Straight off the island of Dr. Moreau comes the introduction of a new hybrid cat that could be putting Autrailia’s kuala population at risk. Leave it to the guys from down under to come up with something wacky and completely unheard of (am I the only one that remembers Yahoo Serious?) such as the new hybrid kitties that are about to enter the country.  The savannah cat (a mixture of the common house cat and the African serval) and the Bengal (a mix of again the common house cat and leopards) are just now becoming available to pet owners who are dying to get their hands on the new breeds.  It also seems that there’s a huge market available for new Bengal and Savannah kittens. Current estimates are coming in at upwards of $5,000 for hybrid kittens. 

According to Australian law hybrids are only allowed into the country once they are five generations removed from their original wild animal parents.  Still many environmentalists are concerned that hybrid cats could become a dangerous enemy of koala bears. “There are no koala predators out there at the moment, but this guy (hybrid kitty) could potentially take them on.”, says Tony Peacock of the Invasive Animal Co-operative Research Center.  As for those excitedly awaiting their first chance at owning a Bengal or Savannah, “They are not going to attack any more than other cats, but obviously no cat should be left to run around outside.”tells Chris Winchester. One enthusiastic pet owner who already owns two Bengal cats told reporters “They've got really big personalities. I've had normal cats all of my life but now I would never go back - I would always get bengals” As many are waiting to see just what affect if any the hybrids will have on Outback, one thing is for sure they are already creating quite a stir in homes all across the country.