The Ashera Cat

image Want to own a leopard? That probably wouldn't be legal, but for $22,000 you can have the next best thing. A company called Lifestyle Pets is selling what it claims is a cross between an African Serval, an Asian Leopard Cat and a domestic cat. So it's like a smaller, tamer version of a leopard. They call this cat an Ashera. Their product page says, "Fully socialized, the Ashera gets along well with children and other pets and unusually for cats, the Ashera takes well to being walked on a leash."

At first when I saw the Lifestyle Pets website, I thought it was some kind of elaborate hoax in the vein of GenPets. But the Ashera seems to be real. At least, it's being widely reported in the news. And these cats look big! (Well, big for cats.) I don't think any other cats in the neighborhood would mess with them. Not many dogs would either, I would bet. It would look pretty cool walking one of these cats around the neighborhood, but for $22,000 they're a bit out of my price range.

Animals

Posted on Mon Jun 04, 2007


Comments

I dont think a tropical climate would ever be an issue....The serval is from Africa...There is no speacial care for the Savannah per say. they act like dogs in some respects. If you would like to discuss the options you have for purchasing a Savannah you can contact me privatly at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) I can arrange some pictures for you to view if you are intersted. The cost would of course not be 22,000 that is five times what you would expect to pay for a good F1 which is 50% serval. savannah's range from anywhere between 800-7500
The Ashera IS a savannah that is why you cant get papers because if you did you would see what it really is. Any cat with Serval in its blood is a Savannah...again contact me directly at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Posted by matt  on  Wed Jun 06, 2007  at  07:02 PM
Hey I think I might have an Ashera (TM) cat. It is an F2 Savannah. Combo of Serval and ALC too. He is 4 years old. Weighs 40 lbs. Sweeter than most domestic cat breeds too. Was not 22k either.
Posted by Kristine Alessio  on  Thu Jun 07, 2007  at  01:06 AM
Hey these cats dont look much different from a begal. I would prefer a cat that actually looks like a lepoard, that includes size!

If people can have Malamutes, and Eskimo dogs, which are pretty close to wolves, I want a cat that can tear the shit out of any doberman.
Posted by XiztenZ  on  Thu Jun 07, 2007  at  05:03 AM
the bengal is a great breed, the savannah is a great breed. the ashera is a hoax. anyone that pays that much for a poor quality cat deserves to lose the 22k. as for the 'my cat breed is better than your cat breed' -- shut up. personal preference, ever heard of it? moving on.
Posted by sean  on  Fri Jun 08, 2007  at  11:04 PM
looks like there is another person bashing the ashera, but in the same breath, trying to sell another, non-existant cat for not 22k, but 35k!!!

check it out : http://www.huliq.com/23412/lifestyle-pets-the-22-000-ashera-cat
Posted by sean  on  Fri Jun 08, 2007  at  11:11 PM
LOL! "Costa Pahket" Too funny!! That's British slang (That must have cost a packet!!)for something that costs too much money!!!
Maybe he will breed "Costa Fortunes" next?
Posted by Rick  on  Sat Jun 09, 2007  at  07:43 PM
If you really want a "leopard cat" just get a Bengal! This is another case of people paying astronomical amounts for a brand name.
Posted by None  on  Sun Jun 10, 2007  at  10:56 AM
i own 2 bengals and they are the most amazing pets i've ever owned, and besides the size, they look far more similar to a leopard than a savannah..
Posted by sean  on  Mon Jun 11, 2007  at  09:28 AM
nobody said a serval looks like a bengal. as far as temperment, thats your personal opinion. my bengal looks far more like a leopard than a savannah. and i want the leopard look. you're arguing opinion.
Posted by sean  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  10:34 AM
you're a moron, you can argue with yourself from now on. enjoy.
Posted by sean  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  10:48 AM
it must hurt to be so pathetic you need to 'win' on the internet. i feel for you, i really do. *wave*
Posted by sean  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  11:10 AM
sit on it and rotate, you rancid can of naval jelly
Posted by sean  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  11:53 AM
hahah - that wasn't even my response, but i suppose it fits.
Posted by sean  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  11:56 AM
you know, you're right, i'm just bitter because the only friends i have are my cats.
Posted by Matthew Waits  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  11:57 AM
and even they think you're a tool. Ask them, go ahead. "Cats, am I a chrome-plated, craftsman toolbox of large capacity"? They will say yes, yes you swollen bag of litterbox lumps
Posted by sean  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:01 PM
please ignore the last few fake posts. The Presi- I mean my small pre-school child was playing on the Oval Office com- I mean the kitchen computer again, and didn't mean any harm. Sorry again, no hard feelings. That's an order, by the way.
Posted by Sorry  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:07 PM
cool. A cat-fight. I'm making popcorn. Carry on
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:15 PM
i think the first round was sean's, but matt's showing some fancy footwork acting deceptively aloof, much like a cat... not much fur flying, but i think sean has some hidden claws... ding ding... round three
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:24 PM
whoops, there goes my attention span timer. Thanks for the drama, as if
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:29 PM
for the record, NONE of that was me, the only reason i'm here is because i keep getting emails notifying me of the replies. thank you, please drive through.
Posted by sean  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:38 PM
this matt guy is retarded. there's my 2 cents. 😊
Posted by tina  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:50 PM
why is this homo posting as other people? regardless of what you're trying to do, you are still a homosexual.
Posted by tina  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:55 PM
loser, not looser.
Posted by tina  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:56 PM
short bus comments? i bet next you're going to talk about wanting to sleep with his mom.
Posted by tina  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  12:59 PM
loose
adj. loos
Posted by tina  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  01:00 PM
you should stop worrying so much about sean and pay more attention to installing spell-check.
Posted by tina  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  01:01 PM
it's okay sean, i'm just mad that i sleep with my sister and have my cats lick peanut butter out of my ass. i'd say we should kiss and make up, but i know i'm the only gay one around here.
Posted by Matt  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  01:04 PM
your 'sister' must have a big p3nis.
Posted by tina  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  01:06 PM
dude, when your album comes out and you tour all the gay clubs, can you get me on the guest list? there's nothing i like better than a bunch of sweaty mens dancing to 80's cover songs..
Posted by matt  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  01:35 PM
Sorry about that. Matt Waits was getting a tad carried away with the multiple personalities and arguments, so he's been removed. Try to carry on as if he were never here. 😉 - Charybdis
Posted by Charybdis  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  01:36 PM
much appreciated. back to the cats. i apologize for any 'de-railing' of the thread i was involved in.
Posted by sean  on  Tue Jun 12, 2007  at  02:49 PM
Even if this cat was bred a little different then a savannah, it claims up to 30 pounds. Savannahs with f1-f2 generations have weighed more then this, so the sites claims that it is the largest hybrid feline available is a lie as well. Plus you can often get savannah with the cool serval looking ears. Save your money, buy savannahs (i got an f4 kitten) or better yet, if you have childen get an f3 generation or lower and save your children.
Posted by babyj69  on  Mon Oct 15, 2007  at  10:23 PM
I like the big cat. Its very big like a mountain.
Posted by Michael  on  Thu Nov 01, 2007  at  09:21 AM
Have a look a the true breeders
http://www.savannahcatbreed.com/habari.shtml
Posted by Craig  on  Tue Nov 06, 2007  at  07:55 AM
These cats should NOT be in captivity. For the latest studies on post traumatic stress syndrome in captive animals AND humans exposed to stress, visit http://www.elephants.com Click on the gold heart on the home page to get to the section about PTSD and learn a lot.
Posted by Petey  on  Fri Nov 23, 2007  at  10:09 AM
Living with a hybrid cat (as is a Savannah) is not much different than living with any other cats. If a kitten is well socialized and loved and healthy it reacts as a normal cat would to a family and home.

The Ashera, in my opinion, is a Savannah, it could be registered as one with the The International Cat Assn. with a BIG price tag.

Nothing new or innovative about crossing the Serval to a cat with Asian Leopard background, I have a houseful of them. They use the litterbox, eat cat food like any other cat.
Posted by KRISTINE CHRISTENSEN ALESSIO, ESQ.  on  Fri Nov 23, 2007  at  07:49 PM
i want a kitty like that lols XD
Posted by Betty  on  Sat Dec 01, 2007  at  08:45 PM
Iv been looking into Big domestic cats since i first found out about them a year ago, it looks to me like the Savannah cats have bigger ears and grow to be slightly smaller then the Ashera cats? but all the posts i have seen are saying that they are the same breed...
Posted by manda  on  Mon Jan 28, 2008  at  02:06 AM
The size of the Savannah is impressive, and it seems identical to the "Ashera" except in price. I wouldn't want to strain myself scooping the litter box of something that huge, so I have a 10 pound Bengal. She's a cross between the Asian Leopard Cat and domestic breeds, very loyal and exotic to behold. I spent $250 (cheap for a Bengal but exorbitant for me) because I wanted a spotted cat and couldn't afford an Egyptian Mau or Ocicat. Her fur and body remind me of an Abyssinian, another breed I love. If I had it to do over again, I'd look for a Bengal or other desirable breed from a shelter instead. My other cats are rescued "mutts" and bring me oodles of joy. I urge anyone considering spending $22,000 on an Ashera to get a Savannah instead and donate the savings to the Humane Society or homeless people. Don't be a sucker for status symbols.
Posted by NotEnoughHomes4ThemAll  on  Sun Feb 03, 2008  at  12:06 PM
Ok i bought the Ashera Gd in 2006 i love it , even though i got it a round christmas time 0f 2007 but it was worth the wait. i got the Royal Ashera GHD and it came to the local airport i picked it up and brought it home it was a good cat and already house traind.
Posted by Lauren  on  Mon May 26, 2008  at  09:24 AM
I'm not trying to derail or condemn, but if you want a large spotted cat that's only a fraction of the cost of the so-called Ashera (which is just a repackaged Savannah), then definitely buy a Savannah. I'm not a breeder, but I have one. I also have a standard spotted tabby that needed a home. She's beautiful too, but there is definitely a difference in appearance, size and personality (and cost... she was free). My Savannah was worth every hundred. (Certainly not worth 22 of them though.) Currently, a Savannah Cat is the most affordable option for owning a wild looking cat that has a personality of a domestic dog. So why not buy a dog? Well, I have one of those too. I just like the look of wild cats. And no, they are no more dangerous than any other pet of that size. Take care of them, trim their nails, and of course don't abuse them. Same as any pet.
Posted by Brenda  on  Sun Oct 19, 2008  at  09:27 AM
Well.. I'm sorry to say that but every time i see a cat, adrenaline just pumps into my blood :$... I wonder how anyome could get to raise a Leopard.. sounds cool and horrific 😛
Posted by wrinkle cream  on  Fri Oct 31, 2008  at  05:17 PM
If the Ashera is the combination of an F1 female Bengal and an African Serval, it would not be a hoax. F1 Bengals are very different from domestic Bengals. Due to being Bengal x Asian Leopard cat, an F1 is typically at least 62% Asian Leopard cat. If this is the case, an Ashera would definitely not be the same as an F1 Savannah created by crossing a domestic Bengal with an African Serval. The word "domestic" is the key.
Posted by Spots-Gone-Wild  on  Wed Nov 26, 2008  at  10:18 AM
If the Ashera is created with an F1 Bengal female(first generation Bengal out of an Asian Leopard cat) with an African Serval, it would not be a hoax, and would definitely not be the same as an F1 Savannah.
Posted by kswatcher  on  Fri Dec 05, 2008  at  09:06 PM
@kswatcher: "If the Ashera is the combination of an F1 female Bengal and an African Serval, it would not be a hoax. "
Yes, but it'll also be a very wild cat. But I think DNA tests prove that Brodie wasn't breeding cats but just buying savannahs from a breeder and reselling them.
Incidentally, I read that TICA doesn't allow bengals as outcrosses any more and the reason is that it's feared that asian leopard cat blood will mess up savannah personality. A serval is very loyal to humans it's brought up with, but Asian Leopard Cat isn't. Asian Leopard Cat blood would really mess up savannahs.

Oh, and without papers and pedigree, the cat shouldn't be sold for more than a shelter cat.
Posted by lisa  on  Sun Nov 07, 2010  at  05:06 PM
Savannahs do make wonderful pets, and I think this is one
Posted by Domestic Cat  on  Thu May 05, 2011  at  05:31 AM
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