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From: bredy@alkp.serum.kodak.com (Dan Bredy (x37360))
Subject: Re: Cats and Rabbits
Message-ID: <1991May20.173226.15319@ssd.kodak.com>
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Organization: Eastman Kodak
References: <1991Apr28.152146.1353@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> <41794@cup.portal.com>
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Date: Mon, 20 May 91 17:32:26 GMT

In article <41794@cup.portal.com> dbell@cup.portal.com (David J Bell) writes:
>>I have just been told that cats and rabbits can mate under 
>>domesticated situations, producing offspring called "cabbits".
>>I was uder the impression that rabbits were rodents and cats were
>>felines, and that such a mating could not be successful.  If this
>>correct?  Could someone please comment on "cabbits".
>
>>Also I would be interested in knowing about other inter-species
>>offspring such as "tigons", "ligers" and "mules".
>
>>Ashok Aiyar
>
>Mate? Yes, I suppose so. Produce offspring? Forget it... The
>species are too far apart. "Tigons" and "Ligers" I don't know
>about; I'd doubt it. "Mules" are perfectly common, crosses between
>donkies and horses. The term has come to be a generic for such
>inter-breeds, which are virtually always sterile offspring.
>Simliar crosses have been made, I understand, between horses
>and zebras. Rumors of Human/lower Primate crosses abound, and
>are probably just rumors...
>
>Dave

The story about cabbits is an urban legend (I was flamed to a toasty crisp in
rec.pets about this some months ago). Under some conditions cats and rabbits
may mate (in heat), but reproduce? NEVER! I have seen a picture of a leon (a
tiger, leopard mix) in an encyclopedia (circa 1968) so I am sure they, as well
as ligers and tigons exist, but are infertile. The leon I saw looked like a
leopard with a very short mane.

Dan