Ella is a Safari cat who came to The Wildcat Sanctuary in 2017. She was nine-years-old at the time. We often receive calls for common hybrids such as Bengals, Savannahs, and Chausies. But this was our first hybrid surrender call for a Safari Cat.
What is a Safari Cat? It’s a cross between a Geoffroy’s cat and domestic cat.
The Geoffroy’s cat is a small feline species from South America. Geoffroy’s cats are the size of small domestic cats. The fur that makes the Geoffroy’s coat so sought-after is marked by small black spots of equal size, spaced evenly over the body. These spots merge into striped markings around the neck, chest and face.
Learn more about hybrid cats and why we do NOT support breeding them.
Life at the Sanctuary
As we’ve heard countless times before about other hybrids, Ella was soiling and destroying her owner’s house. The owner didn’t make the decision lightly, but did choose to surrender her to our sanctuary in hopes she could live wild at heart.
Ella is a melanistic Safari, which means she has a black coat. The breeder bred a Bengal cat with a Geoffroy’s cat, so her coat is more striped than the typical Safari Cat.
Ella quickly settled in and loves living in the Hybrid Haven section of our sanctuary. We were so happy to be able to merge her with two other hybrids, so they could all have companionship of their own kind.