JSON nest class data binding

Question

{ \"type\":\"cat\", \"animal\":{\"name\":\"cat\"} }

Animal is an abstract class. Cat and Dog are subclass.

Now I am t

Answer 1

It's possible, but type in JSON should looks like "type":"com.test.Cat" (fully qualified name)
Abstract class

@JsonTypeInfo(use=JsonTypeInfo.Id.CLASS, include=JsonTypeInfo.As.PROPERTY, property="type")
public abstract class AAnimal 
{
}  

subclasses

public class Cat extends AAnimal
{
   public String name;
} 
public class Dog extends AAnimal
{
   public String name;
}  

now, for json

"{ \"type\":\"com.test.Dog\", \"name\":\"gav-gav\" }"  

it will be Dog instance
and for

"{ \"type\":\"com.test.Cat\", \"name\":\"mew-mew\" }" 

it will be Cat instance
EDIT
In this case use JsonTypeInfo.As.EXTERNAL_PROPERTY. Example

public class Container 
{
   private String type;

   private AAnimal animal;

   public String getType()
   {
      return type;
   }

   public void setType(String type)
   {
      this.type = type;
   }

   public AAnimal getAnimal()
   {
      return animal;
   }

   @JsonTypeInfo(use=JsonTypeInfo.Id.CLASS, include=JsonTypeInfo.As.EXTERNAL_PROPERTY, property="type")
   public void setAnimal(AAnimal animal)
   {
      this.animal = animal;
   }
}  

Animal classes

public abstract class AAnimal 
{
   public String name;
}
public class Cat extends AAnimal
{
}
public class Dog extends AAnimal
{
}  

for

"{\"type\":\"com.test.Cat\", \"animal\" : {\"name\":\"cat\" }}"

it works well.
PS. Also you can use use=JsonTypeInfo.Id.MINIMAL_CLASS, in this case you can use only part of fully qualified name
EDIT2

   @JsonTypeInfo(use=JsonTypeInfo.Id.NAME, include=JsonTypeInfo.As.EXTERNAL_PROPERTY, property="type")
   @JsonSubTypes({ @Type(value = Cat.class, name = "cat"), @Type(value = Dog.class, name = "dog") })
   public void setAnimal(AAnimal animal)
   {
      this.animal = animal;
   }  

works well for

"{\"type\":\"cat\", \"animal\" : {\"name\":\"cat\" }}"