Hope this is'nt a dumb question....

But who better to ask than the pros. So I'm posting my question here....some enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.

My bf & I were having a discussion about the pets we grew up with. He told me about a cat he had that they always thought was a possible cross breed of some sort. From what he said, it walked like a cat but when it ran it's hind end moved more like a rabbit. I guess the thing had a "hop" to it. And it was born with no tail, and could easily clear 8 ft when leaping into the air. (my cats don't do that)
They'll jump for a dandling toy, but rarely more than 3 ft off the floor. Anyhoo, he grew up in an area where there were a lot of bobcats and other common wild animals. Is it possible for a cat to crossbreed with a rabbit??? A bobcat might be more understandable. Or maybe not. Are either of these scenarios possible?? Or was this just an ordinary cat suffering from deformaties???
Please excuse my ignorance. I love my kitties, but my pet knowledge is far greater in referance to dogs. Thanks for reading.

Not a dumb question but its an urban legend. Not true at all. Over the years people claim crosses with rabbits and call it a "cabbit". But genetically it won't happen - two different species. The manx cat has no tail and when it runs it kinda looks like its hopping only cause the back legs are longer then the front.

Your bf had manx cats - nothing more then that. BTW cats can and do mate with bobcats in the wild from time to time - that's the only "wild" crosses that would happen in the country.

thanks for the reply GoldenKitty. LOL..he referred to it as a "cabbot" as well. I just did'nt mention that because I thought it sounded a bit corney. Thanks for the lesson....a manx cat...makes perfect sense. I'll be sure to clue him in on this when he gets home.

I think there's a common urban legend-type belief that cats and squirrels can be crossed, as well... they call them squittens. That is one of our nicknames for Sneakers because I thought it was such a cute word when I heard it the first time.

Squittens! How can that word not make you laugh?

Originally Posted by Godiva

Squittens! How can that word not make you laugh?

Click to expand...

It certainly makes me laugh ... by the way, that's what we call kittens when they are just beginning to open their eyes and look like they are squinting - hence squittens.

I was thinking Manx cats also. Since Manx's have so many genetic defects with their skeletal structure, I have read somewhere that some do not have great use of their back legs and sometimes walk funny.

I had a Manx once - he didn't hop but he certainly didn't walk like a normal cat either.