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There are certainly breeds that trend larger then others. Maine Coons, for example, tend to be very hefty cats! There's also variation in body type...a Maine Coon is not just larger then a Siamese but also more substantial. But there seems to be a smaller genetic 'upper limit' with cats than with dogs. The genetics just don't allow us to go over that threshold...individual cats may, but again those that did have extreme size mutations are less likely to live to pass that trait on, and if they do, their offspring are less likely to, making it much harder to establish a line then with dogs.
Okay, I'm thinking about wild hybrids now. Ligers can grow to be much larger than either of their parents. Maybe there's a recessive growth inhibiting trait in certain domesticated cats somewhere that can be bred out without causing much damage? It seems to exist in the wildcats.
Okay, I'm thinking about wild hybrids now. Ligers can grow to be much larger than either of their parents. Maybe there's a recessive growth inhibiting trait in certain domesticated cats somewhere that can be bred out without causing much damage? It seems to exist in the wildcats.
The excessive growth in Liger's is actually due to trait inherited from their tiger parent. Male lions have genes that encourage growth of the cub. Female lions have genes that inhibit this growth. Female tigers, however, DON'T have those growth inhibiting genes, so the cub sired on her by a male lion grows larger then it should. However, many such fetuses are never born...the mash-up of genes results in many miscarriages and deaths. Adult ligers can suffer from a number of health problems as well, and are often sterile.
The reason lions have genes that encourage growth is because the female lion mates with multiple males. Each male wants their cub to be the biggest so it can have the largest share of resources. The female, however, needs to keep the cubs at a more reasonable size so she can care for them, so she has genes that fight this growth. Our own domestic cats are the same way, with one female mating with many males. So it's likely their 'cap' of growth is in part related to the inhibiting genes of the female. So you could in theory remove those inhibiting genes, I suppose, though it would take gene therapy and not just directed breeding. But again...why would you want to? It's dangerous for the female to have cubs that large. It has adverse health effects on the young. The young probably wouldn't be sterile (as that's due to species cross), but you would probably still end up with a lot of miscarriages and early deaths for every viable kitten.
The excessive growth in Liger's is actually due to trait inherited from their tiger parent. Male lions have genes that encourage growth of the cub. Female lions have genes that inhibit this growth. Female tigers, however, DON'T have those growth inhibiting genes, so the cub sired on her by a male lion grows larger then it should. However, many such fetuses are never born...the mash-up of genes results in many miscarriages and deaths. Adult ligers can suffer from a number of health problems as well, and are often sterile.
The reason lions have genes that encourage growth is because the female lion mates with multiple males. Each male wants their cub to be the biggest so it can have the largest share of resources. The female, however, needs to keep the cubs at a more reasonable size so she can care for them, so she has genes that fight this growth. Our own domestic cats are the same way, with one female mating with many males. So it's likely their 'cap' of growth is in part related to the inhibiting genes of the female. So you could in theory remove those inhibiting genes, I suppose, though it would take gene therapy and not just directed breeding. But again...why would you want to? It's dangerous for the female to have cubs that large. It has adverse health effects on the young. The young probably wouldn't be sterile (as that's due to species cross), but you would probably still end up with a lot of miscarriages and early deaths for every viable kitten.
I guess breeders and geneticists may be thinking that way, too. Maybe it is just too dangerous to the animal. (I would imagine large breed dogs, like Great Danes, have similar issues, though) I at least haven't heard of any giant housecats in the works, but I'll keep checking the breed registries. It seems like since they've gone far enough to make a Munchkin, a "wiener" cat, they could probably up the size on some breed without hurting it much. I guess it's just not in popular demand.
I think the popular trend right now is making small cats that look like their wild cousins, like the Toyger tabby, for instance.
I'm not really against cat shows and decorative breeding, as long as they take the resulting animal's overall health into consideration. I feel like purebred cats probably do as much harm to the animal as purebred dogs do to canines. Cat breeds are relatively younger, though.
Munchkins were initially bred on a deformity and they are not healthy cats. That is my point. This breeding crap is out of control.
Right, but I'm thinking if they managed to do that, they could probably find genes that inhibit size and remove them with minimal defects. It's just a thought. I also wonder why they don't breed to create a healthier animal, a cat immune to FIV and rabies, for instance (a cat with stronger claws and teeth and better vision?)
Right, but I'm thinking if they managed to do that, they could probably find genes that inhibit size and remove them with minimal defects. It's just a thought. I also wonder why they don't breed to create a healthier animal, a cat immune to FIV and rabies, for instance (a cat with stronger claws and teeth and better vision?)
That's the thing, though. It's relatively easy to breed for a lot of different extreme traits. Breeding them without health-adverse defects, on the other hand...
As I've already noted, giant breed dogs die much younger than their smaller counterparts. That's accepted as just part of owning the breed. Scottish folds, Manx, etc....all of them have defects directly tied to their 'breed traits'. Again, breeding unhealthy, suffering animals is just accepted as part of what you have to do to get those traits. There's zero reason to think that if we COULD breed giant house cats, that we'd care anymore about making their health and welfare top priority.
In any case, removing the inhibiting genes that help control kitten growth wouldn't be a simple matter of just controlled breeding. That's why you haven't seen giant size cats yet, or breeders working toward that goal. It's not possible with our current level of technology...you'd have to directly alter the genes. Trust me, if we were able to breed giant house cats just through directed breeding, we'd have them already...even if it mean they dropped dead of heart attacks at five years old.
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