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
![Chinese mountain cat](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/062321_JC_mountain-cat_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
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