Let's see if it (or crossbreeds) can be tamed.
This particular one was actually being kept in a house because someone confused it for a "pretty housecat". After a while, the owner realized it didn't want to be tamed and contacted someone for help.
Also, it's the only known one in existence. Hard to start a breeding program unless they find more.
Cats are not really domesticated. I've heard various terms but semi-domesticated probably serves. They're very adaptable but not pack animals. You're sort of safe with house cats because they're small. You get less safe as the body weight goes up the scale.
It’s funny to hear they are not pack animals. I’m sure that is technically the case, especially in the wild, but my house cats definitely cling to me and follow me around like I am their leader. They groom/fight to try to establish a hierarchy below me, and when my partner comes home from work immediately switch allegiance to her, who they clearly see as the dominant mammal in the house.
They don’t go outside (they can’t really, it’s too busy by the road here and they’d decimate the wildlife, but I live with it because ultimately we’re doing them a huge favor by giving them a home, post-rescue) so I am sure that has something to do with it. Perhaps infantilism is keeping them in this pack headspace? But even then my mother’s cat — rural, murderous, tough tabby tom — treats her like a god and the rest of us as an annoyance.
As I wrote, they're adaptable. But there's a difference between true pack animals with an established hierarchy and being solitary but being open to other cats and species. Certainly, some cats are more pack-like (lions) and others are, or are more open to, being largely solitary.
autoexec · · focus · HN ↗
Bonus pics: <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/SEI_312819149.jpg" rel="nofollow">https://www.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/SEI_...
<a href="https://media.zenfs.com/en/live_science_953/73a4cafd69e9e86312a459e0206a1469.png" rel="nofollow">https://media.zenfs.com/en/live_science_953/73a4cafd69e9e863...
<a href="https://media.zenfs.com/en/live_science_953/1fea354ba7a8db696e3bc8750e32dca0.jpg" rel="nofollow">https://media.zenfs.com/en/live_science_953/1fea354ba7a8db69...
<a href="https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/get/maximage/20260917_1789662761-615.jpeg?1789662761" rel="nofollow">https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/get/maximage/20260917_17896627...
cromka · · focus · HN ↗
Also, they're only 3-4 lbs!
BeetleB · · focus · HN ↗
This particular one was actually being kept in a house because someone confused it for a "pretty housecat". After a while, the owner realized it didn't want to be tamed and contacted someone for help.
Also, it's the only known one in existence. Hard to start a breeding program unless they find more.
shevy-java · · focus · HN ↗
Some animals are just harder to tame and remain ferocious more than others. But behaviour of animals is adaptable and most animals learn.
sscaryterry · · focus · HN ↗
ghaff · · focus · HN ↗
gorgoiler · · focus · HN ↗
They don’t go outside (they can’t really, it’s too busy by the road here and they’d decimate the wildlife, but I live with it because ultimately we’re doing them a huge favor by giving them a home, post-rescue) so I am sure that has something to do with it. Perhaps infantilism is keeping them in this pack headspace? But even then my mother’s cat — rural, murderous, tough tabby tom — treats her like a god and the rest of us as an annoyance.
ghaff · · focus · HN ↗