Hybrid cats and the law

Four breeds on Purry are hybrids, bred from a wild cat generations back: the Bengal and Bengal Longhair (from the Asian leopard cat), the Savannah (from the serval) and the Chausie (from the jungle cat). Every listing of one says its generation beside the breed, for example "Savannah · F4".

What the generation means

The generation counts how far the cat is from its wild ancestor.

• F1 has a wild parent. F2 has a wild grandparent, F3 a wild great-grandparent, and so on.
• F4, F5, F6 and later are further back again. They are usually smaller, calmer and closer to an ordinary house cat in temperament.
• SBT means at least four generations of hybrid-to-hybrid breeding: the cat's parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were all the breed, with no wild cat among them. Most Bengals sold as pets are SBT.

Early generations are rarer, larger, more demanding to keep and much more expensive, and they are the ones most often restricted.

Why it matters

Hybrid breeds are restricted or banned in some states, provinces and countries, and sometimes in a single city or county. Where there is a rule, it often depends on the generation: a place may allow an F4 or SBT cat and ban an F1 or F2, or require a permit for early generations only. Some places ban a breed outright, whatever the generation.

Purry does not block anyone from messaging a seller or buying a hybrid cat. Whether you may keep one where you live is between you and your local law, so check before you reserve, and before you pay anything.

Where to check

Laws on hybrid cats change, so this page does not list them. Ask the people who make and enforce them:

• Your state's or province's agriculture department or wildlife agency. In the US this is often the Department of Agriculture or the Fish and Wildlife department; in Canada, the provincial ministry responsible for wildlife.
• Your city or county. Animal control or the clerk's office can tell you whether a local ordinance adds to the state's rule.
• Your landlord or homeowners' association, whose rules can be stricter than the law.

Ask about the specific breed and the specific generation, and get the answer in writing if you can.

What the seller tells you

A seller can name places they will not sell a hybrid to, often because the law there forbids it. You will see that on the cat's listing, under the note about the law, and at the top of your conversation when you first write to them. A seller saying they will sell to you is not a statement that the law where you live allows it.