Chinese mountain cats swap DNA with domestic cats, but aren’t their ancestors
On the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, domestic cats have gotten some genes from wildcats
Rarely studied Chinese mountain cats (one shown) prowl the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. DNA evidence shows these wildcats have mated with rural Chinese domestic cats since the 1950s — despite never being domesticated themselves.
Song Dazhao/CFCA