Showing posts with label Size. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Size. Show all posts

Thursday 9 May 2024

Ginger toms are friendlier and more confident that other domestic cats

It is dangerous to generalise but I think that it is fair to say that the general consensus among cat aficionados and perhaps some experts is that ginger tom cats are or tend to be more confident and more friendly than your typical domestic cat of other coat types and colours. But the "evidence" is largely anecdotal. That means there's no hard scientific evidence behind this claim. Although if enough people say it then you could argue that that is good evidence derived from personal experience.

Ginger toms are friendlier and more confident that other domestic cats
Confident and friendly ginger tom cat at a supermarket.

RELATED: ginger cats are almost 18 times more predisposed to skin cancer than other domestic cats excluding white cats. Why? Find out my reason by clicking on the link below:


A BBC article quotes Roger Tabor a broadcaster and naturalist and an expert on cats. He said the following on this topic:
"To be a ginger cat, a female kitten has to inherit two copies of the ginger gene, but males only have to inherit one. Measurements have also shown that generally male ginger toms are heavier than most cats of other colours. Male ginger cats tend to be both taller and broader than most other moggies - apart from the North American Maine Coon."
It could be that if ginger tabby cats are a little larger than average this makes them more confident and therefore more fearless which improves the possibility that they might become "leaders" in a cat colony. It also might make them more outgoing. So there may be a scientific connection here.

From my perspective, I remember meeting a ginger tabby cat in Malta who was indeed a leader of a cat colony. A colony of cats rescued by the lady who owned the house where he lived. Her name was Martha Kane. She has passed over the rainbow bridge to meet her beloved rescue cats there but her website is still on the Internet and I refer to it out of respect for her.

On the Internet there are a lot of stories about ginger cats looking very confident and liking the attention they draw when in public places such as a ginger and white tabby called Nala who likes to sit on ticket scanning devices at a station in Stevenage in Hertfordshire. No doubt he likes the heat from the devices but he probably also likes to meet the people passing through the devices.

And there is a ginger and white tabby cat in a branch of Tesco in Norwich, beloved of the public, but the management are not quite so sure about his presence. He likes to sit on self-service checkout machines looking for a bit of attention. 

And in Ely, Cambridgeshire, another ginger tabby called Garfield became very popular in Sainsbury's. After his death a eulogy was held in the city's cathedral and a brass monument was erected in his memory.

Here are some other points provided by my assistant:

Ginger cats, also known as orange or marmalade cats, are indeed quite special! Their striking appearance and unique coloration make them stand out, but it’s their temperament that truly captivates cat lovers. Let’s explore why ginger cats are often described as friendly, sociable, and outgoing:

  • Friendly and Affectionate Nature: Ginger cats are known for their friendly and affectionate behaviour. They thrive on companionship and love engaging in playtime and interactions with their human counterparts. If you’re looking for a feline companion who enjoys cuddles and attention, a ginger cat might be a great choice!

  • Sociability: These cats tend to be more social than some other coat types. They often seek out human attention and enjoy being part of family activities. Their outgoing nature makes them wonderful companions for households with children or other pets.

  • Independence with a Dash of Charm: Beneath their sociable exterior, ginger cats also have a streak of independence. They strike a balance between seeking affection and having their own space. Their playful and curious personalities add to their charm, making them delightful pets.

Remember that individual personality and temperament can vary among cats, regardless of coat colour. While ginger cats generally exhibit these positive traits, there are always exceptions. If you’re considering adopting a ginger cat, spend time getting to know the specific cat’s personality to ensure a good match for your home and lifestyle! 😺🧡.


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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Thursday 7 October 2021

Domestic cats today are significantly smaller and more varied in colour compared to the Ancient Egyptian era

This is a short note to remind us that today's domestic cat is smaller and more varied in coat colour and pattern compared to the domestic cats of Ancient Egypt and earlier.

Domestic cats today are significantly smaller and more varied in colour compared to the Ancient Egyptian era

Domestic cats today are significantly smaller and more varied in colour compared to the Ancient Egyptian era. Image in the public domain.


This is because all the domestic cats of Ancient Egypt were very similar to their wild ancestor the North African wildcat. This is essentially a mackerel/spotted tabby cat and the same size as a large domestic cat nowadays. The average domestic cat size in Ancient Egypt was the same as a current large domestic cat.

In illustrations from Ancient Egypt we see what appear to be semi-domesticated wildcats which is what they were. They were not fully domesticated in those days. No doubt they hunted for most of their nutrition. It is quite hard to visualise all the domestic cats being essentially the same as we are very familiar with a huge variety nowadays. 

Over several thousands of years the domestic cat evolved into a more delicate, smaller creature with a multitude of coat colours and patterns. They developed these new coat types because of informal selective breeding on the back of spontaneous genetic mutations. There was no need for the cats to wear great camouflage. If people liked the coat it stuck and did not fizzle out as it would have in the wild.

The blotched tabby pattern is relatively recent - read about it by clicking the link below:

Evolution of the blotched tabby pattern of domestic cats

Tuesday 10 December 2019

Why are domestic cats so small?

Because they are descended from the North African wildcat, a cat of similar proportions and appearance even after about 10,000 years of domestication. I suppose you might ask why was the North African (African-Asian) wildcat domesticated?

Comparison domestic and wildcat ancestor.

It is because the place where they were first domesticated - the Fertile Crescent (in the area of Syria) was suited to farming and it so happened that this wildcat was present in that landscape. The cat and farmer met to mutual benefit and the rest is history as they say. 

The North African wildcat has a relatively nice temperament suited to domestication. They kept the rodents down and the farmer had a working cat and some company and fun. This happened around 9,500-12,000 years ago it is believed.

There are other small wild cats who are also suited to domestication to various extents e.g. the margay, but it just happened that the North African wildcat got their first perhaps because 10,000 years ago the Middle East was a developing and active area for farming. 

Farmers would have encroached onto the wildcat's territory forcing them together. There may have been conflict between human and cat but some farmers liked their presence for their rodent killing habits.

There must have been the very first domestic cat. At that time there was a single domestic cat in the world. Now there are around half a billion domestic and feral cats.

It is worth arguing that the question is incorrectly formulated as what is 'small'? There are smaller animals than the domestic cat and there are larger ones. They are small compared to us. It might be argued that the domestic cat is somewhere in the middle range of animal size. 

Therefore it could also be argued that they are not small. I think perhaps the reason why the question has been formulated is because the questioner is comparing the cat to the size of humans. Therefore relative to humans the domestic cat is small. That is not a good reason to ask, "Why our domestic cat so small?"

Thursday 11 August 2011

Large Blue British Shorthair Cat

This is a great picture of a blue British Shorthair cat because the cat is gorgeous and a blue British Shorthair show cat and secondly the photo allows us to scale this cat because he is being held by a person.




Large Blue British Shorthair Cat - Photo byTomi Tapio

This is a large Brit SH. Not all Brit SHs are this large. This leads me to the subject of how difficult it can be to provide information on the weights and sizes of cat breeds.

I have a page on that subject: Largest Domestic Cat Breed, but at least one person has challenged my information.

The truth is that there will be breeders who breed large versions of a breed and in some countries the size might be smaller and there are differences between individual cats naturally.

Then there is the natural difference between male and female cats. It becomes complicated. All I know is that this boy is big and beautiful.

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