3/11: Fishing cats
 

http://cellar.org/2002/fishingcats.jpg

All cats would fish if they could, eh? But these are an actual species of cat, not far in relation from the housecat, literally called the "fishing cat".

They have partially webbed paws. They have a double layer of fur, insulating them against cold water. The claws you can see there, are different from regular housecat claws in that they never fully retract. They actually swim after fish - dive in and pursue - and the claws are their fishing hooks.

They live mostly in southern Asia and generally avoid people.

Interesting specialization in species...

They're hideous though.

Man... more info? Like - are those full grown, or just kittens? And how the hell did you find this? And where do they typically dwell? How long can they dive for?

I think these were the first two to be displayed at the Sydney Zoo, or something like that. These are kittens. The fully-grown fishing cat weighs something like 25 pounds, so it is generally larger than a housecat. That's about all I know.

More info
 

Google is your friend:
http://lynx.uio.no/catfolk/viver01.htm

I personally think they're cute. Plus, it's amazing that they have evolved in that manner.

Google IS our friend!

Here's a good series of pictures of the fishing cat:

<a href="http://www.fonz.org/animals/imageoftheweek/8fishingcat.htm">Fishing Cat pictures</a> and a somewhat amusing <a href="http://www.cathouse-fcc.org/video/nickyfish.mpg"> video</a> of a cat walking around in a swimming pool trying to find a fish.

They swim to hunt for other things in addition to fish. One example is hunting waterfowl; they will swim underneath and grab the bird's legs =].

Other interesting cats, if you are so inclined
 

I've been interested in big game cats for quite some time, and, in doing research for owning a large predatory cat one day, I came across a breed called savannahs. They're actually a crossbreed, typically a serval (an african hunting cat weighing in at 30-40 pounds) and a housecat. How they do THAT, I don't know. But, the crossbred savannahs are typically about three times the size of a housecat, and about 25 pounds, for the males. And, they're about as gentle as a typical housecat (albeit a great big one). Check out this site for more info, and pictures.

Sorry but noone should own a big cat. The belong in the fucking wild, there are few enough of them as it is.

But from the page, the idea is to domesticate a new breed. It sounds like a good idea.

Gotta agree with Tony, that's pretty damn cool. I'd have a couple of reservations about having one though. For example - what if their instincts take over and they start getting nasty? Like, for example, biting my jugular? :) Or tearing the hell out of my furniture. That would suck. A lot.

But it definitely looks cool, and it seems as though they've done a lot of work to make it a pretty "safe" breed - i.e., the chances of something going awfully wrong because you have one are slim and getting slimmer. I personally like big animals, except for the fact that they could kill me :) Imagine having a cat that was as big as a dog, but as friendly as a domestic housecat. That'd be cool!

All that having been said, Tinkerbell is a dream kitty and I'll keep her as long as I have the option. She's tiny, clean, doesn't whine, is super obedient and very friendly. Ah, Tink. :) Cats are cool.

I got to talk with the keeper of a "Big Cat" once (a Panther if you must know) He said that hand raised big cats act exactly like house cats. He says the BIG difference is that when your house cat gets a little grumpy and gives you a swat, you get a little scratch, and you MIGHT have to put a bandaid on it. When a BIG cat does that, you go to the hospital for stitches:D

Well, my plan would be to take the erasers off a bunch of pencils and stick them on the points of the cat's claws. I figure that should be sufficient. :)

Seriously though, I have not read much about the Savannah (as I am at work and have to get shit done), but it's definitely a neat idea and I imagine that they've taken steps to ensure that the claws don't become like those of a lion or panther or any one of the "big cats". After all, the Savannah isn't <b>that</b> big - 25 pounds is a lot for a cat, but think of a dog or something. Not that much. :)

Whether or not a cat "belongs" in the wild is a purely ethical decision. It has no basis in reality. :]

I like the idea of a moderately dangerous pet stalking you in your own home. It would be like the old Pink Panther movies, you come in hang up your hat and wait for Catos assault, keeping you sharp for more serious matters.

No different to owning a large dog. We used to have a large Rottweiler, he was a big softie most of the time, but you always had to be careful. The smaller dogs you reprimand with a quick whack on the backside, or hauling them outside no problem, but you'd certainly think twice about doing that to ol' Vulcan because he could rip yer arm off if he wanted. That said - he has to be my favourite of any dog my family has had over the years.

I'd just love to own a big cat. Personally I've always wanted to have a black leopard or jaguar around the house.

Big Cats
 

In response to a couple of folks reservations about owning big cats. Yeah, they are dangerous. Extremely. Even if you raise them from kittens, you have to be extremely careful around them. Like Sleemanj and CharlieG say, they can hurt you very, very badly. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there that don't realize that. So, they get them as kittens, and when something goes wrong (like they bite Miffy-the-toilet-brush-dog's head off), they abandon them to a local animal shelter. The shelter's typically have someone they can turn too, but, often times they have to destroy the cat, because there is no one that can care for it properly. I would like to be someone that cares for them.

Psssh, well, of course <i>Jaguar</i> is going to think that way ... you're way too close to the issue to be unbiased, man!

Personally, I've always wanted to have a black Jaguar in the garage. :cool:

Re: Big Cats
 

Sadly, it's the same with many pets of all species though - once the novelty wears off they pet goes out the door. Every xmas the RNZSPCA runs an ad campaign here, something like "A dog is not just for christmas." - something to that effect anyway. My family has personally taken in several cats & dogs no longer wanted by thier owners over the years (currently we have 3 dogs and somewhere in the region of 10 cats :-)).

I don't think a private individual would be permitted to keep a big cat in this country anyway, indeed in many areas attempts are underway to ban housecats (they pose a threat to native birds).

Ban <i>housecats</i>???

You gotta be kidding, right? Or do you mean, ban housecats being allowed to be outside.

sapienza

I took our Aussie in to be "tutored" (old Farside Pun) today *sniff*. Of course this hits Jag close to home as well, so I will speak of it no more.

El gato grande, Sap. Some clown near my place was rumored to have ah... misplaced a mountain lion a few years ago. The Game Commision denies the existance of a lion population in PA but I know a few folks who claim to have spotted one and the Wylusing Rocket (newspaper) ran a story about a series of sightings in the Mansfield PA area. Under these conditions, its important that every person own a dog who is either faithful... or slow.

The Bengal Cat may be of interest to the exotic cat lovers in the Cellar.

domestic/big cat hybrids!
 

Love these big babies!!!! I agree that most people don't have the required facilities/permits/knowledge and training to have wild cats at home...but this is exactly why exciting new breeds are being created by outcrossing domestic and wild cats.The result are great,intelligent,beautiful animals with sweet temperament AND the amazing look of a jungle creature!!
There is the Bengal cat (from the Asian Leopard Cat), the Savannah (from the african Serval)...the Safari (from the Geoffroy's Cat),the Bristol (from the Margay),the Chausie (from the Asian Jungle Cats),the Kanaani or Canaan(from the Felis lybica gordonii)...etc etc!
There is actually an hybrid being created specifically from the fishing cat,called a Bagral-or Machbagral. (visit www.embercreek.com for more infos)

There's a lot of information about these new breeds on the Net(www.hybridbeauty.com)....I own two Bengal crosses myself,and they are the most athletic,intelligent,inquisitive and well-behaved cats I ever owned!!! They are quite fascinated with water,and the older one loves to play fetch-just like a dog!
The new breeds are the results of careful outcrossing,removed 2 or 3 generations from their wild "grandparents",so are mostly domestic in nature-use cat litters faithfully,eat regular good quality catfood,and are actually easier to train since they are quite intelligent.
I wouldn't worry about a Bengal or a Savannah attacking me in the middle of the night,the worst that can happen is that they outcrowd you in bed!!!! >^..^<

How is this amazing? Tigers swim all the time.

Quzah.

I don't know if that's the worst that "CAN" happen. My buddy had a plain old tomcat that was pretty big (24 lbs). He could do a lot of damage if he was so inclined.:D

Heh. I was wondering why Tony didn't use the phrase "It turns out that...". It's because this thread nearly 1 1/2 years old! :)

By the way, these hybrid species are clearly completely made up, since we all know evolution is B.S. :cool:

ban 'em...mace 'em.... gas 'em....any aeresol or chemical that you can light with a match.

I personally don't understand why we have to breed all sorts of new cats, when there are millions of other cats already that need homes. Because they're bigger?

Just do like I did... Get a cat from a shelter and feed her well.

Re: domestic/big cat hybrids!
 

Hey Sophie, I've never seen anyone use my little kitty face before, well I actually use >^~^<:)

wild cat species' welfare!
 

bmgb: I agree with cat overpopulation being a problem.I rescued and sheltered my share of strays,and strongly believe in early spaying /neutering: I believe the problem lies in irresponsible owners,who should make sure to "fix" their kitties unless they are absolutely willing to be responsible for the welfare of every single kitten-for life. Reputable,licenced breeders place their animals under strict contracts,taking them back if they are not "fixed",or anytime during the animals ' lifetime if the owners can no longer care for them.
There's unfortunately a lot of people who are into exotic animals-spiders,snakes,lizards,etc....and large wild cats.The new breeds can be a safer alternative for these people who absolutely "must" have a wild-looking feline at home,without all the special care and facilities the wilder cousins require: I believe that breeding hybrids actually help protect the wild cats,keeping them where they belong,at home in the wild. A lot of these species are endangered,and the hybrids might soon be the only wild looking felines left!
Also,exposing the public to hybrids greatly helps in raising awareness about little-known wild species(have you ever heard of a fishing cat before?)-for example,because of the Bengal's growing popularity,the Asian leopard Cat has been moved onto the endangered list of different countries,thanks to petitions and pressure from breeders' associations...
I know that people first meeting my Bengals become quite interested in earing about wild cats,especially children!
People concerned about cat overpopulation can help by donating-time and money...check locally.For example,in my province, an association(people and businesses) raise funds to pay for Vet fees, so low-income/student cat owners who can't afford spaying/neutering can do so for free,or for very cheap...

Hum,well,though that might help...kitties are the best! >^..^<

Amen. I got Tinkerbell from an adoption outfit called The Lucky Ones. Their whole deal is that they rescue cats that are about to be put down. As in, that day or that week. And she's like... the best thing in my life. I do love that cat.

We got Pickle in much the same way. She was about 8 months old when she wandered into the back yard of the webmaster for http://www.fancycats.org - and since she was obviously a stray, he took her in and cared for her. Fancy Cats put her up for adoption (they're another rescue agency, first class all the way, really great operation - if you're in the NoVA area and looking for a cat, check them out) and no one would take her. Well, Jenni and I saw her at the Fair Lakes PETsMART and thought she was adorable (though obviously having a bad day). We were looking for a buddy for Tinkerbell (having gotten her back less than a month prior, we could tell that she missed Shadow and needed another cat), and we had settled on either Pickle (who was called "Little Miss", ugh) or this other cat named, ironically enough, "LuvBug". Well, LuvBug was all friendly and loving and would have no trouble getting adopted, while Pickle was kinda shy and really needed some work. Jenni and I decided to go with Pickle because we knew LuvBug would find a good home easily and it was considerably more difficult for Pickle. So we got her, and in the eight months we've had her, she's really opened up. She's super friendly now, if a bit scared of the unfamiliar. And she sleeps on the bed with us, as all cats should. :)

So yeah. Adopt a cat that needs a hope. If you do your homework, you'll be every bit as happy as you would with one of these special breed cats. After all, it's what's inside that counts, right?

They sure do. There's a great PBS show where a gator stole a tigers dead buck. The tiger recovers it and not just bounding through shallow water but a lengthy swim dragging a couple hundred pounds of prey.

Re: wild cat species' welfare!
 

They sure are. And any animal-lover is a friend of mine. Your cats must be beautiful. Any pics?

I think we can both argree with Tigger here, that Tiggers are wonderful things. ;) Oh, and on a side note, I'd have loved to see the real video of that. Karma, baby. Karma.

Quzah.

Ok - kinda off the topic - but not really.

Has anyone read the paper backed version of Scott Adams "The Dilbert Future?" (Its either that one or "The Joy of Work.")

If anyone has read Scott Adams' books they will know that he is a huge cat lover and had this humungeos (sp) tuxedo cat named Freddie. At the end of the paper backed version he mentions that Freddie after the release of the book had passed into kitty heaven and he recommends that everyone go get a kitty from their Humane Society and to remember to have them spayed or neutered. Made me cry.

^..^

My brother discovered the secret to building big cats: Feed them all they want when they're kittens, and then taper it off to normal when they reach adulthood. His cat, Ritz, is huge. She stalks and attacks an ocassional ankle, but usually keeps the squirrel population down in the yard. We watched her dragging a squirrel across the yard to a secret eating spot, and I swear she looked like a lion dragging a wildebeast off into the bush.

That must be what I did to my cat Dusty. I've got to start limiting her food or she might get out of control.

...err kinda flip-flopped for a cat, eh. Usually, they cuddle with people and avoid water..

Look! Another thread discussing letting cats roam.

This thread brought to you by SDRTP.

lotta people I never heard of or saw before on this thread too.