It's a house cat! It's a tiger!

Now you're just lion and making things up.

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I find this oddly depressing, though breeding for various characteristics isn't new.

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I do too.

Imust say they are pretty kittens, it doesnt feel right to me.

but oh well.

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It's cute.

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A friend said to me today, "I don't know how cat breeders sleep at night."

Obviously she thinks more highly of cat breeders than do I.

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I can fathom trying to breed out various horriblenesses. Breeding to make an animal look like another? Plus, she's an architect. Makes me quiver, I was a zoo major, did art, went to architecture.

Under various aegises, various architects wear different hats, so you can call me a planner if you like.

This seems like animal play on the computer, and I just don't like it when it acts out.

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From http://aha.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=nr_fact_sheets_animal_euthanasia

Quote:

Using the National Council's numbers from 1997 and estimating the number of operating shelters in the United States to be 3,500 (the exact number of animal shelters operating in the United States does not exist), here are the statistics:

* Of the 1,000 shelters that replied to the National Council's survey, 4.3 million animals were handled.
* In 1997 roughly 64% of the total number of animals that entered shelters were euthanized -- approximately 2.7 million animals in just these 1,000 shelters.These animals may have been put down due to overcrowding, but may have been sick, aggressive, injured, or suffered something else.
* 56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized. More cats are euthanized than dogs because they are more likely to enter a shelter without any owner identification.
* Only 15% of dogs and 2% of cats that enter animal shelters are reunited with their owners.
* 25% of dogs and 24% of cats that enter animal shelters are adopted.

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For what it's worth, their assessment that more dogs are redeemed by their owners because they are more likely to come in with identification is only part -- and, I think, a relatively small part -- of the story. The fact of the matter is, people are far more likely to come looking for their lost dog than for their lost cat, and a dog without identification is far more likely to be reunited with its owner than a cat without identification.

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I agree with all of the above. But dogs have been genetically altered for centuries, creating hundreds of breeds. Something I read once, in National Geographic I think, suggested that the relative ease of producing a new dog breed has something (hazy memory here) to do with greater number of DNA strands, or some such. So how do we feel about dachsunds, poodles and cocker spaniels?

For the record, these cats look nothing like the real thing:

http://www.posterworx.co.nz/images/gen_art/Aa959TigerCub_G.jpg

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They are lovely in and of themselves, though.

I am not happy with sheds full of cats.....ok, if you want to breed for a particular look, but the cats should be living happy catly lives while you do it!

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Grumble.

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Ok.

Im not a bleeding heart animal rights person, but I do feel strange the amount of time spent trying to " make a cat" when we could use time and effort like that to help tame the population that we already have.

Cats and dog are far from their nature as it is, being souly reproduced for our pleasure at this point.

Hunt down one already born and needing a home that looks like a tiger.

Dont wait for hundreds to live in cages for that accidental birth that makes you think you own a tiger.

What is happening with all those babies anyway??
I do love how they look ! I bet they could find homes for them easily...

unless they are being stored for their DNA.. Confused

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Quote:

I'm sorry.

Supposedly she has a good brain in her head. Yet she is moronic.

What a waste! She could be doing something worthwhile with all that valuable knowledge. Instead, she is busy basically painting her fingernails and playing God.

"Saving the Essence of Tigerness"....Whew, someone is out to lunch.

I'm most disturbed that anyone is priveledged enough to even be humoured for such an idea, nevermind supported.

What? Humans don't always come first and foremost even if it is at the expense of common sense?

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Quote:

I agree with all of the above. But dogs have been genetically altered for centuries, creating hundreds of breeds. Something I read once, in National Geographic I think, suggested that the relative ease of producing a new dog breed has something (hazy memory here) to do with greater number of DNA strands, or some such. So how do we feel about dachsunds, poodles and cocker spaniels?

Cats and dogs have both been bred for millennia -- dogs for thousands of years.

Aside from the perpetuation of deformities in the name of breed (short-faced breeds of both species, for instance), I object to the increases in numbers in the pursuit of novelty. With millions of animals being put down just in the U.S. each year, do we really need to be making more of them?

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Quote:

do we really need to be making more of them?

Definitely not, I just wanted to hear someone put it well. And you did, Patiodog.

Actually, you touched on something, a key word. Novelty. For centuries humans have been tinkering with animal genetics, but generally to increase useful characteristics. In the case of dogs, it was for a better hunter or herder. Cats have generally been outside this tinkering, because I suppose cats are perfect to start with. (A wee cat bias there!) But in the last century or so, we've gone beyond usefulness to novelty. I'm thinking in particular of the proliferation of "teacup" dogs.

And now, this article seems to be pointing the same way with cats. There has been novelty breeding of cats prior to this (Scottish Fold comes to mind, and even the Bombay which this article notes), but if this is successful it could spur a whole new industry in designer cats.

The loss will be to all those euthanized, wonderfully natural, cats. And possibly give the uninformed a false sense of saving the tiger. Sad

It's a house cat! It's a tiger!

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