What's a "Toyger"?
Hold up, a house cat that looks like a Tiger? Exsqueeze me?
Life magazine is calling toygers "The next Superpet". Heck, toygers are now an official breed. Could there be a better idea than this!? nooooo [singsong]
Gracias, Toygers.org
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It is a catty.
It is orange.
It is striped.
Therefore, it is good.
the paw... on the other kitteh's head... I cannot take it anymore!
Squeeee!
*explodes into orange and black confetti*
While I don't care for designer pets, I can't lie... the Toygers are very much TEH KEWT!!!
They are SO cute! I love the one that is going "BONK" on the other ones head!
Do these guys get big & bloodthirsty?
They're just, like, all orange fuzztastically blue eyed pretty!!!!!!!!!
(Goldmember Voice)
"And I can schee you are toight as a toyger..."
Yeah, the second from the right with the paw on the head it pretty damn cute.
"It's a liger. It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and tiger mixed. Bred for it's skills in Magic."
They're adorable, but they just look like tabbies to me....they look just like my tabby, 'cept she's gray/black/brown and they're orange/black/brown. Did they cross marmies with tabbies to get this coloring and pattern?
Second from right: "Back it UP, dewd... that shiny's MINE."
Lions, and Toygers, and Bears, oh my!
According to this page: http://catsofaustralia.com/toyger.htm (with many more cute toyger pics) Toygers are a cross of tabbies and bengals.
Yeah, the kittens on the far right of the pic have tewtally slayded me ded!
However, I'm just bracing myself for the inevitable slew of howling Nuffs who will scream about indiscriminate breeding, animal mills, fad pets, etc... *sighs*
(No offense meant to the folks here who, like me, disagree with irresponsible humans and thoughtless breeding, or animals inbred to turn them into weird mutant freaks, etc. But at least you all stop and just enjoy the cute, yanno? Just wanted to clear the air on that...Now, back to the SQUEEEEEEE!!)
--TwoDragons
Also not a fan of designer breeds because so many strays need homes. But (sigh) I have to admit I would love one of these beauties - if they didn't cost upwards of (ahem) $4,000!!! Plus, I suspect my ratties wouldn't like it too much if I brought one home.
How about giving a home to the thousands of regular cats out there instead of wasting money on an inbred "designer" cat that will likely have many health problems in the years to come?
The guys on the right with the paw on the head are the best, but lookit the Disapproving Glare(tm) from the guy on the far left.
"Hey you two, settle down, we are having our portrait done and you are just ruining everything!!"
:)
I weel take one of these and one of the torties from the other picture please?
Reg
Great. Next it will be Lyons. Maybe cute little bears. Then they'll devour us in our sleep.
I just can't wrap my noggin around how they manage to get such perfect tiger tails....i mean they look like honest to god tiger tails! *splodes*
Proshness.
Does anyone else find the language on the website just a little creepy, though? "This breed is of and for the computer age. Computer imaging help breeders determine what they want , how far off a cat might be and how to improve the progeny." You'd think they weren't talking about, you know, an actual living, sentient creature.
The world does not need another breed of cat. Three to four million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters every year. Yes these kittens are cute, but so is every other kitten I've ever seen.
OMG SQUEE!
OMG the kittens are the best. Especially the one second from right who's all "dude, don't even *think* of getting between me and the shiny thing."
As for the whole designer pet thing, why does it have to be one or the other? I think of designer pets as like concept cars: showing the possibilities. *Irresponsible* breeding is a problem, but that's because it's irresponsible, not because it's breeding.
So I think *responsible* breeding of specific breeds is valuable, but that doesn't mean everyone needs to have one, just like not everyone has a concept car or even an exotic production car. My SPCA kitties are pretty darn cute and I'm glad I got shelter kitties (even though at that time I could have afforded a purebreed if I'd wanted to). But the toygers are still cute too!
They are ADORABLE!!!!!!! AWWWWRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! (turns into a pile of goo)
Is there any way to breed a cat so that it could teach me college calculus and chemistry?
I see the Nuffs have not disappointed me...
But Ex-Network Geek is speaking truth to tha power! Great points!
--TwoDragons
I would argue that the language used to describe these cats is itself irresponsible. I'm sorry, but you just don't talk about living creatures -- human or animal alike -- like calculatable objects or programmable beings. This is also why I don't get along with many theoretical social scientists, business people, financial consultants, marketing agents...
Yes, the cats are cute, but I wish I didn't go to the link. Ugh.
Will a Toyger eat me if I die in the house?
Please. I am Ugoff.
my cat is... like... orangier and stripier.
and she was free.
http://www.picato.net/cat/?CatID=313&cID=1517&mp=5
see?
Toygers--why not just get a bobcat? All the attitude plus the lethal claws...in a smaller size!...hee
my aunt has a bobcat. He's the most awesome thing i have ever seen.
I want one like now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
they are so cute, yes that foot on the other cat is so tocking cute too..
I saw an interview with the scientist who has been working on this. She's not a breeder for pets, so it doesn't surprise me that the site talks about the cats like objects.
I volunteer at an animal shelter and know how many animals already need homes.
However, this sciencist is doing this work with the hope of learning how we might be able to save species on the verge of extinction. The larger picture here is gene studies, using computer models to predict the traits of offspring of 2 specific sets of genes. It's kind of cool research, actually.
It is a good thing these kitties are so cute, so they get homes. Most research animals aren't so lucky!
So much of teh freakin cute...
TwoDragons, I'm a bit confused: Define a Nuff? Cause though I totally turned into a pile of goo just looking at these Toygers (or at a Schnoodle, for that matter - SO SIMULTANEOUSLY CURLY AND BEARDED!), I still have issues with the whole designer pet thing - issues, even, with established purebreeds, if the animals are bred entirely to buy into a fad and make the breeders money, without regards to the animals as living beings (their living situation, problems in later life, etc). I wholeheartedly appreciate teh cute, but I acknowledge the problems that it brings. Does that make me a Nuff? Are you saying we shouldn't have these conversations, or just that we should confine them to a place that isn't CO?
I'm with Whitley on this one. My little boy was a stray off the street, and he is more tiger than any of these (albeit cute) cats put together:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v105/firelily7/bigyawn.jpg
The Toygers ARE cute. Love the little guy with his paw on the other little guy's head.
I would totally love to have a bobcat for a pet.
EXSQUEEZE ME!! i have to use that one sometime.
Darcy --
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105793/quotes
[Instead of saying "Excuse me, I beg your pardon?"]
Wayne Campbell: Ex-squeeze me? Baking powder?
I adore tigers, and these cats are gorgeous, but I read that article when it came out a few weeks ago and it left me feeling just a little disturbed. These kitties are being designed for people who want an image, not necessarily for people who love animals.
If that makes me a nuff, so be it...
They ARE adorable, however they look a lot like tabby cats to me...
Another hybrid hype pet that's going to cost a fortune, and people are going to scramble to get instead of just rescuing and saving a life.
what is a nuff! Although these kitties are adorable and I hope they get loving homes, I agree with auntie mame. designeer pets.. as in designer cars and designer purses.. hmm... I think I'll go snorgle my cats now ^_^
They are way cute. I can just never see paying money for a kitteh, though, when it seems like every week someone is trying to give me one. I have four, and that is MORE than enough. But these are lovely cats, from a strictly aesthetic point of view. Love the glowy eyes and the well-developed muzzle.
great, a cat that also makes a good fur coat --- I can see it now. They'll be bred in China and Americans will be duped into buying fur trimmed coats as they are now with dog fur
I can't see paying for a kitty either, but I love cats and I love tigers...
Three words:
They. are. perfection.
Aww kittens! They're all 'rawr rawr we're big tigers OOH SOME STRING'
Oh dear.
Are the available from Amazon yet?
I got the best of both worlds, once. A Scottish Fold from a shelter. Best cat in the world, he was.
So stylish and beautiful - very Tony Tigers.
I just hope I never see Paris Hilton nuzzling one.
Of course I'm going to adopt a cat, but that doesn't keep me from wishing I had one of these babies :D I LOVE tigers, and frankly all of you who have marmies and think they look more tiger.... XD Well, think what you like, this babies look more like itty bitty tigers than any marmie or tabby I've seen.
I'm sitting on the fence of disliking designer pets and loving the fact that we're capable of creating such creatures, which brings promise to saving an endangered species in the long run. Yes I want more kitties to be adopted, yes I want strays to have homes, and I feel sad nearly every time there's a storm because I know there are strays out there who need shelter...
However...
Being able to recreate the tiger species...
Off of that, these babies are adorable and I only wish I could make my own and snuggle and keep them forevveeerr
My first cat, not counting the one my parents got for me, was a Russian Blue boy I got from a shelter. The people who paid for him originally had gotten him un-neutered (and therefore no doubt very expensive), and the Humane Society insisted on neutering him before I could take him home.
The reason that he and his sister were in the cages at the HS the day I got him was that they did not "match the new apartment." Two color-specific cats, probably worth at least a grand, in the shelter for clashing with the new furniture.
I'm not really trying to say anything with that anecdote except that those of us who rescue pets still have a shot at "designer" breeds.
And these toygers are ridiculous cute.
P.S. This page might make you feel better if you're put off by the breeding standards, goals, etc.: http://www.toygers.org/pet.html
Oh no!
I need one, but I've already reached my three-cat-limit!
They're all indoors. They all have prescription diets. And they all travel with me.
I'm quite certain a fourth cat would kill me.
But what a way to go...
I just read about these on Animalphiles yesterday, thanks to the oryx post... sooo cute! Not *sure* its a good idea, but cute!
my tabby reminds me an awful lot of a tiger anyway. :)
I don't get it... Yes, they are cute, in a way that every kitten is cute, but Toyger? That looks as much like a tiger as my cat does! They are *barely* orange at all, and their markings aren't any different than my two tabby cats! Bengals are much prettier and much more "exotic" looking, if you ask me. Why make a fancy version of a plain tabby? We have tons of those already!
I don't understand how these guys are different from Bengals. Anyone know?
I saw these guys on Good Morning America Friday and while I thought they were cute I was also a little worried. They were saying some of these cats will sell for $1000's of dollars!! Pets for people with more money than sense. In just a few generations they are supposed to look like real Bengal tigers, with the predator walk and everything. I don't think they look any more like a tiger than quite a few tabbies that I've seen. Anyway, cute kitties but give me a good ol' fashioned rescue kitten, thank you very much. I do like the name though, if I ever get a tabby maybe I'll name it Toyger.
While they are very cute, I don't think that this is a good thing to do. There are already so many kitties without homes. Besides, you can find gorgeous cats at the shelter (and I *have* seen tabby cats that look like these Toygers). My Siamese mutt fits the traditional apple-head standard exactly, and my Russian Blue (except for a little white locket) has the silvery sheen, the impish smile, and the bottle green eyes of the breed. Both were rescue kitties, and I didn't have to pay hundreds or thousands for them.
Besides, who knows what sorts of odd qualities could crop up as they get closer and closer to their end result. Maybe the trait for rounded ears comes hand-in-hand with the need to constantly mark territory or something else undesirable. (It didn't take long before wild foxes selected and bred for tame qualities developed markings on their head.)
Well, they *are* beautiful. But I, too, have my doubts about trying to create them as a breed. I see a miniature tiger every time I look at my orange tabby shelter-cat; I can see that he *thinks* like a stalking Mighty Feline Hunter. Lovely colors on those Toygers, though.
They are very beautiful, but this troubles me: "Toygers are about saving something rarer—the essence of tigerness.
“Wild animals are disappearing in front of our eyes,” she says."
Please, let's not forget the importance of saving the real wildlife. A cat, no matter how pretty, cannot and should not replace an actual wild animal!
Lemme start of by saying:
I ADORE tigers. They're my favorite animal ever! (as 5 year old as that sounds)
But these Toygers look like plain cats to me. They don't have the tiger eyes, face structure, ear structure nor body proportions. They just look like cats with black stripes.
Also, being a biologist I've gotta say the whole "preserving the rare species" through cloning house cats is redonk!! (let's not forget tigers=pantera, cats=felis...different family altoghether!) Nevermind the sheer idiocy that you're not even cloning! You're pretty much just blindly doing crosses. So pretty much if something comes out looking like a tiger it's not going to be genetically anything like a tiger...
anywho, now i'm just ranting. So basically my point is 1) toygers don't even look like tigers 2) in no way is it possible to preserve tigers by making housecats look like them (seriously, just b/c you have a pet doesn't mean you're not going to wear fur...there's so many celebrity examples of this that my brain just crashed)
can you imagine a white toyger. that would be so beautiful.
and everyone needs to stop going "designer pets..ehh.." because EVERY dog, cat, rabbit etc. you own was DESIGNED by people.
once again i am disappointed and disgusted. i wish i hadn't read the link at all. sigh.
this will be my first "nuff" comment. hopefully my last. sorry, but i have to go to the dark side on this one.
i see the beauty in these cats, but it is overshadowed by the twisted human interference of creating and exploiting yet another innocent critter.
someone else mentioned earlier there are plenty of cats in need of homes, cats that are euthanized every year for lack of homes, overpopulation due to lack of spaying/neutering. its true. nothing wrong with those cats. my last two cats - the bestest cats anyone could ask for - were both strays. and they were - gasp! - not purebreeds! oh the horror! (yes, thats sarcasm)
the "designer" notion behind this breed makes me feel sick to my stomach. whats next? designer babies? will brad and angelina have a few babies that we can all bid on on ebay? (ok, i'm pushing it, but you can see my frustration)
i did not read the Life article, but the presentation on the cover was disturbing enough. the toygers.org site was very disturbing to me as well. whats that smell? oh, human ignorance. again.
/off soapbox.
First: Awww.
Second: All kitties are adorable and these "toygers" are no different. But I too have an issue with irresponsible breeding/ designer breeding. These guys are cuties, but I don't see how they can outrank a good ol' tabby or a Bengal. Yeah, a lot of pets existing today are "designer" breeds, but *we* didn't ask for them to be bred that way, did we? The least we can do is put a stop to further designer breeds.
And tigers? Please. Tigers, panthera tigris, are in a class of their own, both scientifically and in terms of beauty. Like someone said, it would be great if people concentrated on saving the existing species first and adopted all the shelter kitties before buying designer ones. I don't have a pet at the moment, sadly, but my late Bindi Spot, Esq. ( http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2007/02/insert_outsourc.html )was a stray. I'd pick a stray anyday over a "fancy-schmancy" (to quote my friend) custom breed.
I saw this on the news yesterday and I was *hoping* they wouldn't be featured on CO ...too late. I hope they're happy and healthy. (Atleast they look so.) Can we file this under "Cute or Sad" instead?
And, people, a 'Nuff is someone who harshes the cute just to be nasty. It's nice to see that folks are able to separate teh Qte from teh science.
in agreement with many above, esp. that this should go under cute or sad?
also, tiger cats look enough like tigers already don't they?
and, as post #2 said...god it's the paw on the other kitten's head that's cute!! only proving that the cuteness needs no truck with designer genes.
Yes, there are lots of kitties in shelters who need homes. The kind of person who spends $4000 on a cat is not going to be rescuing them.
But there are LOTS of idiots who buy REAL tigers. About 10,000 privately owned tigers in the US... FAR more than is left in the wild. Here's hoping their vanity will be assurged by buying a Toyger instead. And a Toyger who is no longer the vanity pet they wanted will hopefully end up in a shelter... not in a canned hunt or shot by police like a Tiger would.
It think it's strange that she's so concerned with animal rights people breaking up her business. That's usually a sign of something wrong, don't cha think?
**WANT**!!!!
Tiger Kitteh!
SNORG!
I have to agree with Argentee, while generally I'm pro-shelter all the way, these cats will have the exotic thing going for them for those who might otherwise buy a REAL tiger. Which is just plain stupid. If these cats can potentially save innocent tigers (and people!), and get the focus on Tigers to be more about preservation, I'm all for a little breeding.
uhm.. I don't think these cuties will stop those who want a real tiger from getting a real tiger.. o_0
ACK!
ACK!
ACK!
"Toyger" is how Austin Powers says "tiger" obviously, gawsh.
OMG look at the SIZE of those PAWS!
---even on the kittens!
I saw this article last week, and truly - I don't see how they look much like tigers at all. Eh.
Like some others here, I have two shelter cats. One true "DSH" as they call them (a tortie through and through - anyone who has lived with a tortie personality knows what I mean). The other is at the very least MOSTLY a Bombay...the groomer at my vet's office keyed me in on this (I didn't know there was such a thing). Her theory is that the kitten was tossed aside because she didn't meet the correct breed standards (she has a white "tip" on her tail - they are not allowed to be anything but black). Other than that, she has all the other traits, personality and looks.
This is part of the reason I dislike breeding...in addition to the normal "mutt" cats that end up in shelters, so do many bred kittens who don't fit the "profile".
This is a brown spotted tabby. They are everywhere and they are wonderful. Don't be taken in by this overbred cat. Go to the shelter immediately and adopt yourself a brown spotted tabby.
The paw on the head just gets me..."I said sit still!"
I agree with kay! We had a gorgeous adopted tiger kitty girl who was way prettier than these over-priced cats. Go to your local shelter and you'll find lots of beautiful tiger kitties, plus the priceless satisfaction of knowing you've given a good home to an unwanted animal! And while you're there, consider a dog too...nothing makes me sadder than the concept of puppy mills! See...now you've got me on the soapbox! Love you guys at CO...thanks for all you do!
::squeezes you::
1st kitteh is all "yawn, this is boring". 2nd kitteh is all "must...resist...string!" 3rd kitteh is all "must...resist...string!" 4th kitteh is all "get down! don't you know we're being watched?!" 5th kitteh is all "hey! watch the merch dude!"
great post!
not only is it cute, but it's really interesting, and for once the skeptical comments (i'm inclined not to call them "nuffs" in this case) are really relevant for the animal lovers who read this site. if there are young people visiting CO, this is one thread i hope they're reading.
Sigh. I'm sorry to be a buzzkill, but I'm gonna be one. (Usually I'm just a typical squeee-er!)
I'm a member of The Wildcat Sanctuary, located in Minnesota. In the last few years, TWS has had to start a rescue program for hybrid breeds, such as the "toyger." Here's some info from their website:
TWS launched its Paw-Purri cattery rescue program
for hybrid and hard-to-place Bengal domestic cats. The popularity of unique-looking cats as domestic companion animals has become lucrative for breeders who are crossing
wild cats with domestic cats to sell as what they call “lap leopards.” In the process of breeding though, to get from wild to domestic, there are several generations of cats that are neither wild nor domestic. They are ranked by
category; F1 (one generation away from wild), F2 (two generations), F3, etc. Breeding must reach the fourth generation before they are classified as domestic. The downfall to this is that even the final generations of these
smaller cats still have wild genetics and are usually skittish
and have poor litter box habits. In the end, many of these cats are surrendered for not showing domestic tendencies or acceptable domestic habits.
Me again. Most domestic shelters won't take them in, as they can be a liability, so they're euthanized or abandoned. TWS is one of the few sanctuaries that takes in semi-wild hybrid cats. Here, check it out (it's a wonderful place):
http://www.wildcatsanctuary.org/aboutus/about.html
Yay for zeldapie and The Wildcat Sanctuary! May it soon close down due to lack of need.
Cute+Kind+Responsible=Paws Up!
Thanks, Meggers, from all the homeless Animal Shelter pets that are getting gassed or injected this week.
Dog, cat and rabbit (etc) "owners" who let their animals reporduce need to spend some time seeing healthy animals be killed because of the overpopulation. And designer breeds like the "toyger" also take the homes they might have.
And here's a news flash: animals aren't toys, toyger or otherwise.
At least use your forum for some good in additon to a superfical cute fix .
Spay and neuter the animals you care for. Adopt animals who need a forever home!!!
I agree with everybody who has commented so far. I have 3 tabbies, one of which seriously acts like a tiger, so I'm with everybody there as well. I also have to say that the toygers are adorable, especially that cutie with the hand on his brother's head. (Hand, paw...whatever.) So now you've all had your say, realize that what's done is done as far as these cuties are concerned - in other words regardless of how they got here, they're living, breathing, sentient creatures who deserve loving like any other cat. Sit back and enjoy the Qte.
Add my name to the chorus of "They're cute, but..." I volunteer at a no-kill cat shelter (www.treehouseanimals.org), and I see tons of gorgeous tabbies who look just as tiger-ish as these guys. I also see "panthers" and "leopards" and "lions". Each one of them needs a home; each one doesn't cost thousands of $$. Each one will be grateful forever for a place of their own.
Marsheee, I agree that once an animal's brought into this world, they deserve to be cared for and loved. That's why I'm a supporter of The Wildcat Sanctuary, which recognizes that these hybrids (especially the early generations) make poor house pets, and therefore need a place where they can be cared for and have a happy life.
This past year has been particularly hard on cats. Thousands of unwanted cats in Minnesota alone had to be euthanized. The shelters are packed full of beautiful kittehs and many have to be turned away, simply for lack of space.
Beautiful kitties, but designer pets make me sad. :(
I love the second kitten from the right in the bottom picture. He's knocking the other one over, going "Psha, I'm way more prosh than you!!"
As designer breeds go, it could be worse. They're just selecting for coat colour and conformation, as with any show breed, not outcrossing with wild species. They're awfully cute - I may be biased because my Pickles-kitty (a shelter cat) is a faded version of these guys. Overexposed Toyger :)
Zeldapie-
Thanks for the link.
You're welcome, lauowolf! It's one of the premier wildcat sanctuaries in the country, so I'm happy to spread the word about it!
Awww, look at their eye color!!
Kawaii.
They're so cute. They even made me go *squee*
My beloved tabby looks just like a Toyger and I paid only $100 adoption fee at the ASPCA. There are plenty of Toyger-looking tabbies waiting in the shelter to be adopted.
I think the kittens are ADORABLE! My parents own three 'Toygers' of their own. ;) They were all found as strays and they have grown up to become most beautiful little tabby boys in the world.
I'm pretty disappointed in this being a new breed though. They just look like tabbies! At least the Japanese Bobtail looks unusual enough to be a breed. It reminds me of the Peekapoos and Cocapoos and crazy dog mix breeds that are the latest rage...
Save the day and save a stay guys! :) Thanks for the cute pics though. No matter what kind of kitty they are kittens are always cute.
creeeeeeepy.
genetically engineered kitties? that puts the "ew" in "kewt."
[and i think they look a little askance from nature to boot]
I thought the kittens were adorably cute and their coat patterns really neat looking.
But the language used on the website really creeped me out and disturbed me. I was bothered by the fact they were "designing" these animals from "concept sketches and photoshop morphs" like pieces of furniture, and how the kitties who happened to have long fur or non-white tummies were implicitly "defective" and worth less. The mad scientist-esque excitement that the lady was showing for the mini-tiger end product (in planned development for decades to come!) gave me the mental image of litters and litters of these kitties being bred per year for decades, with hundreds of "defective" kittens left by the wayside. In humans, this would be called "eugenics".
*gets off my Nuff-stand*
Copied from the LIFE article:
"“There are so many cats out there that are being put to sleep because of overpopulation,” says New York City vet Arnold Plotnick, D.V.M. “Don’t create more designer species—go to the pound and save a life!”
But as Sugden sees it, Toygers are about saving something rarer—the essence of tigerness.
“Wild animals are disappearing in front of our eyes,” she says. “We can’t keep big cats where we have people in massive numbers.”
One alternative is to keep a small version in your living room. Toygers are certainly easier to house-train than tigers. And, she adds, “they’re getting more and more beautiful every year.”"
Ok, this really makes me mad. "Saving the essence of tigerness"??? Since when has keeping expensive, inbred knock-offs (of an entirely different species) become a viable alternative to big wild cats slowly becoming extinct???
the cat is pleased
this wouldn't be so bad if i could just stop imagining what happens to the deliberately bred "rejects"
..and "the essence of tigerness" is just plain feeble
When I first saw this, my first thought (once I got over the cuteness) was also that it is a pitiful mindset that gives rise to these designer breeds. As I was commenting, however, I began to wonder how many of us have these same thoughts and yet don't bat an eye before biting into that steak or chicken strip. I guess some animals just aren't cute enough to warrant our concern.
That said, I am as hypocritical as anyone here... Still an omnivore myself.
Not me, Koros! Tee hee! I've been a vegetarian for 17 years now, and it's easy! (I still eat cheese on occasion, but buy organic cheese from local farms - I feel badly for the cows who make it for us, as their "useful" life is used up fairly quickly, so I make sure the cows are at least pasture-raised, not factory-farmed).
*Zpie jumps off her soapbox.
Well, I don't eat nearly as much meat now as I did before I married a vegetarian (who is so for religious reasons), but I am rather addicted to it. :/ I tried the vegetarian thing at one or two points in the past and it didn't last longer than two months or so, sadly. The smell, the texture, the taste... It's something that just can't be replicated with an imitation product.
I know what you mean, Koros. It may sound odd, but I still love the smell of meat grilling - and yet, meat doesn't seem like food anymore. It would feel cannibalistic to me now to take a bite of another animal's muscle and flesh. My boyfriend eats meat (not much red meat, though), and I'm not pushing him at all to become a vegetarian. I don't lecture my friends or family - I just try to show through my actions that there are other options in this world.
The pics are supra cute, but count me in as one of those completely creeped out by the marketing jargon used in the toygers.org website. They do come across as completely ignorant - no responsible breeder would ever use the language on that site to promote a breed.
Wow - now I know what it is that my Brother has for a kitteh! And the kit's name is even Tigga!
Well, unfortunately, those little kittens in the last picture do not qualify as pedigree Toygers. Looking into the TICA breed standard sheet (http://www.toygers.org/tgstd.html ) shows blue eyes as an "Award Withheld" condition. Meh. So these are officially just supercharged tabbies.
That's still plenty enough for me, PsychoC... anyway I've seen kittens' eyes start out blue, then get their adult iris coloring later on. So, maybe these kits have golden eyes by now?