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  • MONDAY FEBRUARY 26 2007 10:00 PM

What the Hell is a Toyger?

Submitted by minimalism

Edited by erin_broadley

Tags: Toygers, Toyger, Designer cats



Love big cats, but lack the room in your one bedroom apartment for an actual tiger to cozy up on your lap? Well, you're in luck. Thanks to genetic pioneer Judy Sudgen, daugter of Jean Mill (who is credited with creating the Bengal breed of cats), you can now have your very own mini-Tiger or, as the new minx is more commonly referred to, a Toyger.

Initally bred in the early '80s from stripped Domestic Short Haired cats and the Standard Bengal Tabby, the not-so-ferocious felines' coats have patterns that resemble their wild African kin. And, while nearly 30 years later the evolution of the coat design is mostly complete, the Toyger is still a breed in development. Future generations will be attempting to create a more rounded and smaller ear, a more distinct white underbelly, and a longer and more angular nose to more closely resemble an actual Tiger.

The Toyger is an ongoing venture with each generation improving on the last to obtain the objective of a beautiful domestic cat with the look of the majestic wild Tiger.

Recognized by TICA (The International Cat Association) for Registration Only early in the 1990's, Preliminary New Breed in 2000 and lovely even now, the goals for the breed are long term and the prospect even more exciting!


I want one.

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Comments
Max16Characters

Max16Characters

Korea, Republic Of
March 2003

FEB 27, 2007 07:34 AM

KeatingMcFly said:
A tiger...in Africa?

This is one of those things that make you wonder why scientists haven't cured cancer or AIDS yet. It's weird to think that the big accomplishment in their life, instead of doing something to help mankind, was developing a cool house pet.

Also, reading this has left me with the mental picture of a scientist holding a housecat in front of the tiger while Barry White played in the background. Or hopefully, it was the other way around...



See there's a ton of scientists out there in the world and not EVERYONE of them is working on weird new breeds of cat. Crazy, i know!

Some scientists work on cures treatments for diseases and other medical ailments. Still others work on new agricultural methods or new chemical compounds. And others will figure out inane things to entertain us like silly string or slinkes.

As to why peepz can figure out how to breed new kinds of cats or whatever and not cure AIDS? It's pretty simple really. Breeding programs have been part of human knowledge for hundreds, if not thousands, of year. All those varieties of dogs you see out there didn't happen nautrally.

Annalyzing the complete workings of a virus and then figuring out how to destroy it is a whole other ballgame.

mydogfarted

mydogfarted

Oakland, NJ
June 2003

FEB 27, 2007 07:41 AM

SnakePlissken said:
Now to breed tiny Sigfried and Roys.



Awesome. Question, if you cross breed Sigfriend and Roy, would you get Liberace?

strangekitty

strangekitty

Binghamton, NY
February 2006

FEB 27, 2007 07:43 AM

they are really beautiful, but i agree with adopting instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a genetically engineered kitty. plus, with the level of noise that my neighbor's Bengal makes just meowing, i can only imaging the mini-roars that might come out of those kitties. eeek

trestria

trestria

Wilson, NC
October 2004

FEB 27, 2007 08:50 AM

Tight like a toyger!

zoom image

catatac

catatac

San Diego, CA
June 2005

FEB 27, 2007 08:56 AM

Max16Characters said:

KeatingMcFly said:
A tiger...in Africa?

This is one of those things that make you wonder why scientists haven't cured cancer or AIDS yet. It's weird to think that the big accomplishment in their life, instead of doing something to help mankind, was developing a cool house pet.

Also, reading this has left me with the mental picture of a scientist holding a housecat in front of the tiger while Barry White played in the background. Or hopefully, it was the other way around...



See there's a ton of scientists out there in the world and not EVERYONE of them is working on weird new breeds of cat. Crazy, i know!

Some scientists work on cures treatments for diseases and other medical ailments. Still others work on new agricultural methods or new chemical compounds. And others will figure out inane things to entertain us like silly string or slinkes.

As to why peepz can figure out how to breed new kinds of cats or whatever and not cure AIDS? It's pretty simple really. Breeding programs have been part of human knowledge for hundreds, if not thousands, of year. All those varieties of dogs you see out there didn't happen nautrally.

Annalyzing the complete workings of a virus and then figuring out how to destroy it is a whole other ballgame.



Plus, the scientists are way too busy trying to fend off those crazy African tigers to get much research done.

I agree I think it's neat and I'd love one, but the pound-kitties are cute too. And when the next awesome genetically engineered accessory pet comes alone I'm sure we'll find a few pound-toygers. frown

LittleCinders

LittleCinders

I'm lost
January 2007

FEB 27, 2007 09:04 AM

people need to STOP fucking around with genetics for profit. what they don't tell you is how the animals suffer in labs and have to undergo painful adjustments to appearance like ear clipping, and artificial or forceful insemination.

i'd rather admire a real tiger from a distance than have whole generations of felines suffer for some retard in lab to make a buck.

i swear, if someone out there wanted a mini-walrus, they'd create that too.

Zarth

zarth

Seattle, WA
December 2004

FEB 27, 2007 09:08 AM

SnakePlissken said:
Now to breed tiny Sigfried and Roys.


I'd buy them.

Architectonic

Architectonic

United Kingdom
August 2006

FEB 27, 2007 09:30 AM

Beautiful cats, but the 'custom built' idea sickens me, as it does with this site.

Riva

Riva

Apopka, FL
May 2005

FEB 27, 2007 09:34 AM

I just told my boyfriend about this, and now he is ABSOLUTELY desperate to get one. biggrin

mrpenbrook

mrpenbrook

Oak Park, IL
February 2004

FEB 27, 2007 09:55 AM

KeatingMcFly said:
This is one of those things that make you wonder why scientists haven't cured cancer or AIDS yet. It's weird to think that the big accomplishment in their life, instead of doing something to help mankind, was developing a cool house pet.



How do you know the scientists involved in this were even qualified to help cure AIDS or cancer?

And what is the big accomplishment in your life?

Jennifer_

Jennifer_

Venezuela
November 2006

FEB 27, 2007 10:03 AM

Call me fussy, but that cat looks much more like a normal tabby cat than a miniature tiger. I think they'd be better off just engineering real tigers to be a bit smaller, more docile and less toothy/clawy.

BrightRedScream_

BrightRedScream_

Stoney Creek, ON
April 2005

FEB 27, 2007 10:07 AM

RudieCantFail said:
Not that they aren't cute little guys, but do we really need another pure breed of house pet?

Millions of animals with the potential to be wonderful house pets are put down every year.

Also pure bred means less genetic diversity, which in turn makes the animal more prone to disease, birth defects, cancer, and a whole lot of other problems.



+1

Alkali

Alkali

Orange, CT
February 2007

FEB 27, 2007 10:16 AM

dragonflower said:
it's so cute! I bet they are way expensive though, and too bad my girl is allergic to cats... cuz we would both totally love one.



I read another article about a week ago that said they are priced between 500 and 1000 dollars. I want one really bad too, but I can't even have pets where I am right now, so I can save my money. =P

Bluexkimo

Bluexkimo

Los Angeles, CA
January 2007

FEB 27, 2007 11:31 AM

YES! It's everything i every wanted in life! well. one thing.

triskadekafobic

triskadekafobic

Germany
April 2006

FEB 27, 2007 12:11 PM

wow, I bet those things would make a great pair of slippers, or a pimp hat... yeah a pimp hat with that fur as a band would rule

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