Friday, November 17, 2006

What's dat? Could it be a cog?


In the quest to produce a hybrid creature neither dog lovers nor cat fanciers will like, some Brazilian folk say their pets have found love and brought into the world the first known dats. Or would they be cogs?

I have no idea. But I lean toward "dats," myself. If the genetic tests pan out, that is. Read the Reuters story about the alleged conception and birth of the animal kingdom's first self-loathing member here.

Cassia Aparecida de Souza, 18, said her cat Mimi had given birth to the three puppies as well as three kittens, which did not survive. And she, her husband Rogerio Jorge da Silva, 26, and several others in the town believe a neighborhood mutt named Dog is the father of Mimi’s pups.

When news of the spectacular claim spread in the Brazilian media, some local newspapers accused the poor couple, who are expecting their first child in a few months, of fraud and said they were simply trying to make money off a hoax.

“I feel indignant at such accusations,” da Silva said.

Pacheco said he was asked by a local newspaper to conduct the chromosome test, which should yield results on Tuesday.

“It’s not uncommon for mammals to nurse young from another species. The cat gave birth in a field and she likely inherited the puppies from a nearby female dog who had recently given birth,” he said.

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