A New Cat for Cat?

[3113]

A colossal cat comes with a princely price tag

It's no great shock that cat lovers can get a little excessive when it comes to their feline friends. But one company, banking on the fact there are more than a few prospective pet owners willing to part with some serious ka-ching for a kitten, is selling a designer breed of cat that costs $22,000.

The Ashera, bred by Los Angeles-based Lifestyle Pets, "is a new ultra-exotic breed of domestic cat that already has wealthy animal devotees paying to get on the waiting list," the company press release claims.

The pricey pet is said to have been produced by cross-breeding an African Serval and an Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic feline. While Lifestyle Pets admits this type hybrid breeding has been done before, "the Ashera is unique in that genetic monitoring is used to standardize breeding and ensure that the defining features and size of the [animal] remain exceptionally consistent." And like most other super-luxury items, the company says it will sell only 100 Asheras per year worldwide, with only 50 being sold to U.S. customers

And after dropping 22 large, potential buyers should also be prepared to budget for a big supply of Fancy Feast, as the company says the Ashera can grow up to weigh 30 pounds.

Well, for all that money, at least now you can get the yappy Chihuahua next door to finally shut up.

Addendum:

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the Ashera may be nothing more than a virtual hairball. The founder of a company linked to the designer pet did prison time in Great Britain after pleading guilty to charges of false accounting in connection with a business involving flights in hot-air balloons.

Here are the kittens: http://newsday.typepad.com/news_local_flaim/images/serval2.jpg

And here's the full-grown cat:
http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070531/070531_ashera_vmed_1p.widec.jpg

 

[Vermilion]

That is one incredibly beautiful animal... though methinks it would look better (and happier) stretched out along a tree trunk or racing across some wild grassland.
x
V

 

[rgraham666]

Gorgeous cats.

But I love 'em anyway.

I'd rather have a Heinz than a purebred though. Heinz's have personality. Most purebreds have, in my opinion, the brains bred out of them.

 

[glynndah]

That is a beautiful cat. I wonder about the temperment. We have a 7 pound "psycho kitty." We've discussed what we'd do if he were much bigger. Stun guns and barricades played heavily in our plans.

 

[3113]

That is a beautiful cat. I wonder about the temperment. We have a 7 pound "psycho kitty." We've discussed what we'd do if he were much bigger. Stun guns and barricades played heavily in our plans.

One does wonder how the owner is suppose to handle this 30lb kitty if kitty takes it into his/her head to get all mean and psycho. I mean, my little 9lb cat can open doors and cabinets. I envision this cat as opening it's own cans of food if it has a mind to

On the other hand, I don't imagine an Ashera owner would have any problem at all with rodents of any kind. Mice, rats, squirrels, rabbits...deer would probably all stay clear of your backyard if you had this kitty.

 

[Stella_Omega]

He looks exactly like my 15-pound Bengal-- Whom I can't find at the moment to get a pic of. Never around when you want 'em!

Bengals are a cross-breed as well; Asian Leopard cat and domestic "Mau" cats. They are tall, and wild-looking, but nothing but a pussycat-- mine's original cross is eighteen generations back.

 

[poppy1963]

He looks exactly like my 15-pound Bengal-- Whom I can't find at the moment to get a pic of. Never around when you want 'em!

Bengals are a cross-breed as well; Asian Leopard cat and domestic "Mau" cats. They are tall, and wild-looking, but nothing but a pussycat-- mine's original cross is eighteen generations back.

I have a Bengal mix I rescued from the wilds of suburban Pittsburgh...LOL...his spots/stripes are not so pronounced but he definitely has Bengal in him...and he was THE CUTEST kitten I've ever seen in my life...my little Wesley. He was "adopted", I believe, by a tame stray as a baby in the woods and his "taming" has been a very very slow process but worth it every step of the way.

Now I can pick him up and hold and pet and kiss him...for a couple years that was not at ALL what he allowed...but he is coming along nicely. His little feralish self has only attached to me so far but I hope to broaden that with him eventually.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I have a Bengal mix I rescued from the wilds of suburban Pittsburgh...LOL...his spots/stripes are not so pronounced but he definitely has Bengal in him...and he was THE CUTEST kitten I've ever seen in my life...my little Wesley. He was "adopted", I believe, by a tame stray as a baby in the woods and his "taming" has been a very very slow process but worth it every step of the way.

Now I can pick him up and hold and pet and kiss him...for a couple years that was not at ALL what he allowed...but he is coming along nicely. His little feralish self has only attached to me so far but I hope to broaden that with him eventually.

We have a PixieBob as well. He was rescued in a sense-- got him from a backyard breeder. She'd been breeding brother to sister, and both of them were polydactyl, and most of the kittens were being born spinal bifida. He was the product of her THIRD try, the cunt. There were only two that were viable out of the litter. When she told us that she planned to breed him, we bought him and had him neutered. He spent a good two years hiding under the bed, poor little guy. His sister is full-sized, from the photos we saw, and Ozzie is a bit runty-- fabulous cat though. He's become very friendly, and is my husband's shadow, 24/7.

He shows problems from his breeding, I worry about hip dysplasia with him, but recently we've come to think it's that his hind legs are short in the tendons. He also has epileptic siezures once in a while-- rare, luckily.

 

[poppy1963]

We have a PixieBob as well. He was rescued in a sense-- got him from a backyard breeder. She'd been breeding brother to sister, and both of them were polydactyl, and most of the kittens were being born spinal bifida. He was the product of her THIRD try, the cunt. There were only two that were viable out of the litter. When she told us that she planned to breed him, we bought him and had him neutered. He spent a good two years hiding under the bed, poor little guy. His sister is full-sized, from the photos we saw, and Ozzie is a bit runty-- fabulous cat though. He's become very friendly, and is my husband's shadow, 24/7.

He shows problems from his breeding, I worry about hip dysplasia with him, but recently we've come to think it's that his hind legs are short in the tendons. He also has epileptic siezures once in a while-- rare, luckily.

That makes me so angry too...to deal with people who have no care or concept how their manipulations add misery and pain to the existence of another life. I am so glad you got him. Is he, Ozzie, friendly with everyone? Or does he hide from all but "family"? I had another cat that was in the "feral" range of things but mostly due to being deaf and almost blind. She, Snowy, would allow others to be as "close" to her as she allowed me which is atypical for "feral" personalitied cats...who tend to attach to only one person really like it sounds like Ozzie may have done with hubby.

The cats in this thread...so large...and gorgeous. I cannot imagine $22 G's for one though!

 

[Stella_Omega]

That makes me so angry too...to deal with people who have no care or concept how their manipulations add misery and pain to the existence of another life. I am so glad you got him. Is he, Ozzie, friendly with everyone? Or does he hide from all but "family"? I had another cat that was in the "feral" range of things but mostly due to being deaf and almost blind. She, Snowy, would allow others to be as "close" to her as she allowed me which is atypical for "feral" personalitied cats...who tend to attach to only one person really like it sounds like Ozzie may have done with hubby.

The cats in this thread...so large...and gorgeous. I cannot imagine $22 G's for one though!

Ozzie is pretty good with everyone now-- like a normal cat, he has his moods!

I have three "bred' cats, the Bengal, the PB, and a Maine Coone who came from the same backyard breeder

And then when we moved to this house, we inherited a litter of 5 youngsters from the woman next door. She went into a retirement home and took the momma with her. More GRR! We trapped and spayed them all. We lost one this spring, but another female showed up and gifted us with one adorable kitten. We haven't been able to get her, and we now have two more fluffballs coming along nicely... I'm renting a trap for the momma though. She doesn't need the aggravation, nor can we possibly support any more cats. Luckily I have a vet friend who helps me by meds in quantity

The "ferals" are all petite, white with black spots, and are happy to be tame-- one is on my lap as I type. Purring her little guts out.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I wish my cat wasn't so insane. He bites and scratches at everyone at the most peculiar times.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c65/theegoatpig/Cat.jpg

 

[3113]

I wish my cat wasn't so insane. He bites and scratches at everyone at the most peculiar times.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c65/theegoatpig/Cat.jpg

Oooooh! He's just misunderstood! What's his name?

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Oooooh! He's just misunderstood! What's his name?

Tico. I think he has multiple personality disorder (not kidding).

 

[SlickTony]

Oh, what a pretty cat!

Could be worse. I've got an Aby-Tabby who pisses in the foyer.

That part-Serval is gorgeous. Isn't that the cat that it's illegal to breed in New York?

I really don't approve, however, of all this management of cats' sex lives, beyond having them fixed if you're going to have one yourself. It's not so much breeding as Cat Design--and the Cat, as a breed, is resistant to design.

I have a gorgeous cat who looks exactly like a Russian Blue, or maybe a Chartreux--but his parents are just big ordinary raggedy gray cats.

 

[SeaCat]

Oh what an absolutely beautiful cat. I can only hope it's as intelligent as it is beautiful.

When I was growing up I had a Snow White Persian. We got it from the local pound, on the last day before he was to be destroyed. When we got him he was about the size of my hand. He quickly grew and we joked that he was a Persian cross bred with a Bengal. He grew to be knee high and weighed in at 40 pounds.

Yes that's right. Max was 40 pounds of fur, fangs and bad attitude. I was the only person who could pick him up. (When we brought him to the vet for his Rabies Shots the vet would just hand me the syringe before backing away.)

Max was a highly intelligent cat. He had fun. My father would sit on his recliner in the evening and read his paper while having a snack of Pudding. Max was used to my father sharing with him. If my father forgot to share with him Max would sit there quietly for a bit. Then he would raise a front paw and with one swipe would tear through the paper. My father would then give Max some of his pudding.

Max was not just tolerant of my parents dog. (A walking rug.) He would play with the dog without hurting it. The dog would charg up barking and yapping. Max would swipe at the dog without using his claws, sending it rolling acrosst the floor only to have the dog come charging back. (I wont say what he liked to do to my sisters dog.) On the other hand he was intolerant of other dogs coming into the yard. (Actually I think he rather enjoyed the other dogs coming into the yard. He liked to wait for them to come into the yard then he would attack. Picture a white torpedo streaking through the yard and attaching itself to some poor dog before sending it to the vet for stitches.)

Cat

 

[starrkers]

Beautiful animal, but damn, imagine what it could do to the curtains! Or your leg come to that.
I think I'd still love to have one though, but not for that kind of money! And the incumbents would hate me.
I have a feeling my Burmese baby girl may be a tad inbred. She's definitely a bundle of neuroses, poor thing. And she's tiny.

Stella, sounds like you have the same sign I do - visible only to strays and waifs, its says "Sucker here, will take in all comers".

 

[SeaCat]

Beautiful animal, but damn, imagine what it could do to the curtains! Or your leg come to that.
I think I'd still love to have one though, but not for that kind of money! And the incumbents would hate me.
I have a feeling my Burmese baby girl may be a tad inbred. She's definitely a bundle of neuroses, poor thing. And she's tiny.

Stella, sounds like you have the same sign I do - visible only to strays and waifs, its says "Sucker here, will take in all comers".

I think all Cat People have that sign.

Cat