The Serengeti Cat: Grand Jungle Designby Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger 15 Jun 2006 03:18 AM
Do YOU own such a cat? Please share your experiences. Related Articles: "The Ocicat: A Spotted Delight" http://pets.families.com/blog/the-ocicat-a-spotted-delight1 "The Egyptian Mau: A Noble History" http://pets.families.com/blog/the-egyptian-mau-cat-a-noble-history "The Oriental Shorthair: A delightful Blend" http://pets.families.com/blog/the-oriental-shorthair-a-delightful-blend Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman  Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York. Relevantpets tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags cat breeds, cat facts, felines, pets, Serengeti Cat Discuss this article
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Karen Sausman of the Kingsmark cattery in California established this breed in 1994, and it has since been accepted into the Foundation registry of the International Cat Association (TICA). These cats are the result of a cross between Oriental Shorthair Cats and Bengal Cats, although they greatly resemble still another jungle cat, the Serval. The gene pool for the Bengal cat is very large and contains both wild and domestic genes from at least eight different varieties of felines, including: the Asian Leopard Cat, the British Shorthair, domestic shorthair, the Indian Mau, the Ocicat, the Egyptian Mau, the Abyssinian and the Burmese (Bombay). In addition, some even carry Persian bloodlines.
This great mixed salad creates a large-boned, long-legged, domestic cat whose beautiful short, thick and soft coat comes in everything from a clear yellow to gold, with a distinct pattern of widely-spaced black spots. The ears are very large and rounded, and the eyes range in color from gold to amber and sometimes green. In terms of conformation, the Serengeti most resembles the Oriental Shorthair, although their posture is considerably more upright. Serengeti males can weigh between 10-15 pounds and females between 8-12 pounds.
They have friendly temperaments and can get along well with other pets if introduced properly, (not how do you do, but slowly and surely). They are active cats and can be very vocal, although not as much so as their Oriental ancestors. Playful by nature, they love to climb and chase toys and can occupy themselves for hours at a time. They love their owners and like to share their lives, although they are not usually considered lap cats in the true sense of the word.
