Just really curious about ocicats

[Italiangreyhound]

Just really curious about Ocicats, are they different to Bengals? Are Bengals still wild and Ocicats not?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocicat

Not thinking of getting one, have a domestic short haired already but just curious, they are so beautiful. But are they hard to live with, dangerous?

[Italiangreyhound]

Just curious because they say they have no wild DNA but the local cat centre says something like they " ...have some specific requirements, (and they are) ....looking for owners who have had previous experience with .... breed, have had Bengal cats, or have researched Ocicat needs."

www.catster.com/cat-breeds/Ocicat

Just wondering if my slightly bitey VERY vocal domestic shirt hairded cat could be part Ocicat!!! (he is black and white though!)

[chockbic]

Our Jack is livid . He's a Bengal, which is part wild.

The old girl was shouty, but a moggy.

Those ones look Siamese to me.

[Italiangreyhound]

Ah, I wondered about Siamese.

[RubbishMantra]

No wild genes, just bred to emulate wild cats (Ocelots) In my yoof, I worked in Harrods. I remember seeing 2 caged Ocelots in their pet department. They were huddled in a bare cage.

But yes, Ocicats' ancestry is all domestic.

I too have a black and white bitey bastard, Italian. Maybe they share the dickhead gene?

[Lonecatwithkitten]

They are Siamese, Abyssinian cross with a smattering of American short haired. Very oriental in character so vocal, demanding and people focused.
IME totally different to bengals.

[Fluffycloudland77]

You used to be able to keep all sorts of wild cat until they had to be licensed. I've watched programs saying people just let them out rather than buy a license.

Dh and I have separately seen big cats, me a black leopard and dh a buff coloured cat, cougar?.

Dad has seen one too but refuses to tell anyone incase they think he's getting dementia.

Asbo cat is very affectionate for all his faults. He is also very well behaved for the vet.

[Italiangreyhound]

There is always the story of the west country panther or whatever!

www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2006/09/20/big_cats_feature.shtml

[Fluffycloudland77]

Hugh FW was on TV with a game keeper and he said he'd seen one early in the morning.

I watched a documentary about leopards and it said they are very good at raising young. I think it was something to do with them keeping quiet when mum went hunting so they didn't get killed by other big cats but here there would no natural predators, except us.

[RubbishMantra]

DH just told me that his grandmother lost a finger to an Ocelot.

[Fluffycloudland77]

How did she get so close to one?.

Playing poker?.

[RubbishMantra]

Yes, the Ocelot had "connections".

They used to own a zoo.

Ocelot's revenge for being caged perhaps?

[chockbic]

Did they sell animals to Harrods?

[RubbishMantra]

Wouldn't surprise me, but I don't think so.

Don't worry, I didn't meet DH via exotic animal trading! He has the same views as me regarding animals. (that we're their caretakers)

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Chockbic they used to sell everything in Harrods. Having worked there I can tell you everything.