Not all cats of this breed are born with the same traits, though, so you could have a Highlander kitten with a long tail and curled ears who has an extra couple of toes, or a kitten with straight ears and a bobtail and no additional toes. Highlanders also have a naturally short tail, usually anywhere between 2 and 6 inches in length. The extra toes give Highlanders more flexibility and they can even learn to hold things. This seems to be a common trait in the breed, though it’s not one that other animals of the feline persuasion tend to carry. We’ve mentioned the polydactyl paws that many Highlanders have. Highlanders aren’t born with curled ears – they actually curl back during the first two weeks of their life. They have a loose curl, but it does vary from cat to cat. The defining feature of the Highland Lynx cat is its distinctive ears. This new breed doesn’t mind getting wet, and they may even sit in a bath without fussing. Highlanders are also fascinated by running water, which sets them apart from most domestic cats who typically hate being anywhere near bodies of water. With their polydactyl paws, they can get into a bit more mischief than regular-pawed cats, and they do love to show off their rather athletic abilities. Most Highlanders are playful cats that have a lot of energy, so they’ll need owners who are happy to keep up with them and spend time playing with them.īe sure to have a few interactive toys around for your Highlander Lynx cat and you won’t have much trouble from them. They have no wild cat genes because they weren’t bred from wild cats.ĭespite the wild appearance of the Highlander cat breed, cat lovers will be pleased to know that these kitties are very social and loving.

It is possible for a Highlander to be born with straight ears.Some Highlander cats end up with polydactyl feet, which is where a cat is born with extra toes on one or more of its paws.Selective breeding took place to create the Highlander breed.

They’re often mistaken as tabby cats with a genetic mutation because of their markings, but they are their own breed of cat.

They have curled ears because of the genetics they inherited from their Jungle Curl parent.

They are a newer domestic cat breed that’s been around less than 20 years.

Quick Facts about the Highlander Cat Breed Highlander is the name for the long-haired variant of the breed. The International Cat Association splits Highlanders into two categories under the breed’s name: Highlander Shorthair and Highlander. Thanks to their new status, Highlanders have breed standards that outline their appearance and temperament, as well as a list of Highlander breeders available through TICA’s website. It took until 2016 for Highlanders to move from Preliminary New Breeds to Advanced New Breeds, which put them one class away from being part of the Championship class and being allowed to compete in competitions with other cat breeds. TICA would come to recognize Highlander cats in 2008 when they registered them as a Preliminary New Breed class in the early summer of that year. The Highlander was originally known as the Highland Lynx before its name was changed in 2005. The two cats chosen to breed together and create Highlanders were the Desert Lynx and the Jungle Curl. The domestic cats that were used to breed Highlanders were very carefully selected, and they weren’t chosen from any existing breed that was registered and recognized by organizations like The International Cat Association. They were bred from existing hybrid cats, so this breed has no wild genetics and is a perfectly docile housecat. The interesting thing about Highlander cats, however, is that they have no direct wild ancestor. The Highlander came into existence when interested parties wanted to create a domestic cat that retained the look of a wild cat – as is the case with every other cat that has one wild ancestor and one domestic one. We only have to look back as far as 2004 to find their history. Highlander cats are a young breed of felines. Most Highlanders are muscular, strong cats, but they can still make great family pets and are extremely nurturing felines to have around. Although the Highlander cat started its life as an experimental crossbreeding project, they have come to be recognized as their own breed of cat with distinctive traits that come from their Desert Lynx and Jungle Curl cat ancestors.

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