All 45 cat breeds created in the United States of America

The US is by far the biggest marketplace (if that is the right phrase) for the domestic cat and it can be no surprise that by far the most cat breeds have been created there compared to any other country.

America, quickly followed Great Britain in developing a cat fancy (the breeding and showing of purebred cats). It all kicked off in the years immediately preceding the 20th century. 

Created in America 😹🙀😻🐈‍⬛. This is not a distinct cat breed but a cat representing all the breeds.

The first well-known cat show in America took place in 1895 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Enthusiastic cat fanciers organized this event to promote cat breeding and showcasing in the United States. 🐾. It featured a variety of feline stars. Among them, a brown tabby Maine Coon emerged as the big winner. The event drew thousands of cat enthusiasts, showcasing both pedigreed and domestic cats.

The cat fancy was 'invented' by the English and the Americans took it too the next level. Their Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) and The International Cat Association (TICA) are the best known cat associations in the world.

I would suggest that the American cat fancy exists thanks to the descendants of European immigrants. They brought with them their love of the domestic cat and then the purebred cat. 

There was a surge in cat breed creation in the middle of the 20th century which included a fascination with the wild cat hybrids, the most notable of which is the Bengal, a cross at F1 level between the Asiatic leopard cat and a non-purebred cat. The Savannah (serval cross) followed and there are others such as the Chausie (jungle cat cross).

But these wild cat hybrids were accepted with reluctance by the CFA, an old-school cat association. They believed that the wild cat genes made these cats unsuited to domestic life. At F5 they are fine. The CFA still does not accept the Savannah which is strange as at F5 the cat is no wilder then the F5 Bengal which is accepted. TICA accepted the wild cat hybrids.

RELATED: Cat History

1. American Bobtail (1960s)
2. American Curl (1981)
3. American Lynx (1980s)
4. American Shorthair (1966)
5. American Wirehair (1966)
6. Balinese (1940s)
7. Bengal (1963)
8. Bombay (1958)
9. California Rex (1959)
10. California Spangle (1971)
11. Chantilly (1967)
12. Chausie (1995)
13. Exotic Shorthair (1966)
14. Himalayan (1950s)
15. Javanese (1960s)
16. Karakul (1930s)
17. LaPerm (1986)
18. Longhair Exotic (1990s)
19. Maine Coon (1860s)
20. Malayan (1980)
21. Mei Toi (1994)
22. Mexican Hairless (1902)
23. Missouri Rex (1990s)
24. Munchkin (1991-Recognition Date)
25. Nebelung (1990s)
26. Ocicat (1964)
27. Ohio Rex (1944)
28. Ojos Azules (1984)
29. Oregon Rex (1959)
30. Peke-faced Persian (1930s)
31. Pixie-bob (1995)
32. RagaMuffin (1994)
33. Ragdoll (1960s)
34. Renegade (1997)
35. Safari Cat (1980s)
36. Savannah (1997?)
37. Selkirk Rex (1987)
38. Serengeti (1996?)
39. Si-Rex (1986)
40. Snow Cat (1990s)
41. Snowshoe (1960s)
42. Somali (1967)
43. Tiffany (1967)
44. Tonkinese (1950s)
45. York Chocolate (1983)

The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), established in the United States in 1906, is currently the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats. Their mission is to preserve and promote pedigreed cat breeds while enhancing the well-being of all cats. Whether you’re interested in choosing, caring for, or breeding cats, the CFA offers information, advice, and expertise to cat enthusiasts. 🐱

The International Cat Association (TICA), established in the United States in 1979, is the world’s largest genetic registry for pedigreed and household pet cats. Originally North American, it now has a global reach. TICA’s key activities include:

1. Encouraging members to be cat owners, lovers, and breeders who work together to preserve pedigreed cats and promote domestic cat health and welfare.
2. Maintaining a certified pedigree registry.
3. Hosting cat shows that showcase both pedigreed and non-pedigreed cats.
4. Fostering positive relations between breeders across the U.S. and other countries.
5. Supporting feline health research through a foundation and providing resource materials to members.

TICA also administers rules for hundreds of cat shows worldwide, evaluates cats based on breed standards, and recognizes cats in various classes. Their commitment to preserving distinct cat breeds ensures predictable traits for future generations.

I know of 6 American cat associations:

In North America, several cat associations play pivotal roles in promoting feline welfare and breeding. Here are some of the recognized major cat associations:

1. CFA (The Cat Fanciers’ Association): A prestigious organization that oversees cat shows, breed standards, and registrations in the United States.
2. CFF (Cat Fanciers’ Federation): Another notable association dedicated to pedigreed cats and cat shows.
3. ACA (American Cat Association): A non-profit organization that advocates for responsible breeding and cat welfare.
4. ACFA (American Cat Fanciers Association): A cat registry that recognizes purebred, pedigreed cats, experimental breeds, and household pets.
5. CCA (Canadian Cat Association): Although based in Canada, it collaborates closely with American counterparts. This is added for completeness! 🙀😉
6. TICA (The International Cat Association): A global registry that promotes pedigreed and household pet cats.

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.

Which cat is more affectionate, a Maine Coon or a Ragdoll?

I've got to be a little bit irritated by the question in the title. Perhaps I shouldn't be doing this post which by the way is a cross post from another website. It's the kind of information people might like to have before adopting either a Maine Coon or a Ragdoll or perhaps another cat breed.

But the question is a little bit misguided in my view. Although I have strong views on this sort of thing. The point is this: each individual cat of whatever breed they come from has their own individual personality. It is therefore sometimes unhelpful to say all the cats of one breed have the same personality.

That said, the Ragdoll would probably be described as the more affectionate of these two breeds because they are selectively bred to be very laid-back and indoor cats almost. They are calm and gentle and affable. This translates to affection. No other breed is specifically bred to have a particular character i.e. laid back and floppy (like a ragdoll toy).

But, that said, Maine Coon cats can also be very affectionate although a person who I rely upon to describe cat breed personalities, Gloria Stephens, a cat show judge and breeder herself, and by the way a Maine Coon cat owner, says that the Maine Coon cat can be somewhat independent and not necessarily a lap cat.

This hints at the fact that the Maine Coon is a little bit more independent-minded than the Ragdoll which lends itself to believing that the Ragdoll is the more affectionate of the two.

Personally, I would go to the breeder and check out the kittens and let the kitten choose you. You will decide yourself once you interact with Maine Coon kittens and Ragdoll kittens as to which individual kitten is more affectionate for you. 

Sometimes kittens and cats are attracted to a particular person so the affection can be directed at you, the person asking this question! There is such as thing a chemistry.

There is no better way than meeting the cats. It is a 'must' really.

-----------

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.

16 most affectionate cat breeds who love a good cuddle

I'll say it strongly: the title is pure mumbo-jumbo and it comes direct from Pets Radar, a cynical website in my opinion where they regularly employ clickbait with a complete disregard for factual truth. They are cynically misleading the general public and those who want to adopt a cat for the first time. In fact, they are taking the piss out of people. That's what they are doing. They are playing with the internet. Don't listen to their advice. I'll tell you the truth.

The truth is far less prosaic. It is far less interesting. I know that people who want to adopt a cat from a cat breeder like clarity in terms of the cat's character. They want to know what they are buying. They want certainties. That's why Pets Radar provides it. But it is false.

16 most affectionate cat breeds who love a good cuddle. A random bred cat being affectionate. The nose-to-nose cat greeting occurs frequently. It is a friendly greeting and pleasant for both parties. I think the human likes it more and feels blessed to be treated as a genuine friend by their cat. Image in the public domain.

All the individual cats of each cat breed are going to be bred to be friendly and affectionate. Above all else, domestic cats who are part of a cat breed are just like any other domestic cat.

In fact, you might find some individual cats described as moggies i.e. non-purebred cats who are friendlier than any individual cat from any cat breed. It often boils down to the nature of the individual cat.

It is disingenuous to presume that all the individual cat of one particular cat breed all have the same character in terms of their level of affection. It isn't logical. It isn't common sense.

Breeders focus on the appearance of the cat primarily. The character comes from the foundation cats and obviously they want their cats to have good, friendly and affectionate characters. They want their cats to be confident and outgoing. They do work on this but it is not a science. And of course, there is nature/nurture. The cat's experiences later on in life and in the early years of development affect their personality.

So, you can't provide a clear answer as Pets Radar think you can do. Well, they don't actually think that. As mentioned, they are cynical. They just feed information that they think people want to hear. Their objective is to get as many readers as they can and they don't care whether the information that they provide is correct or not.

I'm being harsh but rightly so in my view. It isn't just Pets Radar who do this. The newspaper The Scotsman has done it frequently as well. It's all click bait. It's all very wrong and I don't want to see people adopting cats to be so misled.

If you want to adopt - as everybody does - an affectionate purebred cat which you will have to buy at over £1000 normally, you really should visit the breeder that you have selected, talk to him or her and meet the cats. Ask some pertinent questions. Challenge the breeder. Discuss the matter in depth and then adopt the kitten that comes to you if that happens.

But you're not going to know for sure whether the cat you adopt is going to be super-affectionate or more affectionate than any other domestic cat. Just presume that your selected cat will be affectionate provided that you are affectionate towards him or her.

And that's the last point I want to make. The level of affection that a cat delivers to their caregiver is largely dependent upon the level of affection that their caregiver delivers to them. It is reciprocated. Affection is an emotion. And the emotions of a cat and how anxious or calm they feel is dependent upon the environment in which they are placed and that environment is dependent upon the work and efforts of the caregiver.

16 most affectionate cat breeds who love a good cuddle. All domestic cats enjoy a cuddle at some time or other. It just needs to be done on their terms. Image: public domain.

In the interactions between caregiver and cat are so important. They should be gentle, calm and friendly. Owners should never yell at their cat. They should never be aggressive towards their cat. They should not be irritated by their cat if their cat behaves in a way that displeases them. And this comes down to expectation management as well.

People need to remember that the domestic cat is a domesticated wildcat. They have inherited the wild cat behaviours but of course they've adapted to the human environment. They are domesticated. But expect a domestic cat to have wildcat traits which occasionally emerge.

Be realistic, please. Don't believe everything you read on the Internet because a lot of it is tailored to please the readers rather than, like this article, tailored to be entirely factual true. The raw truth counts in my view. And in that way, we can expect better animal welfare as well because people's expectations are accurate.

Best cat breeds for first-time owners?

I'm going to be brutally honest and provocative and say that the question in the title is a bit pointless and too narrow as it shuts out some great shelter cats with perfect personalities. I'll fully explain my thinking. It is a question that is probably not worth asking but because somebody did, I'm going to try and answer it honestly.

Pixie-bob cat breed is suited to first-time cat owners and kids. Image: copyright Helmi Flick.

Placid personality

The first great difficulty with the question is what kind of domestic cat constitutes one which is ideal for a first-time owner? There's no definition of that. I don't think people have discussed it that much.

The implication is that a cat suitable for a first-time owner will be one which is calm, placid and pliable. A cat that can get on with different types of people and not be provoked into scratching or responding aggressively to mishandling from a person who is unsure about how to handle a domestic cat.

Better to choose a specific cat not a breed

If that long definition is correct then you're probably not going to find the answer in a specific cat breed. You will find the answer in a specific cat which has been socialised properly and which happens to have a personality which is ideally suited to a new cat owner.

Ragdoll

That said, some cat breeds are generally gentler than others. Perhaps the two extremes might be this. The Ragdoll Cat is bred to be calm and placid. The first filial (F1) Savannah cat, a wildcat hybrid, is going to be far more active and intelligent and demanding.

Of these two, you would therefore pick the Ragdoll. One website claimed that there are 13 best cat breeds were first-time owners. That, in my view, is idiotic. There maybe one or two cat breeds such as the one I have mentioned which are pretty good.

But don't believe that all Ragdoll cats are going to be super calm and accepting of mishandling. Ragdoll cats are domestic cats like any other in many ways. They have the same desires and motivations as others. They are not plush toys.

Pixie-bob

Many years ago, I created a cat breed selector and within that application I have selected the Pixie-Bob as a domestic cat breed which is suitable for children. As children are likely to mishandle cats you might extend that assessment to new cat owners.

Not all newbies will mishandle cats

I've got to add a caveat. I'm making the presumption that all new cat owners are going to be mishandling their cats. This is not true. Many cat owners despite being novices to cat ownership are going to research domestic cats before they adopt them and therefore be quite possibly as good as anybody else in terms of cat caregiving.

That said, I believe I can stick with my original thought that the kind of cat breed which is suited to new cat owners is one which will hopefully be accepting of mistakes. That means a placid cat.

Persian

Incidentally, people think of the Persian as a part of the furniture indicating placidity but they are actually quite nervous cats predispose to a certain extent to inappropriate elimination i.e. peeing outside of the litter box. Therefore, being nervous, they are probably unsuited to a new cat owner.

Personal preference

Personally, I would go for the Ragdoll or a breeds such as the American Shorthair or the British Shorthair and the rare Pixie-bob as stated.

Shelter cat

Better still go and see the rescue cats at a nice animal shelter and ask for a cat who has coped really well with the stressful circumstances of shelter life and plump for him/her as a good companion for a first-time cat owner.

"Cat breeds I will never own" by an animal clinic worker

An animal clinic worker, Kaylnn, decided to tell us that there are four "cat breeds" that she would never own, and she has decided that she has the authority to tell us this. But her "advice" is hopelessly inaccurate and there are some glaring errors. It is all bollocks. She implies that in handling them at her clinic these cats have been very difficult.

"Cat breeds I will never own" by an animal clinic worker. It is all pure bollocks

She has produced a TikTok video which, I'm sorry to say, is hopeless as well. For example, she says that domestic longhaired cats are very badly behaved. "Domestic longhaired cats" are not a breed of cat. And therefore, she's got that wrong completely. And she's branding all longhaired domestic cats as being "a$$holes". This cannot be correct. It's impossible to state that and it is completely stupid. It goes against logic and the views of hundreds of millions of longhaired cat owners.

Please click on the video play button twice ✔️😊.

She says that the Ragdoll cat "will bite the $hit" outta u". In other words, all Ragdoll cats are biters and aggressive and nasty. That is also completely mad particularly as Ragdoll cats are bred to be passive and laid-back. Even if they were not passive and laid-back it is still completely incorrect to brand an entire cat breed as being biters. Incidentally, the Ragdoll is in the top 3 most popular cat breeds 👍.

She also says that the Bengal cat behaves like a wild leopard. And she brands the wildcat hybrid cats as being impossible. Well, wildcat hybrid cats can be a little bit more aggressive than your standard domestic cat, but they are still very unaggressive, and they make very good companions albeit more active than the average cat. It is even specified in the cat breed standard for the Bengal cat that they must be unaggressive. And therefore, all breeders of this breed of cat make a particular effort to achieve that goal.

Surprisingly, too, she states that she would never adopt a Persian cat using these words: "h3ll no". Persian cats are known to be passive, and some people describe them as being a bit like the furniture. They can be a little bit nervous which means they have a reputation for inappropriate elimination i.e., not peeing in the litter box. But they do not have a reputation for being difficult or aggressive for any other aspect of personality which makes them poor companions.

That's it. She has picked three cat breeds and one type of cat to state that they are all unadoptable in her opinion. I thought I might chat about it for a while and on this page, you can see her TikTok video above.

Please note, that her video has been downloaded to my desktop and uploaded to this website because this is allowed by the TikTok administrators. It is better to do it this way rather than embed the video on this webpage because sometimes videos on these third-party sites are deleted which stops the video working on this site.

Melanism in cats - full discussion

The cat above is a "grizzled" Chausie in cat fancy language or a cat with melanism in more scientific language. She is a silver tipped black Chausie. The cat's name is "Shekinah" and she was raised on Tammy Isaac's Willowind Cattery in South Texas. The photo is copyright protected. The photographer is Helmi Flick.

This post is about melanism in cats. The same principles apply for any form of melanism. Melanism refers to the black pigmentation of melanin.  This pigmentation colors hair, iris of the eye and skin. The pigmentation in the hair, however, is more a very dark, inky, rich bluish/brownish grey as the black coat pattern is still visible as a ghost pattern. Cats that carry the gene mutation that causes melanism are called "melanistic cats". Melanism is caused by a dominant autosomal allele². The same source says that it is caused by an "autosomal recessive gene"⁶. This is conflicting information and shows that science is unsure of the genetic mechanisms involved. The conflict may be due to the fact that a different gene is involved in different cat species.

The opposite effect is albinism, when hair, iris and skin lacks pigmentation altogether.

Melanism may be linked to an added resistance to disease. The following wild cats can be melanistic:

Scottish Wild cat
Indian (Temmincks) Golden Cat
African Golden Cat
Jungle cat (dominant gene melanism, silver tipped)
Jaguar (dominant gene melanism)
Leopard ("black panther")
Cheetah
Caracal
Serval
Lynx
Bobcat
Jaguarundi
Geoffroy's cat
Clouded leopard
Ocelot
Pampas cat (Cincinnati zoo)
Oncilla
Kodkod

Source: messybeast.com

Wild cats

Another phrase that is frequently used specifically for large wildcats is "black panther". Black panthers are melanistic cats. The specific wild cats that this phrase relates to is the jaguar and the leopard (see also: black leopard pictures). These are very similar looking wildcats but they live on different continents. Amongst the wild cats, melanism is most common in jaguars. At one time (incorrectly) black jaguars were considered a separate wild cat species. As mentioned, the pattern is ghosted (see image below). It can rarely refer to the cougar (mountain lion or puma) too. Melanistic pumas are localised or very rare¹. A visitor to PoC claims to have seen a 40 lb black cat in Arizona. And please see: I encountered a seven foot long oily black mountain lion...

Melanistic jaguar showing ghost pattern - photo: by ahisgett

However, there are many other wild cats that are melanistic. Melanism seems to be common in some species of wild cat and less common in others. In addition to the jaguar and leopard mentioned above, the serval, kodkod, jungle cat, Geoffroy's cat and oncilla can be melanistic while it is a rare condition or localised in the Bobcat, clouded leopard (in Borneo only) and cheetah. Apparently melanistic Geoffroy's cats are common. Partially black and melanistic African golden cats have been observed³. As to the Bobcat there were reports of 10 black bobcats in southern Florida⁴. As to the cheetah there is a record of one being sighted in Zambia and one in Kenya⁵. Melanistic servals are found in the Abedare Mountains of Kenya as are also black leopards. Black leopards are also found in the foothills of the Ruwenzoris, the Ethiopian highlands, Congo and South Africa⁶.

Melanistic jungle cat (felis chaus) - Photo by Joachim S. Müller

Domestic Cats

There are some good examples of melanism in domestic cats on PoC. The best is probably the F4 Savannah cat that I photographed at A1 Savannahs called "Midnight".

F4 Savannah cat "Midnight" with melanism - Photo Michael 

Another is the F1 Safari cat (a wildcat hybrid). And heading this post is a black Chausie another wildcat hybrid domestic cat.

Genetics

Information about the genetics behind melanism in cats is very sketchy. I can say this with some confidence because Robinson's Genetics, the premier book on cat genetics, barely refers to it.

Sarah Hartwell on messybeast.com writes:

"Melanism is due to changes in the "agouti" gene which controls blackness (due to bands of colour along the hair shaft). Cats with normal agouti genes have ticked or banded hairs. Cats with 2 copies of the mutated agouti gene have solid colour hairs. In wild species this causes melanism (in domestic cats other genes affect the colour e.g. black, grey, brown). In most cat species, the gene for melanism is recessive to that for normal colour. In jaguars, melanism is a dominant gene."

Clearly the dominant (or recessive) gene that produces melanism causes the pigment, melanin, to be added to hair, skin and iris in a continuous manner at the time that the hair, skin and eyes are being formed. By way of contrast, the agouti gene causes pigment to be added to hair in bands producing the tabby appearance.

Biological melanin is called "eumelanin".

Notes:

1. Wild Cats of the World page 8

2. Foreman GE 1988 Behavioral and genetic analysis of Geoffroy's cat in captivity as referred to in Wildcats of the World page 206.

3. Wild Cats of the World page 247

4. Wild Cats of the World page 186

5. Wild Cats of the World page 21

6.  Wild Cats of the World page 320 (leopard description)



Melanism to Home Page

Siamese cat behavior - 7 topics covered

Classic Siamese. Seal point. Not extreme.
Photo: in public domain

Siamese Cat Behavior does have a certain reputation but this may be slightly exaggerated. There are 7 areas to cover when discussing Siamese cat behavior if you want to do a thorough job 😉.

• What the experts say about the Siamese family of cats.
• General cat behavior.
• Differences in behavior from cat to cat (individual personality). This is probably greater than any differences from breed to breed.
• Siamese cat behavior.
• Whether there are any differences in the behavior between the types of Siamese cats of which there is an endless spectrum. There are though essentially 3 types, the Modern and Traditional, with the Classic in between. Is the classic body conformation the Thai cat?
• Spaying and neutering - the effect on behavior.
• Illness - modern Siamese cats have the most inherited diseases of all the cat breeds.

As this is a very long page in which I discuss domestic cat behaviour generally as I must when discussing the behaviour of a cat breed, you might like to dip into the early part in which I report on what an expert says about the behaviour of the Siamese cat family. And there is a Siamese cat family because the Siamese cat is within a number of other cat breeds such as the Balinese, Oriental Shorthair and Oriental Longhair. And there is a range of Siamese cat types. It is a pretty big topic.

Expert opinion on the Siamese cat family

Gloria Stephens who is a past cat breeder and cat show judge (book: Legacy of the Cat) states that cats of the Siamese cat family "are vocal to the point of loudness and are quite active". They really like to sit on their owner's lap and sleep next to their owner at night. In her words, "They want to be as close as possible, and their need for closeness verges on the desperate."

And as they are intelligent, they like to investigate and "comment on everything their owner does". This makes them "demanding cats". But then to satisfy this demand all you have to do is to be close to your Siamese cat, hold them and stroke them. In short love them as an excellent cat caregiver.

General cat behavior

Obviously, a Siamese cat whether Modern or Traditional will have common domestic cat characteristics, which will be more pronounced than the particular breed characteristics. Realistically all purebred cats are very similar in character. It is usually the exotic wild cat hybrids that show some differences such as the Bengal cat.

Cats will act instinctively, which means reacting to what is going on around them. They are essentially, if one goes back thousands of years, domesticated wild cats. This is relevant as what they do is rooted in wild cat behavior. Their hunting skills come readily to mind. They are adapted to hunt so they have great senses. Play can lead to a scratch if it is too rough, for example. Play is a learning process for hunting.

Intelligent cats - and some breeds are I believe more intelligent than others (although there is no hard evidence to support this) - will be more inquisitive and generally more active than less intelligent cats. 

The Sphynx cat is thought to be more intelligent than average. We know that the Persian cat is affectionately known as a piece of furniture (i.e. static and undemanding). I wonder how cats feel about this? Being thought of as being a lesser cat breed in terms of intelligence. 

Cats don't mind as they're more tolerant than humans. We should agree that intelligence has a say in cat behavior generally. Siamese cat behavior will be subject to these general cat traits and Siamese cats are intelligent. This should include close relatives such as the Oriental Shorthair, Balinese and Javanese.

Susan Ford, daughter of Gerald Ford, and the family's Siamese cat, Shan, in 1974.
Photo: Wikipedia under CC license. Image: A1206-12A, Courtesy: Gerald R. Ford Library

Personality traits 

Due to nature (genetic traits) and nurture (environmental impact) individual cats will have differing temperaments. For example, difficult early years will or might make your cat more defensive. This will translate to being more static and less adventurous. This in turn may lead to weight problems. Or, a cat may be more prone to being nervous. This might translate to poor litter habits. These are individual traits which are similar in their variety to those found in humans. 

Siamese cat behavior (as a cat breed) will be substantially modified or completely altered by possible individual traits. This is less likely to happen in a cat bought from a quality Siamese cat breeder as the breeder will ensure that cats in her charge are well socialized (well-balanced characters and good with people and pets). A quality breeder will effectively take out of the equation the variation in character due to environmental factors.

Persian Siamese and non-pedigree cats. Human participants in a study believed that the Persian and Siamese made better pets than the non-pedigree. Is this a true result? Is it distorted by purchasing cats compared to adopting a non-pedigree from a rescue centre?

Spaying and neutering

Cat breeders keep unaltered cats for breeding purposes. They often keep their male cats in outdoor pens. That just about says all you need to know about the behavior of male unaltered cats. Castrating a male cat eliminates the natural sex drive which has the pleasant effect of reduced territorial fights and injuries. Spraying urine (scent marking) is also reduced significantly. The lack of sex drive makes them more inclined to stay at home, a trait which makes them more domesticated, in effect. 

In other words, it makes domestic cats less like wild cats and more like domestic cats; the cats that we like to live with. As for females they spray too and there is no pregnancy to worry about once neutered. Altering as some breeders call it, is pretty well essential despite seeming a little cruel. It is really a consequence of living as a domestic cat.

Illness

Illness can affect Siamese cat behavior. Sometimes unexplained behavior, perhaps untypical aggressive behavior can be put down to an illness or injury. A vet is the only person to decide the best course of action in this instance. Illness though can affect behavior generally. I wonder if the propensity of the Siamese cat to having a squint (cross eyed) affects this breeds behavior?

Siamese cat behavior

I mentioned cat intelligence earlier on. It is not surprising that Siamese cats are at the top end of the intelligence league. This is reflected in this breed's vocalizations and attachment to humans. This is a cat that is involved in the human/cat relationship and the Siamese is not backward in coming forward in asking for something when the occasion demands. So, all other elements being equal and on the assumption that your Siamese is well socialized and well balanced she should be a little more inquisitive, involved and interactive than the average mixed-breed cat and the majority of the purebred cats. This means more input for the person keeping the cat.

This "people orientation" may translate into an issue if another cat joins the family. I immediately think of Helmi Flick's F1 Chausie that lived with her for a time. An F1 Chausie is a wildcat hybrid and quite demanding. They form close relationships with people. They are intelligent. I could see a disturbance to the balance in the relationship if another cat or person was introduced into it. 

One site called it jealousy but this is not an emotion that cats feel (or am I wrong?). However, cats love routine and if the cat has a close relationship with a person and this is disturbed it would cause upset that could be seen as jealousy. Cats take a long time to settle into a routine. Routine provides a comfort zone, something all animals (including humans) like and don't want disturbed.

Siamese cat behavior is considered by some to be extrovert in comparison to some other cat breeds perhaps because Siamese tend to be more vocal. Their need for human companionship is expressed in their vocal demands. But let us remember that all domestic cats depend on us, as that is what makes them domestic cats.

In truth cat breeders and the cat associations tend to exaggerate the characteristics of a cat breed, particularly the breed they are breeding to distinguish the breed from others. It is important to distinguish breed from breed to justify the breed. The variations from cat to cat will sometimes outweigh the differences from Siamese cat to another cat breed.

The Wikipedia author proposes that the Siamese cat coat (white with points) contributes to this breed's character in that the coat makes this breed less well camouflaged and therefore more dependent on people for survival. Hence the desire for a closer connection with humans. This begs the question as to the development of the coat color and pattern. It is certainly not the best for survival. That accolade for that must go to the tabby cat coat.

From the point of view of people living in the West the history of the Siamese cat starts late in the 1800s on the importation from Siam of a Siamese cat. This cat was a Traditional cat. What happened in Siam (now Thailand) to create the pointed coat? The pointed coat is probably due to a genetic mutation. 

If this happened naturally in Siam (and the history of the Siamese cat goes back a long way in Thailand) then this theory could have merit. It is a development that leaves the Siamese more vulnerable. Think of all the wild cats (except the big cats) such as the Scottish Wild cat and the American Bobcat .They all have the best tabby coats you can see. These provide great camouflage. The top cats like the Tiger are not well camouflaged as they have no predators.

There are a number of posts on cat behavior on this website, which discuss cat behavior from various aspects. You can use the labels panel to select these posts. Here is one on cat breed characteristics.

The Different Siamese cat types

There used to be one Siamese cat, the standard regular looking cat as imported into the UK in the latter part of the 1800s. Now things have changed. This change was brought about entirely by cat breeders breeding for a more "elegant" and "extreme" or plain skinny figure. These contemporary cats that I have called "Modern Siamese" may have altered characters.

My research indicates that they are less robust from a health point of view. But do they have different characters from the Traditional Siamese cats? The answer is probably not. There is certainly no obvious evidence that Modern Siamese behave differently. But being noticeably thinner and therefore more prone to being affected by ambient temperature may affect their character and eating habits (greater heat loss). Modern Siamese are in my opinion less healthy and this will be manifest in an altered behavior (depressed and less active). The Modern Siamese may also be nervous.

Geography of domestic cat breeds

Most cat breeds originate in America. Here is a list of 80 breeds of pedigree domestic cat and the countries where they originated. The top country is by far America, as expected, and the second most prolific country in this respect is Britain. America is without question the greatest country for cat aficionados. It has the biggest marketplace, if you wish to call it that, for domestic cats.

The famous and doomed California Spangled. This was the world's most expensive cat at the time.

RELATED:  The History of the California Spangled Cat.

It should be noted, however, that the cat breeds represent quite a small percentage of the total number of domestic cats in America. I don't know the exact percentage but it'll be around 15% of all domestic cats in America will be purebred pedigree cats. The figure is around 10% in the UK.

The following breeds originate in America: Maine Coon, Mexican Hairless, Himalayan, Karakul (no idea about this breed), modern Persian (flat-face), Balinese, Ohio Rex, Kashmir (another breeder that I have not studied), Tonkinese, Bombay, California Rex, Oregon Rex, American bobtail, Javanese, Ragdoll, Snowshoe, Bengal, Ocicat, American Shorthair, American Wirehair, Exotic Shorthair, Somali, Tiffany, California Spangled, American Lynx, Malayan (no idea!), American Curl, York Chocolate, Ojos Azules, La Perm, Si-rex (I don't know this breed either) Selkirk Rex, Nebelung, Munchkin and RagaMuffin. Note: we have to add the other 14 or so dwarf cat breeds to the Munchkin.

RELATED: RagaMuffin Cat.

Cat breed originating in Britain include: British Shorthair, Colourpoint shorthair, Oriental shorthair, Cornish Rex, Havana Brown, British Angora, Javanese, Devon Rex, Scottish fold, Colourpoint British shorthair, Coupari (I don't think this breed exists any more), Tiffanie, Burmilla, Seychellois, Rexed Maine Coon and Suqutranese (another breed that I have never heard of). I am sure the last breed no longer exists.

RELATED: List of cat breeds with date and place of origin.

To the best of my knowledge, Australia has one purebred cat breed originating in its country namely the Australian Mist.

I list the remaining countries and the breeds originating in those countries:

• Burma (Myanmar): Burma;
• Canada: Cymric and Sphynx;
• Egypt: Egyptian Mau;
• Ethiopia: Abyssinian;
• France: Chartreux;
• Germany: Prussian Rex and German Rex;
• Holland: Dutch Rex;
• Iran: Persian;
• Isle of Man: Manx;
• Italy: Italian Rex, Colourpoint European Shorthair, European Shorthair;
• Japan: Japanese Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail longhair;
• Kenya: Sokoke;
• Russia: Siberian: Russian Blue, Kurilian, Urals Rex;
• Singapore: Singapura;
• Thailand: Siamese, Korat;
• Turkey:  Turkish Angora and Turkish Van.

If you can correct or add please do so in a comment. This list may be out of date or incomplete.

Source: Dr Desmond Morris: Cat World and myself. I added to the list which was made in 1992.

This is wrong: '20 cat breeds that are very independent'

Newsweek presents an article entitled 20 cat breeds that are very independent. They quote Vicki Jo Harrison, the president of the International Cat Association (TICA). They wanted her assistance on the sort of breeds that are more independent than others which would suit people who are at work all day and away from their home.

Cat home alone crying. Image: screenshot

I'm going to disagree strongly with both Newsweek and Ms Harrison even though she is the president of a very well-known cat association.

I'll tell you why I can disagree with her. The personalities of the various cat breeds are described on the Internet on websites and in books. Everyone has had a say at it. Often the same words are recirculated around the Internet. One author will copy another. These descriptions have little value in truth. That's the first difficulty in trying to pick out a breed which has a personality which allows them to be alone all day.

The second problem is this. Foundation cats are not selected by breeders for their breeding lines on the basis of their personality. Or if they do select for personality, it is a secondary issue. The primary criterion is the appearance of the cat. If all cat breeders selectively bred for character, you might be able to put some faith in the descriptions of the personalities of these breeds. But they don't. And even then, the base character; the feline character will dominate and domestic cats need company.

Therefore, we have to rely on the overall feline character. What I mean is that the character of the purebred cats is the same as the character of the non-purebred cats. It is the feline character; the raw cat within the domestic cat. This is a character which is aligned to the wild cat ancestor for obvious reasons because the domestic cat at heart is a domesticated North African wildcat.

On this argument all the cats of the various of cat breeds have very similar characters or personalities. Therefore, you can't differentiate one from the other. Therefore, you cannot select a cat breed which is more independent-minded than another. That's my argument, in perhaps simplistic terms.

There might be some small variations in character between the cat breeds. For example, Siamese cats are described as being loyal and they are more vocal. Persian cats are more laid back and decorative. The Ragdoll is meant to be super-laid-back and suited to home life. But you'll get aggressive Ragdoll cats sometimes depending upon the life experience. This is not a precise science and I think it is unreasonable and unrealistic to write an article about cat breeds which are 'very independent'.

CLICK FOR PAGES ON CAT PERSONALITY TYPES

Also, they list 20 cat breeds. That's a very large number but what they're really saying is that the domestic cat per se is quite independent-minded in any case. That is what people think. But even that is wrong because domestic cats need the company of their human caregiver. They are domestic cats. They are socialised to be with humans. That is their raison d'être. Divorced from their humans, they can suffer from stress which can lead to conditions such as idiopathic cystitis. This might be caused by separation anxiety, a condition which is often talked about on the Internet.

There will be countless millions of cats suffering from stress because they have been labelled as being independent and therefore ignored. Some people might go to work confident in the belief that their cat is just fine being left alone for 10 hours. In my honest opinion they are not fine under those circumstances. Watch some videos of cats left alone all day and tell me they are fine. They are desperate for the return of their caregiver.

Newsweek and Ms Harrison are wrong to discuss the cat breeds like this.

Are Abyssinian cats vocal and talkative?

Yes, they are talkative but there are two ways to answer the question: the conventional and the unconventional way. The conventional answer pretty clearly states that Abyssinian cats are talkative. Gloria Stephens, a cat show judge and a person with considerable knowledge of the cat breeds, describes the Abyssinian cat as an individual that "loves to talk with people in a euphonic voice". Fair enough.

Abyssinian cat. Photo: Helmi Flick.

A pretty distinct and clear answer. The unconventional answer comes from me but of course I defer to Gloria Stephens. However, I don't think that you can say with certainty that Abyssinian cats are talkative. Firstly, it depends on the individual cat because even within a cat breed there will obviously be variations between individuals as to personality and personality has a bearing on whether the cat is talkative or not.

Secondly, the amount of vocalisations that a cat makes depends upon the environment in which they live. If you have a tremendously loving human caretaker in a close relationship with an Abyssinian cat, the cat is liable to be quite talkative to that person. It's simply an extension of their relationship.

Thirdly, cat breeders normally focus on the appearance of the cat they are breeding and their behaviour comes second. You never hear of cat breeders selectively breeding for a cat that is talkative. It is not on their radar to declare to themselves that a particular cat is very talkative and therefore to put that cat in the breeding line to ensure that offspring and their offspring are going to be more vocal. To the best of my knowledge, they don't do that. They don't focus on a tendency to vocalise because they are fully focused on the appearance which takes precedence over everything else.

The Siamese cat is known to be vocal with a particularly characteristic voice as it happens. But even with the Siamese there is variation. The point that I'm labouring on explaining is that Gloria Stephens makes a definitive statement about Abyssinian cats being vocal but I wouldn't go that far. I would answer in a more cautious way because I don't think you can brand an entire cat breed with the description that all the cats in the breed are talkative and vocal.

Smoky Selkirk Rex Kitten

This is a smoky Selkirk Rex kitten. I think the coat is called black smoke. It is definitely smoke! It's got to be by the very distinctive appearance. A gorgeous looking kitten from the Chatterie du Berger cat breeders in Canada. The location is at the bottom of the page. The breeder is Nathalie Jacques.

Smokey Selkirk Rex Kitten.

If the Selkirk Rex breed interests you please click on this link to see some pages on it. You can explore to your hearts content. Every face is covered.

Nathalie Jacques , Saint-Léonard d'Aston , Québec, Canada   

1(819)399-3747

How domestic cats came to be in a nutshell

Evolution of the species. How domestic cats came to be in a nutshell. Screebshot.

Some people want to know how domestic cats evolved to where they are today. To answer the question you have to believe in Darwin's theory of evolution as set out in his book On the Origin of Species published on Thursday, 24 November 1859. If you believe in his theory as opposed to creation by a God (creationism) then you have to study the theory of evolution to fully understand it. 

Remember that life emerged on Earth 3.5 billion years ago so evolution is a slow process. That's way we have the species we have. It took millions of tiny changes. Also the first early human ancestors orginate from 3.5 million years ago.

Darwin's On the Origin of Species.

This will allow you understand how domestic cats came to be - the first part of the story. The video below explains it quite nicely I think. It is quite complicated. 

Image: MikeB.

You can click here too if you want to read about the evolution of the family of cats.

The theory of evolution explains how natural selection produced the family of cats. There are about thirty-six species of cat, one of which is the domestic cat. All the others are wild cat species. The domestic cat is essentially a domesticated North African wild cat.

Over the ten thousand years of domestication of the North African wild cat, the species evolved from being striped tabby cats to a wide range of coat types. This happened naturally and then people intervened through formal selective breeding or artificial selection since about 1850. Although there would have been some selective breeding by people on an ad hoc basis in the early development of the domestic cat as they preferred coat types.

Through artificial selection, as carried out under the auspices of cat fancy (cat breeders who create purebred cats of a certain breed for cat shows and for sale) about 104 cat breeds were created, as an absolute maximum. To these purebred cats you have to add the vast majority of domestics cats namely random bred cats. Also we must not forget the cats who should be domesticated but are feral (wild), the feral cats.

Random bred cats are still evolving through natural selection. That, in a nutshell is how domestic cats came to be...!

Average annual UK pet insurance by cat breed

 

Collage: Michael. Photos: Helmi Flick with her express permission.

It is complicated picking the right pet insurance policy for your cat. It is also complicated deciding whether to take out pet insurance in the first place. There are a plethora of different types of insurance policies and you have to work out whether the cost is worth it. It's about risk and peace of mind. It's a personal choice at the end of the day. Do you want to take the risk or buy some peace of mind. Just remember that the insurance companies are in it to make money and they will do so whatever it takes. I prefer self-insurance: save and put money aside for vet bills. This cuts out the insurance admin fees and broker fees if applicable. But this a very personal choice. It depends on you and your character - how risk-averse you are. Insurance companies provide a good service to the right person and their cat.

Without fail, the pedigree, purebred cats are more expensive to insure than random bred cats commonly called moggies in the UK. The montage above illustrates the cost of annual insurance for five major cat breeds in the UK. These are very well known breeds, particularly in America. I don't know whether these sorts of prices are payable in America (in US dollars). I suspect they might be. The snow Bengal cat has the highest premium payments because they are rare and expensive. Rarity and cost dictate the price of the premiums. All five of the cat breeds in the illustration are highly prized domestic cat companions. The four others are not particularly rare but they are desirable.

I suspect, actually, that you will pay premiums that vary from those stated in the illustration because the cost of purebred cats depends upon the quality of the cat and this is an individual-by-individual cat pricing in my opinion. Perhaps the insurance company doesn't know the difference in which case you might get a very good deal.

For example, the Moneysupermarket website (from which I got these details) have mis-described the Snow Bengal and called the breed the "Snow Leopard Bengal".

The price of the premiums will also vary across the country because the cost of veterinary care varies from region to region in the UK. I would expect the same variation in the USA. The big metropolises such as London are going to be more expensive and Scotland will be the least expensive or thereabouts. Pretty much everything is more expensive in London and cheaper in Scotland.

You have to pick your insurance policy carefully. For example you have to decide between a lifetime or annual policy. An annual policy lasts for 12 months. Your cat is protected for those 12 months and you will be reimbursed for veterinary costs incurred during that period. You might not be able to renew your policy if your cat develops a condition which goes into the next year. Lifetime policies are more expensive but of course there is no limit to the duration of the claim but there may be an upper limit to the cost you can claim, perhaps £5000.

Abnormal Cat Breeds

What are abnormal cat breeds? As the description implies, they are cat breeds which have been developed because anatomically speaking they can be distinguished from regular-looking cats because they have at least one abnormality. These abnormalities have normally been created because of a spontaneous genetic mutation in a random bred cat. It doesn't matter where the cat lived. It just happens because that is the way nature works. Somebody sees the cat and finds him or her interesting and the news gets back to a cat breeder who wants to develop their own cat breed because they are ambitious.

They pick up the cat and start the long journey into developing a new cat breed. The cat fancy is littered with abnormal cat breeds but they are controversial. Sometimes the abnormality not only concerns the appearance such as the flat ears of the Scottish Fold but also affects the cartilage in other parts of the cat's body. There are health implications. This is the controversial aspect of abnormal cat breeds. An unusual appearance is important for a cat breeder but so is health. And you will find that when a spontaneous genetic mutation causes an abnormality in appearance it can also have undesirable health implications.

I've mentioned the Scottish Fold. Another abnormal cat breed would be the Munchkin. This is the founding dwarf cat. Dwarfism creates small legs under normal-sized bodies. This creates a very cute looking cat and they are popular. But there are two potential health problems linked to this cat breed. And there are about a dozen spin-off breeds from the Munchkin. These are dwarf cat breeds created out of hybridisations; crossing the Munchkin with another cat breed such as the Sphynx. I have a complete list of those breeds on an associated website. I also discussed the two health problems which may affect the dwarf cat which you can read by clicking on this link.

Super-cute Scottish Fold kitten but be careful about health. Picture: Reddit.com

The hairless cats are abnormal cat breeds. There are several variants from the Russian Don Sphynx to the Peterbald and of course there is the well-known American Sphynx cat which is based upon a random bred hairless cat found in Canada. The tailless cats are also abnormal. The Manx is a classic example. Once again there are potentially severe health implications caused by the gene which makes these cats tailless. Breeders have to be very careful because if you breed two Manx cats you can end up with an unviable embryo. You have to crossbreed the cat which dilutes the desired appearance and breeders end up creating cats which are not tailless or in the case of Scottish Fold cats they end up breeding cats with normal ears. What happens to those cats? There is a limited market for them. This is another complication facing breeders of these abnormal cats.

What you find is that some cat associations accept these abnormal cat breeds while others don't. A more tolerant or open-minded cat associations which accepts them is The International cat Association (TICA). A cat Association which rejects them is the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA). They are more traditional in their viewpoint about what should be acceptable in a cat breed. Is the CFA more sensible? This is the controversial aspect of these breeds.

In the UK, the GCCF, the Premier cat Association in the UK, is I would argue somewhat ambivalent about accepting these breeds. They generally reject them which I think is correct because the primary objective for cat breeders should be health and then character and then appearance. But they tend to prioritise their cats in the reverse order. This is because buyers are fascinated with appearance and tend to conveniently brush under the carpet issues of health.

Looking at the hairless cats once again, briefly, you have to keep these cats indoors because without fur they can suffer in cold weather or will be sunburnt in hot weather. Admirers of the hairless cat argue that there is no issue because they will always be particularly careful in caring for their cat and keep them indoors. They do need particular care because the sebaceous glands in their skin delivering the oils for their fur deposit these oils on the skin which attracts dirt. The oil has nowhere to go and therefore it has to be washed off regularly by the cat's owner.

Another arguably abnormal cat breeder is the Ragdoll. It was put out initially that this cat lacks sensitivity to pain and would go limp when held. This may have encouraged children to hurt the cats because they considered them to be toys rather than sentient beings. Their highly placid nature also makes them more vulnerable when outdoors. It is argued that they should be kept indoors and they are well suited to an indoor life. I would not describe the Ragdoll Cat as an abnormal cat breed. They are a regular cat in truth and beautiful as well. Not all Ragdoll cats are floppy and super laid-back. They have their own individual personalities too.

Referring once again to the Scottish Fold. This breed has seen a surge in popularity recently, partly because the well-known celebrity singer, Taylor Swift, adopted two. She is very visible holding her Scottish Fold under her arm. Domestic cats normally have very mobile ear flaps so what happens for the Scottish Fold? They can't move their ears and you know that domestic cats have over 30 muscles moving their flaps. And a domestic cat's ears provide signals to an opposing cat. These signals can no longer be made. There is third issue namely that ear mites may be a particular problem for this breed although I have no evidence that this is the case.

Sometimes abnormal cat breeds are created from a normal breed. The classic example is the flat-faced Persian (peke-faced). This beautiful domestic cat should have a standard or regular-looking face but over many years of selective breeding the cat associations (primarily the CFA) decided to refine, as they saw it, the face and made it flatter and flatter to the point where they developed health issues. Breathing problems became an issue and the tears from the eyes could not drain away because the tear duct became distorted. This creates tears rolling down the side of the face which have to be wiped away by the owner. And the fur is exceptionally long to the point where the cat can no longer self-groom effectively. This also places an added burden upon the human caregiver.

There is no doubt that these abnormal cat breeds although interesting in appearance create added issues and responsibilities for the human caregiver. They were created out of a desire to produce a distinguished cat breed amongst a crowded spectrum of breeds. During the mid-part of the 1900s there was a surge in new breeds, some of them wild cat hybrids. Since those times the range of breeds has been far more settled. There is probably no more room to create a strange new breed with a distinguishing appearance. Those days are over. And it is time, in a world which is more sensitive towards animal welfare, for the cat associations to re-emphasise the importance of health and to modify their breed standards accordingly to gently encourage breeders away from extreme breeding.