Many people admire the beauty and grace of wild cats. This awakens desires: Some cat lovers would love to have such an exotic specimen in miniature at home. This desire for something special forms the basis for numerous hybrid breeds. Among these is the Caracal. But breeding them is problematic.
History of caracal breeding
Since there is currently no selective breeding of Caracal, let's take a more detailed look at the history of this hybrid breed.
The hype about wildcat hybrids
Dots on the fur are among their distinguishing marks: Among the best-known wild cat hybrids are the Bengal and the Savannah. The Bengal cat emerged from the mating of domestic cats with wild Bengal cats in the 1970s. The Savannah, on the other hand, carries the heritage of the serval.
Both cat breeds stand out for their elongated body and exotic-looking coat. Especially the Savannah is one of the most expensive cat breeds today. Depending on the generation, fanciers pay high four-digit amounts for a specimen. The breeders of the Caracal might have had a similar success story in mind when they went public with their animals.
Caracal: domestic cat plus caracal
Its name already reveals the wild heritage of the Caracal. It originates from the crossing of domestic cats with the caracal. The caracal is a predatory cat weighing up to 18 kilograms, native to Western Asia, the Middle East as well as Africa. Its name comes from the Turkish karakulak. This means translated "black ear".
Although not related to the lynx, the caracal is also called the "desert lynx." In some regions, people keep caracal cats to use for hunting or competitions in bird hunting. The skilled animals can leap three meters high from a standing position. Even captive caracal cats do not become tame - they are anything but cuddly cats.
How did the Caracal breed develop?
The idea for the Caracal comes from the land of unlimited possibilities, the USA. There it came to purposeful crossings of Abyssinian cats with the caracal. But the animals and their offspring disappeared again after a short time.
Then in Europe, about ten years ago, a breeding project attracted attention: an association of German and Austrian "cat-lovers" planned to cross Maine Coon cats with the caracal. The goal was to combine the impressive appearance of the caracal with the gentle character of the large Maine Coon.
The idea caused a lot of controversies and even triggered petitions to stop the planned hybrid breed. Shortly thereafter, disagreements arose within the breeding community. In 2011, the site of the "International Foundation for Wild and Hybrid Cats", which was launched with the project, went offline. Currently, there are no more intensive efforts to breed Caracal.
Caracal Appearance
If the breeding between caracal and domestic cats succeeds, the appearance of the offspring is not uniform. It takes several generations until a uniform type can be achieved. This did not happen with the Caracal.
The F1 generation, the direct offspring of a caracal and a domestic cat, are usually larger than average cats. They often carry the exotic pattern of a caracal and the coveted lynx tufts. Since there is currently no targeted caracal breeding, there is also no standard that describes the appearance of the animals.
Caracal Character and attitude
Another risk comes along with every hybrid breeding: Nobody knows which characteristics the parents inherit. Thus, the kittens often inherit not only the look but also the wild nature of the parents. Aggression and strong marking are factors that make life with the offspring in human care more difficult. It is also important for breeders and interested parties that strict keeping conditions apply to wildcat hybrids up to and including the fourth generation in many countries.
Some people prefer to let a caracal move indirectly. But in the wild, these animals have territories many kilometers in size and can hardly be kept in normal living conditions. That's why, despite outdoor enclosures, behavioral problems and problems that overwhelm the owners quickly occur. The exotic four-legged friends then suffer, and in the best case find a good home in a wild animal sanctuary.
Caracal Diet and Care
In the wild, the caracal feeds on birds, hares, mice, and larger prey such as antelope. So, as with any cat, meat and other components, such as the bones of the prey, are mainly on the menu. For Caracal, meat should therefore also be the main component of the diet. Not suitable, however, is cereal-based food. Anyone who decides to barf, i.e. feed raw meat, should study the matter in detail beforehand.
In addition, the Caracal does not require special coat care. But again, the coat condition depends on the cat breeds crossed. In combination with the coat of a Maine Coon, the Caracal can have higher demands on coat care and needs regular brushing.
Problem case health: Why is the breeding of caracal difficult?
Probably not only the mixed public reactions have brought the efforts for the Caracal to a standstill. After all, breeding hybrid cats involves some difficulties. For example, the mating of wild cats with inferior domestic cats can lead to injuries, among other things.
If the mating works out, the gestation period causes problems: Our house tigers carry for an average of 63 days until the kittens see the light of day. The caracal, however, has a five to fifteen day longer gestation period.
If a domestic cat gives birth to the kittens earlier, they may be immature. Too large puppies, in turn, endanger the health of the mother cat. If, on the other hand, the wild cat carries the kittens, there is a risk that she will reject the puppies, which she considers too small. In addition, due to different sets of chromosomes, there are often infertile offspring. Against this background, it is understandable that Caracal breeding has come to a standstill.
Real cat lovers also do not need a prestigious exotic. Because they know: Every cat is special and a real personality.