The most expensive pet cat on the market is priced at $25,000

The Ashera - billed as the world’s “largest, rarest and most exotic” domestic cat - is the size of a small dog and sports eye-catching leopard-like spots and tiger stripes.

British businessman Simon Brodie is selling the designer kittens at a whopping $22,000 plus shipping costs - and already has a nine-month waiting list.

Internet entrepreneur Simon used a team of geneticists to develop the exotic mogs at his US laboratory.

They are a cross between two wild cats - the African serval and the Asian leopard cat - with one normal domestic cat, which he refuses to name.

The bespoke cats - which stand four feet tall on their hind legs - live for 25 years and grow to a top weight of more than two stone (30lbs).

But despite the price Simon insists the Ashera is a low maintenance pet - good-tempered, loves children and content to eat cat food from the supermarket.

London-born Simon, who now runs his company Lifestyle Pets in San Diego, California, said yesterday: “The Ashera is unique. It’s a beautiful cat, created using our special recipe.

“They are expensive, but we’ve already sold a lot in the US, in Asia and even in Russia - our waiting list is nine months long.

“People who love beautiful pets will spend $25,000 on a cat, people spend that much on jewellery or a big television.

“I have two at home. They have a great temperament, they love children and will be all over you.”

Simon began his quest to make the perfect cat three years ago, after developing the hypo-allergenic cat and sold hundreds of them, priced at $10,000.

He said the reason the Ashera costs much more than other designer cats is the guarantee of “consistency”.

Simon added: “We guarantee every kitten has the same colouring and appearance and we hand-deliver it to the clients home.

“A lot of hybrid kittens can refuse to go near their owners, or have health problems - but the Ashera is spayed, neutered, micro-chipped and ready to go.”