Research overview: domestic cats as surrogates for wild felids

Using domestic cats to gestate embryos of related wild species offers a practical surrogate system for conservation reproductive technology. This overview surveys the use of domestic cat recipients to carry embryos of wild felids such as the African wildcat, including the synchronization and compatibility required for successful pregnancy. It reviews the limits imposed by phylogenetic distance, since more distantly related species are harder to gestate in a domestic cat, and the role of surrogates in cloning and embryo transfer projects. The review connects surrogacy to integrated conservation strategies that combine banking, in vitro fertilization, and transfer. Understanding the domestic cat as a surrogate clarifies both the opportunities and biological boundaries of cross-species gestation in felids.