Tag Archives: cat breeds

The Javanese Cat: A Wonderful Playmate

Most registries, with the exception of the Cat Fancier’s Association, consider the Javanese part of the Balinese breed. The CFA considers the Javanese to be a distinctive breed in itself, the only difference being a larger range of acceptable colors. The Javanese Cat is similar in type and personality to a Siamese although the hair is much longer. They are sometimes mistaken for Siamese until the long plumed tail gives them away. The body is long, graceful and lithe; the coat of medium length, fine and silky. They are muscular and deceptively heavy when lifted (which they love for their … Continue reading →

The Pixie-Bob: A Feline Delight

This unique breed of cat claims a true bobcat heritage. In every geographic region of the North American Continent where the Bobcat may be found, so are kittens from resulting from matings with domestic barn cats. A Washingtonian named Carol Ann Brewer officially founded this breed back in the 1980s when she purchased a male polydactyl kitten that was the result of a mating between a Coastal Red Bobcat and a short-tailed, polydactyl barn cat. She soon discovered that this “breed” was naturally occurring and not just in the Pacific Northwest. Carol Brewer named her cat “Legend Cat” and began … Continue reading →

The Chantilly/ Tiffany: A Chocolate Delight

This medium-sized cat is known for its striking appearance and it has an intriguing history. In 1967, a woman named Jennie Robinson purchased two semi-long haired chocolate cats with golden eyes (Thomas and Shirley) at a New York estate sale. These cats mated and the first litter was identical; all six kittens were a beautiful, all chocolate color. Robinson was so amazed that she began a breeding program, and in the early 1970s, these cats were registered by the ACA as “Foreign-Longhairs.” All American cats of this breed are descended from Thomas and Shirley. Some of Ms. Robinson’s kittens were … Continue reading →

The Bombay Cat: The Parlor Panther

The Bombay is a shorthaired breed that is closely related to the Burmese. Noted for its black, shiny coat and copper eyes, these cats are very affectionate and playful. A woman in Louisville, Kentucky named Nikki Horner developed the breed back in the 1950s. She set out to create a “miniature “black panther”(with no politics), and that’s what she got by crossing a sable Burmese with a solid black American Shorthair. The first results were disappointing, but eventually she got what she was looking for: a well-developed muscular cat with a short black coat. It took 18 years for these … Continue reading →

The British Shorthair: English Indeed!

The British Shorthair is the oldest breed of English cat and its ancestry can be traced directly to the domestic feline of ancient Rome. They were bred in the United Kingdom by the Victorians to resemble bulldogs, (which they sort of do). Known for their perpetual smile, Lewis Carroll chose this breed as the model for his famous Cheshire cat in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” These cats are comparatively rare in the United States, although their faces are not. A British Shorthair silver tabby is the face of “Whiskas,” and the face of a British Blue is also used on … Continue reading →

The LaPerm Cat: One Curly Joy

Also known as the Alpaca Cat, this breed comes in all colors and patterns. A fairly new breed, what makes them stand apart from other is its unique and distinctive short-long curly coat. It can vary in texture from very wavy to corkscrew curls and even to long ringlets. The coat does not mat, making these animals easy to groom and care for. They usually weigh between 7 to 9 pounds. Their eye color can be anything and has no relation to the coat color. Although not completely hyper-allergenic, many people who are ordinarily allergic to cats can live with … Continue reading →

The Turkish Van Cat: An Ancient Delight

The Turkish Van also known as “The Swimming Cat” is believed to have originated thousands of years ago in the eastern part of Turkey, which is also known as Eastern Anatolia. The word “van” refers to their color pattern, which is restricted to the head and tail. This classic red and white “ringtail” pattern has been found on Hittite jewelry and armor and banners from a battle during the occupation of Armenia by the Romans display the image of a large white cat with rings on its tail. Rediscovered in the 1950s by two English women near Lake Van, they … Continue reading →

The Egyptian Mau Cat: A Noble History

Mau is the Egyptian word for cat and this breed is fascinating for a number of reasons. Not only does it have a very formidable history, cats of this breed are also delightful to know and striking to behold. Images of these cats are seen everywhere in Egyptian art, reflecting their importance in the religion, mythology and everyday life of this ancient culture. As such, they were worshipped as deities, cherished as pets and mummified and mourned upon their death. It is believed that these cats were domesticated from a spotted subspecies of the African Wild Cat. They differ from … Continue reading →

The York Chocolate Cat: A Sweet Delight

This breed of cat is fairly new, dating back only to 1983. Its name is partly derived from its place of origin, New York State. The very first York Chocolate kittens were born to housecats on a dairy farm. The sire was a longhaired black cat, the mother a black and white, also longhaired. Created by colour-selecting domestic longhaired cats, all members of the breed are solid chocolate or lavender, chocolate and white or lavender and white. They all have plumed tails, toe tufts and a neck ruff. These cats are medium to large in size and are big-boned and … Continue reading →

The American Curl: The Feline Peter Pan

The American Curl Cat, so called because of its truly unique ears that curl back from its head in a graceful arc, is hands down, the “Peter Pan” of the feline world. Dubbed thusly because they retain their kitten-like personalities throughout their lives, this breed began in California in 1981 with a longhaired female black cat with funny ears named “Shulamith. All legitimate pedigrees can trace their lineage back to her. The American Curl’s ears are lynx-like with long tufts fanning outward, and when selective breeding began in 1983, it was discovered that the ear-curling gene is autosomal dominant, which … Continue reading →