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Cat Forum / General Topics / January 2004Can domestic cats interbreed with wildcats?
Hello: I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in an area near Shenandoah National Park and George Washington National Forest. The area is a known natural habitat for wildcats. I haven't seen one around here yet. This evening I just heard a very loud and blood-curdling scream of a feline critter in the woods across the road. I know it had to have been the scream of a very large wildcat because the scream was so very loud. I have four female domestic cats of normal size. They stay outdoors. None of them have been spayed. Is it possible for a wildcat to breed with a domestic cat? Even If it is possible, is it highly unlikely to happen? If it is possible for a large wildcat to mate with an orinary domestic cat, would it be unlikely for the domestic cat to have a normal pregnancy and delivery? Sam Heywood -- Message handled by Pine, Version 4.58 >Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >Sam Heywood >-- Message handled by Pine, Version 4.58 Do your part to help eliminate overpopulation of cats -- get them spayed! I don't know about the mating issue, but I am sure the wild cats could kill the domestic one Oh, yes, keep them inside to help keep them safe and healthy. > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Sam Heywood > -- Message handled by Pine, Version 4.58 The cougar will be highly interested in your cats---as prey. Get them spayed and bring them inside or they'll 1. get pregnant from some tom that comes calling, 2. get eaten by the cougar, or 3. both. > > Hello: > > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > The cougar will be highly interested in your cats---as prey. I don't think so. To serve as prey, animals greatly prefer to select from among some species other than their own, especially when there is an abundant availability of alternative prey. There are lots of wild deer in my neck of the woods. Also there are wild turkeys and grouse. In the very nearby farms there are cattle and sheep and pigs and chickens and ducks and geese. I don't know if it could be a cougar I am talking about. I do know I am talking about a very large feline. There have been reports of cougar sightings by experienced outdoorsmen and Appalachian Trail hikers. The US and state wildlife service and the park rangers tend to be dismissive of such reports and they will not issue any official opinion on the credibility of the reported cougar sightings. From what I have heard all of them admit to being frequently asked about cougars and all of them deny that any of themselves have seen any cougars around here. I have talked to some of them too and that is what they have to say. > Get them spayed > and bring them inside or they'll 1. get pregnant from some tom that comes > calling, 2. get eaten by the cougar, or 3. both. I am going to get at least one of them spayed. This is the one that I like the most and sometimes let come indoors. The other three I am trying to give away. They are all very healthy and well nourished. I feed them very well. Sam Heywood -- Message handled by Pine, Version 4.58 > > The cougar will be highly interested in your cats---as prey. > > I don't think so. To serve as prey, animals greatly prefer to > select from among some species other than their own, especially when > there is an abundant availability of alternative prey. I love your ability to be in denial. Im sorry, but if a wild cat is hungry, and is bigger than your average house cat, and the cat is near by, then by all means the wild cat is going to go for the house cat.. easy prey is easy prey.. and if your not going to get the other cats spayed immediately, you should take them immediately to your local humane society so they can take care of that and find them new homes. A cat in tact is a cat in trouble.. <snip> > and if your not going to get the other cats spayed immediately, you should > take them immediately to your local humane society so they can take care of > that and find them new homes. A cat in tact is a cat in trouble.. I don't want to do that to them. The humane society will just keep them for a very short period and advertise them for adoption and then euthanize them because they have too many cats and not enough people interested in adopting them. Sam Heywood -- Message handled by Pine, Version 4.58 > <snip> > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Sam Heywood If YOU don't get them spayed, pretty soon you'll be dealing with at whole lot more to be eaten or to be found homes. NOW is when they are going into season, and their gestation period is only 9 weeks. An intact female and all of her offspring in a single year can become 12 additional cats, and that's a *conservative* estimate. Since you are dealing with 3, you're looking at 36 additional cats on your property by next year this time. If you are having trouble finding homes for three, imagine finding homes for that many. If you don't have these girls spayed and give them their shots and bring them inside, they'll likely fare much *WORSE* than they would at a local shelter. Dying from disease or at the hands of a predator is far worse than is a quick humane euthanasia. Unless you properly take care of these animals, you are NOT really helping them. and their deaths would still ultimately be your responsibility. So, unless you DO something more than offer them food, take them to a shelter somewhere they have more of a chance than they do with you. |
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