A 4ft leopard for your living room (if you've got £12,000 in the kitty)

**Honey** · October 30th, 2007, 04:00 AM

It is a sight to strike terror into the bravest of mice ... not to mention most breeds of dog.

The Ashera is billed as the world's "largest, rarest and most exotic" domestic cat.

The large pointed ears and eye-catching coat come from two wild bloodlines, the African serval and Asian leopard cat, crossed with an undisclosed domestic breed.
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4ft feline: The Ashera stands 4ft tall on its hind legs

It stands 4ft tall on its hind legs, lives for 25 years and weighs up to 30lb.

And with a price tag of around £12,000 including delivery from the U.S., it will leave your bank balance considerably lighter.

The Ashera is being sold by British internet entrepreneur Simon Brodie, whose Californian firm Lifestyle Pets used a team of geneticists to develop the ultimate designer pet.
Despite the daunting price he insists it is low-maintenance - good-tempered, child-friendly and happy to eat tinned food from the supermarket. Because of its exotic heritage, however, it does prefer a heated bed.
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Ashera: The cats have tiger-like stripes and leopard spots, and are the size of a small dog

"They are expensive, but we've already sold a lot in the U.S., in Asia and even in Russia - our waiting list is nine months long," said Mr Brodie.

"People who love beautiful pets will spend £12,000 on a cat.

"People spend that much on jewellery or a big television.

"I have two at home. They have a great temperament, they love children and will be all over you."

Simon began his quest to make the perfect cat three years ago, after developing the hypo-allergenic cat and sold hundreds of them, priced at £4,906. Scroll down for more...

Pricey pussy: Yours for just £10,796 plus shipping costs

He said the reason the Ashera costs much more than other designer cats is the guarantee of "consistency".

Simon added: "We guarantee every kitten has the same colouring and appearance and we hand-deliver it to the clients home.

"A lot of hybrid kittens can refuse to go near their owners, or have health problems - but the Ashera is spayed, neutered, micro-chipped and ready to go."

Relations: The Ahera was bred from two wild bloodlines and an undisclosed domestic cat

A 4ft leopard for your living room (if you've got £12,000 in the kitty) | the Daily Mail