Stone Cougar vs Skookum - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

Once again the Stone Cougar, also referred to as the Mountain Cougar or Chausie, is a cat that was developed to resemble a wild cat but that is actually a domestic cat. The Stone Cougar is a rare domestic cat that is a cross between a domestic cat and the wild Jungle cat. It is referred to as a wildcat hybrid.

Skookums are a new cat breed – an experimental and rare hybrid dwarf cat breed, It was developed in the United States in the 1990s.

As a new breed, you’re not going to find too much information on their history, but is was breeder Roy Galusha who started crossing the Munchkin cat with the LaPerm.

Even today, some years later, the Skookum cat is still an experimental cat breed that is considered a rare dwarf breed. It is recognized as an Experimental breed by Independent European Registries as well as the Dwarf Cat Association.

The Stone Cougar cat is thick-set with a thick tail. They are large cats too and can be anything between 7 and 13kg. The ears are small. The color’ stone’ is used to describe the color of this cat – a light fawn color. These cats can be a lot bigger than your regular cat and they are also referred to as Mountain Cougar or Jungle Curl. Because they are bigger than most domestic cats, they can take up to 3 years to reach maturity. Temperament: This is an active cat that is intelligent and adventurous. People who have kept this social cat as a pet say that he is trainable and also dog-like and even enjoys playing in water. Like many other hybrid cats, the Stone Cougar can have some endearing characteristics that tend to make it quite different from your regular cat.

The dwarf Skookum only weighs between 2 and 3kg. It is a new cat breed with a curly coat. The coat can be in a range of colors and patterns.

It is a small, lightweight cat with short legs and a broad head and stocky build. It has a muscular build. The eyes are large and walnut- shaped while the ears are large and pointed.

The neck is also thickish. The coat is soft and curly, standing away from the body and spiraling into ringlets. It can feature a number of colors and patterns such as solid, bicolor, and colorpoint. These cats can be long-haired or short-haired.

Temperament:

They are playful cats, full of energy and they love climbing and jumping. They’re intelligent, confident cats and are also loyal and loving towards their human family. They may be active, playful cats, but they still like to settle down into your lap.

When it comes to bringing a Stone Cougar into your home, you need to be well prepared for such a large cat. They are also very energetic and you may be overwhelmed by his darting around. It is why so many of these hybrids land up in shelters – people don’t believe that they are different from your regular domesticated cat. Nonetheless, they can make loving pets and they like lots of attention too. Don’t just get a Stone Cougar because it is an exotic cat. Think carefully if you are ready to be totally devoted to the cat for 12 – 16 years possibly.

Because the Skookum cat is still in its early stages of development if you want to know precisely what the characteristics of the cat are you would want to look at the Munchkin and the LaPerm cat.

One thing is sure the Skookum cat thrives on the attention of his human family and if you provide him with the love and attention he craves, you can be sure that he will turn out to be the right friend and companion for your family.

The Stone Cougar is a fairly healthy cat and you aren’t going to have to worry about heavy vet bills if you look after him well. Remember that just like with humans, the health of a cat depends heavily on the food you give him. It needs to be high-quality food. Obesity is something you want to always watch out for as it can bring on a host of ailments of which joint problems and arthritis are ones to look out for.

Because the Skookum cat is a new, experimental breed, health problems with the cat are not well known. However, every cat can succumb to some of the common cat health issues there are. As a pet owner you want to watch for and recognize signs that your cat’s health is in trouble.

Feline leukemia for instance is a disease that spreads through bodily fluids such as urine, saliva and nose discharge, and saliva. Mother cats can even pass the disease along to her kittens. Feline leukemia can also lead to a host of conditions such as diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, skin problems and eye diseases among others.

Feline panleukopenia is known to most people as feline distemper and it is a very contagious viral disease with kittens being most at risk.

The disease affects a cat's immune system and the cat will likely have diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration, and lethargy. It’s a deadly disease that requires a vaccine to prevent it.

The Stone Cougar is easy to take care of in terms of grooming as it has a short coat. You want to brush the short coat at least once a week to remove dust and loose hairs. It isn’t a heavy shedding cat. Keep his nails short. Invest in a scratching post for him as all cats are natural scratchers. As also mentioned, the Stone Cougar is a large cat and the correct diet is of the utmost importance. There are some cat owners who like to prepare their cat’s food, but then you just have to be 100% sure that he is getting in all the vital nutrients he requires for health. The best, most high-quality commercial cat food manufacturers make sure that the cat food they manufacture is packed with everything a cat needs, with meat being the top ingredient. Remember, when in any kind of doubt with your Stone Cougar’s diet, rather speak to your vet. The Stone Cougar is prone to food allergies, and it is for this reason that you will need to provide these cats with a high-quality diet. Make sure you read the labels carefully because you want to avoid some of the junk additives added into some of the more inferior cat foods. They can often be prone to digestive issues. The Stone Cougar is an active cat and he will need to be well exercised. Such a large cat will require en outside enclosure where he can run, jump and climb without fear of him getting out and running away. If you don’t have an outdoor enclosure, the next best thing is to train him to walk on a leash. Unless you intend to be breeding, be sure to spay or neuter your Stone Cougar.

Even though the Skookum has curly hair, it’s not difficult to groom him. You want to brush the soft curls gently once a week. Keep it gentle so that you don’t make the curls frizzy.

Use some warm water in a spray bottle with some pet conditioner and spray the curls lightly and use your fingers to liven up the curls.

Cats like to nibble throughout the day and it is better for them to feed like this as opposed to a larger meal morning and night.

However, you will need to know what your cat is eating as you don’t want to overfeed your cat. Obesity comes with a host of health issues. As a carnivore, your cat requires meaty foods so make sure to feed him high-quality cat foods that have meat and protein as the top ingredients.

Your cat must have a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Provide your cat with a litter box. You will need to clean out the box every day of cat feces as cats don’t like to use a box that is dirty. You get special cat rakes at the vet or the pet shop that makes it easy just to rake up the feces and dispose of them.