| "American fanciers have always shown a | | | | and the U.S. We know that they were not |
| partiality for broken-coloured cats, and | | | | as "prized" in England as were the |
| orange-and-white and blue-and-white cats | | | | solid-colored cats, and that, in fact, |
| have classifications given for them at | | | | some active efforts were made to cull |
| the leading shows. In England there is a | | | | them. One 1904 article in Cat Review |
| marked antipathy to these cats chiefly | | | | suggested, in reference to bi-colors, |
| because they have little or no value for | | | | that "it is far better to chloroform |
| breeding, though they undoubtedly make | | | | such mismarked specimens or sell them |
| pretty pets. Speculative, but, I must | | | | entirely for pets than to keep them as |
| add, persevering fanciers might derive | | | | breeding cats, thereby tending to ruin |
| interest and amusement from trying to | | | | their strain both in value and |
| breed out-of-the-common specimens. A | | | | reputation." |
| black-and-white spotted like a Dalmatian | | | | By the time the amalgamation of the |
| hound, or a cat marked with zebra | | | | longhaired breeds into what was to |
| stripes, could doubtless be produced in | | | | become the Persian was complete in the |
| time by careful and judicious | | | | early 1900s, there was no need for a |
| selection." | | | | different breed designation within the |
| Frances Simpson, The Book of the Cat | | | | category of "Longhairs" until the advent |
| The above passage was published in 1903 | | | | of the Himalayan as a breed in the |
| in Great Britain in a chapter entitled | | | | 1950s. Bi-colored and calico "Longhairs" |
| "Any Other Colour Persians." We have | | | | (Persians) can be traced through the |
| still not seen the zebra-striped black | | | | British and American Stud Books, even |
| and white Persian in CFA shows; but, if | | | | during the period of time that they were |
| Ms. Simpson could only see the bi-colors | | | | considered declasse (that old "snob |
| now, almost a century later, she might | | | | appeal" again) and were barred from |
| well be more surprised by the row upon | | | | being shown. They appeared in CFA Stud |
| row of glorious cats in their "fancy | | | | Books as "Any Other Variety," and some |
| dress" colors than if a zebra-marked cat | | | | were admitted under the rules for |
| were presented to her. | | | | "Foundation Registry." This was a common |
| The piebald gene is among the most | | | | practice in all breeds, which allowed |
| common of all natural mutations, and | | | | registration of cats which were "known |
| manifests in many different forms | | | | to be of pure breeding" but which were |
| dealing with the restriction of color | | | | otherwise unregisterable (most |
| pigment in a specific pattern. Some form | | | | frequently because CFA did not recognize |
| of this gene appears in all species of | | | | their registry of origin). |
| domesticated animals, but is absent in | | | | The exact period of time that bi-color |
| almost all wild animals. Under Mother | | | | or calico Persians could not be shown is |
| Nature's ruthless methods of culling, | | | | difficult to pin down, but was certainly |
| the flashy markings would mean death for | | | | relatively short. We know that they were |
| either predator or prey in the wild. A | | | | still on the show bench as late as 1933. |
| notable exception is the aforementioned | | | | Evelyn Buckworth-Herne-Soame wrote in |
| zebra, but its stripes serve as | | | | Cats: Long-Haired and Short, in a |
| camouflage in its natural surroundings. | | | | chapter devoted to "Tortoise-shell and |
| In domesticated animals, though, the | | | | Whites": "This is a most picturesque and |
| colorful markings are appreciated and | | | | fascinating variety. It is a great pity |
| selected for. | | | | there are not more of them."Fanciers are |
| Where did the bi-color and calico | | | | hampered in having none, or very few, |
| Persian originate? Today's Persian is an | | | | males of the species or I am certain the |
| amalgamation primarily of the longhaired | | | | breed would go ahead very quickly." |
| cats imported into England and other | | | | [Note: Color still equated "breed" in |
| parts of Europe during the mid to late | | | | 1933. |
| 1800s from the geographical areas around | | | | In that same book another chapter is |
| the then-countries of Persia and Turkey. | | | | entitled "Black and Whites, or Magpies." |
| The piebald gene was especially | | | | Again, the author bemoans the fact that |
| prevalent in the latter of these two, | | | | "They are so scarce that shows never |
| often masked by the epistatic white gene | | | | give a class for them, thus making |
| that was particularly prized in Turkey. | | | | things difficult for anyone trying to |
| Snob appeal, in the early years of the | | | | work the breed up. At present, black and |
| cat fancy as now, dictates much of | | | | whites have to be entered in the 'Any |
| fashion in cats. In the shows at that | | | | Other Colour' Class." |
| time, all longhaired cats were judged | | | | At some point after 1933, the bi-colored |
| together, and "breed" designations were | | | | and calico Persians were officially |
| made more on the basis of color than on | | | | eliminated from competition in the U.S. |
| country of origin. The U.S. fancy | | | | until 1955, when Dorothy Anderson's work |
| followed the lead of the English shows | | | | accomplished the re-acceptance of the |
| in this regard, so that in the earliest | | | | calico in CFA. It was not until 1971 |
| U.S. shows, for instance, white cats | | | | that the other bi-color colors were |
| were all judged in one class, whether | | | | accepted. The Stud Books show that they |
| their ancestry traced to Persia, Turkey, | | | | continued to be bred during those 22 |
| or the local Maine cats (originally | | | | years, and the piebald gene was often |
| stowaways from Viking sailing vessels). | | | | masked by white. |
| This practice facilitated the | | | | The decade of the 1980s in bi-color and |
| near-demise of the Turkish Angora cats, | | | | calico Persians was chronicled in a |
| as they were assimilated into the larger | | | | March 1991 Almanac article. It covered |
| breed that became known as the Persian. | | | | the hallmarks and the many "firsts" of |
| The early books of the cat fancy leave | | | | this color division of Persians, |
| some gaps. We do know from the Simpson | | | | recognized the many breeders who |
| book and others that around the turn of | | | | accomplished the rapid improvement and |
| the century, bi-color and calico | | | | acceptance of these cats, and catalogued |
| Persians were a part of the earliest | | | | the first national winning cats. |
| registry and show scene both in England | | | | |