Toygers

[luckies4me]

Very striking but do we really need another breed? Please post your views.


http://www.toygers.org/index.html

[Nomilynn]

To me they don't look a lot different than bengals. I think if people start messing around, the results could be really sad

[Soledad]

Bizarre.

[veegan]

I think it is exciting and interesting, the process of developing a new breed I mean. they are very beautiful cats, and i think it will be exciting to see how the breed developes. (ill have to bookmark that site!) i just find it very interesting how genetics work and all that. it seems the people involved in the creation of the toyger are all very devoted and care about all the cats, even the ones not being used to further the breed. just my impression/opinion. thanks for sharing that site!

[NoahsMommy]

They are pretty, but I guess when you volunteer at a shelter, this is kind of sad to me. There are so many kitties without homes, why do we need to create more? Poor things.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I think they're gorgeous but I also have to agree with Kelly. There are just too many cats out there that don't have homes. Do we really need another breed?

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

They ARE lovely and I suppose that "variety is the spice of life", BUT I have to agree with our other members - there are already so many beautiful animals in shelters, just begging to be given a good loving home.

I'm interested in pedigree cats and exotic breeds, but my first (and only) cat was a rescue. My two dogs back in South Africa are also shelter animals.

I can't help thinking - If you are taking up "cats" as a hobby - ie entering shows etc then I can understand buying pedigree animals etc, but for those of us who are just looking for a loveable family furkid, isn't a shelter the best place to find one?

I dont want to get off track, but IMHO it's like cloning babies when there are so many orphans in the world!

[luckies4me]

I agree with you all. I love shelter kitties. Most of the cats I have had when younger were all rescued. Not from he pound but were strays I found or feral I had caught etc. My dog Pooka was adopted from the Orange Country Animal Shelter. I do like certain breeds like Bengal, hehe, but to me those cats are just like Bengals. I mean it is kind of ridiculous that they are trying to create a "mini" tiger....just kinda odd. It seems like te hybrid/wildcat looking breeding programs are getting a little out of control.


Although I do have to agree that genetics are fascinating. We have enough hybrid cat breeds around already, Bengals, Chausies, Euro Chausies, Savannahs, Safaris, veverrals etc. So it just kinda puzzles me is all. Someone can think they are so beautfil and buy them just for shock value you know?


Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Bengals but another breed almost identical to them seems, well I don't know, just weird! Seems like TICA excepts almost everything!

[K & L]

I think they're gorgeous! I would love to have one.

[veegan]

yes I agree there are a lot of homeless pets, and all the 7 cats Ive had in my life have been strays/homeless. and I agree with you Ally Cat's Mommy:

"I can't help thinking - If you are taking up "cats" as a hobby - ie entering shows etc then I can understand buying pedigree animals etc, but for those of us who are just looking for a loveable family furkid, isn't a shelter the best place to find one?"

Thats true, and I totally agree, if you just want a companion I think people should always go to shelters/rescue groups first. I dont know much about pure bred cats, im more into dogs, but I dont think ive known anyone who's had a pure bred cat, its mostly dogs. so I mean I think most people go to shelters anyway.

And I dont think they really look like bengals.. they are striped, bengals are spotted.. they do look sort of similar because they are using the bengal to create the toyger, and the toyger is still being developed.

I like what you said luckies4me:

"We have enough hybrid cat breeds around already, Bengals, Chausies, Euro Chausies, Savannahs, Safaris, veverrals etc. So it just kinda puzzles me is all. Someone can think they are so beautfil and buy them just for shock value you know?

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Bengals but another breed almost identical to them seems, well I don't know, just weird! Seems like TICA excepts almost everything!"

I dont know much about cat breeds, so I didnt know about all those other similar breeds. So that is a good point, why make another? And what you said about people buying for shock value, or cause they look "cool" or are trendy, that is dangerous and makes me mad cause people do do stupid stuff like that. People dont realize these animals are living beings that need care and love and respect, for the 10-15 or so years of their lives!

So yeah, good points everyone. I agree that there are so many homeless kitties already, (spay & neuter!) so yes perhaps another breed is unnecessary. But I dunno, I mean some people like certain breeds because they know what they're getting. They know what the temperament will be, the size, the activity level, the look, etc. I mean some of you even said yourselves, you believe in adopting shelter kitties, but have and/or love bengals. In years to come when the toyger is fully developed and theres some new breed being made, someone else might be saying the same about the toyger. So I dunno, I understand breeding dogs more I guess. I would probably never get a pure bred cat, but I dont think its necessarily a bad thing that theres a new breed being developed. Important things to think about though, thanks luckies4me for bringing up the issue.