Appendix of Cat Breeds
There are more differences in breeds of cats than just the appearance. Temperaments can also differ according to the ancestry. For example, Siamese (and cats who are part Siamese) are ordinarily more outgoing and active than Persians, who are more sedate. Siamese are also more talkative than almost any other breed and are more likely to climb curtains, bookcases, or the nearest human in pursuit of some flying creature. Although Himalayans, Balinese, and Burmese have Siamese in their ancestry, they are not quite as vocal or active.
There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.
—Albert Schweitzer
Abyssinians are choosy and often suddenly flighty in temperament, but can be very affectionate as well. Like the Burmese, Abyssinians love to play in water, as do some Siamese, although they do not like to swim as much as the Turkish Van does. The Manx is usually a quiet, gentle cat, as are Russian Blues and other shorthairs.
Dr. Neil Todd, of the Carnivore Genetics Research Centre of Illinois, found some very interesting facts about the distribution of certain physically inherited cat traits. The ginger cat is most commonly found in a narrow band of territory reaching from London to the Mediterranean and onto the northern coast of Africa; this area corresponds to the ancient routes of traders. Scotland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the Isle of Man have large numbers of nearly white cats, as does the Van area of Turkey; these lands were visited or colonized by Vikings. Except for a few isolated pockets, cats with extra toes are most common in New England, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia; it is very probable that at one time these extra-toed cats were bred as a novelty in those areas.
If you are interested in locating a breeder of a specific breed of cat, you can contact such organizations as: American Cat Association, 11482 Vanport Avenue, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342 (americanaca@yahoo.com); American Cat Fanciers’ Association, P.O. Box 1949, Nixa, MO 65714-1949 (acfa@aol.com); Cat Fanciers’ Association, 260 East Main Street, Alliance, OH 44601 (cbrs@cfa.org); Cat Fanciers’ Federation, P.O. Box 661, Gratis, OH 45330 (CFFINC@live.com); or the International Cat Association, P.O. Box 2684, Harlingen, TX 78551 (inquiries@tica.org).
Coat Patterns
|
Bicolor |
Used to describe a white cat with patches of one color or a background of another color; a two-colored cat. |
|
Calico |
A white cat with distinct patches of red and black. |
|
Pointed |
A basic, darker color on the face, ears, legs, and tail with the body usually cream, fawn, or white. |
|
Classic Tabby |
Broad markings that form bull’s-eye circles on each side of the cat, surrounded by broken rings. “M” frown marks on the forehead. A long vertical stripe runs down the spine. Bracelets also ring the legs and neck.* |
|
Ticked Tabby |
There are no stripes or blotches, except for a dark stripe down the back. The underside is lighter and the body hairs are ticked. The face, legs, and tail have tabby stripes or rings. Ticked means that the hair has a light root and a darker tip (or vice versa), giving a grizzled look to the fur. |
|
Tortoiseshell |
Blended and indistinct patches of red and cream combined with a color such as black or chestnut. A blaze of white or red often appears on the face. Chances are two hundred to one of finding a male tortoiseshell cat. |
|
* The name “tabby” may have come from the Attabiah district of old Baghdad, where the Jews made a black and white watered silk. When this silk appeared in Britain, it was called “tabbi” silk. The water marks on the silk resemble the patterns on the tabby cat. |
|
There is some evidence to the old belief that the color of a cat’s coat reflects its temperament. Generally, tabby cats are the most placid, while orange males tend to be more aggressive.
Abyssinian
The Abyssinian has a moderate triangular head with large gold or green eyes set wide apart, with pencil markings under the eyes. Its large ears are slightly pointed and tufted. The front legs are slightly longer than the back ones, and the feet are small and oval. It is medium in size and carries itself with a regal grace. A slender, finely boned cat, the Abyssinian’s tail is long and tapering. It has a distinctly ticked,131 double coat, which can come in several colors: ruddy, red, blue, and fawn. It shows a lively, active interest in its surroundings.
The Abyssinian was brought to England by soldiers in the late 1860s from the Abyssinian War. Some people think that this cat was originally part of the sacred cats of ancient Egypt. It certainly does look like ancient Egyptian bronze statues of their cats: long body, large ears, and long tail.
American Bobtail
This is a stocky, longhaired cat with a rugged appearance and a short tail. The short tail reaches halfway to the cat’s hocks; sometimes the tail ends in a knot or point. This cat can be medium to large in size, muscular but not fat. The bobtail has a medium-length coat, which is non-matting, and can be in any color or pattern. The eyes are large and slightly rounded, the medium-large ears wide at the base. Its temperament is amiable and sweet.
This breed of cat began with a crossing between a seal point Siamese female and a short-tailed common tabby male. Later, Birman and Himalayan were mixed into this breed.
American Curl
The American Curl gets its name from its unusual curled ears, which result from a spontaneous mutation. Unlike the Scottish Fold, whose ears fold forward, the Curl cat’s ears are erect and open, curling away from the cat’s face. In fact, the ears may curl backward to at least a ninety-degree angle. Like the Scottish Folds, these cats seem to have no problems relating to the curled-back ears. It takes four to seven days for the ears on a newborn kitten to begin to curl. This curl will continue to intensify over several months.
The head is a modified wedge, longer than it is wide. A medium-sized cat, its medium long, silky coat comes in many colors; the tail is plumed. The American Curl cat is very gentle and gregarious.
Joe and Grace Ruga of Lakewood, California, discovered a longhaired black stray with curled-back ears in 1981, which they named Shulamith. Through their efforts, the American Curl came to be recognized as a breed.
American Shorthair
This is listed as a true breed of working cat; in other words, the ordinary cat we see so frequently. Medium to large in size, this Shorthair has a short, thick, even coat that comes in a large variety of colors; the most popular color is that of the black and silver tabby. The Shorthair has an oblong head with full cheeks. The ears are slightly rounded at the tips and medium in size. It is strongly built, agile, and powerful. In the tabby patterns, an “M” can be seen on the forehead. It is larger and more powerful than the British Shorthair.
Shorthaired cats came to North America with the earliest settlers (1500s). Although they were probably brought over as pets, they likely earned their ship passage by catching rats and mice. Some people believe that there was at least one cat on board the Mayflower, which landed in 1620.
American Wirehair
Originating from a male kitten born in 1967 in Verona, New York, this breed is not well known outside North America. The guard hairs on this breed of cat are thin and bent at the ends, giving a frizzy appearance to its fur. Since every hair is bent, this makes the coat dense and springy, feeling much like lamb’s wool. Even the whiskers are crimped and curly. If the fur gets wet, it may take several days for the coat to regain its crinkled, springy appearance. Its body shape is very similar to the American Shorthair, although it is often slightly smaller.
Kittens are born with tight, curly fur. It can take as long as five months for them to develop the crimped texture of the adults. The American Wirehair is noted for living long, being very playful, and having a curious nature.
Balinese
Except for its longhaired, silky coat, the Balinese cat is much like the Siamese: long, wedge-shaped head, sleek body, and almond-shaped vivid blue eyes. It has long, slim legs, dainty feet, and large ears. Like the Siamese, it comes in four basic color points: blue, chocolate, lilac, and seal; however, the coat may also be lynx point. It has long, tapering lines and longer fur than a Siamese does. An active, affectionate cat, the Balinese is quite graceful.
The Balinese cat has a Siamese ancestry. At first, when longhaired kittens appeared in litters of pedigreed Siamese, they were considered a mutation. Over the years, however, some people have come to believe this long hair is a recessive genetic characteristic. The first longhaired Siamese cat was registered in 1928. The actual Balinese breed resulted from the mating between Siamese and Angoras. They are less vocal than the Siamese.
Bengal
The Bengal has the spotted pattern, colors, and facial qualities of the Asian leopard cat. Its beautiful spotted or rosetted coat comes in yellow, buff, tan, golden, and orange, with the rosettes in black, brown, tan, chocolate, or cinnamon. Its short to medium coat is thick and soft to the touch. Bengals are divided into three color groups: leopard, snow leopard, and marble leopard.
The head is a broad wedge with full muzzle and high, pronounced cheekbones; it is small in proportion to the body. The eyes are large and set wide. The ears are small, rounded, and set far back on the head. The Bengal has a robust, long body with large paws and thick tail. Bengals generally love to play in water. Instead of hissing when annoyed, it will growl.
The Bengal originated from crossbreeding between domestic shorthair cats and the wild Asian leopard cats (Felis bengalensis) in the early 1960s. Although the Bengal has a wild ancestry, its personality is amiable, quick, curious, playful, and not at all aggressive.
Birman
A sacred temple cat from Burma, and different from the Burmese, the Birman is a creature of mystery and ancient legend. It is a colorpoint cat with semi-long, silky hair (which doesn’t mat like the Himalayan and Persian) and four pure white feet. It is long and stocky, with round blue eyes. The Birman’s points are colored blue, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, and seal point; the points on Birman kittens darken as they get older. Occasionally, they will be red, cream, tortoiseshell, or lynx point. It has a broad head, full cheeks, and rounded muzzle. A long cat, the Birman has large, round paws and a ruff of fur around the neck. They are sensitive yet playful.
Legend says the Birman cats came from the Buddhist temples of Burma. The first recognition of this breed of cat came in 1925 in France.
Bombay
The Bombay is a gorgeous, sleek, jet-black cat with round, vivid gold or copper eyes. A medium-sized animal, the Bombay has short fur and a solid body. Its head is round, with chubby cheeks and a short, strong muzzle. The ears and eyes are set wide apart. The kittens of this breed have blue eyes at birth; these change to gray and then to the adult copper or gold. The Bombay is friendly, alert, and outgoing. This cat is very vocal, craves attention, and seldom stops purring.
The Bombay is a hybrid produced from crossing the Burmese and the black American Shorthair. The breed emerged in 1958 when a pure black American Shorthair was mated with a sable Burmese. Because of its resemblance to the black Indian leopard, this breed was named the Bombay.
British Shorthair
The British Shorthair is a compact, powerful cat with a broad chest and strong legs. The head is quite large, with a broad nose. The rounded muzzle is very distinctive. The eyes are also very round and quite large. The legs are powerful, the paws firm, and the tail thick at the base. The British Shorthair has a dense coat that can come in many colors, including patterns. Hardy and pliable, this cat is a good pet.
Although the British Isles are one home of the European wild cat, the British Shorthair very likely originated far to the south. Roman soldiers brought the ancestors of this cat to northern Europe and Great Britain about 2,000 years ago. In the late 1800s, cat breeders began to select the best of the non-pedigreed cats roaming the streets of Britain and developed a sturdy, friendly, and placid feline. Although these cats are bigger than most other non-pedigreed cats and are tough-looking, they are actually home-loving animals with amiable natures.
Burmese
The Burmese is a medium-sized animal with expressive eyes and a sweet expression. Its wide cheekbones taper toward a rounded chin. The rounded eyes are set well apart but slant toward the nose. Although a glossy sable brown is the original and most common color, the Burmese also comes in blue, champagne, and platinum. A very vocal cat, the Burmese is intelligent and curious.
The Burmese cat is said to have originated in Burma. A breed of brown cat lived in Burmese Buddhist temples since the fifteenth century. However, the breed was first recognized in 1936 and can be traced to a brown Asian female named Wong Mau.
California Spangled Cat
The California Spangled Cat is medium-sized with a long, lean body, resembling a wild hunter. It has wide cheekbones, a full muzzle, and strong chin and jaws. Its eyes are medium and almond-shaped, colored in amber, brown, sand, cocoa, or gray-brown. The spotted fur is short and velvety, and somewhat longer on the tail and belly. This cat comes in several coat colors: silver, charcoal, bronze, gold, red, blue, brown, and black. Dark bars mark the top of each foreleg, and the tip of the tail is black.
Each variety of this breed of cat has nearly identical markings but can differ in color. The only exception is the variety called the Snow Leopard; this variety is born pure white and gradually develops its spots.
Although it looks like a wild cat, the Spangled Cat has no wild blood in its ancestry. This breed of cat is the result of a meticulous breeding program by Paul Casey. In the early 1970s, breeders decided to try to produce a breed of domesticated cat that looked wild but wasn’t. Four other common breeds were mixed with a feral Egyptian cat and a tropical housecat from Southeast Asia. The Spangled Cat is an affectionate, active, intelligent, and very social cat.
Chartreux
This cat comes from France and is mentioned as early as 1558 by the poet Joachim du Bellay. These blue, gray, and blue-gray cats are mentioned throughout French literature. The name Chartreux is first recorded in the 1723 edition of the Universal Dictionary of Commerce.
There is a legend of the Chartreux that says these cats were brought back by monastic knights during the Crusades. They were taken to a Grenoble monastery run by the Carthusian monks, who carefully bred them to get their unique coloring.
The Chartreux is a sturdy cat with dense, medium-short, water-repellent fur. A blue-gray animal, its color shades range from ash to slate with copper to gold eyes. Its head is broad and round, with full cheeks and a small tapering muzzle. This cat is agile, intelligent, amiable, and soft-spoken.
Cornish Rex
This curly-coated, very short-haired cat is the result of a mutant recessive gene that was first noticed in cats in Cornwall, England, in 1950. The Cornish Rex has very soft, wavy, and crimped fur, with few guard hairs. The fur is so fine that this cat is susceptible to the cold. The coat of this cat can be solid, parti-color, bicolor, smoke, shaded, and tabby. The whiskers are also crinkly and can be very fragile.
A long, slender cat, it has dainty feet, a small, narrow head, and large eyes, which can be several colors. Each eye can be a different color. Its large ears have rounded tips and fine fur. The Cornish Rex is quite friendly and agile.
Devon Rex cats have fur that is more twisted than that of the Cornish Rex. The head of the Devon Rex is very unique; it is short and broad, with large eyes and very large, prominent ears, giving it a pixie look. Its playful character matches its mischievous looks.
Kittens of the Selkirk Rex (which appeared in 1987) don’t fully develop their first curly coat until they are about ten months old; this coat is shed, and it is another two or three months before its adult coat comes in.
Cymric
The Cymric (kim-rick) gives an impression of roundness in its form. It has a round head with firm, round muzzle; a round rump and arching back; and short legs with rounded thighs. Its heavy, double coat of medium length comes in a variety of colors. The fur on the neck, abdomen, and upper legs is longer than on the rest of the body. The eyes are large and round, and this cat has no tail. The Cymric makes a good companion, as it is very affectionate and likeable. The Cymric is actually a longhaired Manx, a shorthaired breed of cat from the Isle of Man. These cats have appeared in Manx litters as long as the Manx breed has existed. It is thought that the Vikings brought longhaired cats to the Isle of Man, where they bred with the shorthaired, tail-less local cats.
Egyptian Mau
The only natural domesticated breed of spotted cat, the Egyptian Mau is an active medium-sized animal. Its dense, silky fur can be bronze, silver, or black smoke with darker markings, with an “M” on the forehead. The head is a slightly rounded wedge and has large, pointed ears and big almond-shaped eyes. Its eyes are usually a shade of green132 with dark lines running from the corners of the eyes like mascara.133 The Mau are usually not fond of strangers but are very affectionate within the family. They like to talk, and some will enjoy retrieving small objects.
One legend of this breed says they descended from ancient Egyptian stock. Like the Abyssinian, the Mau certainly looks like statues and paintings of ancient Egyptian cats. It moves like a cheetah or small leopard when stalking through grass. Princess Troubetskoy brought the first specimens of this breed to the US from Cairo in 1956.134 It was not until the early 1980s that thirteen more Egyptian Maus were brought over.
Havana Brown
This cat’s short fur is a rich, dark chestnut-brown color, and its paw pads are pink. It has a distinctive shape to its narrow muzzle, brilliant eyes, and large ears. Medium in size, the Havana Brown has long legs and oval paws. Less vocal than the Siamese, this reserved cat is a people-oriented cat who likes affection.
The Havana Brown is the result of breeding a black Shorthair to a seal point Siamese with a chocolate gene in the early 1950s.
Himalayan
The Himalayan’s large, short, heavy body resembles that of the Persian. Its long haired fur comes in blue, lilac, chocolate, seal, red, cream, tortoiseshell, and lynx, and is a beautiful pointed coat. Originally, the Himalayan was available in only seal point and blue point. Some cat associations acknowledge solid colors of chocolate or lilac as a breed called Kashmir.
The Himalayan’s head is quite broad, round, and massive, with large, round eyes and small ears. It has a full brush tail and long ear and toe tufts. A quiet, friendly cat, the Himalayan usually attaches itself to one person, and is an affectionate pet.
This cat is a hybrid cross between the Persian and the Siamese. Himalayans have been bred since the early 1930s.
Japanese Bobtail
The Japanese Bobtail cat is slender with high cheekbones and a long nose. The muzzle is broad and round, the ears large and wide. Its tail is very short, mostly a pompom. The oval, slightly slanted eyes mark it as Asian, but it doesn’t resemble the Siamese. The hind legs are a little longer than those in front. The fur of the Japanese Bobtail is medium in length and silky, with little undercoat. In coloring, this cat can be solid black, red and white, black and white, tortoiseshell, or a combination of red, black, and white known in Japan as Mi-Ke. It can be either long or short haired.
This bobtail cat breed is not believed to be a mutant, like the Manx is. These cats are also relatively low shedders of hair, making it possible for many people with allergies to have a Japanese Bobtail cat. It is inquisitive, very intelligent, and an extrovert.
Ancient Japanese records say that this particular breed of cat arrived in Japan with missionary Buddhist monks at least 1,000 years ago. Their place of origin was probably China or Korea.135 Up until 1602 these bobtailed cats were guarded because they were considered so valuable. Then a plague of vermin began to destroy the silk worms. The authorities ordered that all cats had to be turned loose to help control the destructive vermin; cats could no longer be bought or sold. After that, bobtailed cats became quite common on the streets and farms of Japan. The first-known bobtailed cats in the USA were imported in 1908. In Japan this cat is considered to be a good luck charm, especially the Mi-Ke.
Javanese
The Javanese has long, silky hair, similar to that of the Balinese, but it comes in all the point colors of the Colorpoint Shorthair. There is no downy undercoat, and the tail hair forms a plume. Its body structure is very similar to the Siamese, with very large ears and almond-shaped eyes.
This breed of cat wasn’t accepted by the Cat Fanciers’ Association until 1987, although they have been around as long as the Balinese. New breeds have to fight long and hard to prove themselves before they will be recognized.
Korat
The Korat has a heart-shaped face and luminous green or amber eyes. The eyes are large and round, and the ears rounded at the tips. This medium-sized cat is dusky silver-blue with a heavy silver sheen to its coat. The fur is short and has no undercoat; because the hair of a Korat doesn’t float off when touched, many people with allergies can tolerate these cats. The nose and lips are dark blue or lavender.
The Korat is a breed of cat originally from Thailand (Siam), where it is considered to be a good luck cat.136 In its native land, the Korat is known as the Si-Sawat cat. Si is Thai for color, while Sawat refers to gray coat and green eyes.
The first picture of a cat believed to be the ancestor of the Korat is found in the ancient Cat-Book Poems, a manuscript now preserved in the Thai National Library in Bangkok. This ancient book was rescued from the Siamese city of Ayudha when it was destroyed by Burmese invaders in 1767; it is thought to have been 417 years old when it was taken. Therefore, we can assume that the Korat breed is very old indeed. The anonymous writer of the Cat-Book Poems wrote verses describing several breeds of cats. The description of a solid blue cat describes the Korat in accurate detail. Another ancient Thai legend says that this breed of cat was developed by two hermits.
Maine Coon
In the beginning, the Maine Coon was a working cat on farms and in households, earning its keep by hunting and killing rodents. It is a large cat (males may weigh up to eighteen pounds) with a broad chest, long flowing tail, and heavy legs. Its ears are high-set, large, and tufted, its muzzle squarish. Its thick, shaggy fur and rugged constitution help it to endure harsh climates. The fur is long, flowing, and silky, with a chest ruff and feathered tail. Its coat comes in more than twenty colors, in solid, tabby, parti-color, smoke, and shaded colors. Hardy and rugged, the Maine Coon cat is rather dignified and reserved.
This cat is noted for making an unusual chirping sound. And while it is common for this breed of cat to pick up food with its front paws, the ancestors of this cat did not interbreed with raccoons, as superstition says.
The ancestors of this cat may have been the very first domestic cats to arrive in North America. At one time they were primarily found in the state of Maine. One story says that a sea captain, whose name was Coon, brought Persian and Angora cats to the US. These cats jumped ship in Maine and interbred with the local cats, thus introducing the longhair gene. This cat’s habit of sleeping in small, cramped spaces is said to come from its days onboard ships. Another story is that Marie Antoinette of France sent gifts of cats to certain families in the Northeast, establishing the breed in that area.
The Maine Coon is one of the oldest natural breeds of cats in North America and has been shown since the late 1800s in cat shows.
Manx
Like its relative the Cymric, the Manx has a round head, muzzle, and cheeks. Its front legs are shorter than the back ones, giving it a short arching back and muscular thighs. A true Manx has no tail at all. This lack of a tail is actually a serious genetic deformity.137 The same gene that causes the lack of a tail also distorts the spine. The Manx has fewer and shorter vertebrae than the ordinary cat.
Its short, dense fur comes in many colors. The Manx cat is shy, yet endearing and adjustable to surroundings.
There are no records of when this breed of cat appeared on the Isle of Man at least 400 years ago or exactly where it came from. The explanation generally accepted on Man is that these tail-less cats swam ashore at low tide after a Spanish ship from the Armada floundered on Spanish Rock in 1588. The story further goes that the Manx didn’t come from Spain originally, but from some unknown area in the Middle East. Some people believe that the Manx originated in ancient Japan, arriving in Britain with Phoenician traders.
Munchkin
The Munchkin is not as yet recognized as a legitimate breed, although it was first introduced to the public at Madison Square Garden in March of 1911. This unique breed of cat has fascinated many cat lovers.
Cats with short legs are not new to the scientific community. In 1944 Dr. H. E. Williams-Jones, a British veterinarian, described four generations of healthy short-legged cats. Later, in 1956, Von Max Egon Thiel of Hamburg, Germany, described a Munchkin cat he had seen in Stalingrad in 1953. After this, Munchkin cats seem to have disappeared in Europe and were virtually unknown until 1983.
In 1983, Sandra Hochenedel of Louisiana discovered a stray pregnant black cat with short legs and rescued her. About half of Blackberry’s kittens had short legs. This short-leg mutation is not manmade, but a natural product of nature. The Munchkin cat has the full-sized body of a regular cat, but the height from the shoulder to the ground is only about six and three-fourth inches. The Munchkin’s short legs are a disadvantage only for jumping to such heights as a countertop or table, according to clinical geneticist Solveig Pflueger. They run extremely well and can climb trees and curtains like any other cat. Being low to the floor, they seem to take corners better than most cats with legs of the regular length. It also makes it possible for the cat to dive under a bed at full speed without ducking. Munchkins have no particular health problems, since a cat’s spine is built totally different from low-slung dogs who have spinal problems.
Munchkin cats may resemble the ferret in some of their movements, but their personality is quite charming. They take well to harness and leash and get along very well with people, dogs, and other cats. Some of them have a tendency to hide caches of small objects for future playtime.
I think they are delightfully charming members of the feline family, rather like dachshunds of the cat world. Unfortunately, the supply of Munchkin kittens is limited at this time; if you contact a breeder, expect to be put on a waiting list.
Norwegian Forest Cat
A big cat with a powerful body, the Norwegian Forest Cat has a profuse ruff around its neck and a long, bushy tail. Its double, thick, long, water-repellent coat,138 vitality, and resourcefulness have helped it survive in harsh winter climates.139 Pressing down on the thick fur will leave an indentation. Its coat comes in many colors and it frequently has green-gold or gold eyes. The round head is quite large, with a wide forehead and oval-shaped eyes.
Known as the Skaukatt or Skogkatt in Norway, no one knows where this cat came from originally or how it got to this cold northern country. In 1930 it was recognized as the native cat of Scandinavia. This cat is mentioned in Norse mythology; in fairy tales recorded in the mid-nineteenth century, it is called a “fairy cat.”
Ocicat
The Ocicat, although it reminds one of the wild ocelot, does not come from a wild breed. It originated from accidental mating between a Siamese and an Abyssinian-Siamese mix. The present name, Ocicat, comes from the two names by which this cat was first known: Accicat (for accidental) and Ocelette (because of its ocelot-like appearance).
It is a medium to large animal with a spotted coat, which comes in blue, chocolate, cinnamon, fawn, lavender, silver, and silver versions of the other colors; the spots are dark. Although the kittens are born with spotted markings, these patterns begin to darken after about five weeks. The rear is slightly higher than the front quarters. The ears are quite large.
The Ocicat is a very athletic cat, graceful and lithe and fond of human companionship. This cat is truly unique, with a feral look without the feral temperament.
Oriental Colorpoint Shorthair and Oriental Longhair
The Oriental Shorthair is a very sleek cat with long, tapering lines and a wedge-shaped head. It has a short, glossy coat that comes in color points of red, cream, seal-lynx, chocolate-lynx, lilac-lynx, seal-tortie, chocolate-tortie, blue-cream, lilac-cream, seal tortie-lynx, chocolate tortie-lynx, blue-cream lynx, lilac-cream lynx, and cream lynx. Its almond-shaped eyes are usually blue. Its ears are quite large, and the tail is long and thin. The Colorpoint Shorthair is essentially a Siamese, but with points colored in shades different from the accepted Siamese colors. It is quite vocal, inquisitive, and active.
The Oriental Longhair is a longhaired version of the Oriental Shorthair. It has the long, silky fur of the Balinese and Javanese breeds, and comes in solids, shaded colors, tortoiseshell, smoke, and tabby. The eyes are usually green or blue. Both breeds have the characteristic features and body structure of the Siamese and other Asian cats.
Persian
Persians have the longest hair of any cat, equaling the fur length of the Angora.140 The thick fur stands away from the body and forms a huge ruff around the neck, extending down between the front legs. They are a heavily boned cat with soft, round lines. Their fur comes in a rainbow of colors, and they have large, round eyes, which can be copper, blue, green, or blue-green. The Persian is very loving and friendly.
The Italian traveler Pietro della Valle (1586–1652) brought the Persian cat to Europe. According to his writings, this breed came from the province of Chorazan in Persia, sixteenth-century Iran. He wrote that the Portuguese brought Persian cats from Persia into India. Queen Victoria kept Blue Persians, thus making them very popular during the nineteenth century.
RagaMuffin
The RagaMuffin cat is quite large, with silky, non-matting fur and big, expressive oval eyes. It comes in a variety of colors, including blends and colorpoints, and usually has blue eyes. The cheeks are round and prominent, the pointed ears a little small. Although a big cat, the RagaMuffin has a tendency to go limp when handled. This people-oriented breed is affectionate, playful, and gentle. Because of their amiable, trusting nature they are strictly indoor cats.
The origin of this breed of cat is very hazy. It was developed sometime in the 1960s. Selective breeding has given the RagaMuffin a very docile and gentle temperament, despite their size; females normally weigh from eight to twelve pounds, while males can weigh up to twenty pounds.
Ragdoll
The Ragdoll is a large cat with heavy bones and a full chest. In fact, mature males can reach up to three feet with front and back legs extended, and can weigh up to twenty pounds. Its fur is only in the traditional Siamese colors of blue, chocolate, lilac, and seal points; the fur is medium to long and thick and silky. The Ragdoll has blue eyes in many shades. Its temperament is friendly, gentle, and affectionate; these cats are noted for liking children.
Born almost pure white, the Ragdoll’s points begin developing after about a week. It takes three years for a Ragdoll kitten to reach adult size and coloring. The fur often becomes much lighter during the summer months.
In the early 1960s, Ann Baker created this breed by crossing a white Persian female to a Birman male; the kittens were mated to a Burmese. She named it the Ragdoll because of its tendency to go limp when picked up. This breed was the first to receive its own trademark.
Russian Blue
A slender, finely boned cat, the Russian Blue is a solid silver-gray blue in color, ranging from dark blue to lavender blue. The fur is so dense and plush that it stands out from the body, like the fur on seals. Some of the Russian Blues are quite large, and they all have striking eyes.141 The long head is wedge-shaped, and the tail quite thick at the base before tapering to the end. It is a shy, sensitive, independent animal, but demonstrative. They meow and shed very little.
This breed of cat is also known as the Archangel cat. They got their name from the Russian city of Arkhangelsk (Archangel Isle), a port on the White Sea about 150 miles south of the Arctic Circle. From this port, sailors carried them into western Europe. One story says that Elizabeth I imported some of this breed of cat. The Russian Blues, as well as the Chartreux and the blue British Shorthair, nearly became extinct during World War II. Although considered good luck cats in Russia, they are becoming rare in that country.142
Scottish Fold
The Scottish Fold cat has a well-rounded head and prominent cheek pads, which gives its face a very rounded appearance. Its fur is short, plush, and dense, and comes in parti-colors, shadeds, smokes, solids, and tabbies. Its eyes are wide and large. A sweet, affectionate creature, this cat makes a good companion. They are tolerant of other domestic animals, including dogs.
This breed of cat originated in Scotland in 1951 on a farm near Coupar Angus, where a spontaneous mutation in farm cats produced the distinguishing feature of small, tightly forward-folded ears.143 In most litters there are always some kittens whose ears never fold. An interesting fact is that the folded ears are no more prone to infections than the ears of ordinary cats.
From the beginning, longhaired kittens appeared in Scottish Fold litters with the usual shorthaired kittens. They have small, tightly folded ears, a round face, and large, wide eyes. The eyes can be gold, copper, green, or hazel. Their fur comes in parti-colors, smokes, shadeds, solids, and tabbies. The Longhair Scottish Fold cats have the same coat colors as the Persian, except for chocolate and lilac.
Siamese
Siamese cats are easily recognized by their pointed faces, large ears, and long tail, and the darker shades of fur on the face, feet, and tail. The fur is light on the body with dark points, which come in blue, chocolate, lilac, and seal. The coat color of the Siamese is controlled by climate temperature; the colder the climate, the darker the coat. The vivid blue eyes are definitely Asian: almond shaped and slanting. The slender hind legs are slightly longer than those in the front. It is common for the Siamese to have extra toes; one Siamese cat was recorded as having twenty-six toes instead of the usual eighteen. This cat also has a distinctive voice and is very sociable toward humans and other Siamese cats. However, it does tend to be snobby toward other breeds of cats.
The Siamese cat is said to have come from seventeenth-century Thailand. The Siamese is a slender, elegant cat who originated in the country once called Siam. Like the Karat, they were mentioned in the Cat-Book Poems. Protectors of the spiritual temples and royal homes, the Siamese were originally not permitted to be owned by commoners. The first Siamese to enter England in the early 1880s may have been gifts from the King of Siam.
The appearance of the Siamese has changed over the years through specialized breeding practices. In the early 1900s, for example, prize-winning Siamese cats had a much rounder face than they do today.
Siberian Cat
This breed of cat only arrived in the US from Russia in 1990. Rare outside Russia, this breed of cat has been common there for over a thousand years. It has a big, muscular body, a large head, and firm paws. The tail is thick and bushy, and the fur long and dense; in many aspects it is similar to the Norwegian Forest Cat. It is very playful, intelligent, and friendly.
The owners of Starpoint Cattery were the first to import this breed of cat. According to breeder Elizabeth Terrell (from her communications with Russian breeders), the Siberian cat is believed to be the direct descendant of Cossack cats.
Singapura
The Singapura144 comes from Singapore. This tiny breed of cat has very large eyes and ears; males often weigh less than six pounds. Its beautiful coat has dark brown ticking on a warm ivory ground color, while its muzzle, chin, chest, and stomach are the shade of unbleached muslin. Its coat pattern is very similar to the Abyssinian, but the body type is quite different. The muzzle is broad, the nose blunt. The eyes, nose, and whisker apertures are highlighted in dark brown. The Singapura is very active, inquisitive, and alert.
This breed was first recognized in the US by the International Cat Association and the Cat Fanciers Association in 1988.
Snowshoe
The Snowshoe is a medium to large cat with a muscular, heavily built body. The head is broad and round, the cheeks full. It is a Siamese colorpointed (blue or seal points) cat with Himalayan coat coloring, but with white markings on the face, chest, stomach, and feet. The fur is short and silky. The bright blue eyes are surrounded by darker shades, which makes it look as if it is wearing a mask.
The kittens are born pure white. It takes two years for them to develop the darker coloring on their head, legs, and tail and their distinctive white feet. Snowshoe males are much larger than the females; they can weigh up to twelve pounds and develop prominent jowls as they mature.
The Snowshoe originated from three Siamese kittens born with white feet. Although there were misgivings about this color trait, the kittens were mated with American Shorthairs, who contributed the large, muscular build for which this breed is known. This beautiful cat can be seen in ancient paintings. This easygoing cat is extroverted, affectionate, and inquisitive.
Somali
Except for its medium length, double, and very soft coat, the Somali resembles its Abyssinian cousin. It is a medium to large animal with a ticked coat in blue, fawn, red, or ruddy colors. The head is a modified wedge, tapering to the muzzle. The ears are large and the eyes big and almond-shaped. The eyes are also outlined in darker coloring, making them very distinctive and expressive. An active cat, the Somali takes a lively interest in everything and is a good companion.
This longhaired version of the Abyssinian was created by special breeding during the 1960s.
Sphynx
At first glance, this breed of cat appears to be hairless; however, it is covered with an extremely fine down that feels like suede and has no guard hairs at all. This down comes in a variety of colors and patterns, including bicolors and tabbies. This lack of hair makes this cat vulnerable to cold weather and sunburn, and it should be considered strictly an indoor cat. Because of their lack of hair, the Sphynx has to consume more calories to maintain body temperature. In order to be comfortable, this cat requires an indoor temperature of 72 to 78 degrees and must wear a soft sweater when traveling.
Although this breed of cat is not hypoallergenic, people who are allergic to cat hair find the Sphynx easy to live with. However, if one is allergic to cat dander or saliva, this will not work.
The head is small and angular, the large ears triangular and rounded at the tips, the cheeks flat. In most of these cats, there are very short or no whiskers and eyebrows. The long-tailed body is of medium build and is thick through the abdomen. This breed of cat sweats, a unique and unusual trait among felines. The Sphynx is a very affectionate cat who easily gets along with dogs, other cats, and people.
Sphynx kittens are born with only a light covering of fur that is gradually lost as they get older. The kitten’s skin is very loose and wrinkled, but gets smoother with age. The Sphynx is known for its wrinkled brow.
The Sphynx is extremely rare, with only about 800 such cats in the world today. This also makes them expensive to buy.
Tonkinese
This breed of cat has brilliant aqua eyes and mink coat. Its coat is medium in length and silky to the touch. In the US this cat is sometimes called the mink cat because its short, soft fur has the same texture as that of a mink. Its colors can be blue, champagne, honey, natural, and platinum, with denser, darker colors on the mask, ears, feet, and tail. The head is a modified wedge with a blunt muzzle. The ears are wide at the base and oval at the tips; the oval eyes are wide set. Tonkinese are outgoing and good-natured.
The Tonkinese is the result of breeding between Siamese and Burmese cats in the 1960s. However, the first Tonkinese was produced in 1930 by mating a brown cat named Wong Mau to a seal point Siamese.
Turkish Angora
This medium-sized cat is long and lithe with an extremely fine, silky coat, which comes in many colors, the most popular being pure white. The fur on the neck, belly, and tail is thick, giving the tail a plume-like appearance. The rump is slightly higher than the shoulders, with the hind legs longer than those in the front. The Turkish Angora’s round, slanted eyes complement its pretty face; the eyes can be sapphire blue, amber, green, or hazel. It is very athletic, intelligent, affectionate, and gentle.
The Angora cat originally came from the region surrounding the city of Angora, now called Ankara, during the sixteenth century. Early travelers of the time wrote that they could see very little difference between the Angora and Persian cats. The Turkish Angora breed of cats comes from the ancient Angora breed, which some say has the Pallas cat in its ancestry. The breed was perfected in Ankara, Turkey. In the sixteenth century, it was common for Turkish sultans to send these cats as gifts to European nobles.
The first Turkish Angora cats were pure white and were known by the name of Ankara kedi. Traditionally, they had eyes of two different colors, such as one gold and the other blue. A white cat with two blue eyes is very likely to be deaf, a genetic weakness.
Turkish Van
The Turkish Van (pronounced von) gets its name from Lake Van in western Turkey, but is actually an Armenian cat. Armenian people settled in the Lake Van region and revered this breed of cat. Two of these cats were taken from the Lake Van district to Britain in 1955. Sometimes called “swimming cats,” the Van is usually not adverse to water.
The Van is semi-longhaired, with no undercoat, and has distinctive Van markings on the head and tail. The basic coat color is pure white with red or auburn on the tail and around the ears. This long cat has a broad body, heavy bones, and a distinctive color pattern. The Turkish people say that the white patch on the center of the head was placed there by the thumb of Allah. The neck, belly, and tail have thicker, fine, silky hair. The wedge-shaped head tapers to the chin; the ears are long and wide at the base. Like the Turkish Angora, this cat is higher in the rump than the shoulders. The Van is highly independent yet affectionate.
131. The Abyssinian is sometimes called the hare-cat because its fur is similar in pattern to that of hares.
132. The eye coloring can take up to two years to reach its brightest, but often pales with age.
133. One tradition says that Cleopatra fashioned her own eye makeup after the designs around the eyes of these cats.
134. These first Egyptian Mau were two silver females and a bronze male. In the late 1970s Jean Mill brought two spotted bronze cats to the US from India; these were Indian Maus.
135. The book Nihon Ryoiki of 705 CE mentions the death of such a cat.
136. A pair of Korats given to a bride is said to ensure a good marriage.
137. A high proportion of Manx kittens are stillbirths and malformations; Roger Caras, Cats.
138. A thoroughly soaked Norwegian Forest cat can dry out in fifteen minutes.
139. Wild cats do not have long fur as it is a disadvantage. However, a few small cats, including the Norwegian Forest Cat, evolved long fur in order to survive in harsh climates.
140. Persian cats from the early 1900s had much shorter hair than those of today.
141. In England, the eyes of the Russian Blue are preferred to be a medium blue, but a deep green is most characteristic.
142. One of the most famous Russian Blues belonged to Czar Nicholas II, emperor of Russia.
143. The ears of newborn kittens of this breed are not folded down, but assume that position at about four weeks of age.
144. The name Singapura is Malaysian for the island of Singapore.