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Cats A look at cats By Sadie Sanders
Burmese The Burmese breed is split into two sub-categories. The American Burmese and the British Burmese. Due to mixed gene pools, the British Burmese are more Oriental in their physicality and the American Burmese are stockier in their build. While first recognized as a breed in 1936, due to cross breeding with Siamese, soon the breed became "overextended" and was no longer accepted as a reputable breed until 1953. The love and demand for this wonderful breed of feline, did not go quietly into the good night, thus the breed once again gained acceptance with the Cat Fanciers Association. They cause less allergic reactions,but, you’d need a pure bred.
Devon Rex The Devon Rex is the result of an accidental mating that took place in England between a feral curly coated male and a straight-haired female. One of the kittens was born with curly hair. He was adopted by a cat fancier named Beryl Cox, and named Kirlee. Kirlee was bred to Cornish Rex females in an attempt to get more curly-coated kittens, but the resulting offspring all had straight coats. Breeders determined the genetic mutation that caused Kirlee’s unique coat was different from the gene that causes the curly coat of the Cornish Rex. The new breed was called the Devon Rex because Kirlee was born in Devon, England. Some of these cats were imported to the U.S., and were soon recognized by the American Cat Fanciers Association in 1972. The International Cat Fanciers Association (TICA) recognized the breed in 1979, and the Cat Fanciers Association accepted them for registration in 1983. Also another non-allergic cat for pure-bred.
Siamese Cat One of the oldest and most recognizable cat breeds in the world, the Siamese traces its royal roots back to the 14th Century in Thailand when it was known as Siam. This elegant breed belonged to members of the Siam royal family who would bestow them to visiting dignitaries. This breed began showing up in Europe and the United States by the late 1800s. The first known Siamese to reach American shores was a gift to First Lady Lucy Webb Hayes from the American consul in Bangkok in 1884. Siamese also enjoyed time in the White House during the Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter presidencies. Today, the Siamese ranks fifth in popularity among all breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association, the world’s largest breed registry
Sphynx This unusual looking breed traces its origins to 1966 in Toronto, Canada when a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten. Mr. Bigglesworth has become the poster cat for this breed. This cat character from the popular Austin Powers movies was portrayed by two Sphynx named Ted Nude-gent and Mel Gibskin. The Sphynxranks seventh in popularity among the breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association and has been vying for championship status by this world’s largest breed registry since 2002.
Maine Coon According to legend, British Captain Charles Coon sailed up and down the New England coasts in the 1800s and took some of his seafaring cats with him when he came into port. These ship cats mated with those on land with people referring to them as “Coon’s cats.” Another legend mentions that these cats originally belonged to Marie Antoinette and were smuggled aboard boats bound for America as she was beheaded. A true all-American cat, the Maine Coon was first shown at professional cat shows in 1878 and now ranks second in popularity only to the Persian in the 2007 Cat Fanciers Association’s breed registry. It is also recognized by The International Cat Association (TICA).
Russian Blue The history of the Russian Blue is shrouded in mystery. Some believe the breed originated on the Archangel Isles in Northern Russia, and was brought to Europe by sailors in the 1800s. Legend states that the Russian Blue is a descendant of the royal cats owned by the Russian Czars. Originally called the Archangel Cat, the Russian Blue was first show in 1875 in England. It was first shown in its own class in 1912. In the early 1900s, the breed was imported into the United States. The Russian Blue was nearly lost during World War II as breeding came to a near stop. An attempt to save the breed started in the 1940s as breeders from different countries used other breeds to boost the waning gene pool. In the 1960s, a group of British breeders united to restore the Russian Blue to its original appearance, and worked to breed out the characteristics that resulted from these cross breedings. The breed was eventually recognized in the U.S. by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), The International Cat Association (TICA) and the American Cat Fancier’s Association (AFCA).
Persian Long-haired Persian cats were first discovered in the Middle East by an Italian traveler in the early 1600s. They were eventually brought to Europe, and became popular in England during the 19th century. Queen Victoria owned two blue Persians. Persian cats came to America in the late 1800s. The breed was officially recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association in 1914, and quickly became the most popular cat breed in America. U.S. breeders have their own breed standard for this cat, giving the American Persian a slightly different look among the world’s Persian cats. The Persian is also recognized by The International Cat Association (TICA) and the American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA).
Ragdoll The Ragdoll gazes up at you with beautiful baby blues, eager to follow wherever you go. He’s a friendly cat who will greet you happily at the door, play fetch and sleep with you at night. Sturdy and tolerant, he can be a child’s best friend, willing to be dressed up in doll clothes and pushed around in a baby buggy. Just make sure your child doesn’t take advantage of his good nature. The laidback Ragdoll can even get along well with dogs and, like them, can learn to walk on a leash. He’s a great choice if you travel frequently and would like to bring a feline companion along. The breed was created in the 1960s from matings of three cats of unknown heritage. Today the semi-longhaired cats come in four patterns (mitted, van, bicolor and colorpoint) and six colors (seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream) for a variety of looks in the breed. The cats mature slowly, reaching their full size when they are four years old. The Ragdoll is well suited to any home with people who will love him and give his gorgeous coat a weekly combing. Keep him indoors to protect him from cars, diseases spread by other cats and attacks from other animals.
