Rare, expensive household pet bred from wild, domestic cats
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San Diego, California - 3 November 2007
1. Mid shot of adult Ashera cat.
2. Close up of cat.
3. Cat runs across room.
4. Cat runs behind sofa.
5. Cat jumps onto bookcase.
6. Cat walks past a television set.
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ryan Oylear, Ashera handler:
"They're definitely above domestic cats in that they are much larger, they are much higher energy, they like to be up high. You could say that for most cats but these guys prefer it."
8. Wide of cat up on countertop.
9. Close up of cat.
10. Medium shot of Lifestyle Pets spokesperson, Alexis Rodriguez with the cat.
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Alexis Rodriguez, Lifestyle Pets spokesperson:
"Due to the mix of two exotic breeds it may need the assistance of a behavioural specialist, just because it may become a little too hyper."
San Juan Capistrano, California - 5 November 2007
12. Close up of Ashera kitten.
13. Wide of kitten playing with family.
14. Close up of kitten playing.
15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jo Cachia, Ashera cat owner.
"We're hoping that he is socialised enough with our playfulness and our kids playing with him that he wont get too wild. And that he'll be controllable and beautiful."
San Diego, California - 3 November 2007
16. Close up of adult Ashera cat.
17. Wide of cat with Rodriguez
18. Cat being stroked
19. Wide of cat on countertop.
STORYLINE:
A new hybrid cat has become the latest exotic pet for homeowners in America.
Called the "largest, rarest and most exotic" domestic cat in the world, the Ashera is a result of breeding the African Surval and the Asian Leopard cat with an ordinary domestic cat.
Lifestyle Pets of California is selling the animal for 22 to 28 thousand US dollars each.
Despite the price tag the waiting time is currently one year, and the company expects to sell about 50 of the leopard-spotted cats annually.
The Ashera is similar to the average household cat in shape.
But it does have the markings of its wild cousins and a bit more size, standing four feet high on its hind legs.
And Ashera handler Ryan Oylear says the Ashera also behaves a bit like its bigger, wilder ancestry too, with a life expectancy of up to 25 years.
To help owners along, Lifestyle Pets says the fee includes 10 years of visits with a renowned animal behaviourist, if you ever should need it.
Jo Cachia and her family won their Ashera kitten in a Beverly Hills auction and waited over a year for their furry prize.
'Hobie' as he is known is now one of the family and is certainly very playful.
British businessman Simon Brodie used a team of geneticists to develop the exotic pets at his US lab.
Previously his Lifestyle Pets had developed hypo-allergenic cats for allergy sufferers.
Keyword animals wacky
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