by Danelle Karth

Created on: March 04, 2008

While the answer no isn't surprising for many who wouldn't dare spend 20 grand on a cat (after all that is a nice car or a down payment on a house). The money isn't why I say no to this particular cat. While the Ashera has made headlines all over the world and has a lot of people talking, it also has breeders of Savannah cats wondering.

Is the Ashera Real?
Many Savannah cat breeders question whether or not Ashera cats are a real new breed, or just Savannah F1 cats with a new name and a larger price tag. While most F1 (first generation) Savannah cats aren't as large as the Ashera's reported weight, they are often around 20-25 pounds with some reports of 30-40 pound cats. Their long lean bodies and great height make them appear larger then their weight suggests. When breeding the African Serval to a more wild looking domestic cat such as a Bengal or a Egyptian Mau the result is a large (very large) spotted cat that looks wild (with some wild tendencies) and is classified in most locations as a domesticated animal.

I would never want to pay over $20,000 for a cat that might not be all that it is said to be. It might not be as rare as claimed, and their might be something less expensive that is just as exotic!

Let's Talk Genetics.
It is claimed that the Ashera is indeed part African Serval, part Asian Leopard Cat, and part domestic cat. How this all works out, it really isn't said. However, this can be done quite easily. To be classified as domestic a cat has to four generations away from a wild ancestor. This is usually when both the males and females of the generation become fertile and the cats can then be bred together. What's my point.

A Bengal cat is a cross breed from a domestic cat (usually one of the wilder looking ones) and an Asian Leopard Cat. The males of these cats are usually infertile. The females are then bred with domestic males. Those females are bred with domestic males. And finally those females are bred and you have an F4 (fourth generation) domestic Bengal which is indeed part (though a small part) Asian Leopard Cat. These creatures are wild looking on their own, though not as large as some other wild looking cats.

A F1 Savannah can then be created using a Bengal cat (now domestic, but still containing Asian Leopard Cat ancestry) and a male African Serval. The resulting offspring is a beautiful wild looking cat that is about 25 or more pounds. It has the characteristics in physical features as well as personality that is claimed by those selling

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