It is not by accident that California Speckled cats came to look astonishing similar to their foreign wild counterparts. American writer and director Paul Casey, on a film shoot in Africa, was distraught to see the slow demise of the great African cats. On his return trip he decided he would breed a domestic cat to look the role of the mighty felines he saw on his African holiday. In a breeding effort that consisted of using many different domestic cats with characteristic color markings, including a feral cat from the streets of Cairo, and a Malaysian house cat, the California Spangled Cat came into existence in 1996. It hit the world with an international coming out party in the catalog of Neiman-Marcus. With the publicity of its debut the California Speckled has even raised money to protect against the demise of Central and South American wild cats.

Modeled after endangered spotted wild cats, the California Spangled Cat looks the part of the great savanna walking felines of Africa, but the similarities end with looks. Domestically bred this cat has all the attributes that you are looking for in a home companion. The California Spangled Cat is purely domestic not having any wildcat roots at all. These carpet stalkers are commonly referred to as sweet natured and loveable. They can be quite affectionate and are good companions enjoying their owner's attention. The California Spangled is also very active and energetic and can often be found hunting a wide assortment of cat toys. Personalities range from the quiet leg rubbers to the more vocal loud mouths, but in all you find an unusually intelligent and affectionate friend.

Spangles are truly wild looking creatures, bred to have a similar appearance to their large wild cousins. To see a California Spangle slowly stalking across the room with his low hung body swaying in a natural cadence it would be hard to tell that this was not a wild animal. They have medium sized long low bodies, with good muscular definition. Facial definitions come from prominent cheekbones rounded forehead and high rounded ears, while eyes of varying color are almost almond shaped. The most prominent physical attribute of this cat must be his spotted shorthaired coat. The distinctive black spots covering the body of the animal are reminiscent of a cheetah or leopard. The tail on all California Spangles is dark tipped and obtuse. Over the years the cats have become available in many different colors, now nine, from black to red to white. The distinct mimicry of wild spotted cats is brilliantly captured in this mini home version.

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