# Please help, cross breeding rabbits and cats??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2000, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241 "2000-08-29T20:27:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![samboboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@samboboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samboboy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/1 "2000-08-29T20:27:14Z")
A coworker of mine is under what I pressume to be the influence of psychotropic drugs and swears that he has seen and has afriend who breeds half cat half rabbits. Photo’s of which can be found at [http://www.cabbits.8m.com/](http://www.cabbits.8m.com/) for example \ ok please tell me the reasons, I am sure there are many, that this cannot be done, other of course than the inter species breeding part. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/2 "2000-08-29T20:30:51Z")
Well, after all, Hannibal crossed the Alps with elephants… … and got some very cross elephants. ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/3 "2000-08-29T20:34:56Z")
I’ve seen pictures of Jackelopes (Jackrabbits crossed with Antelopes), but that don’t make it so… ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/4 "2000-08-29T20:59:05Z")
I believe your friend has a Munchkin cat, a recent breed with mutant, deformed front knees (or whatever joint that is that’s sorta like a knee). Breeding a predator and its prey is probably _not_ likely. BTW, if you’re interested in buying a nickel that has the buffalo facing the wrong way… ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/5 "2000-08-29T21:00:14Z")
There is nothing even vaguely rabbit-like about any of the cats in those pictures. Rabbits have 22 chromosome pairs and cats have 19, so I think this makes it genetically impossible for them to produce any offspring together. Can any biologists or geneticists confirm this? ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/6 "2000-08-29T21:15:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samboboy \* > \*\*please tell me the reasons, I am sure there are many, that this cannot be done, other of course than the inter species breeding part. > \*\* Most species cannot inter-breed, but I think there are some species that can (like black ducks & mallards) but it tends to be rare or it produces sterile offspring (mules?). I don’t know whether cats & rabbits are capable of this, but I seem to recall hearing something on this very same subject many years ago. Maybe there’s something to it, or maybe it’s an urban legend. Anyone else know? ---
**Author:** ![labdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5fc32e/32.png) [@labdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labdude)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/7 "2000-08-29T21:36:21Z")
this is a well known UL. Check the UL sites. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/8 "2000-08-29T21:41:38Z")
I found this, which also says what I thought, at [http://www.breedlist.com/manx-breeders.html:](http://www.breedlist.com/manx-breeders.html:) “Interesting fact: A common urban legend is about a breed called the “Cabbit” – a crossbreed between a rabbit and a cat. So-called Cabbits are almost certainly either Manx or cats exhibiting Manx trait. (Cross-breeding between rabbits and cats is genetically impossible; these are two different species that don’t even share the same number of chromosomes).” ---
**Author:** ![MrKurtz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@MrKurtz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKurtz)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/9 "2000-08-29T21:54:19Z")
I wonder if these so-called cabbits aren’t just Twisty Kats given a new name and (really unbelievable) background. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/10 "2000-08-29T22:15:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrKurtz \* > \*\*I wonder if these so-called cabbits aren’t just Twisty Kats given a new name and (really unbelievable) background. \*\* That’s what I thought at first. But these Cabbits weren’t as deformed at the Twisties. I think these are the Munchkins mentioned earlier. The Twisties were made by inbreeding polydactyl cats. Eventually, you’ll get severe mutations. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Wood\_Thrush](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b38774/32.png) [@Wood\_Thrush](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wood_Thrush)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/11 "2000-08-29T22:17:15Z")
American black ducks and mallards are in the same genus, _Anas_. Cats and rabbits are not even in the same order. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/12 "2000-08-29T22:46:33Z")
I think that actually breading a _cabbit_ (a cat and a rabbit) are about as remote as a _jackalope_ (jack rabbit and antelope, or cantalope for that matter). I agree with **missbunny** that they are more likely Manx. I have a neighbor with cross breed Manx and Siamese. It has all the Manx features short stocky body, shorter forelegs than hindlegs, and stubby tail, but has the color of a Siamese. From a side view picture, if you couldn’t see it’s head, it could pass for a rabbit. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/13 "2000-08-29T23:31:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CKDextHavn \* > \*\*Well, after all, Hannibal crossed the Alps with elephants… > > … and got some very cross elephants. \*\* Thanks for the smile Dex. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/14 "2000-08-29T23:32:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Rabbits have 22 chromosome pairs and cats have 19, so I think this makes it genetically impossible for them to produce any offspring together. Can any biologists or geneticists confirm this? Rabbits and cats certainly can not interbreed, but this is not the reason. We recently had a thread on mules and other equine crossbreeds. Most species of equine can produce sterile hybrids in spite of mismatching numbers of chromosome pairs: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=35128](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=35128) In particular, zebras can be crossbred to horses or donkeys in spite of very gross mismatch in the number of chromosomes. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/15 "2000-08-29T23:38:08Z")
Of course rabbits and cats cannot interbreed, they have been genetically isolated for 65 million years or more. Domestic cats _can_ interbreed with some wild cats, but not with others. I know feline taxonomy has been revamped lately, but I’m not up on all the new Genus names. Anyway, your domestic cat might be able to interbreed with several species of small Old World wild cats, even ones with spots. A rabbit of course is a Lagomorph. A rabbit can’t even crossbreed with a hare, for crying out loud. So to sum up: No way, no how, never, never, never, uh-uh, not gonna happen, it’s all lies, no, No, NO. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/16 "2000-08-30T01:09:54Z")
- - - You probably didn’t want to know, but I ran across a site that had a collection of pictures of animals in the act. The wierdo thing was, it was different animals: a rabbit and chicken, a german shepard and a deer, a raccoon and a dog. Quite a few, considering the time it must have taken to produce such a collection. No unusual offspring were noted. And God knows they tried. Aside from mules and big cats, I dunno much other animals you can cross breed and get anything as a result except incriminating photos. - MC ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/17 "2000-08-30T01:21:16Z")
some members of the dog family - wolf+dog, coydogs some closely related birds - supposedly hybrids of blue jay / stellar’s jay are turning up where their ranges overlap. Different species of grouse can hybridize. Saw this one on a nature show once. There is a grouse species which does a mating dance, and one which puffs out it’s chest and makes a distinctive call. They crossbreed occasionally - a crossbreed male has a horrible dillemma - it’s not sure which mating ritual to perform, and hence isn’t successful at either. This obviously begs the question of whether it’s sterile or not. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/18 "2000-08-30T01:28:06Z")
According to **Scylla** , in his [goat porn thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=33909), his goat tried to mate with everything on the farm. Of course, he also has Nazi groundhogs, so take that for what it’s worth. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Profane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/19 "2000-08-30T01:40:44Z")
How about this [Cabbit](http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Garden/5844/Ryooki.html) That is what came to mind upon seeing the title of this thread. Tenchi forever! ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241/20 "2000-08-30T02:08:20Z")
Yes, I have bengals, which are crosses between Asian Leopard cats & domestic cats. But that is only separate species, and you can “force” same genus, diff species to interbreed. Not natural, but it can & does happen. There are tales of a few 'cross -genus" interbreedings, but my guess is that those would really only indicate what we thought were 2 different but related genus were really one. Lagomorphs & Carniveria are different Families, in the order Mammalia, and there has never been a cross-family breeding. Those are just deformed cats. The site also gives hints to this. Of couse, animals can & do have cross family SEX, but nothing can be bred from that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-cross-breeding-rabbits-and-cats/31241.md?page=2)