Research overview: hybridization and introgression across the cat family

Hybridization between cat species, both in captivity and occasionally in the wild, has played a larger role in felid evolution than once appreciated. This overview surveys the spectrum from ancient introgression detectable in genomes, through natural hybrid zones such as between bobcats and Canada lynx or between European wildcats and domestic cats, to captive crosses like the liger and tigon. It discusses how genome-scale data reveal that even well-defined species retain footprints of past gene flow, the conservation problem of hybridization swamping rare taxa, and how distinguishing ancient introgression from recent admixture requires careful genomic analysis.