The King Cheetah - a rare breed from southern Africa. With thick stripes running down its back, and disorderly blotches over the rest of its body, the king cheetah looks so unusual that it was originally considered a separate species. Its true nature as a mutant breed was finally confirmed in 1981 when two captive spotted females each gave birth to a king. A recessive gene must be inherited from both parents for this pattern to appear, which is one reason why it is so rare.