Furby Cat Species Info

ursiday

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2 years, 1 month ago
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ursiday
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I am by no means the first person to make cat-inspired Furbies, (hence why this is an open concept people are welcome to do whatever they want with) but I did come up with my own lore surrounding this specific version of the idea, so if you're inspired by my designs or the specific biology info here, a nod to this "species" would be appreciated! This is a free and open species, so feel free to make OCs, adopts, commissions, etc based on these guys.


Furby Cats

Felis furbiceps

(In short, Furby Cats are feline animals with the bodies of cats and the heads of Furbies.)

They have a small, blunt "beak" made of cartilage and bone, linked to their omnivorous diet. Insects are a major food source for Furby Cats. They also have significantly larger ears than domestic cats, which are usually covered in a layer of soft fur.

Furby Cats have a olfactory organ on their forehead. This organ is covered with sensitive skin that is usually colored differently (often darker) than the rest of their body. It is believed that this replaces the Jacobson's organ, as they do not have an olfactory sensor in their beaks the way other cats do in their mouths.

Because of their highly specialized adaptations and extreme differences from other felines, Furby Cats are believed to be a highly derived island species. However, their populations have expanded across numerous biomes worldwide, and the location of their original territory is unknown.

Furby Cats are a semi-social species, and are able to bond with both members of their own species and domestic cats. Furby Cats interbreed readily with domestic cats, and as a result nearly all known populations of Furby Cats have experienced some degree of hybridization with domestic cats.

As a result of domestic cat hybridization, it is possible for wild Furby Cats to be tamed, though this is extremely difficult if the Furby Cat has already reached adulthood. However, domestic lines of Furby Cats (created through selective breeding and intentional hybridization with domestic cats) bond more easily with humans and make popular pets.

Hybridization has resulted in three coloration types for Furby Cats:

  • Wild-type or "classical"
  • Hybrid-type
    • Hybrid-type Furby Cats have any type of coloration found in domestic cats
    • This type of coloration is more common in domestic lines, because they have a greater level of interbreeding with domestic cats
  • Neo-type
    • Neo-type coloration is a broad category that includes anything that isn't either a real Furby design or realistic cat coloring
    • Hybridization with domestic cats has caused a lot of odd things to happen to Furby Cat genetics, much of which is not well understood
    • (Basically, they can have any colors or patterns! Feel free to take inspiration from Furbies, cats, both, or neither!)

All coloration types of Furby Cats can be found in shorthaired or longhaired varieties, or the "classical" fur pattern of a short-furred body with a fluffy mane and tail (this fur pattern is most common in Furby Cats with wild-type coloration, but it can be found in any type). Hybridization with purebred cats has also introducted additional mutations in some Furby Cats, such as bobbed tails or curly fur.