Highland Lynx Breed Information
The Highland Lynx is now purely a domestic cat. The first generations of wild cat have long since been breed out. The very first Highland Lynx litter was born on July 1, 1995 at Timberline Cattery. Highland Lynx is the only cat breed specifically developed from two existing breeds. Timberline Cattery pioneered the development of the Highland Lynx by crossing Desert Lynx cats with Jungle Curls. The Jungle Curl cat is a curled eared wild cat hybrid - a cross between the African Jungle cat and the Hemingway Curl. The Desert Lynx most likely derived from the breeding of a two of the following: Maine Coon, American Bobtail, Pixie-Bob or Manx. Desert Lynx and Highland Lynx are essentially the same cats with different ears. The Rare & Exotic Feline Registry considers the two breeds to be of the same breed group and are born in the same litter. Kittens with straight ears may be registered as Desert Lynx while the kittens with curled ears may be registered as Highland Lynx. The curled ears of the Highland Lynx are caused by a dominate gene which both curls the ears and somewhat reduces the size of the ears. When the two breeds are bred together, the straight-eared kittens resulting from the breeding do not carry genes for curled ears. The Highland Lynx have small curled ears that are set wide apart, usually with feathering and tufts on the tip. Ears curl backwards at the tips. The degree of the curl may be slight or extreme, with the tip of the ear actually curling back and touching the back side of the ear. The gene which causes the ear to curl actually hardens the cartilage in the ear and dwarfs the ear size.
These cats are strong, muscular cats which are medium in length with longer hind legs, and toes may be tufted. The polydactyl gene (which produces extra toes) is a dominant gene which is considered a desirable trait in these cats. Some cats are polydactyl while others are not. When two polydactyl cats are bred together, some of the kittens will be polydactyl and some will have regular feet. Cats with regular feet will never throw polydactyl kittens. The males are larger than females and slower to mature. These cats come in both long and short hair. The head is large but not round, with a full, well-developed muzzle that is almost square in appearance, with prominent whisker pads. The wide set eyes are large and expressive, set at an angle, with colors ranging from gold to green, with blue eyes in the snows. The tail may come half way to the ground, or it may be lacking entirely, as in the Manx, or it may be any length in between.
Highland Lynx officially come in three coat patterns in all eumelanistic and melanistic colors--ebony, blue, sorrel, fawn, chocolate, lilac, red, and cream --including silver, cameo, sepia, mink, and snow. The coat patterns are tawny (ticked), leopard (spotted), and clouded (marble). Solid colored cats, as well as mackerel tabby, do sometimes occur. The leopard pattern is a spotted tabby pattern. It is marked by spots of the darker color, most prominent on the sides of the body and the belly. The spots may vary in size and shape, but should be evenly distributed. Contrast with ground color may not be as distinct as the silvers. A dorsal stripe runs the length of the body to the tip of the tail. The stripe is ideally composed of spots. The markings on the face and forehead are typical tabby markings, with the underside of the body having distinct spots. Legs and tail are barred. In the sepia, mink, and snow subdivisions, it is desirable for ghost leopard spots to appear on the bodies. The tawny pattern is a ticked tabby pattern marked by ticking on the body hair with various shades of the marking color and ground color, with the outer tipping being the darkest and the undercoat being the ground color. The body may exhibit a barely perceptible spotted pattern. The tail, legs, and face will have tabby penciling. Necklace tracings will are also frequently seen. The clouded leopard pattern, while derived from modifications to the classic tabby gene, is different from the classic tabby pattern, with as little bull's eye similarities possible. The pattern gives the impression of marble, preferably with a horizontal flow. Vertical stripes are undesirable. Contrast should be good, with distinct shapes and sharp edges. The belly must be spotted.
Out-crosses to either unregistered or purebred cats are permitted. However, such crosses should be carefully chosen to complement the overall type of the Highland Lynx cat. Highland Lynx, Desert Lynx, and Mohave Bobs are part of the Desert Lynx breed group in the Rare & Exotic Feline Registry. In other words, Mohave Bobs, Highland Lynx, Desert Lynx, and Alpine Lynx may be bred together, with offspring registered as follows: All white kittens (including straight and curled coats and straight or curled ears) are registered as Alpine Lynx. All non-white kittens with curled coats are registered as Mohave Bobs. All non-white kittens with straight coats and straight ears are registered as Desert Lynx. All non-white kittens with straight coats and curled ears are registered as Highland Lynx. Non-white kittens do not carry the gene for white color.
These cats are strong, muscular cats which are medium in length with longer hind legs, and toes may be tufted. The polydactyl gene (which produces extra toes) is a dominant gene which is considered a desirable trait in these cats. Some cats are polydactyl while others are not. When two polydactyl cats are bred together, some of the kittens will be polydactyl and some will have regular feet. Cats with regular feet will never throw polydactyl kittens. The males are larger than females and slower to mature. These cats come in both long and short hair. The head is large but not round, with a full, well-developed muzzle that is almost square in appearance, with prominent whisker pads. The wide set eyes are large and expressive, set at an angle, with colors ranging from gold to green, with blue eyes in the snows. The tail may come half way to the ground, or it may be lacking entirely, as in the Manx, or it may be any length in between.
Highland Lynx officially come in three coat patterns in all eumelanistic and melanistic colors--ebony, blue, sorrel, fawn, chocolate, lilac, red, and cream --including silver, cameo, sepia, mink, and snow. The coat patterns are tawny (ticked), leopard (spotted), and clouded (marble). Solid colored cats, as well as mackerel tabby, do sometimes occur. The leopard pattern is a spotted tabby pattern. It is marked by spots of the darker color, most prominent on the sides of the body and the belly. The spots may vary in size and shape, but should be evenly distributed. Contrast with ground color may not be as distinct as the silvers. A dorsal stripe runs the length of the body to the tip of the tail. The stripe is ideally composed of spots. The markings on the face and forehead are typical tabby markings, with the underside of the body having distinct spots. Legs and tail are barred. In the sepia, mink, and snow subdivisions, it is desirable for ghost leopard spots to appear on the bodies. The tawny pattern is a ticked tabby pattern marked by ticking on the body hair with various shades of the marking color and ground color, with the outer tipping being the darkest and the undercoat being the ground color. The body may exhibit a barely perceptible spotted pattern. The tail, legs, and face will have tabby penciling. Necklace tracings will are also frequently seen. The clouded leopard pattern, while derived from modifications to the classic tabby gene, is different from the classic tabby pattern, with as little bull's eye similarities possible. The pattern gives the impression of marble, preferably with a horizontal flow. Vertical stripes are undesirable. Contrast should be good, with distinct shapes and sharp edges. The belly must be spotted.
Out-crosses to either unregistered or purebred cats are permitted. However, such crosses should be carefully chosen to complement the overall type of the Highland Lynx cat. Highland Lynx, Desert Lynx, and Mohave Bobs are part of the Desert Lynx breed group in the Rare & Exotic Feline Registry. In other words, Mohave Bobs, Highland Lynx, Desert Lynx, and Alpine Lynx may be bred together, with offspring registered as follows: All white kittens (including straight and curled coats and straight or curled ears) are registered as Alpine Lynx. All non-white kittens with curled coats are registered as Mohave Bobs. All non-white kittens with straight coats and straight ears are registered as Desert Lynx. All non-white kittens with straight coats and curled ears are registered as Highland Lynx. Non-white kittens do not carry the gene for white color.
