There's no denying that there is a strong resemblance between our fluffy little house-cats and the big felines of the Savannah. At times, they are so similar that you can only tell the difference with the cat's size!
Wild felines have many things in common with their domesticated family, but these cat breeds are particularly close to their big-boned relatives. Here are seven cat breeds that look like they could be a wild animal!
1. The Bengal
Bengal cats are well-known for resembling little leopards. They were created by crossing small wild Asian Leopard cats with domestic shorthairs.
Bengals are fun to live with. They are intelligent, curious, energetic and love attention. One of the things that Bengal cats are known to love is water. You can often find them playing with a dripping tap, or even following you into the bathroom when you go for a bath or shower! These felines need a lot of attention, and you can keep them busy with a lot of play time and also by teaching them new tricks.
Renowned for their coat, which is full of distinctive marbling, Bengal cats are the only domestic cat breed that can have rosettes like the markings on leopards, jaguars or ocelots. Sometimes, these rosettes can be more than one colour, usually with a darker shade outlining the spot. These spots vary in colour, including rust, cocoa, chocolate brown, charcoal and black. Meanwhile, the coat comes in many colours, including golden, rust, brown, orange, buff and ivory.
Bengal cats are usually quite large, weighing between 10 - 15 pounds (3.6 - 6.8kg) and can usually live to be 14 - 16 years old.
2. The Savannah
The Savannah cat was created through a cross between a domestic cat and an African Serval. With their big ears, long legs and spotty fur, they resemble a wild feline.
Savannah cats are curious and like to get into mischief. They are said to be the feline version of a dog and are ideal for owners who want to avoid extra canine needs. Savannah's are social cats; they are always looking for attention and are extremely loyal to their family members.
The Savannah’s coat can come in brown, silver, black or smoke, colours which mimic the African Serval. It is dense, short and patterned with solid dark spots that can be round or oval covering the body. There are also parallel stripes from the back of the head to over the shoulder blades, which fan out over the back. Smaller spots can be found on the legs and feet as well as on the face.
This wild-like feline's eyes can be any colour, are medium-sized, low on the forehead and include tear-stained markings between the eyes and the nose. The Savannah’s ears look much like the African Serval's, which are remarkably large and high on the head.
Savannah cats can weigh from 7 - 20 pounds (3.6 - 9.1kg) and can live from 12 - 20 years old depending on the heritage from the Serval cat.
3. The Abyssinian
The Abyssinian closely resembles a cougar or even a lion. Its fur is golden and its almond-shaped eyes give it a particularly wild expression. These cats are very intelligent but may want a lot of attention from their pet parent.
Abyssinians seem to be the cats that climb higher, jump farther and play harder than any other cat. They are highly intelligent and inquisitive, and have also been referred to as “Aby-Grabbys” because of their love of taking things that catch their interest. It seems like they never sleep because of their high energy levels and are always in motion. They love to play, so things like ping-pong balls, bottle caps, or any small objects should keep them fully entertained.
There is a good reason why they look like they have just walked out of the wild; the pattern of their coat resembles a cougar's coat. It comes in four main colours: ruddy brown, cinnamon, blue, and fawn, and is medium-length, silky and soft.
Abyssinians can weigh from 8 - 10 pounds (3 - 4kg) and can live to 15 years old, sometimes older.
4. The Bombay
The Bombay cat is the panther of the domestic cats. It was bred by an American breeder to look like a miniature panther, with an elegant coat and hypnotising eyes. These cats are very sociable, love attention and are suitable for families with children.
Bombays are affectionate cats, love people and adapt well to different environments and lifestyles. Their calm nature makes them good apartment cats, and they get on well with other animals. This breed is very playful, curious, intelligent and you can usually find them chasing birds in your back garden.
Bombay cats have a muscular build, a long body, and long legs. Their black coat is soft to touch and made up of fine, short hairs. They weigh from 6 - 11 pounds (2.7 - 5kg) and can usually live from 12 - 16 years old.
Most people think that black cats are bad luck, but this is of course, not true. It is just another silly superstition.
5. The American Bobtail
American Bobtails resemble the bobcats that are native to the United States. Their eyes express their wildness and as a result of a natural mutation, they have a very short tail.
Bobtails are affectionate and love to spend time with their pet parents. They are loving and devoted to their family, love to play, and enjoy learning tricks. They are well known for getting along with dogs and other members of the family. These felines can adapt easily to new environments, which means they are great for traveling.
With the Bobtail’s short tail, tufted ears and powerful body, they are distinctively wild-like. Their tail is unique and most are from 1 - 5 inches long but can be shorter or longer. The shorthaired Bobtail has a medium-length coat with hard outer hairs overlaying a soft undercoat. Meanwhile, longhaired bobtails have a ruff around the neck and long hair on their upper hind legs, belly, and tail. The coat also comes in different colours such as black, brown, cream or white.
They typically weigh 8 - 13 pounds (3.6 - 8.8kg) and their life span is usually from 11 - 15 years.
6. The Toyger
As its name indicates, the Toyger is like a miniature tiger and you can see why with their beautiful stripey fur. They have a sweet, friendly, and calm personality, but can be difficult to find as it is an uncommon breed.
The Toyger is one of the newest breeds of cat, and much like the Bengal and the Savannah, the Toyer is a designer breed. In this case, they were developed to resemble tigers.
Toygers are playful, intelligent and affectionate. Like Bengal cats, they have a love for water and love to play in it, so don’t be surprised if you notice them staying close to the sink. They can learn tricks easily and love interacting with humans, and being energetic cats, they are known to love fetch games. This breed seems to get easily attached to their family members and love cuddles, meaning that they can get a bit needy and will not be scared to meow if they are being ignored.
These tiger-like domestic cats are medium to large in size and have well-muscled bodies. They have broad, medium-sized wedge-shaped heads. Their ears are small, rounded and set wide apart on their heads. Eyes are round, the nose is long, and the neck is muscular.
The Toyger's coat is short, dense, and soft, with a mackerel tabby pattern including stripes all over their bodies.
Weight can range from 7 - 15 pounds (3 - 6.8kg) and they can usually live to be 10 - 15 years old.
7. The Egyptian Mau
The Egyptian Mau is one of the rarest, naturally domesticated cat breeds. It originates from Egypt and is possibly descended from the African wild cat. It is the only domestic cat with a natural spotty pattern! They resemble leopards and cheetahs with their coat and markings.
Like most cats, the Egyptian Mau is athletic and loves to climb. They can be reserved, but are gentle, loyal to their family, and love people and attention. They can learn tricks quickly like opening doors and drawers.
The Egyptian Mau’s coat can come in a variety of colours and shades, ranging from bronze to blue and black, and includes dark spots. These spots are placed randomly and no two cats are alike (in terms of the shape, colour or size of the spots).
The Mau can weigh from six to 14 pounds and can usually live for 13 - 16 years.
Does your cat look like a wild animal? Share your pics in the comments below!
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