Abandoning Your Wild Cat Hybrid

Abandoning a high filial wild cat hybrid is a mark of failure by the cat’s owner. It can obviously be avoided with proper preparation and planning.

Make sure you understand what it takes to look after a high filial wild cat hybrid before adopting one and then commit to the task for the life of the cat. For one person, I know, caring for a high filial wild cat hybrid was like looking after a “cat on crack” (crack cocaine), he said. Also make sure they are legal where you are.

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Wild cat hybrids are superb domestic cat companions. The higher the filial level the more wild they are. F1 means first filial, which in turn means the father is a wild cat. F5 means five generations from the wild cat and these cats are really very much like the domestic cats we know.

There is a nice cat rescue center, WildCat Haven Sanctuary, in Sherwood, Oregon, USA. The owners have a special knowledge of the failures in caring for these special cats and it is worth reminding ourselves what they are. They currently have 11 at their sanctuary including an F1 Chausie (jungle cat x domestic cat).

Understandably, people like a bit of wild cat in their house. It brings nature into the home. It is sad however, that we cannot preserve nature outside the home. The desire to possess a bit of wild nature makes the wild cat hybrids popular. The higher filials are expensive partly because it is difficult to get a large serval to mate with a standard domestic tabby, for example (to create a Savannah cat).

The number one reason why the relationship between wild cat hybrid and owner goes sour is because of spraying urine on the walls of the person’s home. I guess you would have to agree that that would drive you to distraction and panic because, as we all know, cat urine cannot be removed and it pongs to high heaven. Well, it can be killed with an enzyme cleaner but…what a mess. For a cat it is entirely normal behavior and it does not matter if the cat is male or female, neutered or not.

Some people accept it and I presume they modify their home to deal with it. What about easy clean walls and fake wood floors? That would probably do it. You could then just hose down the room after spraying it with an enzyme cleaner. Forget about having carpets, and the furniture would have to be washable.

Of course, you can do things to help reduce a wild cat hybrid cat’s desire to mark territory. This is where the greater input demanded of people who keep wild cat hybrids, kicks in. They do need more attention. You cannot always expect a quiet, domestic cat curled up in the corner minding her own business.

Other than marking territory, they are well behaved says Teresa, a Bengal cat owner. The first and primary demand on the owner is to keep their cat stimulated. The hybrids think more, it seems to me. Their brains are working harder and faster so boredom can creep into their lives more easily.  Mentally stimulate your wild cat hybrid and he is less likely to be destructive and please, I beg you, don’t declaw him  – you will regret it. A lot of people declaw their wild cat hybrids.

To declaw a wild cat hybrid is a sign of complete failure before the relationship has hardly begun. The veterinarian that services the WildCat Haven Sanctuary says lots of people declaw hybrids. He says it puts the cat at risk of feline arthritis and it a very painful procedure. It can actually be a lot worse than that.

Providing poor quality cat food is also not uncommon leading to malnourished cats. Wild cat hybrids should be OK on high quality standard cat food together with some raw, in my opinion. A prospective owner should ask the breeder beforehand for advice on a suitable diet.

Children should be trained to handle wild cat hybrids. They are more independent and are less likely to like being manhandled or picked up. They may scratch in defensive and voilà, before you have hardly got into the relationship, it is on the rocks.

Preparation is the key to a long term pleasant relationship with a high filial wild cat hybrid together with a realistic attitude on cost and maintenance demands. Breeders need to do their bit too in ensuring their cats are totally socialized.