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someone tries to mate a cheetah with a house cat, no offspring will result.
But a small jungle cat and a domestic cat make really striking kittens.
"They're beautiful," said state Sen. Joe Seng, a veterinarian from Davenport. "When you see one it's, 'Wow.' Gorgeous, gorgeous cats."
But they're illegal.
So-called hybrid cats were outlawed in Iowa with legislation on dangerous animals that went into effect July 1, 2007.
Some Iowans are pushing for legislation that would make them legal pets again.
Senate File 2383 would legalize hybrid cats that are the offspring of a domestic cat and certain wildcats.
Seng, a Democrat, has mixed feelings about the bill.
"I can see both sides of the issue," he said Monday.
Seng said he understands why people love these cats, but he's hesitant to say they're good pets.
"To say any cat is perfectly safe is not true," he said. "A feral cat is very dangerous if it attacks a person, if it's wild and goes nuts in my office. Eighteen claws and teeth."
Diana Starr, who lives in rural Guthrie County, owns and breeds cats that are descended from wildcats. Her cats are legal because she has a federal license that applies to dealers or exhibitors.
Iowans can also legally own the cats if they had them before July 1, but they have to take the same steps as the owner of a lion, tiger or bear. They must post a sign stating they own a dangerous wild animal, register it with the Department of Agriculture, install a microchip in the pet, and carry a $100,000 liability insurance policy, said Dr. David Schmitt, the state veterinarian.
One of Starr's cats, Luna, is the granddaughter of an Asian leopard cat.
"The earlier generation cats are not mean, but the biggest complaint is that they'll do funny things like urinate in the sink," Starr said. "But they're very docile. People who come over to my house have no idea they're early generation cats."
Pet adoption agencies such as the Humane Society and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa are opposed to the proposed bill legalizing hybrid cats, saying they're the ones who have to deal with animals after they've hurt people or their owners realize they can't handle them.
The bill was debated in the Senate on Monday, and leaders said they expect to vote on it today.
Reporter Jennifer Janeczko Jacobs can be reached at (515) 284-8001 or jejacobs@dmreg.com
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