Baby "tiger" caught by Athens animal control

[wildernesse]

Eighty-two calls came that week, including reports of two wayward ducks and a "baby tiger" on the back porch of a Spring Lake Court residence.

The "tiger" - actually a hybrid of a domestic cat and an Asian leopard - was impounded, along with the ducks, 26 dogs, five cats, a raccoon and a bat

Athens Banner Herald (registration required).

Now, where the heck does someone in Athens get an Asian leopard hybrid? Anyone else have strange animal in your community stories? Or sweet adoption stories--those are also good. Our humane societies often have rabbits and rats for adoption, which is something I'd never really thought about. I don't think that Precious and Isabelle would approve any more life forms in our home though.

[livius drusus]

How the hell does a domestic cat get it on with an Asian leopard in the first place? Good gog.

Oh hey, speaking of rabbits, perhaps we can persuade godfry to post a picture of HRH, the Great and August Binford. Pleeeeeaaase, godfry? Pretty, pretty please?

[wildernesse]

I was wondering that myself, livius--about the hybridizing!

And I would luuvv to see a picture of a creature with such a fabulous name. My friend and I saw a couple with a rabbit on a leash/harness on campus this weekend. It was a French Lop, and it was enormous (bunny-wise)--and so soft. Bring on the rabbit.

[viscousmemories]

BRING ON THE RABBIT!!

[Ronin]

How the hell does a domestic cat get it on with an Asian leopard in the first place?

I request this be answered in the form of charades.

[godfry n. glad]

Okay...okay... We're working on the Binny the Bunny picture.

Just some questions about this "baby tiger".

Who says it's a tiger? Or, any kind of hybrid of domestic cat to wild cat?

The reason I ask is that there is a fairly new breed of domestic cat known as a "Pixie Bob" which, shortly after it was introduced, was touted as a cross between a North American bobcat and a domestic barn cat. Subsequent dNA testing has negated the claim, but they can still look strikingly like a small bobcat or lynx. They are a larger breed than the usual American shorthair and have polydactal paws that look like the large paws of such wild species.

godfry

[JoeP]

There are many forms of hybrid feline. Some can only be created in zoos with loving (or otherwise) care and attention from keepers, some naturally arise in zoos when different species are kept together ... hey kitty, you're not normally my type, but we're stuck in this cage, wanna make out? ... and some hybrids arise naturally in the wild, it's claimed.

The "Asian leopard" quoted in the article is most likely the Asian leopard cat. No great leap of the imagination is required for this to mate with a domestic moggie (many other pages at this site).

Bengal cat:

This is a cross between the domestic cat and the small Asian leopard cat. Some confusion arises with this animal in that many members of the public think the hybridisation is with one of the big cats, the leopard. This is not correct and the Asian leopard cat is a little-known, quite tiny animal. Some Bengals also carry margay genes.

Big cats and little cats mating might require some assistance.

[viscousmemories]

Originally Posted by JoeP

The "Asian leopard" quoted in the article is most likely the Asian leopard cat. No great leap of the imagination is required for this to mate with a domestic moggie (many other pages at this site).

That Bengal cat is so cool. All those cats are beautiful, but I really like that one the best.

[Sonnet]

I'd take one.

[JoeP]

Liv: big kudos for the . Pretty please for a tiger and/or leopard and/or cheetah? And a pointy-eared lynx, caracal or bobcat?

Found these by serendipity:

and most of all

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by Sonnet

I'd take one.

I'd take one of each.

Joe, I'll see what I can I do about the tigers and leopards and whatnot, but we've had a cheetah for a while. An adorable one, too.

[godfry n. glad]

Heeeeere's Binford!

I think...

Yep, that's him. He was a chocolate (that's his color, folks) French Angora. My wife picked him up at a spinning gathering and was saving his fur to add to typical wool fiber to soften the resulting yarn. When he came home, we could hold him, cupped, in one hand (and too cuuuuuuute).

He is not show quality because, as you can see in the picture, his right ear is a lop, while his left ear is normal. So, he's a cockeared chocolate French Angora (so, I guess he's Eurotrash bunny). In the picture, he is on his outdoor pedestal and has just been given tasty treats (seeds and apple chunks) and is asking where the banana bit is....bunnies are suckers for bananas.

Binny (full name: Binford 2000 Fibermaster) was our fourth indoor/outdoor bunny, the others being an English Angora and two mini-lops. Bunnies are underrated as household pets. They are a lot smarter than given credit for, but when your entire environment consists of a wire cage, it's hard to develop an engaging personality. Given run of the house, they can be just as much fun as cats, or even dogs. My bunnies have gotten along reasonably well with my cat, Hobbes, but he's pretty mellow and learns fast. The biggest problem with indoor rabbits: they are gnawers and will gnaw on their favorites....books and electrical wires. To do rabbits indoors, you will have to do some "bunny proofing". They are very easy to box train and are fastidiously clean.

godfry

[wildernesse]

Originally Posted by godfry n. glad

Just some questions about this "baby tiger".

Who says it's a tiger? Or, any kind of hybrid of domestic cat to wild cat?

godfry

Who says? Who says? Why the local humane society/animal control peeople, who harvest all-knowledge regularly, that's who. Nah, I don't know where they get their info--"baby tiger" is probably what the person whose porch it was on called it. Of course, these same people run ads that say--look at this cute Vizsla-Poodle mix. They have a decided aversion to calling things mutts, so every dog has its lineage traced, probably using a crystal ball and paw readings. That's probably how they figured out the baby tiger's heritage too.

Also, if you read the article in the OP, you can hear the story of the slim black cat who appeared friendly at first to at least three people and then "clamped its teeth into them". That's a direct quote. Even though I know the kitty was rabid, it still makes me laugh. Evilly.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Joe, I'll see what I can I do about the tigers and leopards and whatnot, but we've had a cheetah for a while. An adorable one, too.

You know, the better the smilies get, the more I want. This is magic! :shame: (ahem) on me for not searching for cheetah first.

You don't find if you search on 'cat'. Could you make the title 'kittycat' ... or is this a candidate for the (:fear: ? :fright: ? ?) extra-keywords enhancement?

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by Roland98

here
Am I the only one who's noticed that almost every thread in this forum ends up becoming a discussion of food in some way or another?

I seriously hope not this one.

[livius drusus]

Joe, turtledove, I understand your increasing addiction better than anyone, but the Impact font derailments are multiplying at a dizzying pace. I beg you to make me a nice, dedicated smilie request thread in Forum Admin.

[JoeP]

ok But only because (a) derailments are - not bad - but not good when all for the same thing, and (b) I have never been called turtledove before.

[livius drusus]

You are kind and merciful, Joe. Much like the Royal Binford, king of all he surveys.

[freemonkey]

godfrey, that is one fine bunny you got there. I bunnysat for a weekend once, and decided the gnawing thing was a drawback for me.

And Joe, I gotta agree with live about all that Impact shi..... um, stuff. Yer hurtin' my eyes. sweetiepie?

[godfry n. glad]

Originally Posted by wildernesse

Who says? Who says? Why the local humane society/animal control peeople, who harvest all-knowledge regularly, that's who. Nah, I don't know where they get their info--"baby tiger" is probably what the person whose porch it was on called it. Of course, these same people run ads that say--look at this cute Vizsla-Poodle mix. They have a decided aversion to calling things mutts, so every dog has its lineage traced, probably using a crystal ball and paw readings. That's probably how they figured out the baby tiger's heritage too.

It could be. I actually signed my self into the Athens, Georgia, newspaper to look at that thing. I hate that crap.

Anyway - The first thing I noticed was that it was referred to as "tiger" twice, with quotes, and then stated, without citing a source, that it was "probably" a domestic cross with an "Asian leopard". Why an Asian leoard...in Georgia? Are there a large number of Asian leopards roaming the Georgia backcountry? Drifting in to the edge of town occasionally, to tear off a little ...well, you know...female cat...and slink back into the woods?

Slumming, as it were?

This is a newspaper, fer cryin' out loud! They're trying to sell advertising space. Quote any rube and it's news...particularly if it's about tigers stalking the town square.

Nothing was said about size, but the references to "tiger" and "leopard" make me suspect that the cat, whatever size, had distinctive markings, although it couldn't be both because one is stripes and the other spots. Because of the large cat references, I do think it is larger than a normal street cat. I see two alternatives: large breed of distinctively marked domestic cats, or, escaped small wild cat of some kind, probably kept as a "exotic pet" by some less than enlightened human. Ocelot, perhaps?

'Taint what they say, I'll bet.

godfry

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by freemonkey

And Joe, I gotta agree with live about all that Impact shi..... um, stuff. Yer hurtin' my eyes. sweetiepie?

Yes, yes, I accept my slapping down and have moved all that um-stuff here.

[wildernesse]

Originally Posted by godfry n. glad

Are there a large number of Asian leopards roaming the Georgia backcountry?

Well, of course. There's absolutely hundreds. It's common knowledge, which is why there's no mention of it. (I love my new rule. I'm going to drive some people crazy with "common" knowledge today.)

Nothing was said about size, but the references to "tiger" and "leopard" make me suspect that the cat, whatever size, had distinctive markings, although it couldn't be both because one is stripes and the other spots. Because of the large cat references, I do think it is larger than a normal street cat. I see two alternatives: large breed of distinctively marked domestic cats, or, escaped small wild cat of some kind, probably kept as a "exotic pet" by some less than enlightened human. Ocelot, perhaps?

'Taint what they say, I'll bet.

godfry

Skeptic.

I think that your musing are good--however, it could just be a large regular cat. After all, last year I read an article about a possum in NYC, and no one knew what it was (a small bear? a large rat? a statue of a squirrel?)--so I never misunderestimate people's identification of animules.

This is a good example of why I love the Athens paper--it's a decent sized paper, but you get lovely local reporting, so lots of color. I wish I knew who writes the police blotter for Oconee county, often it's pretty entertaining. This week it's only sad--someone shot a cow.

[godfry n. glad]

Originally Posted by wildernesse

Skeptic.

I think that your musing are good--however, it could just be a large regular cat. After all, last year I read an article about a possum in NYC, and no one knew what it was (a small bear? a large rat? a statue of a squirrel?)--so I never misunderestimate people's identification of animules.

Bingo.

Plus, as I mentioned, sensationalistic misidentifications sell papers (or garner more viewers/listeners).

All it takes to make one a skeptic about the accuracy of media news reports (print or broadcast) is to be interviewed and then have the "interview" made public. I was interviewed by the local television news once. They filmed for a half hour, with a whole battery of questions. When the story was aired, I had fifteen seconds and they managed to screw up the details of the story, anyway.

godfry