Highlander Cats
Choosing a kitten to add to your family is a big decision and shouldn’t be made lightly. Most breeds of cats live for a dozen years or more, and over that time, the cat will become an important part of your family. This means that you are going to want to pick a kitten that is not only adorable because let’s be honest, all kittens are adorable, but that is also going to fit in with your family’s activity level and dynamic.
One breed that has quickly been gaining in popularity over the last few years is the Highlander cat. These American hybrids are making a splash not only for their unique appearance. They look like miniature lynx. But also for their big, charming personalities. Let’s take a look at some important facts about Highlander cats and see if they would be the right fit for you.

Physical Attributes
Highlander cats have a distinct physical appearance that makes them easy to tell apart from other types of house cats. One of the most obvious characteristics of a Highlander is their curled ears, which resemble those of a Scottish Fold. Born with straight ears a kitten’s ears will fold over during the first few weeks of its life. Owners who have experience with cats who have curled or folded ears have said that they find Highlander cats to have more ear problems than cats with standard ears. You may need to clean your Highlander’s ears for them to avoid yeast or other ear infections.
Another distinguishing feature is their bobbed tail. Instead of the long, expressive tails, most house cats have, Highlander cats have a short bobtail that resembles that of a lynx. Most Highlander kittens are born with a naturally stubbed tail, but some come out with a long, typical cat tail. It is up to the breeder whether they leave these long tails or have them docked, and you will find that opinions on the matter differ greatly.
Highlander cats also have a high rate of polydactylism. The condition causes cats to be born with extra toes. These toes come from a recessive gene often found in Maine Coon cats and are not associated with any health abnormalities. If you do get a kitten with extra toes, you will want to keep an eye on them as they grow just to be sure that their nails are not growing in a way that could injure other toes or their footpad.
As they are bred from a mix of other types of cats, Highlanders can have a multitude of different coat patterns, colors, and lengths. However, they are most often spotted or tabby, with short hair but you will occasionally get a kitten with a longer coat who requires a little bit more maintenance. If you do get a longer-haired cat who will need to be brushed, you will want to start getting them used to being groomed at a young age. Bi-colored cats are not considered breed standard. They can grow to be quite large, with the males often reaching 20 lbs.
In some breeds of domesticated animals breeding for unique features can lead to health problems and abnormalities in the offspring. Because Highlander cats come from so many types of cats, and they are a relatively new breed, they are very healthy when purchased from a good breeder. There are no major health concerns associated with the breed. They will often live for up to 15 years.
Cat Personality
While Highlander cats were bred to resemble a wild cat that you wouldn’t want to meet on a hike, their disposition couldn’t be more different than an actual wild cat. Highlanders are devoted and cuddly pets who do well with children and other pets. Don’t misunderstand “cuddly” to mean “couch potato” These cats want to be in the middle of whatever is going on in the house.
Intelligent and energetic, Highlander cats need lots of mental stimulation, which you can give them in the form of toys and activities. Many Highlander owners train them to walk on leashes and take them on regular outings like you would with a dog. Others teach their cat to play fetch with their kitty toys. As they are a highly intelligent breed, they are easy to train for a cat.
One breed trait that sets Highlander cats apart from other domestic cats is their interest in water. While most house cats will shy away from water, or be outright terrified of it, Highlanders tend to enjoy it. Some will go as far as trying to join you in the bath.
Breed History
Highlander cats are a relatively new breed that first appeared in 2004. Breeders crossed Desert Lynx with Jungle Curls to create a cat that had the Desert’s short tail and the Jungle’s unique ears, and with the best of eaches temperaments.
Desert Lynx cats are a hybrid of several types of domestic, and some people claim wild cats that were crossed to achieve a cat breed who looked like a wild cat but with a sweet domesticated temperament. This was done by crossing Maine Coons, Feral Manx, Pixie-Bobs, and possibly Bobcats. This wide range of ancestors led to not only a unique breed, but one that will sometimes throw recessive traits from one of these original lines, such as ear tufts, or extra toes.
Jungle Curls, often called “Chausies,” were first recognized by the International Cat Association in 1995 after several generations of crossing African Jungle Cats with the domesticated American Curl. When you mix species, it will often result in sterile offspring, think mules or ligers. This is true of Jungle Curls, which produce sterile males until the 4th or 5th generation.
The cross of these two breeds first resulted in the Highlander Lynx in 1995 at a cattery in North Carolina. The breed was quickly registered with the Rare and Exotic Feline Registry. This registry exists as a home for new and experimental cat breeds, which are not yet recognized by larger organizations. Because the REFR does not keep traceable cat origin records, much is unknown about the breed between that initial registration and when they were recognized by The International Cat Association in 2004.
At the time that they were recognized by the TICA, they were called Highlander Lynx and then had the “Lynx” dropped from their name a year later. Despite being recognized fairly quickly after they were first bred, it took several years to move up to the Advanced New Breed category for the show, which happened in 2016. Several dedicated breeders across the United States are working to continually improve the breed in hopes of one day producing a Champion.
Cost to Adopt
If you are looking to adopt a Highlander cat, there are several factors you should consider before you give money to anyone. While there are several breeders of Highlander cats in the United States, due to their growing popularity, there are also people who are less than honest about the kittens they have.
Cost
While there are a handful of breeders across the country, this is still a relatively new breed, and they are not as plentiful as say, a Maine Coon. A reputable breeder knows their cats’ worth and the cost of maintaining a top-notch cattery and will charge accordingly for their kittens. Kittens go anywhere from $750-$200o depending on things like pedigree, coloring, and sex. While this may seem like a lot to some people, you get what you pay for when it comes to pure-bred animals, and if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Parents
A good breeder will have at least the dam, if not both the dam and sire, available to meet. If you are completing your adoption long distance, your breeder should be able to produce several photos of each parent as well as all of the current kittens. Many breeders will have a social media page where you can see pictures of and talk to owners of cats from past litters. If someone is hesitant or offended by your requests to see multiple photos or meet their breeding cats, keep shopping. Good breeders love showing off their cats and take great pride in establishing trust with their new and potential owners.
Paperwork
Purchasing a Highlander cat is a big investment, and commitment for your family and breeder contracts exist to protect you and the breeder. And most importantly, your new kitty. Reputable breeders will ask their new owners to sign a contract stating how they expect the cat to be cared for, and often there is a clause stating that if you need to rehome your cat for any reason, they will go back to the breeder and not be resold. Another piece of vital paperwork when purchasing a Highlander cat is their pedigree. All legitimate, pure-bred Highlander cats will have a TICA registration code and family pedigree, and so will their parents. Your breeder should be able to provide those, along with their own TICA registration number upon request