh 4.5-5 kg, males weigh 5-9 kg. The abdomen slightly drooping, and the thorax is quite wide.
• If you look closely, you can notice that the hind legs are longer than the front. Normally, a pixie-bob can have up to 7 toes. Developed musculature of the limbs.
• The tail can reach the hip joint, and the minimum length is 5 cm. There may be bends or creases.
• The head is pear shaped, with a well-developed chin. The eyes resemble triangles with rounded corners. Tassels on the ears are desirable. Representatives of the breed always with sideburns.
• The coat is no longer than 5 cm, only on the belly can be more.
• Among the colors found in all shades of tabby, tic, light colored belly and neck, paw pads gray or brown.

Pixie Beans are affectionate and very attached to their owners. They are well-trained and love to walk on a leash. Representatives of the breed enjoy socializing and playing with people. To hear the usual meow from such a pet – a rarity.Animals communicate differently, and sometimes even growl predatorily. Excellent find a common language with children and other animals.

Breeding secrets

Breeds of cats that resemble a wild lynx are very popular. They are affectionate predators, capable of both attacking and being tame. Breeding animals of such breeds is quite interesting and profitable. The main thing is to properly equip everything, take into account all the nuances.

• Only breed class animals are allowed to breed. The cat or cat should have good results in competitions and exhibitions. Make sure that there is a complete package of documents, including a veterinary passport.
• The animal must be biologically ready to breed, have reached a certain age. Much depends on the specific breed, it is better to consult with veterinarians.
• To choose a partner contact a felinology club. As a last resort, look for a suitable candidate at the same shows.
• Kittens should be kept in the proper environment. They should be fed and cared for as they grow up. If a lynx-like breed kitten will not communicate with people from childhood, then later they may not get used to them.
• Always make out all the documents. Kittens are expensive only under this condition. Do not forget about the mating contract.

If you decide to breed kittens of some exotic breed seriously, it is worth to equip a cattery.

This is only possible if you have your own private home. It is better to build a separate house for cats in the yard, where there will be everything you need. It should be warm, dry and clean, no draughts.

For the comfortable life of mating individuals and the development of their kittens, it is necessary to arrange not only a recreational area, but also places for active games. It is recommended to fence the area outside so that the animals can walk around. Of course, you will need a lot of money and patience to keep them, but the result is worth it.

See the following video for interesting facts about the Maine Coon cat breed.

The caracat has a brownish-red coat color, the adult cat is almost 1 meter long (along with the tail). They also have long large paws, a small head compared to the body, large mobile ears with characteristic tassels.

Although this breed looks like a wild individual, the nature of the cat is quite friendly and affectionate. Such a cat badly needs constant movement, so deciding to get this beauty at home, you need to take care of enough space for him.

In addition, the caracca, just like a dog, should be walked on a special leash vest.

Kittens should be bathed no more than once every three months, adult cats – as dirty as possible. It is necessary to make sure that a cat with a wet coat is not exposed to a draft, otherwise there is a great risk of catching a cold.

Combing out hair 1-2 times a week, but in summer during the moulting period it must be done more often, preferably every day.

Nutrition: raw meat (beef, poultry, rabbit, fish). Clean water should always be readily available for the cat.

Maine Coon

This breed was obtained by natural hybridization in the United States over a century ago.

Maine Coons are considered giants among the felines. They have a solid sturdy body, broad bones, and massive muzzle. Adult cat can reach a weight of 15 kg (male in rare cases up to 15 kg, the usual weight of 5-8 kg), and in rare cases grows to 1 meter in length. Its coat is long and fluffy with various color options.

The caracal is a beautiful wild cat with tassels on its ears

The caracal's homeland is Africa, Arabia, India and Turkmenistan. Since ancient times, people have taken these wild cats with them on hunting trips. Sandy-red in color, the body length reaches 1 meter, including the tail. Tall ears with tassels, which stand straight when young and droop closer to old age.

The caracal has a balanced character and a friendly attitude to people. These cats are easy to train, but they have a zealous love of freedom, so they need space.

If you cannot give all the territory of your home to caracal, you can equip it with a large enclosure with beams, stairs and small houses for the cat to occupy itself.

It is better not to settle this four-legged man near large pets, because the willful animal may clash with other inhabitants over the territory.

You should brush the cat often, at least 2 times a week. Bathing is recommended as needed.

Food: raw poultry, beef, fish. Do not give: pork, salty, spicy, fried, smoked meats and sausages, sweets, food from the table.

Home keeping of the caracal

One can keep a Caracal in a city apartment, but it's better to keep it in a house with a yard, where it can frolic. Caracals get along both with cats and dogs, provided that you "lodge" a kitten with them and not vice versa. It will pose a danger only for decorative rodents and birds. Caution should be taken in the presence of small children.

Caracal will need at least 15 m² of "living space". In an apartment your pet occupies the whole room, but in a private house you can build an aviary at least 2.5 m high with a free exit. Take care of a scratching post that will save you many unpleasant minutes of nail trimming. Fix shelves and thick boughs at different heights, which he will be happy to climb on. Caracal loves toys, but cat toys are too small for him. Suitable are those designed for small dogs, or children.

Care

Like other cats, the caracal takes care of the cleanliness of its coat itself. He likes to bathe, but for him it is more of a recreational than a hygienic procedure. However, caracal molting continues all year round and is especially intense in summer. During this time, licking the hair and swallowing it, the animal may choke on it, so it must be combed at least once a week using a furminator.

Claws can be trimmed with special scissors, but it's better to have it trimmed by a veterinarian. A scratching post will allow to do it less often, but will not cancel the necessity of the procedure altogether.

In addition, your pet's ears should also be inspected once a week and cleaned with cotton swabs if necessary.

Hygiene

Most caracal breeders teach kittens to the litter box before giving them to their owners. However, the litter box will have to be cleaned promptly, as the caracal does not bury excrement, but leaves it on the surface. You can fill the toilet with wood pellets or even regular shavings.

Nutrition

In the wild, caracals hunt small rodents, birds, and reptiles. The diet of the domestic caracal must also include "live" food, in wool or feathers, with bones and entrails, since its digestion has not been rearranged for "civilized" food like that of domestic cats. Otherwise, the kiste-eared cat is not too finicky. Their protein requirements are satisfied by beef, turkey, rabbit or chicken, though gristle and bones should not be cut out. It is a source of calcium and predators like to nibble and gnaw at bones. About once a week they can add raw salt-water fish, sour-milk products and eggs to their menu. Some amount of "garnish" won't hurt either: zucchini, carrots, cabbage and pumpkin, they are added grated.

Is there a pet lynx

Breeders and experienced felinologists have long been working on the problem of getting a lynx cat. Any hybridization has one goal: to get a pet with the wildest possible color, appearance, and habits. But at the same time the pet must be tame enough, well socialized and not aggressive. Works on the cat-rats are conducted in different countries and in different directions.

In our country the first specimens of lynx-like cats – Leohauses – have appeared. Breeders in the selection of this pet crossed different wild and hybrid animals. The unique animal is so far represented in the only cattery in the form of first and second generation designer kittens. Soon the new cat-rat will be presented at international exhibitions.

Distinctive features of the animals

Distinctive features of cats belonging to the species of "lynx" or similar in appearance to it are:

The cat is believed to have been domesticated about nine and a half thousand years ago. However, while dogs quickly lost their predatory skills and became completely subservient to the master, the situation with the former is somewhat different. Many scientists believe that the cat is a semi-domesticated animal that generally retains a wild disposition. It is independent, although it allows humans to live near it. When returned to the wild, it is able to adapt quickly and has a high survivability. Read about the emergence of cats on Earth.

The independent nature of these proud animals has always attracted increased interest. And, despite the fact that today there are many artificial breeds, fully adapted to coexist peacefully with humans, we still want to get a house of a wild or domestic animal, but with the appearance of a predator.

As we have already said, among cats with the appearance of a lynx living in domestic or aviary conditions near humans we can distinguish the following groups:

Of course, choose the best hybrids to live together, if you want exoticism, or our favorite pet cats of different breeds. For example, Siberian, although he has almost no fancy tassels on his ears, has an incredible beauty and coat and definitely will not leave anyone indifferent. Just look at him in these pictures!

But what we do not advise is to try to keep wild animals. It is difficult for an animal to live in an apartment, and in a small house as well. He needs fresh meat, an aviary, walking, all this is difficult and requires great skill and desire on the part of man. Think about whether you are ready to give so much time to your pet.

Norwegian Forest Cat (Viji)

Highly active Norwegian Forest Cats love to play. They are able to occupy themselves on their own and play with family members.

The goddess of love and war, Freya, was depicted on a chariot drawn by Norse wildcats

Friendly and sociable cats establish a close relationship with all people living together. This quality makes it possible to have a breed even in families with very young children.

Siberian cat

Hunting instincts of Siberian cats surpass all expectations. They successfully catch small rodents and birds. You should not expect from a Siberian cat bright affection. They rather like to spend time alone. Surprisingly intelligent and patient, representatives of the breed are friendly to people. But to other animals show distrust and wariness.

Caracal

Caracal is a wild cat that lives in Africa and in some countries in Asia. They have large ears with fluffy tassels and beautiful human-like eyelashes. The caracal's ears are always on the top, he catches the slightest sounds and is always on guard. Wildlife researchers believe that animals use their ears to send messages to their fellows.

Domesticated caracals are rare, but very popular. A socialized animal is made an affectionate member of the family, capable of guarding territory. He will not tolerate stray dogs and cats in his yard, but can get used to pets raised from childhood.

The spectacular graceful cat has excellent health and remains a strong, intelligent and lightning-fast hunter until old age.

Serval

Features: Wild by nature, noisy and playful, loves to bathe

The serval is a cat from the African savannah. Cattery owners like to have wild cats as pets, but they never become completely tame. Servals have huge, sensitive ears and long legs. From an early age, kittens love to jump, climb, run and dig. Only a socialized animal will take root in a home environment, a wild one will damage the furniture in the house and the area will be marked with odorous secretions.

Tame servals can form strong friendly bonds, but only with one person. They require maximum attention to themselves – a large territory for walks, intensive diet of up to 2 kg of meat products a day, fur and ears care, active games with elements of hunting and fishing.

Pricing is approximate for an exotic African cat – from $5000.

Rare and unusual breeds of cats

Poodle cat

These curly cats with big ears appeared quite recently and have not yet managed to become popular. Thanks to the curly hair, they resemble a poodle. Representatives of the breed can be not only straight-eared, but also lop-eared. These unusual cats have a friendly and compliant disposition.

Eared poodle cats easily adapt to any conditions and quite well tolerate loneliness.

Havana

The breed, called Havana Brown, was bred in the UK by crossing a Siam and a domestic black cat. Although registered as early as the middle of the last century, the Havana has not been widely distributed.

These elegant short-haired cats with large ears and long muzzles are easily recognized by their unusual ellipse-like head and shiny dark brown coat.

Toigers

These long-faced long-eared cats were bred in America in 1993. Externally, they resemble miniature tigers. The long body of the tiger is covered with a short coat of spotted color. And the "domestic tiger" weighs only 7-9 kg.

Spotted cats with large ears are endowed with a calm and friendly disposition. Toigers quickly become attached to their owners and easily adapt to housekeeping.

Wild Cats with Big Ears

Among the undomesticated members of the feline family, there are also animals with large ears:

• The largest size of ears is possessed by the serval. This big-eared cat grows up to 60-65 cm at the withers. And the length of its "locators" decorated with black fluffy tassels can reach 5-5.5 cm.
• The sand cat or barchan cat is inferior in size to its domestic counterparts. And its large ears are so wide that they protrude beyond the contours of the head.
• The Chinese mountain cat has large ears with tassels, like a lynx.
• The head of the long-tailed margay is topped with large, almost non-collapsing "locators". The widely spaced, large ears of this cat are almost circular in shape.

Large ears accumulate dust and dirt, so they need to be cleaned more often with the help of cotton pads and special cleansers. The procedure should preferably be performed at least once every 5-7 days.

Otherwise, the care of cats with big ears is not much different from that of their normal counterparts. It includes:

Cats with big ears and a long muzzle attract eyes with their unusual appearance. And their affectionate and friendly disposition makes the owners of huge "locators" ideal pets for those who cannot imagine their life without a purring companion.