The American Keuda (pronounced KEW-da) is an emerging breed of cat. The Keuda is under active development since about 2002, but has already become semi-standardized. Were it recognized by a major cat registry, it would probably be classified as a "Provisional" breed (meaning it has been standardized beyond "Experimental" stage, but the desired characters are not entirely developed and/or stable). A small number of US catteries breed and provide Keuda cats.
A bicolor cat has white fur combined with fur of some other color, for example black or tabby. There are various patterns of bicolor cat. These range from Van pattern (color on the crown of the head and the tail only) through to solid color with a throat locket. The tuxedo pattern is one of many possible bicolor patterns. Where there is low-to-medium grade white spotting limited to the face, paws, throat and chest of an otherwise black cat, they are known in the United States as a tuxedo cat or Billicat. High grade bicolor results in Van-pattern cats. There are many patterns between such as cap-and-saddle, mask-and-mantle and magpie (more randomly splashed). Bicolors are found in many breeds as well as being common in domestic longhair cats and domestic shorthair cats.
Solid color bicolor cats occur because there is a white spotting gene present along with a recessive allele of the agouti gene, which evens out the usual striped pattern of the colors of the coat. In contrast, tabby cats have an agouti gene that produces striping of the coat. The Abyssinian has agouti (ticked tabby) fur, giving the appearance of even color with color-banded hairs.
White spotting can also occur with any of the tabby patterns, resulting in tabby-and-white bicolors. Colorpoint (Himalayan pattern) cats can have bicolor points although this variation is not recognised for exhibition. The body markings of bicolor colorpoints become clearer with age as the body fur of colorpoint cats darkens as the cats grow older and the white patches become more visible.
Black Cat
A black cat is a felid whose fur is uniformly black. It is not a particular breed of cat and may be mixed or of a specific breed. The all-black pigmentation is equally prevalent in both male and female cats. The black color is of obvious benefit to a cat hunting at night. In Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens: in other cultures they are considered to be good omens. Black cats have been found to have lower odds of adoption in American shelters compared to other colors (except brown).
A domestic longhaired cat is a cat fancy term used to describe a cat with medium or long fur that is not a pedigreed member of a recognized breed. Domestic longhairs come in all the standard cat colours including tabby, tortie, bi-colored, smoke etc. A non-pedigree shorthair is termed a domestic shorthaired cat. Some longhaired cats are not able to maintain their own coat - they must be groomed for at least half an hour per day, and preferably bathed every week or two. The cat may not enjoy the bathing process, but if it is bathed and groomed regularly from kittenhood it will accept it as a standard part of its routine.
Very long-haired cats do not make good outside animals, as their coats are extremely prone to matting. In extreme cases, the mats come to resemble wings, leading to stories of winged cats. The matted fur will usually accumulate in the under arm areas and upper leg region of a long haired cat. In extreme circumstances, the matted fur can inhibit the cat's movements and cause irritation, and can cause the cat to become caught on outside shrubs and trees. When this occurs, the cat's forceful attempts to break away can pull large amounts of clumped fur away, leaving bald areas and possible injuries. If such matting of fur occurs, a simple de-matting comb for cats or dogs will be sufficient to detangle it. At first, the cat may be irritated by the comb, but gentle brushes each day to ease the fur off will gradually work out the matted areas, and continued brushing thereafter can help prevent large clumps of fur from appearing again.
Many owners of long haired cats -- especially new owners -- may feel tempted to cut tangled or matted fur away with scissors in lieu of combing it out. This should not be done by any owner not trained to do so, as it can be difficult to distinguish between hard-matted fur and the skin of a cat. In addition, in extreme circumstances, heavy-matted fur will harbour bacteria-infested soil or vegetation, which can cause infection of any cuts accidentally inflicted on the cat by an untrained owner attempting to cut out matted fur. If a de-matting comb does not work well enough, the cat should be taken to a groomer, or, in rare cases, a veterinarian, who will be able to remove heavy matted fur with scissors professionally.
A domestic shorthaired cat (DSH) is a cat fancy term used to describe a shorthaired cat that does not have a pedigree or belong to a recognized cat breed. The domestic shorthair should not be confused with the American Shorthair, which is a Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) recognized breed. Domestic shorthaired cats are characterised by a wide range of colouring and typically 'revert to type' after a few generations, which means they express their coats as a tabby. This can be any color or combination of colors. They also exhibit a wide range of physical characteristics and, as a result, domestic shorthaired cats in different countries tend to look different in body shape and size, as they are working from differing gene pools. DSH cats in Asia tend to have a build similar to a purebred Siamese cat or Tonkinese cat, while European and American varieties have a thicker, heavier build.
Dwarf Cats
Dwarf cats are domestic cat breeds which have the condition of dwarfism due to a genetic mutation.
The Munchkin is the founding breed of chondrodysplastic (short-legged)dwarf cat. Through outcrossing the Munchkin with a variety of normally proportioned cats a substantial number of dwarf breeds have been developed.
The major dwarf breeds as set out on the Dwarf Cat Association's website are as follows:
- Bambino - A cross between a Munchkin and a Sphynx cat
- Dwelf - A cross between a Munchkin and an American Curl
- Napoleon - A cross between a Munchkin and Persian cat
- Skookum A cross between the Munchkin and LaPerm cat
- Kinkalow - A cross between the Munchkin and the American Cur
- Lambkin - A cross between a Munchkin and Selkirk Rex
- Genetta - A cross between Munchkin, Bengal cat, Savannah cat , Domestic Short Hair cat and Oriental SH - exotic, spotted/marbled cat like a wild African Genet.
- Minskin - A cross between Munchkin and Shynx cat, Devon Rex cat and Burmese cat
The development of dwarf cats is at a fairly early stage (since the mid 1980s) and dwarf cat breeders are striving for recognition with the major cat registries. They are not widely accepted outside of the USA. They are potentially banned under the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals (European legislation) and have been condemned in the British Magazine Cat World.
For example, an insight into registration problems can be seen in respect of the Skookum as recited by the founder of this breed Roy Galusha.
In addition to chondrodysplastic dwarf cats, there are a number of normally proportioned dwarfed breeds. These are usually termed "mini-" or "teacup" to differentiate them from the short-legged dwarf cats. Some may be due to a condition similar to primordial dwarfism found in humans.
Farm Cat
Farm cats also known as barn cats, are cats kept primarily for the purpose of catching the smaller vermin found on farms and ranches, which would otherwise eat and/or contaminate the farmer's crops, and especially grain or feed stocks. They are often semi-feral (wild) cats, and thus caution should be taken around them.
Though they may have a more wild temperament, they may be treated as house cats or derive sustenance solely from their job of lowering the mouse and rat populations. In the latter case, lack of guaranteed food supply, and the necessity of physical exertion on their part, will tend to cause the cats to be much leaner than their domestic counterparts. Unwanted domestic cats are sometimes abandoned at farms. Not having honed their instinctive hunting skills well enough to be self-reliant, few such castoffs survive for long.
On dairy farms, barn cats are often "paid" in milk for their work at hunting vermin. Most drink milk from a pan or bowl, but some learn to take it from "the fountain" (where a farmhand squeezes the cow's teat, squirting milk over a short distance directly into the cat's mouth.)
If the population of adult female farm cats is kept high enough (about 3-6 breeding females, depending on the location) their population can be self-sustaining for several years. The females will establish permanent homes in barns or other structures, especially if they are fed and sheltered there. Males will almost always leave permanently, only returning to mate. This can lead to inbreeding, as the male offspring return to impregnate their mother.
In areas with high numbers of predators, barn cat populations often go extinct. They can be eaten by raccoons, owls, coyotes, and other animals that prey on creatures of their size.
In the past, farmers would control their farm cat population by selling cats to scientific or medical organizations. Carolina Biological used to collect excess farm cats for sale as dissection specimens. However, this practice has long been abandoned.
Feral Cat
A feral cat (or stray cat, alley cat) is a cat which has been separated from domestication, whether through abandonment, loss, or running away, and becomes wild. The term may also refer to descendants of such cats, but not to wild cats, whose ancestors were never domesticated.
In Australia the term feral cat refers to cats living and breeding entirely in the wild. Significant populations of wildlife in Australia, including marsupials, reptiles, and birds, poorly adapted to this efficient predator, have allowed the establishment of stable populations across most of the country.
Adult feral cats, that were never socialized with humans, can rarely be socialized. Feral kittens can sometimes be socialized to live with humans. The ideal time for capture is between six and eight weeks old. Taming at this age may take only a couple of days. Older kittens can be tamed - but it takes longer. Also, an older kitten may bond only with the person working with them, which can make adoption difficult, but not impossible.
Feral cats may live alone but are usually found in large groups called feral colonies. The average life span of a feral cat that survives beyond kittenhood is usually cited as being less than two years, while a domestic housecat lives an average of 12 to 16 years. However, feral cats aged 19 (Cat Action Trust) and 26 (Cats Protection) have been reported where food and shelter are available.
Cities, Australia, and North America are not native environments for cats. The domestic cat comes from temperate or hot, dry climates and was distributed throughout the world by humans. Cats are extremely adaptable, and feral felines have been found in conditions of extreme cold and heat. They are more susceptible to cold, damp conditions than to cold alone. In addition, they are vulnerable to predators such as dogs, feral pigs, wolves, bears,cougars, bobcats, foxes, crocodilians, birds of prey, and coyotes.
Feral cats have found a place in the popular imagination, perhaps due to the cat's reputation for being independently minded. For instance the famous television cartoon character Top Cat, a wily "alley cat" would always manage to get the better of the good-natured policeman, Officer Dibble. T. S. Eliot's Jellicle Cats, who are now known throughout the world through Andrew Lloyd-Webber's hit musical Cats, were themselves inspired by a colony of black and white feral cats in London, England.
Maltese cat is a name that is often given to any cat, whose fur is either completely, or primarily, gray or blue and is of indeterminate breed. Many cats with such colouration are present on the island of Malta, which may have given rise to the use of the adjective in this context. There are several cat breeds that always produce blue or gray fur. These are the Russian Blue, the Chartreux, the Korat. There are several other breeds that often produce blues such as the British Shorthair. The blue variant of this breed was so common that many thought it was its own breed called the British Blue. In literature, "The Maltese Cat" is the title of a short story by Rudyard Kipling. The story is about a polo match set in British Colonial India, told from the point of view of one of the ponies, a gray named The Maltese Cat.
"Moggy", "moggie" or "moggies", can also be nicknames for the Common Moorhen. the Morris Minor car, any car made by the Morgan Motor Company and for the drug "Mogadon" (Nitrazepam).
Moggy or moggie (plural moggies) is a British affectionate term for a domestic cat, but is also used as alternative name for a mongrel or mixed-breed cat whose ancestry and pedigree are unknown or only partially known. Because of this mixed ancestry and free-breeding, a moggy can either be very healthy, or, if from an inbred feral colony, genetically unsound and sickly. However, as feral colonies are often left without any form of human intervention and veterinary attention, the most sickly generally do not live past kittenhood.
Odd-Eyed Cat
An odd-eyed cat is a cat with one blue eye and one green, yellow or brown eye. It is a feline form of complete heterochromia, a condition which occurs in some other animals. The condition most commonly affects white colored cats but can be found in a cat of any color, as long is it possesses the white spotting gene.
A polydactyl cat is a cat with a congenital physical anomaly, with more than usual number of toes on one or all of its paws as a result of a cat body type genetic mutation. In animals including humans, polydactyly (or polydactylism, also known as hyperdactyly) is the anatomical abnormality of having more than the usual number of digits on the hands or feet.
Smoke is the name given to the cat colour in which the bottom eighth of each hair is white or creamy-white, with the rest of the hair being a solid colour. Genetically this colour is a non-agouti cat with the dominant inhibitor gene; a non-agouti version of the silver tabby. Smoke cats will look solid coloured until they move, when the white undercoat becomes apparent. It is mostly found in pedigreed cats (especially longhair breeds) but also present in some domestic longhaired cats.
Squitten
Squitten is a portmanteau word derived from the words squirrel and kitten, it is a term used to describe a unique cat with unusually short forelegs or unusually long hindlegs that resembles a squirrel. It is an example of a cat body type genetic mutation.
A tabby cat is a cat with a distinctive coat that features stripes, dots, or swirling patterns. Tabbies are often mistakenly assumed to be a breed of cat. In fact, the tabby pattern is a naturally occurring feature that may be the original coloration of the domestic cat's distant ancestors. Tabby color is found in many breeds of cat, as well as among the general 'moggy' (mixed-breed or mongrel) population. When cats are allowed to breed randomly, the coloration of the population tends toward brown mackerel tabbies with green eyes, leading geneticists to believe that this is the common wild phenotype of the domestic cat. The tabby usually has an "M" mark on its forehead. The word comes from French tabis, which was earlier atabis, and in medieval Latin attabi. The initial origin of the word seems to be from the Attabiyah section of Baghdad where a type of striped silk was made that was later used to describe cats.
Tortoiseshell describes a coat coloring found in cats. Cats of this colour are mottled, with patches of red and black, chocolate, or cinnamon. They are sometimes called torties for short. The term "tortoiseshell" (also called calimanco or clouded tiger in North America) is typically reserved for cats with brindled coats that have relatively little or no white markings. Those that are largely white with red and black patches (rather than a brindled aspect) are described as tortoiseshell-and-white (in the UK) or calico (in the United States).
Tortoiseshells and calicos are not specific breeds of cat. The tortoiseshell markings appear in many different breeds. This pattern is especially preferred in the Japanese Bobtail breed.
Both calico and tortoiseshell cats are almost always female.
Persian
These are the most popular of the long-haired breeds. Persians will happily take to life as indoor cats. They get on well with other cats other animals and children. Persians are tremendously responsive and become a constant source of joy and delight to their owners. Pleasurable as an unexpected sunbeam, their companionship is close and enduring.
Although independent, the Turkish Van is a feisty feline that is sure to be at home with any family. Their silky, beautiful coats are a pleasure to groom, and their playful love of water provides much entertainment.
Known as the Sacred Cat of Burma, Strikingly handsome with its colour point pattern and its pure white toes. Birman is still a relatively uncommon breed. Sign up to receive monthly e-mail reminders for your flea and heartworm medication. The sweet, devoted personality makes the Birman a terrific companion.
One of the most popular cat breeds. The Abyssinian with a regal bearing, were possibly worshiped by the ancient Egyptians. This cat has also gained significant popularity in cat shows, mostly due to its unique ticked coat colors. They usually mix well with children and other pets and like to join in family activities.
This fascinating cat is the only natural breed of spotted domestic cat. The black and the blue Maus, make excellent pets.
The Bengal, is a large wild looking spotted coat with short glossy fur. While still rare worldwide, their popularity is growing rapidly. Bengal is domestic in temperament but has retained its exotic, feral look. The Bengal is the most numerous and popular of the spotted domestic breeds.
Their bobbed tails vary in length; a perfect tail should be long enough to stand up over the cat's back, about 1/3 to 1/2 the length of a full tail. Most breeders will clip the kittens' tails at birth.
One of the most docile of all cat breeds. Ragdolls are named for their unusual habit of lying limp in your arms. These cats are very loving and make excellent pets.p/s: I'm very fascinating about cats.. And I have a cats named Oggy.. just like its type, Moggy.. =)
