Toygers - house cat bred to look like a tiger

OK, I read about these a couple days ago. A toyger is a housecat bred to look and act like a minI tiger. They're lovable, muscular, and apparently love to SWIM This is NOT one of those stupid airbrushed cats (I hate those). It's an established breed.
Anyway, I was wondering what everyones opinions are on these. I'm thinking it'd be a riot to own one, except the estimated price could be as high as $4000.00 per kitten.
What do you guys think?

 

Never heard of such a breed. Are you sure it's a real picture? They can do anything with computer graphics these days, for example paint a cat so that it looks like a tiger, lol

The only breed that comes to my mind, that looks a bit like a wild cat, is the Egyptian Mau:

Or the BENGAL BREED in particular. Look at the Bengal cat:
Bengal cats are ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. I am determined to get one from a good breeder some day. They're extremely beautiful and intelligent.

I also love Norwegian Forest cats, Maine Coons, Ragdolls, and any cats with blue eyes

 

There is such a breed...not sure all are marked as distinguished as that one though

 

Isabella, the bengal was the start... the toyger is the next generation!
The story I read said they are trying to raise awareness to the eventual extinction of both tigers and leopards by breeding small, housepet versions. I guess the theory is that if people have housecat versions that they love, they'll try harder to stop the slaughter of the big cats.
Here's a website about the toyger history:

 

WOW, lol, so it is true! Heck, if they have tiger-like cats ... man, I want that one too! They must look amazing in real life! ;D

 

I think the best part is they say they like to SWIM!!! Just like real tigers!
I really want one!

 

Swimming cats, lol lol lol ... ;D

But hey, when I put my cats in my swimming pool in the summer, they know how to swim too. Cats know naturally how to swim.

 

yeah, but most cat's don't swim for FUN!!!! hehehe I'm amazed, cause real tigers are about the only cat I've seen that dive in and have a ball...

 

I'm amused by this, but I'm also horrified. I know how these breeding programs go, and they produce a lot of animals. Only the ones with desirable traits are allowed to breed, and in some extreme cases, live. (I don't know if the people who developed this breed are among the despicable latter case, just putting it out there that it happens) Either way, a very large number of young are produced as quickly as possible, and any that don't have the desirable traits are not guaranteed happy lives. They might be abandoned, or flooded into an animal shelter, or sold through pet stores. No matter what, it's more animals in a world where there are more domesticated animals than there are homes for them.
They're still really cute cats, and I can't say that I don't love the concept. I just don't love how it came about.

 

Breeding domesticated cats to look like wild cats has been done since 1964 when the ocicat was bred accidentally.
Carol

 

I read about Toygers a month or so ago. From what I've seen, having researched the internet since viewing the article, the show quality cats go for anywhere from $2000 - $4000 depending on breeder and dominant traits. The "flawed" cats are going at a start price of $600. On some of them the ears are a little more pointy like a domestic house breed or the tails lack the dominant striping. They are beautiful and supposedly quite playful. Supposedly by 2010 they should be almost perfected and looking just like a smaller version of their larger, predator cousins.

 

zpecialt,
I think I wrote this already, but the part that I found facinating is supposedly they love to play in water, just like real tigers! I want one!

 

Jim, I've seen a news report one morning a while ago about toygers. They had them in their studio. They were amazing

 

Isabella, I really want one, but I just bought a new car (see thread: Other: I won't be buying fish for a while). Doubt I can afford one for a few years now! lol

 

Well, how much are these toygers? A few thousand dollars for one, or what?!

 

I read a purebred one will run about $4000.00

 

WOW ! That's a LOT of money as for a cat! Add all the vet fees into the whole deal too. Dogs like german shepherds or siberian huskies from best breeders don't even cost that much, lol.

 

yeah, but this is a new breed of cat... you know they'll exploit it for all it's worth

 

AquaDuk already told me about the Toygers a while ago, but they're really cool. My parents would probably love them because they were bron in the tiger year and the tiger is our nation's symbol, just like China's is the pandas.