The Alpine Lynx breed was created when a rare white American Bobcat mated with a local domestic cat. Their offspring, a few wild looking white kittens, mated with Highland Lynxes to produce the Alpine Lynx. Through generations of careful breeding, characteristics of the Bobcat were incorporated into the Alpine Lynx. The Alpine is larger than most usual domestic cats, it has a short or absent tail, and it can have curled ears. It is related to the Highland Lynx, the Desert Lynx and the Mohave Bob. It is unknown when or where the breed was created. The American Bobcat (Lynx rufus) is notable for powerful muscles and its short tail, which is called a bobtail.