SAN DIEGO, California: Limited edition, a one-year warranty and a 12-month wait - the new designer 'super breed' Ashera might just make your tabby obsolete.
Touted by Lifestyle Pets (the company behind the hypo-allergenic cat) as one of the world's rarest and most exotic cat breeds, the Ashera was apparently created by crossing the bloodlines of the African Serval and the Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic feline, according to newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald.
And it will set you back a cool $22,000. Plus $1500 delivery. Oh, and tax.
It apparently features 'leopard-like' spots and can reach a weight of 30 pounds - yet Lifestyle claims the Ashera is still very affectionate and has a great temperament.
According to Yahoo, this new 'breed' enjoys being walked on a leash and will be limited to a breeding run of less than 100 animals per year. In fact the Ashera is so rare it doesn't even exist in public yet. However Lifestyle Pets says you can get yours with only a nine-month wait - and a $6000 deposit payable up front.
The company says it has already sold two of the $22,000 kitties - one to a family in Beverly Hills, and another to a cat lover in Moscow, according to Yahoo.
All Ashera kittens are provided with a Certificate of Authenticity that will include an image of each kitten's DNA “fingerprint”, according to the breeder.
According to the official Ashera website, Lifestyle Pets will only discuss specific details about the owning and purchasing this 'breed' by phone or in person. It also says the exclusive kitty will get by just fine on normal cat food.
However, according to signsonsandiego.com, this 'Cat of the Century' may actually be a very similar, if not identical to an already-existing breed - the Savannah cat. The Savannah, a cross between wild African Servals and domestic cats, already sells for up to $4500 per animal.
If legitimate, the Ashera is the latest in a line of exotic cat breeds ineligible to be exhibited in cat shows, including the California Spangled Cat, the Ragdoll and the Pakhet.
But if you simply can't wait for your $22,000 kitty, don't fret - for another $6000, Lifestyle Pets says it might have a couple of spare kittens it could let you have right now.
I think this is way too much! There are so many cats and kittens in shelters in need of loving homes- I don't see any reason why you should buy cats when there are so many just waiting to get adopted! Heck for ,000.00 you can start your own small shelter and have all the cats you want! I really think, if you really care about animals, you can use your ,000.00 some other, better way.
The question is will there be enough people out there willing to fork over that much money for a cat? Looks cute but I'm really a dog person =)
I'll have one! If I had k on me right now. Plus delivery. And tax.
I suppose it's really all about choice, is it? I would imagine that if you really wanted a cat like this, and had the money to spare, then it's nice to know you have the option to spend all your cash this way.
The Savannah Cat is a registered breed recognized by The International Cat Association (TICA)and is identified as a cat derived from the African Serval. No matter if the cat's pedigree also contains Bengal, Egyptian Mau, poodle and donkey as well...provided there is an African Serval listed in the pedigree, THE CAT IS A SAVANNAH, not a home grown, laboratory bred feline called an ASHERA.
The the Ashera Cat (at over four times the price of a Savannah) is nothing more than a marketing ploy by a very creative company. It is NOT recognized by ANY registry or Breed Association and is a genetic duplicate of the Savannah (even looks like one, although a bad one).
Hmmmm...wonder if the reason it is called by another name is because by it's very definition it IS a Savannah Cat and if it were registered as such, would be in competition with other Savannah Breeders who DO NOT sell their kitten for ,000 and actually raise their kittens by hand as opposed to in a laboratory...
There is an old adage about a sucker being born every minute...and it is a very safe bet that a number of them are anxiously awaiting to take delivery on their new "Ashera Cats."
Laughing in Chicago
I viewed several pics of this animal. Are all these cats Female? I have had cats all my life and good old feral toms have the "fat Freddie's Cat testicles". Is this cat like a mule, neuter?
that's extortion! lol. lucy my balinese is super but she ain't that pricey.. you can have her for half the price..lol! just messin.. lucy can be a brat but i love her.
what! i will never spend that much of a cat even if she were a rare breed. i would rather get a car or something because it would crazy, just plain crazy to spend that much on a pet. i would also be too scared if that cat gets stolen or runs away.
That supercat is super expensive! Better think twice in buying that cat, might turn out to be a sheep or something lol! www.petshed.com/articles/sheep-mistaken-for-poodles.html
okay, seriously, how many have they sold so far? *crickets chirping*
hey thanks for the info, cynthia king. real interesting stuff.
The Savannah Cat is a marketing ploy? So it ain't real? Is this proven? it would be nice to know some real facts.
I have actually seen one of these cats being walked on a leash in an outside shopping center named Kierland in Scottsdale, Az. It is quite larger than a housecat and is amazingly beautiful and friendly. Not a hoax at all as I've seen one with my own eyes. If I only had a spare 22k.
what a beautiful cat but i will never be able to afford one even if i wanted to. besides, i wouldn't want a cat that expensive. i would be too afraid if it runs away.
no one in their right mind would buy a cat that expensive. i mean c'mon! there are a lot more important things we can spend on. just imagine what you can do with 22,000 dollars!
An "ashera cat" is nothing more than an un-registered poorly bred savannah that someone slaped a different name and a 22,000 dollar price tag on! Unlike the savannah it has no known breed standards, no birth records, no petigree! This is extreamly fustrating due to the fact there are many registered catteries out there putting in long hours tons of money and care into raising breed spacific savannahs that they're only getting paid 2000-5000 dollars for!
z.about.com/d/cats/1/7/2/-/1/savannah640x480.jpg Here's a savannah that looks like it has bengal or "asian leopard" in it's background - could easily be labled as a so called "ashera cat" but any cat that's crossed with serval is a SAVANNAH!!
www.jujukats.com/images/teriandcallie.jpg Here's a picture of a woman holding her savvanah cat, just as big as this "ashera cat" but once again, still a savannah! What new ways will people find to destort what we already have and try and pull our leggs into buying it?
-Kiki @TotallyTameExotics & fellow savannah breeder!