Interbreeding

This content is being developed. Most of this content was created in 2005 from available sources, Some parts may need updated.

When individuals can interbreed and produce fertile young, the collection of such individuals is called a species.

Many species can interbreed, such as wolves and dogs and coyotes, lions and tigers and cats, cows and buffalo and bison, camels and llamas, etc.

Wizard of Oz: Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

The term "species" was introduced by Carolus Linnaeus (founder of science of taxonomy) , the founder of modern taxonomy.

During the flood, exactly how many animals of each species did Moses take on the ark?

Many "species" can interbreed. Below are tables of a few of the possible combinations that have been discovered.

Interbreeding
Child	Parent	Parent
wolphin	whale	dolphin
cama	llama	camel
beefalo/cattalo	cow	buffalo/bison
yakalo	yak	buffalo
mule	male donkey/burro/ass	female horse
hinney	male horse	female donkey/borro/ass
zebroid	male zebra	female horse
zedonk/zonkey	male zebra	female donkey/borro/ass
zetland	male zebra	Shetland pony
liger	male lion	female tiger
tigon	male tiger	female lion
jaglion	lion	jaguar
leopon	male leopard	female lion
pumapard	puma	leopard
wolfdog	dog	wolf
dogote/coydog	dog	coyote
coywolf	wolf	coyote

A wolphin is a cross between a (false) killer whale and a bottle-nose dolphin.

Sea Life Park has a wolphin, born in 1985. For more information, see http://hotspotshawaii.com/Wolphin.html (as of 2005-04-17).

The wolphin has 66 teeth, an average of the whale (44 teeth) and the bottle-nose dolphin (88 teeth).

Arbitrary man-make species classifications are often contradicted by discoveries such as this.

More: Whales, dolphins, fish, etc.

The English name "Caleb" comes, through Late Latin, from the ancient Greek word "Χάλεβ" ≈ "Caleb" which comes from the Hebrew word "כלב" ≈ "Caleb, dog".

Throughout times, the name of "dog" could have good or bad connotations.

Albert Einstein was called a lazy "dog" by one of his teachers.

Proverbs:

Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. [kjv]

ωσπερ κυων οταν επελθη επι τον εαυτου εμετον και μισητος γενηται ουτως αφρων τη εαυτου κακια αναστρεψας επι την εαυτου αμαρτιαν εστιν αισχυνη επαγουσα αμαρτιαν και εστιν αισχυνη δοξα και χαρις [lxx]

… canis … stultitiam … [v]

Peter:

2 Peter 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. [kjv]

συμβεβηκεν αυτοις το της αληθους παροιμιας κυων επιστρεψας επι το ιδιον εξεραμα και υς λουσαμενη εις κυλισμον βορβορου [gnt]

… canis … suum … [v]

Proverbs 26:11

All

KJV: As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

Hebrew: ככלב שב על קאו כסיל שונה באולתו׃

Greek: ωσπερ κυων οταν επελθη επι τον εαυτου εμετον και μισητος γενηται ουτως αφρων τη εαυτου κακια αναστρεψας επι την εαυτου αμαρτιαν εστιν αισχυνη επαγουσα αμαρτιαν και εστιν αισχυνη δοξα και χαρις

Latin: sicut canis qui revertitur ad vomitum suum sic inprudens qui iterat stultitiam suam

2 Peter 2:22

All

KJV: But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Greek: συμβεβηκεν δε αυτοις το της αληθους παροιμιας κυων επιστρεψας επι το ιδιον εξεραμα και υς λουσαμενη εις κυλισμα κυλισμον βορβορου

Latin: contigit enim eis illud veri proverbii canis reversus ad suum vomitum et sus lota in volutabro luti

Psalms 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. [kjv]

22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. [kjv]

Psalms 22:16

All

KJV: For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

Hebrew: כי סבבוני כלבים עדת מרעים הקיפוני כארי ידי ורגלי׃

Greek: οτι εκυκλωσαν με κυνες πολλοι συναγωγη πονηρευομενων περιεσχον με ωρυξαν χειρας μου και ποδας

Psalms 22:20

All

KJV: Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

Hebrew: הצילה מחרב נפשי מיד כלב יחידתי׃

Greek: ρυσαι απο ρομφαιας την ψυχην μου και εκ χειρος κυνος την μονογενη μου

The generic "dog" kind can interbreed with other dogs, with wolves, coyotes, etc.

A wolfdog is produced from a dog and a wolf.

A coydog is produced from a dog and a coyote.

A coywolf is produced from a wolf and a coyote.

A dogote, pronounced "dog-o-tee", is produced from a dog and a coyote.

The generic "dog" kind can interbreed with other dogs, with wolves, coyotes, etc.

Fox vs. wolf

A fox looks somewhat like a dog or wolf, but is genetically different and cannot interbreed. Some think a dog and a fox may be able to interbreed.

In ancient times, the similar appearance is reflected in similar names for the fox and the wolf.

More: Foxes and birds and nests

More: Matthew 7:15 Sheep dogs and wolf dogs

Text: Meet Dogxim, the world's first known dog-fox hybrid. Her unusual genetics were discovered in August 2023. From a SyFy article: "While hybridization is a well-worn survival tactic in nature, it could also serve as a warning system for when we (and our pets) are environmentally overstepping."
Source: Reddit (as of 2025-09-02).

Lions, tigers, and many other felines can interbreed.

Here are some web pages for more information.

http://members.aol.com/jshartwell/hybrid-bigcats2.html (as of 1984)
http://www.bigcats.org/ (as of 1984)

A Manchurian tiger and a Siberian tiger can interbreed. A Manchurian/Siberian tiger cross is produced from a Manchurian tiger and a Siberian tiger.

A liger is produced from a female tiger and a male lion.

A tigon is produced from a male tiger and a female lion.

Tigons are less common as the mating process is not as easy.

Tigons are sometimes called tiglons or tions. Hybrids can become quite large.

These hybrids are more prone to cancer and illness, shortening their lifespan.

A leapon is produced from a male leopard and a female lion.

A jaglion is produced form a jaguar and a lion.

A bobcat and a lynx can interbreed. There is no name for what is produced by a bobcat and a lynx.

A puma (cougar, mountain lion, panther) and a leopard can interbreed. A pumapard is produced from a puma and a leopard.

A caraval is produced from a male caracal and a female serval.

A male serval and a female caracal can interbreed. A servical is produced from a male serval and a female caracal.

A domesticated cat and a wild Asian leopard cat can interbreed. A Bengel cat is produced from a domesticated cat and a wild Asian leopard cat.

A wild Serval cat and a domesticated Bengel cat can interbreed. A Savannah cat is produced from a domesticated Bengel cat and a wild Serval cat.

For more information, see the KitznKatz Bengals web site at http://www.exoticbengals.com/ (as of 1984).

A jungle cat and a domesticated cat can interbreed. A chausie cat is produced from a jungle cat and a domesticated cat.

For more information, see the Wildkatz Cattery web site at http://www.wildkatz.net/Wildkatz_Cattx.html (as of 1984).

An African wild cat and a domestic tabby cat can interbreed. A tabby/African wild cat cross is produced from a domestic tabby cat and an African wild cat.

A zebroid is produced from a male zebra and a female horse.

A zedonk/donkey is produced from a male zebra and a female donkey/burro/ass.

A zetland/zony is produced from a male zebra and a female shetland pony.

A hinney is produced from a female donkey/burro (jenny or jennet) and a male horse.

A mule is produced from a male donkey/burro/ass and a female horse.

For more information on mules, see http://www.imh.org/imh/bw/mule.html (as of 1984).

For more information on horses, see http://www.imh.org/imh/bw/ (as of 1984).

A llama and a camel can interbreed. A cama is produced from a llama and a camel.

A Toast of Batswana is produced from a sheep and a goat.

The American bison/buffalo and any breed of domestic cow can be interbred. A beefalo/cattalo is produced from a domestic cow and an American Bison. The beefalo/cattalo is bred for beef.

A buffalo and a yak can interbreed. A yakalo is produced from a buffalo and a yak. A yak and a cow can interbreed.

A domestic pig and a wild pig can interbreed. A pig / wild pig cross is produced from a domestic pig and a wild pig.

An albino corn snake and an albino king snake have produced fertile offspring.

A cabbits, named from cat and rabbit, is a cat with rabbit-like hind legs. Cabbits appear to be malformed Manx-type cats and not an actual cross between a cat and a rabbit.

A good resource for cabbits is at http://www.messybeast.com/cabbit.htm (as of 1984). With a cabbit

My brother once raised a cabbit, and had his picture taken with one. The picture appeared in the local newspaper (Elizabethtown Chronicle). The cabbit grew up, but then died. We did not know where the cabbit came from or what it was. Since we had many rabbits in the fields (some cats would kill and eat the slower ones) and many cats on the farm, we thought that it might be a cross between a cat and a rabbit.

The following is related as happening shortly after 1977.

Shortly afterwards, another cabbit turned up in Pennsylvania. Harry Goodwin, of Lower Swatara Township had always thought his peculiarly shaped pet was a Manx cat, but this didn't stop him from joining the cabbit "flap". Apparently his local vet was not too sure what a Manx looked like! Goodwin's cat had ears slightly larger than a domestic cat, and longer whiskers, but it had rabbit-like hind legs and heavy mottled fur. Goodwin claimed to have owned a tame rabbit and remembered that a cat used to "play around" with it. "Some people say there is no way a cat and a rabbit can cross " Goodwin said, "but I say look at it and be your own judge. It hops like a rabbit, looks like a rabbit, and has fur like a rabbit." In all likelihood, the cat was a Manx or part-Manx as Goodwin had originally thought (before cabbit footage became valuable).

http://www.messybeast.com/cabbit.htm