| For the first 8,000 years of their relationship with | | | | attention at shows. |
| humans, cats pretty much took care of their own | | | | Other breeds reflect new aesthetics. Ocicats and |
| breeding. People kept them for one purpose - | | | | Savannah cats are wild-hybrids -- the result of |
| hunting rodent - and they are already perfectly | | | | breeding wild cats with domestic cats - which fill a |
| designed for that. More than 100 years ago, | | | | desire for some cat lovers to have a "wild" pet. |
| however, we began systematically breeding cats | | | | The Cornish Rex, with its soft, wavy coat and |
| to appeal to our aesthetic tastes. Hair length, | | | | curled whiskers, is a dramatic, visual contrast to |
| color, coat pattern, as well as head and leg | | | | the typical smooth-coated cat. Likewise, the |
| proportions contribute to the "look" of specific | | | | "hairless" Sphynx cat is a breed for the esoteric |
| breeds. | | | | cat fancier. |
| Look at enough cat bodies and faces, and you'll | | | | Because the Sphynx cat has little hair, the cat |
| see two distinctly different types. | | | | needs to be bathed periodically. This is an easy |
| Faces are either triangular or rounded. Bodies that | | | | task with a cat that has been accustomed to a |
| are lean and slender belong to the lithe oriental, or | | | | bath from kittenhood. |
| foreign breeds. Short legs supporting a broad, | | | | Sometimes, cats are just "ordinary felines." |
| compact body are characteristic of a "cobby." | | | | "Domestic" is the veterinary term used to classify |
| Mixed breeds usually have an "in between" body | | | | cats of unknown heritage. Cats in these |
| type. | | | | categories are broken into groups as domestic |
| There are more than 70 distinct breeds of cats | | | | short hair (DSH), domestic long hair (DLH) and |
| that are recognized by formal cat registries. | | | | domestic medium length hair (DMH). Some people |
| Some registries recognize only about 40 breeds, | | | | classify cats based on living circumstances; house |
| because they exclude those such as Bengals | | | | cat or alley cat, but these are not true breeds. |
| which are hybrids of domestic and wild cats. | | | | Hair length and texture contribute to a breed's |
| Some "breeds" are simply variations of primary | | | | "look, " but color is not a reliable identity factor. |
| types. For example, a Balinese cat is a longer | | | | Black cats with white paws, belly, and chests are |
| haired type of Siamese cat. | | | | referred to as "tuxedo cats," but this is simply a |
| Some breeds have roots that go far back in | | | | description of coat pattern found in both domestic |
| history. The Japanese Bobtail, distinguished by a | | | | and "exotic" breeds. Tortoiseshell and calico |
| short, rabbit-like tail, can be traced more than | | | | coated cats are sometimes referred to as |
| 1,000 years. The Egyptian Mau cat retains the | | | | "ginger," "marmalade," or "orange tabby" cats, |
| physical characteristics of ancient Egyptian cats | | | | making them sound like specific breeds. In reality, |
| found in ancient paintings. | | | | they are just descriptors, much like "green-eyed |
| With an elegant body that is randomly spotted, | | | | Asian" or "brown-eyed European." While it is true |
| banded legs and tail, communicative eyes and an | | | | that some cat breeds only come in one hue |
| ellegant cheetah-like stride, it is no wonder that | | | | (Russian Blues and Korats only show gray) most |
| the Mau attracts such a tremendous amount of | | | | breeds display a range of coat color and pattern. |