Introducing the Jambi, the new Fishing Cat hybrid!

Select Exotics has been working for four years to create a domestic cat with the exciting look of Prionailurus viverrinus, the powerfully built Fishing Cat found in the wetlands of India, Southeast Asia and Sumatra. 
 

The unique, striking presence of a Fishing Cat, with its broad, rounded head, tiny ears, short thick legs, webbed feet, dramatic face "paint," and large brown to black spots covering its massive silver-gray body, is awesome. Dubbed the "Clydesdale of the small cats," stories tell of this incredible feline's ability to drive off a pack of dogs.
 

While diet may include frogs, snakes and small mammals, a Fishing Cat eats primarily fish as its name implies. Sitting onshore, near slow moving or static water, this fascinating feline taps the surface, quickly scooping up a curious fish with its paw. On the other hand, with a double layered coat to keep its skin dry, and short, flat tail for a rudder, the surprisingly agile Fishing Cat may choose to dive for dinner, easily navigating underwater to snag an unsuspecting duck or other aquatic bird. 
 

Earlier work with Fishing Cat hybrids includes the Viverral and the Machbagral. The Viverral founders selected for traits similar to those Select Exotics has chosen. The Machbagral founder worked in another direction, selecting melanistic Bengal outcrossesto create a parlor-size panther. Since neither founder can be contacted, Select Exotics has chosen to work from its own genetic base, naming our hybrid the Jambi Cat.

The foundation female for the Jambi breed is Select Exotics' Asia. Asia weighs in at a whopping 37 pounds. Bearing a strong resemblance to her even more massive father, she is the largest female hybrid with whom we have ever worked. Pulling from our diverse gene pool, Select Exotics' long term goal is to produce a large, stocky, muscular cat with dark spots on a silver-gray basecoat, a cat that will consistently resemble Asia, one with an excellent, domestic social disposition.   It is important to know that in the process of creating a new breed, kittens will not always adhere to the ideal breed type. These kittens will be sold as pets to be a loved family member. Only the best females will be retained for breeding and strict quality control will be followed. Few females will be placed into breeding homes until a consistent genetic base with a high degree of predictability is established.    Since only a few Jambi litters have been produced to date, we haven't had the opportunity to see a sufficient number mature to accurately forecast adult size and weight. Based on their solid, compact body type, our best prediction is that Jambi males will fall in a 14 to 22 pound range and females in a 9 to 15 pound range.

Males	$3,000 - $4,000
Females	$2,000 - $2,500

Kittens will sometimes be priced out of given ranges