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Will it ever be possible to domesticate big cats (i.e. lions, tigers, etc)?
- Thread starter Pollux
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Ghost_Protocol
Member
Of course it's possible. It just takes a long time. It took 30,000 for dogs, 10,000 for cats; big cats......somewhere around there.
Lazy vs Crazy
Member
We should concentrate on making sure they don't go extinct first.
Pollux
Member
So no way of doing this within the next 20 years.
But if we could have them as pets, then they would def. not go extinct.
But if we could have them as pets, then they would def. not go extinct.
Ghost_Protocol
Member
Takes thousands of generations bro
Ogrekiller
Member
GTP_Daverytimes
Member
That is cute. And no i don't think it's possible to completely domesticate a big cat, even if it was possible the owner can be killed by a lion that is being playful.
EDIT: Can science make a breed of lions that never grow up to a certain size then stop? it will be cool having lions the size of big dogs.
Air Zombie Meat
Member
Cat gets aggressive = scratch on your hand. Lion gets aggressive = missing hand. A subtle but important difference. Something so powerful is always going to be potentially dangerous.
DiscoJer
Member
I'm not convinced house cats are fully domesticated, to be honest. Try playing with one without getting scratched. Even if you use a feather on a stick or something, sometimes they'll take a swipe at your hand if you get too close.
Not to mention the thing where they act cute and roll on their back, then when you rub their belly they go psycho and wrap their legs around your arm and start biting. Not every cat I've owned has done that, but enough that I think it's a pretty common trick...
Not to mention the thing where they act cute and roll on their back, then when you rub their belly they go psycho and wrap their legs around your arm and start biting. Not every cat I've owned has done that, but enough that I think it's a pretty common trick...
vincent vega
Member
yeah that's not cool. let lions/tigers keep doing their thing
Doubtful. It's not practical either. Who can really accommodate for a big cat in their house? Think of the amount of food they eat.
vincent vega
Member
Also, cats tend to go out and kill birds and bring them home. Just imagine what a lion would do
DiscoJer
Member
Think of the litterbox - one of my cats is part Maine Coon and that's bad enough.
Synth_floyd
Banned
Why would you want to domesticate lions and tigers?
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
They are pretty domesticated from what I've seen.
To domesticate a big cat like this you would need to start breeding them and picking the smallest and or non-aggresive/domestic qualities and breed them. I brought up the smaller quality because you might be able to get a smaller lion that won't kill you right away when something goes wrong.
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
It is possible.
Although the risk associated with it is big enough that I consider anyone doing it just for the sake of self-satisfaction as doing something stupid.
Although the risk associated with it is big enough that I consider anyone doing it just for the sake of self-satisfaction as doing something stupid.
D
Deleted member 22576
Unconfirmed Member
I like the idea of having a giant cat, but jesus christ I would not want to deal with a giant cat having a saucy moment.
Meus Renaissance
Member
Their sheer size and power makes it impossible. If you look at those who have formed a trust, or 'bond', with these cats they add that they are sometimes inadvertently hurt when they play with them and sometimes hurt seriously. And I don't imagine even them leaving their children within 20 feet of those animals
That actually is common. There is an indoctrination process for cats that are raised by humans. For example, whilst they begin their life inside the warmth and comfort of homes they progressively get introduced to sleeping in the open at night; a transition that isn't always easy for many of them.
That actually is common. There is an indoctrination process for cats that are raised by humans. For example, whilst they begin their life inside the warmth and comfort of homes they progressively get introduced to sleeping in the open at night; a transition that isn't always easy for many of them.
Well, look at Roy Horn. He fell down on stage when a woman in the audience tried to reach up and pet a tiger during a show and the tiger tried to carry Roy off to safety, accidentally puncturing the back of his neck and causing severe blood loss. You can get big cats to accept you and not want to kill you, but there's always the risk they might accidentally kill you.
Or clean the litter box.
Pollux
Member
I can get behind this idea as well.
Mgoblue201
Won't stop picking the right nation
It's possible that there might be special circumstances that prevent their domestication. For example, the cheetah is notoriously difficult to breed in captivity.
crimzonflame
Member
OP wants the world to be like Pokemon.
Byakuya769
Member
Took about 30 years for silver foxes. It can be done quicker if their genes are amenable to the process.
Pollux
Member
Wouldn't complain....wouldn't need a real job....
speculawyer
Member
Yes and no. Yes, you could take a current big cat and domesticate through several successive generations of artificial selection . . . but no because the resulting animal would no longer be the same.
I support a world where we kick kids out on the streets by their 13th birthday to try their hand at professional cockfighting.
Builds character.
EmCeeGramr
Member
There's a difference between taming and domestication.
Mgoblue201
Won't stop picking the right nation
As far as I know, all of them had to be caught in the wild. They could not be domesticated through each successive generation by artificial selection.
Ether_Snake
å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®
Genetic engineering!
Dwarf clawless tigers will be the pets of the future!
They probably didn't go out of their way to domesticate them, they just did if they found a lone young one or some such.
Dwarf clawless tigers will be the pets of the future!
They probably didn't go out of their way to domesticate them, they just did if they found a lone young one or some such.
Escape Goat
Member
tame the vagina, respect the cock
Ninja Scooter
Member
people aren't even responsible enough to own pit bulls and rottweilers and you want to start letting them have tigers and lions?
They're not. They're just choosing to live with us until a better opportunity comes along. Cats are the ultimate moocher.
I also wouldn't be surprised if they're undercover spies sent to keep tabs on us.
victreeb3l
Member
i would love it but it will never happen
these guys are so fucking powerful you will get hurt one way or the other
i can always dream though. maybe when im a billionaire i can get a team of scientists to develop something that will allow me to communicate with the animal through a wicked mindsync or something. until then, ill just pretend my little cat is actually a vicious wild animal
these guys are so fucking powerful you will get hurt one way or the other
i can always dream though. maybe when im a billionaire i can get a team of scientists to develop something that will allow me to communicate with the animal through a wicked mindsync or something. until then, ill just pretend my little cat is actually a vicious wild animal
I was reading about wolves that have been socialized to humans the other day and the process has to start before the wolf cub is 19 days old or it's not possible. Another thing is that wolves have such a strong prey drive that in certain situations they are not going to be able to resist it. When they reach adolescence they will distance themselves from their owners, possibly challenge them for dominance, and possibly get violent with other animals or children.
I imagine the same thing applies with big cats, except more so.
I imagine the same thing applies with big cats, except more so.
Count of Monte Sawed-Off
un33dab@dpu$$y
A bear would be awesome, especially a polar bear!
Unknown One
Member
If people stop poaching them and stealing their habitat maybe. I'm just angry that future generations will probably not see these animals because of human nature.
ElectricBlue187
Member
I want to ride a grizzly bear like the Canadians do
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
Genetics!
parrotbeak
Member
I think that's generally true but domesticated cats can quickly go feral, and certainly biologically capable of surviving. Unlike many farm animals and breeds of dogs that would likely be physically incapable of sustaining themselves on their own.
weekend_warrior
Banned
I don't it's logical to domestic large cats. It's much easier to start selectively breeding already domesticated cat for larger sizes. In within about 50 years we could probably see cats about the size of medium sized dogs, ~60 lbs.
Possible? maybe
But why would anyone want to? They are facing enough pressures we are currently imposing upon them. Having to provide enough cats to support any sort of popular interest in making them domesticated pets would probably only serve to hasten their extinction.
Edit: In other words, I agree with what Lazy vs Crazy said.
But why would anyone want to? They are facing enough pressures we are currently imposing upon them. Having to provide enough cats to support any sort of popular interest in making them domesticated pets would probably only serve to hasten their extinction.
Edit: In other words, I agree with what Lazy vs Crazy said.
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