Cat Breeds

The Serengeti cat is a cross between the Bengal cat and an Oriental cat.

Created by Karen Sausman of Kingsmark Cattery in California in 1994, the cat breed is still in the development stages, but the ultimate aim is to produce a cat that looks similar to a Serval, without using any recent wild cat blood. Bengal cats originate from hybridization of Asian Leopard Cats. Most Bengal cats used in Serengeti programs are many generations removed from these origins and possess few genetic contributions of the Leopard Cat except alleles affecting coat color. Serengeti cats are spotted cats, with long legs and very large ears. Males are generally slightly larger and heavier than females and can weigh up to 15lbs; females generally weigh between 8 and 12lbs.

They are recognized by TICA (The International Cat Association) in tabby, ebony silver, ebony smoke and solid black. A group of breeders in the UK are currently working towards getting TICA to also recognise the snow spotted (aka lynx-point) variety.

The tabby is known as the brown spotted in the UK - however spots can be black or dark brown on a tan, light beige or gold background. The silver has black spots on a silver background. Ghost spotting can sometimes be seen on the solid black version.

The Selkirk Rex is a breed of cat with highly curled hair, including the whiskers (vibrissae). It is distinct from all other Rex breeds. Unlike the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, the hair is of normal length and not partly missing, and there are longhair and shorthair varieties. It differs from the LaPerm in that its coat is more plush and thick and although both have dominant Rex genes they behave in different ways. While the LaPerm gene is a simple dominant, the Selkirk gene (Se) acts as an incomplete dominant; incompletely dominant allele pairs produce three possible genotypes and phenotypes: heterozygous cats (Sese) may have a fuller coat that is preferred in the show ring, while homozygous cats (SeSe) may have a tighter curl and less coat volume.

The Selkirk Rex originated in Montana, America in 1987, with a litter born to a rescued cat. The only unusually coated kitten in the litter was ultimately placed with a Persian breeder, Jeri Newman, who named her Miss DePesto. This foundation cat was bred to a black Persian male, producing three Selkirk Rex and three straight-haired kittens. This demonstrated that the gene had an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. All Selkirk Rex trace their ancestry back to Miss DePesto.

The cat breeds has been developed in two coat lengths, long and short (medium). It is a large and solidly built breed, similar to a British Shorthair. The coat is very soft and has a woolly look and feel with loose, unstructured curls. The head is round, with large rounded eyes, medium sized ears, and a distinct muzzle, whose length is equal to half its width. An extreme break, like that of a Persian, is a disqualifiable fault.

American Shorthairs, Persians, Himalayans, Exotics, and British Shorthairs have been used as outcrosses to develop this cat breeds. The American Shorthair has now been discontinued as an outcross, except in TICA. In CFA, outcrossing to Persians (including Himalayans) is scheduled to be discontinued in 2010, and all outcrosses stopped in 2015. In Australia, all outcrosses are scheduled to be discontinued in 2015.

The cat breed was accepted by The International Cat Association in 1992 and the Cat Fanciers' Association in 2000.

The breed is accepted in all colors, including the pointed, sepia, and mink varieties of albinism; bicolors; silver/smoke; and the chocolate and lilac series. This breed has an extremely dense coat and high propensity for shedding. Unlike other Rex breeds with reduced amounts of hair, the Selkirk Rex is not recommended for those who might be allergic to cat allergens.

The temperament of the Selkirk Rex reflects that of the breeds used in its development. They have a lot of the laid-back, reserved qualities of the British Shorthair, the cuddly nature of the Persian, and the playfulness of the Exotic Shorthair. They are very patient, tolerant, and loving.

There are no known health problems specific to the Selkirk Rex breed. They are a healthy and robust breed. Breeding towards proper head structure is necessary to prevent kinking of the tear ducts, resulting in tear run down the front of the face, or muzzle creases that can result in dermatitis on the face. Like other Rex breeds, irritation of the ear by curly fur can occur, increasing the production of ear wax. Homozygous cats (with two copies of the dominant Selkirk Rex gene) may have a tendency towards excessive greasiness of the coat, requiring increased frequency of bathing. Other health problems may be inherited from the outcross breeds used, including Polycystic Kidney Disease from Persians and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy from British Shorthairs. Responsible breeders screen their breeding cats for these diseases to minimize their impact on the breed.

The Scottish Fold is a breeds of cat with a natural dominant-gene mutation that makes its ear cartilage contain a fold, causing the ears to bend forward and down towards the front of their head, which gives the cat what is often described as an "owl-like" appearance.

Originally called lop-eared or just lops after the lop-eared rabbit, Scottish Fold became the breed's name in 1966. Depending on registries, longhaired Scottish Folds are varying known as Highland Fold, Scottish Fold Longhair, Longhair Fold and Coupari.

Ears
All Folds are born with straight, unfolded ears, and those with the Fold gene will begin to show the fold usually within about 21 days. The original cats only had one fold in their ears, but due to selective breeding breeders have increased the fold to a double or triple crease that causes the ear to lie totally flat against the head.
“The breed's distinctive folded ears are produced by an incompletely dominant gene that affects the cartilage of the ears, causing the ears to fold forward and downward, giving a cap-like appearance to the head. Smaller, tightly folded ears set in a cap-like fashion are preferred to a loose fold and larger ear. The large, round eyes and rounded head, cheeks, and whisker pads add to the overall rounded appearance. Despite the folded ears, folds still use their aural appendages to express themselves—the ears swivel to listen, lay back in anger and prick up when the treat bag rustles.”


Body
The Scottish Fold is a medium-size cat, with males typically reaching 9 to 13 lbs. (6-9 for females). The Fold's entire body structure, especially the head and face, is generally rounded, and the eyes large and round. The nose will be short with a gentle curve and the cat's body well-rounded with a padded look and medium-to-short legs. The head is domed at the top, and the neck very short. The broadly-spaced eyes give the Scottish Fold a "sweet expression".


Coat
Scottish Folds can be either long- or short-haired, and they may have nearly any coat color or combination of colors (including white) except pointed colors.


Social
Scottish Folds, whether with folded ears or with normal ears, are typically good-natured and placid and adjust to other animals within a household extremely well. They tend to become very attached to their human caregivers and are by nature quite affectionate. Folds receive high marks for playfulness, affection, and grooming, and are often intelligent, loyal, softspoken, and adaptable to home situations and people.


Habits
Folds are also known for sleeping on their backs. This is called the "Buddha Position". Scottish Folds typically have soft voices and display a complex repertoire of meows and purrs not found in better-known cat breeds. Folds are also known for sitting with their legs stretched out and their paws on their belly.


Health
The typical lifespan of a Scottish Fold is 15 years.

Scottish folds are susceptible to polycystic kidney disease (PKD), and cardiomyopathy.

Osteochondrodysplasia is believed to be caused by or linked to the dominant (folded-ear) gene. If both parents have folded ears, their kittens will be extremely likely (1:4 ratio, virtually guaranteeing at least one per litter) to be affected by malformed bone structures and develop severe painful degenerative joint diseases. This condition can also affect Scottish Folds with one copy of the gene, but usually to a much lesser extent. While ethical breeders breed Fold/non-fold and not Fold/Fold (in the same way Munchkins are bred) to reduce the problem, even those with one copy of the gene develop progressive arthritis of varying severity, leading one vet to recommend abandoning the breeding of folded cats entirely. For this reason the breed is not accepted by either the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy or the Fédération Internationale Féline;

The Savannah is a hybrid domestic cat breeds. It is a cross between the serval and a domestic cat.

Physical features
Savannahs are considered one of the larger breeds of domesticated cats. The savannah's tall and slim build gives the appearance of greater size than their actual weight. Size is very dependent on generation and sex, with F1 hybrid male cats usually being the largest. F1 hybrid and F2 hybrids are usually the largest, due to the stronger genetic influence of the African Serval ancestor. A female F1 Savannah Cat named "Scarlett's Magic," measuring 43.43 centimeters or 17.1 inches from shoulder to toe, is the tallest cat in the world, according to the Guiness Book of World Records. Male Savannahs tend to be larger than females. It is possible for early generation Savannahs to weigh up to 20lbs or more, with the higher weight usually attributed to the F2 or F3 neutered males, though this is not the norm. Later generation Savannahs are usually between 10 to 15lbs. Because of the random factors in Savannah hybrid genetics, there can be significant variation in size, even in one litter.

The coat of a Savannah depends a lot on the breed of cat used for the domestic cross. Early generations have some form of dark spotting on a lighter coat, and many early breeders employed "wild" looking spotted breeds such as the Bengal and Egyptian Mau for the cross to help preserve these markings in later generations. The International Cat Association (TICA) breed standard calls for brown spotted tabby (cool to warm brown, tan or gold with black or dark brown spots), silver spotted tabby (silver coat with black or dark grey spots), black (black with black spots), and black smoke (black tipped silver with black spots) only. In addition, the Savannah can come in nonstandard variations such as the classic or marble patterns, snow coloration (point), and blue or other diluted colors derived from domestic sources of cat coat genetics. Conscientious breeders are trying to cull these non-standard colours out of the gene-pool, by selling non-standard coloured cats as pets.

The overall look of an individual Savannah depends greatly on generation, with higher-percentage Savannah cats often having a more "wild" look. The domestic breed that is used will influence appearance as well. The domestic out-crosses for the Savannah breed that are permissible in TICA are the Egyptian Mau, the Ocicat, the Oriental Shorthair, and the Domestic Shorthair. In addition, some Savannah breeders use "non-permissible" breeds or mixes such as Bengal (for size and vivid spotting) and Maine Coon cats (for size) for the domestic parentage, but these "non-permissable" outcrosses can bring many unwanted genes as well. Outcrosses are rarely used these days, as there are now many fertile males available, and as a result, most breeders are exclusively doing Savannah-to-Savannah breedings. The main exception would be when using a Serval to produce F1 cats, and even then breeders prefer to use a Savannah with the Serval, rather than a non-savannah female.

A Savannah's wild look is often due to the presence of many distinguishing Serval characteristics. Most prominent of these include the various color markings, tall, deeply-cupped, erect ears, very long legs and hooded eyes. The bodies of Savannahs are long and leggy—when a Savannah is standing, their hind-end is often higher than their prominent shoulders. The head is taller than wide, and they have a long slender neck. The backs of the ears have ocelli, a central light band bordered by black, dark grey or brown, giving an eye-like effect. The short tail has black rings, with a solid black tip. The eyes are blue as a kitten (as in other cats), and may be green, brown, gold or a blended shade as an adult. The eyes have a "boomerang" shape, with a hooded brow to protect them from harsh sunlight. Ideally, black or dark "tear-streak" or "cheetah tear" markings run from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose to the whiskers, much like that of a cheetah.

Most F1 generation Savannahs will possess many or all of these traits, while their presence often diminishes in later generations. Being a newly developing, hybridized-breed of cats, appearance can vary far more than cat owners may be used to.

Temperament
Savannahs are commonly compared to dogs in their loyalty, and they will follow their owners around the house like a canine. They can also be trained to walk on a leash, and even fetch.

Savannahs often greet people with head-butts, or an unexpected pounce. Some Savannahs are reported as being very social and friendly with new people, and other cats and dogs, while others may run and hide or revert to hissing and growling when seeing a stranger. Exposure to other people and pets is most likely the key factor in sociability as the Savannah kitten grows up.

Since the Serval is naturally a very outgoing and sociable exotic cat, Savannahs have not had temperament issues that would be associated with foundation cats of a more shy and/or aggressive exotic cat hybrid.

Owners of Savannahs say that they are very impressed with the intelligence of this breed of cat. An often noted trait of the Savannah is its jumping ability. Savannahs are known to jump up on top of doors, refrigerators and high cabinets. Some Savannahs can leap about 8 feet (2.5 m) high from a standing position. Savannahs are very inquisitive, and have been known to get into all sorts of things. They often learn how to open doors and cupboards, and anyone buying a Savannah will likely need to take special precautions to prevent the cat from getting into things.

Many Savannah cats do not fear water, and will play or even immerse themselves in water. Some owners even shower with their Savannah cats. Presenting a water bowl to a Savannah may also prove a challenge, as some will promptly begin to "bat" all the water out of the bowl until it is empty, using their front paws.

Another quirk Savannahs have is to fluff out the base of their tail in a greeting gesture. This is not to be confused with the fluffing of fur along the back and full length of the tail in fear. Savannahs will also often flick or wag their tails in excitement or pleasure.

Vocally, Savannahs may either chirp like their Serval father, meow like their domestic mother, or do both, sometimes producing sounds which are a mixture of the two. Chirping, when present, is observed more often in earlier generations. Savannahs may also "hiss"—a Serval-like hiss is quite different from a domestic cat's hiss, sounding more like a very loud snake hiss, and can be alarming to humans not acquainted to such a sound coming from a cat. Hissing, and even aggressive behavior which involves hissing, is more frequent in F1 or occasionally F2 generations, and may subside or disappear as the cat is socialized.

Health considerations
Savannahs are considered to have hybrid vigor. Different individuals contain different amounts of Serval and of varied domestic cat breeds, and there are currently no established Savannah breed-specific health issues.

Some veterinarians have noted that Servals have smaller livers relative to their body size than domestic cats, and some Savannahs inherit this. For this reason, care is advised in prescribing some medications. Lower doses per weight of the cat may be necessary. In addition, the blood values of Savannahs may vary from the typical domestic cat, due to the serval genes.

There is much anecdotal evidence that Savannahs and other domestic hybrids (such as Bengals) do not respond well to anesthesia containing Ketamine. Many Savannah breeders request in their contracts that Ketamine not be used for surgeries.

Some (but not all) experienced Savannah breeders believe strongly that modified live vaccines should not be used on Savannahs, that only killed virus vaccines should be used.

Some breeders state that Savannah cats have no known special care or food requirements, while others recommend a very high quality diet with no grains or by-products. Some recommend a partial or complete raw feeding/raw food diet with at least 32% protein and no by-products. Servals often require calcium and other supplements (unless fed a natural, complete and raw diet), especially when growing, and some Savannah breeders recommend supplements as well, especially for the earlier generations. Others consider it unnecessary, or even harmful.[7] Issues of Savannah diet are not without controversy, and again, it is best to seek the advice of a veterinarian or exotic cat specialist before feeding a Savannah cat any non-standard diet.

Ownership laws
Laws governing ownership of Savannah cats in the United States vary according to state. The majority of states follow the code set by the United States Department of Agriculture which defines wild/domesticated hybrid crosses as domesticated. Some states have set more restrictive laws on hybrid cat ownership, including, but not limited to: Alaska[10], Iowa, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Georgia. Some cities may invoke laws that differ from the state. For example, Savannahs more than five generations from the Serval are allowed to be owned in New York state, but not in the city of New York.

The Australian Federal government has banned the importation into Australia of the Savannah cat, as the larger cats could potentially threaten species of the country's native wildlife not threatened by smaller domestic cats. A government report into the proposed importation of the cats has warned the hybrid breed may introduce enhanced hunting skills and increased body size into feral cat populations, putting native species at risk. The report states that the Savannah cats are not worth the risk.

The Russian Blue (historically Foreign Blue) is a type or breeds of cat that has a silver-blue coat. These cats are known to be highly intelligent and playful but tend to be timid around strangers. They also develop close bonds with their human companions and are highly sought after due to their personalities and unique coat.

The Russian Blue is a naturally occurring breed that originated in the port of Arkhangelsk, Russia. They are also sometimes called Archangel Blues. It is believed that the first Russian Blues were brought from the Archangel Isles to England and Northern Europe in the 1860s by sailors. The first recorded showing of the cat breed was in 1875 at the Crystal Palace in England as the Archangel Cat. The Russian Blue competed in a class including all other blue cats, until 1912, when it was given its own class.

The cat breeds was developed mainly in Russia and Scandinavia until after World War II. During and following World War II, due to a lack of numbers of Russian Blues, some people started cross breeding it with the Siamese. Although the cat breed was in America before the war, it was not until after World War II that American Breeders created what is known as the modern Russian Blue that is seen in the US today. This was done by combining the bloodlines of both the Scandinavian and English Russian Blues. The Siamese traits have now been largely bred out.

Although they have been used on a limited basis to create other breeds (such as the Havana Brown) or add type to a breed in creation (the Nebelung), Russian Blues themselves are short-haired, blue-grey cats.

During the early 1970s, a solid white Russian Blue (called the Russian White) was created by the Australian breeder, Mavis Jones, through the crossing of a Russian Blue with a domestic white cat. By the late 1970s, the Russian White and Russian Black colors were accepted by cat fanciers in Australia as Russian cats (in different classes). However, in North America, the Cat Fanciers Association, does not recognize either variations of the Russian Blue; only The International Cat Association recognizes the Russian Whites and Russian Blacks and only in the provisional classes.

The Russian Blue has a lean elongated body and a short, plush, blue-grey coat. The color is a bluish-grey that is the dilute expression of the black gene. However as dilute genes are recessive ("b") and each parent will have a set of 2 recessive genes ("bb") two Russian Blues will always produce a blue cat. The coat is known as a "double coat," with the undercoat being soft, downy, and equal in length to the guard hairs, which are an even blue with silver tips. Only Russian Blues and the French Chartreux have this type of coat, which is described as thick and wonderfully soft to the touch. The silver tips give the coat a shimmering appearance. Its eyes are almost always a dark and vivid green. Any white patches of fur or yellow eyes in adulthood are seen as faults in show cats.

Russian Blues should not be confused with British Blues (which are not a distinct breed but rather a British Shorthair with a blue coat. The British Shorthair breed itself comes in a wide variety of colors an patterns.), nor the Chartreux or Korat which are two other naturally occurring breeds of blue cats, although they have similar traits.

The Russian Blue is known for being a very intelligent and tranquil animal. They have been known to play fetch, and are sensitive to basic human emotions. They enjoy playing with a variety of toys and develop extremely loyal bonds to their loved ones. The Russian Blue is also known for getting along very well with other pets and children in a household. They are known also for being quiet and clean animals that are normally reserved around strangers, unless they are brought up in a very active household.

Russian Blues have an average life expectancy of around 10–15 years, and have few health problems as they tend to have little to no genetic problems and are not prone to illness. They are a moderate-sized cat with an average weight of 8-12 pounds when full grown. Males will typically be larger than females.

The Ragdoll is a cat breed with blue eyes and a distinct colorpoint coat. It is a large and muscular semi-longhair cat with a soft and silky coat. Developed by controversial American breeder Ann Baker, it is best known for its docile and placid temperament and affectionate nature. The name "Ragdoll" is derived from the tendency of individuals from the original breeding stock to go limp and relaxed when picked up.

Ragdoll Temperament

The docile and floppy nature of the Ragdoll is a characteristic thought to be passed down from the Persian and Birman breed. There are contrary statements on whether this trait might be the result of genetic mutation. The extreme docility of some individuals have led to the myth that Ragdolls are pain-resistant. Some breeders in Britain have tried to breed away from the limpness due to concerns that extreme docility "might not be in the best interests of the cat." Breed standards describe the Ragdoll as affectionate, intelligent, relaxed in temperament, gentle and easy to handle.

Ragdoll Physical characteristics

The Ragdoll is one of the largest domesticated cat breeds with a sturdy body, large frame and proportionate legs. A fully grown female weighs from 8 pounds (3.6 kg) to 15 pounds (6.8 kg). Males are substantially larger, ranging from 12 pounds (5.4 kg) to 20 pounds (9.1 kg). The genes for point coloration is also responsible for the blue eyes of the Ragdoll. More intense shades of blue are favored in the show ring. While the breed has a plush coat, they consist mainly of long guard hair and the lack of a dense undercoat results in, according to the Cat Fanciers' Association, "reduced shedding and matting". Mitted Ragdolls, which weren't allowed titling until the '08-'09 show season, will often be confused for Birmans. The easiest way to tell the difference is by size (the Ragdoll being obviously larger) and chin color (Ragdolls have white chins, while Birmans have colored chins), although breeders recognize the two by head shape and boning.

Ragdolls come in 6 different colors - seal, chocolate, flame, and the corresponding "dilutes" such as blue, lilac and cream. This also includes the tortoiseshell pattern in all colors and the three patterns. All Ragdoll kittens are born white. They have good color at 8 – 10 weeks and full color and coat at 3 – 4 years. There are three different patterns:

• Pointed - One color darkening at the extremities (nose, ears, tail and paws)
• Mitted - Same as pointed, but with white paws and abdomen. With or without a blaze (a white line or spot on the face), but must have a "belly stripe" (white stripe that runs from the chin to the genitals) and a white chin.
• Bicolor — White legs, white inverted 'V' on the face, white abdomen and sometimes white patches on the back (Excessive amounts of white, or "high white," on a bicolor is known as the Van pattern, although this doesn't occur nearly as often as the other patterns).

The Ragamuffin is a cat breed of domestic cat that first made its appearance in 1994. Ragamuffins are notable for their rather friendly personalities and thick, rabbitlike fur.

Ragamuffins are a muscular, heavy breed of cat not reaching full maturity until approximately four years of age. The physical traits of the breed include a rectangular, broad-chested body with shoulders supporting a short neck. The head is a broad, modified wedge with a rounded forehead and a nose dip. Ragamuffins come in all coat colors and patterns with a medium-length coat that increases in length toward the stomach. Although the coat is thick and plush, it does not readily mat or clump and is easy to care for. Ragamuffins are bred to be sociable, intelligent, affectionate, cuddly companions that are playful throughout their lives.

The head is a broad, modified wedge with a rounded appearance. The forehead should be moderately rounded. The body should appear rectangular with a broad chest and broad shoulders and moderately heavy muscling in the hindquarters, with the hindquarters being equally broad as the shoulders. There should be a fatty pad in the lower abdomen. Fur length is to be slightly longer around the neck and outer edges of the face, resulting in the appearance of a ruff, and increasing in length from the top of the head down through the shoulder blades and back, with the coat on the sides and stomach being medium to medium long. Every color and pattern is allowable, with or without white. Some colors patterns, such as pure white, are rarer than others and are generally in greater demand.

They are adoptable as early as four months of age but do not reach full maturity until around four years of age. The Ragamuffin is an expensive breed, and costs can range from $900 to $1200 per kitten.

Ragamuffins come in all patterns and colors, although colorpoints are not allowed under CFA standards. Their eyes can be any solid color, including odd-eyed (i.e., each eye having a different color).

The only extreme allowed in this breed is the very docile nature. The Ragamuffin loves people and is very cuddly and affectionate, with a tendency to go limp when held. While not terribly athletic, they love playing and climbing scratching posts, and some will even fetch toys. They greet family members at the door and will follow their people around the house. Because of their gentle nature, Ragamuffins are generally kept indoors for their own protection. They tend to be very vocal at times and are very lovable.

The Pixie-Bob is a breed of cat claimed by breed founder Carol Ann Brewers to be a progeny of naturally occurring bobcat hybrids. Later DNA testing failed to detect Bobcat marker genes and these cats are considered wholly domestic for the purposes of ownership, cat fancy registration, import and export.

Pixie Bob Physical characteristics

Pixie-Bobs are a fully domestic breed of cat bred to resemble the North American Bobcat. For a cat to be considered a Certified TICA Pixie-Bob cat, one of their parents must be traced back to StoneIsland Pixie, the original inspiration for the breed.

Pixie-Bobs are a large cat breeds, with males reaching 18lb or 8kg and females reaching 14lb or 6kg. In comparison, the average domestic cat weighs just under 10lb or 4.5kg. Most Pixie-Bobs have black fur and skin on the bottom of their paws, tipped ears, heavy ear hair, black lips, and white fur around the eyes but with black eye skin. Their chins have white fur, but often have black skin under the white fur. Some of their whiskers change from Black (root - about 25%) to White (to the tip - about 75% of the whisker). Bobcat-like fur pattern, but often have reddish tones mixed in. Stomach is often reddish-gold in color with some ticking (broken stripes). Most are short-haired, but some are long-haired. The brow should be heavy and the eyes should have a triangular shape. Eyes are blue when kittens, then change to green, and finally to gold when several months old (some don't change completely to Gold, but have a Gold with a green tint). Tails can be non-existent (rumpy), or 2-4 inches (desired - TICA required), or long tails (Pixie was a long tail). Long tails are docked by some breeders due to the relative popularity of the bobtail look. The head is usually-pear shaped. The head and tail are considered the important characteristics. They grow for 3 years instead of 1 year like most domestic cats.

Pixie Bob Temperament

Pixie-bobs are highly intelligent, social, active (but not hyper-active), bold, and enjoy playing with other animals.

They are also known for their "chirps", chatters, and growls; most don't meow often, and some don't meow at all. Chirping is essentially their "language", and some of their chirping actually sounds like purring.

Some Pixie-Bobs can be highly sociable around both their owners and strangers, while others are shy around strangers. Almost all Pixie-Bobs like to be in the same room as their owners, and will follow their owners around the house.

Other personality characteristics include the following:

• Head butting
• Ball fetching and playing
• Leash walking (for the most part)
• Highly intelligent
• Capable of understanding some human words and phrases

Pixie Bob Health and Vet Information

As the breed is frequently outcrossed to "legend cats", Pixie-bobs are genetically diverse and are not prone to problems caused by inbreeding. Pixie-bob breeders use a disease database to ensure that health information can be recorded and monitored. Some rare genetic diseases includes the following:

• Cryptorchidism - Only a few cases have been recorded since the conception of this breed (1980's).
• Dystocia and cystic endometrial hyperplasia: - A very small percentage of Pixie-Bobs do suffer from delivery problems. Those who do suffer from these disease are removed from breeding.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) - Since the advent of the Pixie-Bob breed in the 1980s only a few cases have been reported. In each of those cases the Pixie-Bob was cross-bred with other breeds of cats.

The Peterbald is a cat breed of Russian origin.

The Peterbald breed was created during the latter half of 1994 in St. Petersburg, Russia, the result of an experimental mating of a Don Hairless (also known as Don Sphynx, Donskoy or Donsky) male named Afinogen Myth and an Oriental Shorthair female World Champion named Radma von Jagerhov, by Russian felinologist Olga S. Mironova. The first two litters produced four Peterbald kittens: Mandarin iz Murino, Muscat iz Murino, Nezhenka iz Murino and Nocturne iz Murino. These four Peterbalds were the founders of the breed.

In 1996, the cat breeds was adopted in the Russian Selectional Feline Federation (SFF) and given a standard and an abbreviation (PBD). In 1997 it was adopted in The International Cat Association (TICA) with the abbreviation PB, and in 2003 in the World Cat Federation (WCF) with the abbreviation PBD. Other used handles of the breed are PBD, PTB, PD and PSX.

These days the breed develops in the direction of modern Oriental and Siamese types, that is to say a long muzzle, large set-apart ears, flat cheekbones, and an elegant body on long legs. Therefore, all standards for this breed encourage mating with Oriental and Siamese cats and semi-longhair variations of those (such as Balinese and Javanese). The Balinese and Javanese were eliminated from the acceptable outcross list in 2005.

The Peterbald was accepted for Championship class competition, effective May 1, 2009, in the American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) in August 2008. Effective May 2008, TICA recognizes the "brush coat" Peterbald for Championship competition.

Appearance

Peterbalds have an elegantly slim graceful and muscular build. They have a narrow and long head with a straight profile, almond-shaped eyes, wedge-shaped muzzle, and big set-apart ears. They have a long whippy tail, webbed feet and oval paws that allow them to grasp objects and open levered doorknobs. They are somewhat similar in appearance to Oriental Shorthair cats. They have a hair-losing gene and can be born bald, flocked, velour, brush, or with a straight-coat. Those born with hair, except the straight-coats, can lose their hair over time. The Peterbald comes in all colors and markings.

Temperament

Peterbalds are sweet-tempered, affectionate, peaceful, curious, smart and energetic. They are medium vocal and tend to follow their owners and always be with them. Peterbalds typically live in harmony with other cats and pets, and also with children.

The Persian Cat (Iranian cat) is a cat breeds of longhaired cat characterized by its round face and shortened muzzle. One of the oldest cat breeds, it takes its name from its place of origin: Persia (Iran). Recognized by the cat fancy since the late 19th century, it was developed first by the English, and then mainly by American breeders after the Second World War. In Britain, it is called the Longhair or Persian Longhair.

The selective breeding carried out by breeders has allowed the development of a wide variety of coat colors, but has also led to the creation of increasingly flat-faced Persians. Favored by fanciers, this head structure can bring with it a number of health problems. Like the case with the Siamese breed, there have been efforts by some breeders to develop the older type of cat with a more pronounced muzzle, which is more popular with the general public. The hereditary polycystic kidney disease is prevalent in the breed, affecting almost half the population in some countries.

The placid and homely nature of the Persian Cat confers a propensity for apartment living. It has been the most popular breed in the United States for many years but its popularity has seen a decline in Britain and France.

Persian Cat Characteristic

A show-quality Persian Cat has an extremely long and thick coat, short legs, a wide head with the ears set far apart, large eyes, and an extremely shortened muzzle. The cat breed was originally established with a short muzzle, but over time, this characteristic has become extremely exaggerated, particularly in North America. Persian cats can have any color or markings including pointed, golden, tortoiseshell, blue, and tabby.

The Persian cat is generally described as a quiet cat. Homely and placid, it adapts well to apartment life. Himalayans tend to be more active due to the influence of the Siamese. One study compared cat owners' perception of their cats and Persians rated higher than non-pedigree cats on closeness and affection to owners, friendliness towards strangers, cleanliness, predictability, vocalization and fussiness over food.

Persian Cat Grooming

Since Persian cats have long, thick dense fur that they cannot effectively keep clean, they need regular grooming to prevent matting. To keep their fur in its best condition, they must be bathed regularly, dried carefully afterwards, and brushed thoroughly every day. An alternative is to shave the coat. Their eyes may require regular cleaning to prevent crust buildup and tear staining.

Persians and Angoras

The Persian was presented at the first cat show in Crystal Palace, London in 1871. As specimens closer to the Persian conformation became the more popular types, attempts were made to differentiate it from the Angora. The first breed standards (then known as points of excellence) was issued in 1889 by Harrison Weir, the creater of the first cat show. He stated that the Persian differed from the Angora in the tail being longer, hair more full and coarse at the end and head larger, with less pointed ears. Not all cat fanciers agree with the distinction of the two types and in the 1903 book "The Book of the Cat" Francis Simpson states that "the distinctions, apparently with hardly any difference, between Angoras and Persians are of so fine a nature that I must be pardoned if I ignore the class of cat commonly called Angora".

Champion lamented the lack of distinction among various long-haired types by English fanciers, who in 1887, decided to group them under the umbrella term "Long-haired Cats".

Peke-face and ultra-typing

In the late 1950s a spontaneous mutation in red and red tabby Persians gave rise to the peke-faced Persian, named after the flat-faced Pekingese dog. It was registered as a breed by the CFA but fell out of favor by the mid 1990s due to serious health issues. In fact, only 98 were registered between 1958 and 1995. Despite this, breeders took a liking to the look and started breeding towards the peke-face look. The over-accentuation of the breed's characteristics by selective breeding (called extreme- or ultra-typing) produced results similar to the peke-faced Persians. The term peke-face has been used to refer to the ultra-typed Persian but it is properly used only to refer to red and red tabby Persians bearing the mutation. Many fanciers and CFA judges considered the shift in look "a contribution to the breed".

In 1958, breeder and author P. M. Soderberg wrote in "Pedigree Cats, Their Varieties, breeding and Exhibition".

Perhaps in recent times there has been a tendency to over-accentuate this type of short face, with the result that a few of the cats seen at shows have faces which present a peke-like appearance. This is a type of face which is definitely recognized in the United States, and helps to form a special group within the show classification for the [Persian] breed. There are certainly disadvantages when the face has become too short, for this exaggeration of type is inclined to produce a deformity of the tear ducts, and running eyes may be the result. A cat with running eyes will never look at its best because in time the fur on each side of the nose becomes stained, and thus detracts from the general appearance. The nose should be short, but perhaps a plea may be made here that the nose is better if it is not too short and at the same time uptilted. A nose of this type creates an impression of grotesqueness which is not really attractive, and there is always a danger of running eyes

While the looks of the Persian changed, the Persian Breed Council's standard for the Persian had remained basically the same. The Persian Breed Standard is, by its nature, somewhat open-ended and focused on a rounded head, large, wide-spaced round eyes with the top of the nose leather placed no lower than the bottom of the eyes. The standard calls for a short, cobby body with short, well-boned legs, a broad chest, and a round appearance, everything about the ideal Persian cat being "round". It was not until the late 1980s that standards were changed to limit the development of the extreme appearance.

In the UK, the standard was changed by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in the 1990s to disqualify Persians with the "upper edge of the nose leather above the lower edge of the eye" from Certificates or First Prizes in Kitten Open Classes.

While ultra-typed cats do better in the show ring, the public seems to prefer to less extreme older "doll face" types.

Himalayan

The Himalayan or Colorpoint Longhair was created by crossing the Persian with the Siamese. This crossing also introduced the chocolate and lilac color into solid colored Persians.

In 1950, the Siamese was crossed with the Persian to create a breed with the body type of the Persian but colorpoint pattern of the Siamese. It was named Himalayan, after other colorpoint animals such as the Himalayan rabbit. In the UK the breed was recognized as the Colorpoint Longhair. The Himalayan stood as a separate breed in the US until 1984, when the CFA merged it with the Persian, to the objection of the breed councils of both breeds. Some Persian breeders were unhappy with the introduction of this "hybrid" into their "pure" Persian lines.

The CFA set up the registration for Himalayans in a way that breeders would be able to discern a Persian with Himalayan ancestry just by looking at the pedigree registration number. This was to make it easy for breeders who do not want Himalayan blood in their breeding lines to avoid individuals who, while not necessarily exhibiting the colorpoint pattern, may be carrying the point coloration gene recessively. Persians with Himalayan ancestry has registration numbers starting with 3 and are commonly referred to by breeders as colorpoint carriers (CPC) or 3000-series cats, although not all will actually carry the recessive gene. The Siamese is also the source for the chocolate and lilac color in solid Persians.

Exotic Shorthair

The Exotic Shorthair is similar to the Persian in temperament and type, with the exception of its short, dense coat.

The Persian was used as an outcross secretly by some American Shorthair (ASH) breeders in the late 1950s to "improve" their breed. The hybrid look gained recognition in the show ring but other breeders unhappy with the changes successfully pushed for new breed standards that would disqualify ASH that showed signs of hybridization.

One ASH breeder who saw the potential of the Persian/ASH cross proposed and eventually managed to get the CFA to recognize them as a new breed in 1966, under the name Exotic Shorthair. Regular outcrossing to the Persian has made present day Exotic Shorthair similar to the Persian in every way, including temperament and conformation, with the exception of the short dense coat. It has even inherited much of the Persian's health problems. The easier to manage coat has made some label the Exotic Shorthair the lazy person’s Persian.

Because of the regular use of Persians as outcrosses, some Exotics may carry a copy of the recessive longhair gene. When two such cats mate, there is a one in four chance of each offspring being longhaired. Ironically, longhaired Exotics are not considered Persians by CFA, although The International Cat Association accepts them as Persians. Other associations register them as a separate Exotic Longhair breed.

Toy and teacup Persians

A number of breeders produce small-statured Persians under a variety of names. The generic terms is "toy" and "teacup" Persians (terms borrowed from the dog fancy), but the individual lines are called "palm-sized", "pocket", "mini" and "pixie". Currently none are recognised as breeds by major registries and each breeder sets their own standards for size.

Chinchilla

In the USA, there was an attempt to establish the Silver Persian as a separate breed called the Sterling, but it was not accepted. Silver and Golden longhaired cats, recognized by CFA more specially as Chinchilla Silvers, Shaded Silvers, Chinchilla Goldens, or Shaded Goldens, are judged in the Persian category of cat shows. In South Africa, the attempt to separate the breed was more successful; the Southern African Cat Council (SACC) registers cats with five generations of purebred Chinchilla as a Chinchilla Longhair. The Chinchilla Longhair has a slightly longer nose than the Persian, resulting in healthy breathing and less eye tearing. Its hair is translucent with only the tips carrying black pigment, a feature that gets lost when out-crossed to other colored Persians. Out-crossing also may result in losing nose and lip liner, which is a fault in the Chinchilla Longhair breed standard. One of the distinctions of this breed is the blue-green or green eye color only with kittens having blue or blue-purple eye color.

The Oriental Shorthair is a breed of cat.This cat combines the Siamese body with a diversity of colorings and patterns.

Oriental Shorthairs are intelligent, social animals who bond very closely to their people. They are inquisitive, friendly, emotional, demanding and often quite vocal. They will depend on and trust you forever if you love and take care of them. Their purr can be extremely loud when happy.

The Oriental Shorthair is a self-coloured (non-pointed) member of the Siamese Family. They can be found in solid colors (white, red, cream, ebony, blue, chestnut, lavender, cinnamon, or fawn), smoke (white undercoat to any of the above except white), shaded (only the hair tips colored), parti-color (red or cream splashes on any of the above), tabby (mackerel/striped, ticked, spotted, and blotched/classic), and bi-colored (any of the above, with white). In total, there are over 300 color and pattern combinations possible. Though in CFA, pointed cats from Oriental Shorthair parents are considered AOV (Any Other Variety), in TICA, as well as in the majority of worldwide Cat Associations, these cats are considered to be, and compete as, Siamese.

Oriental Shorthairs have expressive, almond-shaped eyes, a wedge-shaped head with large ears that fit in the wedge of the head. Their bodies are very elegant yet muscular. When seeing an Oriental Shorthair, one would never guess them to be as solid as they are.

The longhaired version of the Oriental Shorthair, Oriental Longhair, simply carries a pair of the recessive long hair gene.

The Siamese cat was imported to Britain from Siam (Thailand) in the later half of the 1800s. According to reports, both pointed and solid colors were imported. The gene that causes the color to be restricted to the points is a recessive gene, therefore the general population of the cats of Siam were largely self (solid) colored. When the cats from Siam were bred, the pointed cats were eventually registered as Siamese the others were referred to as "non-blue eyed siamese" or foreign shorthair. Other breeds that were developed from the moggies of Siam include the Havana Brown and the Korat.

It was not until 1977 that the Oriental Shorthair was accepted for competition into the CFA. In 1985, the CFA recognized the bicolor oriental shorthair. The bicolor is any one of the accepted oriental shorthair color patterns with the addition of white to the belly, face, and legs/paws.

The Oriental Bicolour is a cat breeds of Oriental type, either longhaired or shorthaired and in any pattern including colourpoint, which has white areas on its coat caused by the white spotting gene.

The Oriental Bicolour is a cat of Oriental type with a long, slender body and tapering whip-like tail. The triangular shape of the head is made of straight lines with a straight side profile and large, wide-set ears. The eyes are green, except in the colourpoint varieties which have blue eyes. The coat on the shorthaired variety is sleek, close-lying and glossy, while that of the longhair is fine and silky, lying flat to the body with no thick undercoat and forming a plume on the tail. The full range of colours seen in Siamese and Oreintals is permitted, however a defining feature of breed is that they always have white spotting. In a cat of show quality this should extend to cover at least one third of the body and the distribution may be random and quirky like splashed paint. There is always a greater distribution of white on the cat's underside and legs in comparison with its back. This patterning is caused by the dominant white spotting gene, which is symbolized with the letter S.

Although some experimental breeding took place during the 1970s and 1980s in the UK, including Pat Turner's Seychellois breeding programme, the modern-day Oriental Bicolour owes its origins to matings initiated in the USA by Lindajean Grillo (Ciara Cattery). Starting in 1979, Grillo carried out a series of matings between Siamese and Bicolour American Shorthairs. She then selected the best Bicolour offspring to mate back to Siamese or Orientals in order to regain type. The variety was granted recognition by TICA in 1983 and the first champion was Ciara Quite-N-Oreo.

During the 1980s European breeders, principally those in France and the Netherlands, initiated their own Oriental Bicolour breeding lines. A red and white female Moroccan street cat was used as an initial outcross, then later on a Black & White Cornish Rex. Further cats were imported from the USA. It was important for breeders to have different lines in order to be able to mate bicolour to bicolour and obtain a higher proportion of white on the coat, without excessive inbreeding.

FIFe granted championship recognition in 2003 to the Bicolour Oriental Shorthairs and in 2005 to the colourpoint and white cats under the breed name Seychellois.

Although there was a small breeding program stemming from the last of Pat Turner's cats being kept by the late Barbara Lambert (Nomis cattery, breeding under FIFe guidelines,) this disappeared following her death in the early 2000's. The first modern-day Oriental Bicolours were imported to the UK starting in 2004 with the arrival of Black & White male Tassam Tom of Landican owned by Sarah Johnson and Pat Norman of the Landican Cattery. The variety gained official Preliminary recognition with the GCCF in 2006. In 2008 the breed progressed to Provisional Status, the fastest breed recognition within this organisation and a mark of the breed's popularity and success.

The Ocicat is an all-domestic breed of cat which resembles a 'wild' cat but has no wild blood. The cat breed is unusual in that it is spotted like a wild cat but has the temperament of a domestic animal. It is named for its resemblance to the ocelot.

Despite its appearance, there is no 'wild' DNA in the Ocicat's gene pool. The species is actually a mixture of Siamese and Abyssinian, and later American Shorthairs (silver tabbies) were added to the mix and gave the breed their silver color, bone structure and distinct markings.

Ocicats are a very outgoing cat breed. They are often considered to have the spirit of a dog in a cat's body. Most can easily be trained to fetch, walk on a leash and harness, come when called, speak, sit, lie down on command and a large array of other dog-related tricks. Most are especially good at feline agility because they are very toy-driven. Some even take readily to the water. Ocicats are also very friendly. They will typically march straight up to strangers and announce that they'd like to be petted. This makes them great family pets, and most can also get along well with animals of other species, although they are likely to assert their dominance over all involved. Ocicats make excellent pets for people who want to spend a lot of time with their cat, but they do require more attention than cats who aren't so people-oriented.

There are twelve colors approved for the ocicat breed. Tawny, chocolate and cinnamon, their dilutes, blue, lavender and fawn, and all of them with silver: black silver (ebony silver), chocolate silver, cinnamon silver, blue silver, lavender silver and fawn silver. Ocicats have almond shaped eyes perfect for seeing at night. They also have a large, strong body, muscular legs with dark markings, and powerful, oval shaped paws. The body shape of the Ocicat is partway between the svelte Oriental and the sturdy American Shorthair. The breed's large, well-muscled body gives an impression of power and strength.

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a cat breed of domestic cat native to Northern Europe, and adapted to a very cold climate. In Norway they are known as skogkatter or more properly, the Norsk skaukatt.

The cat breed is very old, and occurred as a natural adaptation to the cold climate of the region, but it was not regarded as anything other than a standard house-cat until the late 1930s, when a small number of 'Skaukatts' were shown in Germany and received very favorably by the judges. World War II brought an abrupt end to the fledgling Norwegian show cat industry, and the cat breeds was forgotten until the 1970s. The cats are now being bred and shown in several countries including the United States. The first international association to accept the breed was FIFe, in 1977. They are rumored to be the early ancestors of the Maine Coon and the long-haired Manx.

Norwegian Forest Cats have a thick fluffy double-layered coat, long tufts of fur in ears and between toes, and a long bushy tail to protect them against the cold. Their coat is essentially waterproof due to its water repellent outer layer and dense underlay. They are very large cats with adult males weighing 6 to 10 kg (13 to 22 lb), while females may be smaller. Their hind legs are longer than their front legs. They are very intelligent, playful cats that enjoy human company but can get upset if left alone for a long period of time. The nickname of "Wegie" (pronounced to rhyme with 'squeegee') began in the United States and is a shortened version of the word Norwegian.

Like Maine Coons, Norwegian Forest Cats are an intelligent, robust and playful cat breed. They like the outdoors, are well suited to cold conditions and are great hunters. Despite their great affection for the outdoors, they also enjoy the company of humans and other pets and will sometimes go looking for company if left alone by their owners. They are not easily stressed and are quite patient, which makes them great for a family with children. They appreciate high vantage points and enjoy climbing trees, or, if they are indoor cats, climbing on appliances, bookshelves and other elevated surfaces in the home. Norwegian Forest Cats are very good family pets and do not need too much maintenance, only a comb at least once a week, without which the coat can become knotted and tangled.