Cheetoh
The Cheetoh was created in the United States from 2001 by crossing Bengals with Ocicats, combining two already-spotted breeds to produce a large, boldly marked cat with a distinctive low, stalking walk.
It weighs 4.5 to 11 kilograms, making it one of the larger domestic breeds, with a spotted coat and a heavily muscled build. Both foundation breeds are domestic — the Ocicat entirely so, the Bengal several generations removed from the Asian leopard cat — so the Cheetoh has no meaningful wild content and no special legal status. It is registered by TICA as experimental and remains rare. Temperament is described as sociable and unusually gentle for its size.
2 cheetoh photos, newest first
Living with a cheetoh
Ask for the Bengal DNA tests — PRA-b and pyruvate kinase deficiency — and about echocardiographic screening for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which occurs in Bengal lines.
They are large and powerful and need space, height and substantial daily play. A cat of nine or ten kilograms needs cat furniture rated for it.
Despite the size they are reported as gentle and sociable, and they generally do well with children and other pets.
Keep them lean. Large-framed cats hide weight gain well, and obesity brings diabetes and joint problems.
Weekly grooming for the short coat, and ordinary preventive care.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual cats vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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