The Story of the Liger and the Tigon, Hybrid Cats

The Tigon and Liger are hybrids of lions and tigers. They have been around for a long time, at least recorded in history back almost two hundred years. Their existence continues to be one of controversy and question. This is their story, including information about their characteristics, their personality traits, and answers to some difficult questions, while raising others.

Tigons

Tigons are the offspring of a male tiger and a female lion (a lioness). They are usually tawny in color with pale brown to brown candle flame shaped stripes along their backs and down their legs. Their underbellies are often paler and even sometimes white. Spots can often be seen on their underbellies as remnants of their lion heritage (young lions have spots that diminish as they age.

Male tigons often show signs of a mane, though it is shorter and shaggier then a lion and often appears to be more of a ruff then a mane. The tigon can "speak" both tiger and lion, often chuffing and roaring. The tigon is a rather small cat, usually weighing in at about 350 pounds. Some of them will get to be the same size as their smallest parent.

Ligers

Ligers are currently more prevalent today then tigons (though in the late 1800's, early 1900's this situation was reversed). This is thought to be for two main reasons. The first is fairly simple. A male tiger often misses the mating ritual cues that a lioness gives off to signal that she is ready to be mated. Because of this there are fewer accidental matings and even fewer intentional ones.

The second one is also a fairly interesting issue. The liger differs from the tigon in one major way. They often display cases of gigant-ism. These cats are the largest in the world often ranging in weight from about 800-1200 pounds. In looks and "speech" the liger differs only from the tigon in size. However, their striping is often fainter then that of a tigon.

Personality Traits of Tigons and Ligers

Many people who handle these animals will describe them as gentle creatures. It is said that they inherit the best of both their parents. Often social like a lion and playful, water loving creatures like a tiger. However, trainers and handlers report that there are confusion issues with these large cats. They are often confused as to which side of their ancestry to show. Additionally their mothers often become concerned when they exhibit odd (for that type of cat) behaviors.

A Long History

The history of the tigon and the liger may go back farther then we know. However, we know that it goes back at least to 1837 when a princess of India gave Queen Victoria a tigon as a gift. Great Britain records its first tigon or liger family around that time as well. There was a traveling circus who had a lion and a tiger who produced several litters of cubs.

Early on (and even today) these beasts were a great curiosity of the public and drew a lot of attention to circuses and zoos that showed them. Sometimes they were displayed as rare newly discovered beasts, other times they were displayed for what they were. Either way, they drew in a great deal of people.

These animals keep being bred. Sometimes it is in the name of science, other times it is because private collectors or owners desire them, and then there are the accidental matings which still happen every now and again. They gain popularity and are still used to draw a great deal of people.

Ti-Ligers, Ti-Tigons, Li-Ligers, Ti-Ligers

There have been occasions when Ligers and Tigons are bred back to lions or tigers. This happened a great deal (up until 1983) on accident. It was believed that all ligers and tigons were sterile, so they were often kept with lions and or tigers. Some hybrid females became pregnant and produced second generation hybrids. They are named according to their father and then their mother. They usually display most of the characteristics of their father, being about 75% of that type of cat.

Issues and Questions

There are many questions that producing these hybrids bring up. First there is the issues brought on by private owners owning large cats and breeding them. On top of that some countries have laws against large cat ownership, but not the hybrids that can be produced.

Additionally there is a great deal of animal activist concern for these animals. They are often weaker, many not surviving to adulthood. Those that do often need a great deal of medical care and develop rare muscular and nervous disorders and are prone to certain cancers. This is due to a weakening of the genes through breeding incompatible genes. There are very few hybrids who live long and healthy lives.

Many scientists wish to use hybrids to test and learn more about how genes are inherited and how traits are passed on from one generation to another. This may be a worthy idea, but is it worth producing genetic freaks of nature? Is it worth endangering the mother (who often has complications during pregnancy) as well as the unborn hybrids?

No matter what the answers to these questions are, hybrids continue to show up, often in private collections when the owners can no longer care for the beast. It is doubtful that the breeding of lion and tiger hybrids can be stopped altogether.

Ligers and Tigons, Oh My.