Brazilian Shorthair

The Brazilian Shorthair is a breed of cat. It is the first cat breed from Brazil to receive international recognization.

Description

The Brazilian Shorthair is a medium sized cat of great agility. The breed can be distinguished from the American Shorthair by their sleek and elegant appearance. Yet, they are not as thin as the Siamese. The coat is short and close to the skin and comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. The space between the eyes should be equal to that of one eye. Brazilian Shorthairs have dramatically expressive eyes. They are a medium sized cat; longer than they are tall. Males have bigger heads than females.

Origin

Its earliest origins can be traced back to the streets of Brazil. Since going from a feral cat to a purebred, this breed has changed dramatically. This is not the first breed to be developed from street cats; as the American Shorthair, European Shorthair, and American Keuda all show. The Brazilian Shorthair started out as an experiment. It was found that Brazil had cats that were different from anywhere else in the world. Yet, all Brazilian street cats had a common appearance and features. Today there are still very few Brazilian Shorthair breeders. The breeding of random street cats has been met with much opposition among animal rights activists and professional cat breeders. However, the Brazilian Shorthair is now considered to be a pure breed of cat. The United States currently has the largest population of Brazilian Shorthair cats and breeders.

Bombay

Bombay Cat by amyscvlife

The term Bombay cat is used to refer to two different breeds of cat.

British Bombay

The British Bombay cat is the name given to black cats of the Asian group. It is a cat of Burmese type with a black coat, toes, nose, and copper to greenish eyes. The close lying, sleek and glossy black coat should be coloured to the roots, with little or no paling. The Bombay is a shorthair breed of domestic cat, closely related to the Burmese.

American Bombay

The American breed called Bombay was created in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky, when Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery deliberately bred an American Shorthair with a Burmese for the purpose of creating a domesticated cat that resembled a wild panther (also known as baby panther). These cats usually have orange eyes. Bombays are often confused with the British Bombay. Note that they are different cats though they both share the name of "Bombay." The offspring of this breeding did indeed resemble the black leopard of India. The name came from the Indian city of Bombay (now Mumbai).

Characteristics

The Bombay is a muscular yet agile cat with a black coat. The heads of British Bombay cats are rounded and wide with a medium short, blunt tapered muzzle. The eyes, which are usually brown or green in color , should be shaped like a Burmese cat (not round) and set wide, and their ears are broad, slightly rounded and medium sized and, like the eyes, set wide. The Bombay has a coat that is short, satiny and tight to the body. Bombay cats require little grooming. They have personalities like Burmese cats as they are virtually genetically the same - they are fun loving and very affectionate. they may look light but don't let their slim bodies fool you, bombay cats are much heavier than they look. (Around 5-8 pounds heavier.)

Both the American Bombay and British Bombay have very unique voices. They're not your traditional "meows". While some cats are very vocal, others tend to keep quiet. This is perfectly normal and just reflects the type of personality your Bombay has. Bombay cats are heat-seekers. What this means is that they love to be warm and will tend to sleep with you either under the covers or on top of your legs because of the heat you emit. They're very affectionate cats that love human attention.

Birman

Birman cat by Saving Space

The Birman is a domestic cat breed. Also known as "Sacred Cat of Burma"(particularly so in some languages), it is not to be confused with the Burmese (cat), which is a separate and dissimilar breed. The Birman has a pale coloured body and darker points with deep blue eyes. The Birman breed is recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA).

Birman cat by Sony 70-200

Birmans have semi-long, silky hair, a semi-cobby body and relatively small ears compared to other cat races. In order to comply with breed standards, the Birman's body should be of an eggshell colour or golden, depending on the intensity of the markings colour. The markings can be pure seal, chocolate, blue, red, lilac or cream. Tabby variations are also allowed. Tortie cats can be seal, chocolate, blue or lilac. Birmans have sapphire coloured eyes.

The Birman's coat is unusual due to the white 'gloves' on each paw. They are one of the few cat breeds in the colourpoint coat that has fingers and toes in pure white colour. The genetics of this feature may not be not fully clear, though a gene conferring the white 'gloves' has been identified.

Bengal

Bengal Cat by roberto shabs

The Bengal is a relatively new hybrid breed of cat, which exhibits the "wild" markings (such as large spots, rosettes, and a light/white belly), and body structure reminiscent of the wild Asian Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). The Bengal cat has a desirable "wild" appearance with a gentle domestic cat temperament, provided it is separated by at least three generations from the original crossing between a domestic feline and an Asian Leopard Cat.

Bengal Cat by fermata.daily

The name Bengal was derived from the taxonomic name of the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC), as shown above, and not from the more widely known Bengal tiger species, which is unrelated to the Bengal's ancestry.

Bengal Cat by AussieGold

Balinese

Balinese by dacktyl2009

The Balinese is a breed of oriental cat with long hair and Siamese-style markings, or points. They resemble a Siamese with a medium-length silky coat and a plumed tail, but not nearly as fluffy as a Himalayan, and they require much less grooming. Balinese are extremely intelligent cats, although less talkative than their Siamese ancestors.

Balinese by Weffie

The Balinese was originally registered as a "longhaired Siamese", and examples were known from the early 1920s. The occasional long-haired kittens in a Siamese litter were seen as an oddity, and sold as household pets rather than as show cats. This changed in the mid-1950s, when two breeders, Mrs. Marion Dorsey of Rai-Mar Cattery in California and Mrs. Helen Smith of MerryMews Cattery in New York, decided that they would commence a breeding program for the longhaired cats. Helen Smith named the cats "Balinese" because she felt they showed the grace and beauty of Balinese dancers, and because "longhaired Siamese" seemed a rather clunky name for such graceful felines.

The breed became quite popular after this, and a number of breeders began working on "perfecting" the Balinese appearance. This led eventually to the development of two entirely separate "strands" of Balinese cat - some owners prefer a traditional or "apple-headed" Balinese, while breeders and judges tend to prefer a more contemporary appearance.

American Shorthair

American Shorthair by Sessions5

The American Shorthair is the 8th most popular breed of cat in the United States according the Cat Fancier's Association for 2006-2007. The breed is believed to be descended from English cats (the forebears of today's British Shorthairs) brought to North America by early British settlers to protect valuable cargo from mice and rats.

A very athletic cat, American Shorthair has a larger, leaner, and more powerfully built body than its relation, the British Shorthair.

American Shorthairs are a pedigreed cat with strict standards and a distinctive appearance as set by the various Cat Fanciers Associations worldwide.

Originally known as the Domestic Shorthair, the breed was renamed in 1966 to the "American Shorthair" to better represent its "All American" character and to differentiate it other shorthaired breeds. The name "American Shorthair" also reinforces the notion that the American shorthair is unique and distinct from cats found in streets, neighborhoods and barnyards.

A non-pedigreed shorthaired cat (called a Domestic shorthair) might resemble an American Shorthair, just as another random-bred cat might look like a Siamese, Persian or Maine Coon. The difference, however, is that American shorthairs are a pedigreed cat and are recognized as such by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA).

According to the CFA, American Shorthairs are low-maintenance cats that are generally healthy, easy-going and affectionate. Males are significantly larger than females, weighing eleven to fifteen pounds when fully grown. Mature females weigh eight to twelve pounds when they achieve full growth at three to four years of age. American Shorthairs can live fifteen to twenty years, like most felines, and often only requiring only annual vaccinations, veterinary checkups, a quality diet and plenty of tender loving care. These cats have long tails and usually slender bodies.

The American Shorthair is recognized in more than eighty different colors and patterns ranging from the striking brown patched tabby to the glistening blue-eyed white, the beautiful shaded silvers, smokes and cameos to the flashy calico van, and many colors in between. The most well-known American Shorthair color today is the silver tabby, with dense black markings set on a sterling silver background.

In the American Shorthair and other breeds of cats, heart disease can be inherited. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy(HCM) has been confirmed as an autosomal dominant inherited trait. While there is no cure for HCM, early diagnosis and medication can help significantly prolong an affected cat's life.

American Curl

American Curl by Trevor H

The American Curl is a breed of cat characterized by its unusual ears, which curl back from the face toward the center of the back of the skull. An American Curl's ears should be handled carefully because rough handling may damage the cartilage in the ear. The breed originated in Lakewood, California as the result of a spontaneous mutation. In June, 1981, two stray kittens were found and taken in by the Ruga family. The kittens were both longhaired, one black and the other black and white. The family named them Shulamith and Panda respectively, but Panda disappeared several weeks later, making Shulamith the foundation female of the American Curl breed.

In 1983, an American Curl was exhibited at a cat show for the first time, and in 1987, the longhaired American Curl was given championship status by The International Cat Association (TICA). In 1993, the American Curl became the first breed admitted to the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Championship Class with both longhair and shorthair divisions.

American Curl by shinzui

The American Curl is a medium sized cat (5-10 lbs), and does not reach maturity until 2-3 years of age. They are strong and healthy, remarkably free of the genetic defects that affect many purebred cats.

American Curl kittens are born with straight ears, which begin to curl within ten days. After four months, their ears will not curl any longer, and should be hard and stiff to the touch. A pet quality American Curl may have almost straight ears, but showcats must have ears that curl in an arc between 90 and 180 degrees. A greater angle is preferable, but cats will be disqualified if their ears touch the back of their skulls.

Both longhaired and shorthaired American Curls have soft, silky coats which lie flat against their bodies. They require little grooming, but enjoy spending time with their owners.

The American Curl, while still an uncommon breed, is found across the world in the United States, Spain, France, Japan, Russia, and many other countries.

Australian Mist

Australian Mist by ManatuBeard

The Australian Mist (formerly known as the Spotted Mist) is a breed of cat developed in Australia.

Australian Mist by ManatuBeard

This breed was developed by Dr Truda Straede in Australia commencing in 1976, hence its name. The breed was developed by crossing the Burmese, Abyssinian, and Domestic shorthair cats to create a shorthaired cat with a spotted coat. The name was changed from 'Spotted Mist' to 'Australian Mist' in 1998 when cats with marbled coats, rather than spots, were accepted as part of the breed.

Australian Mists are medium-sized shorthaired cats, with a round head and large, expressive eyes. The coat patterns have three levels of definition; ground colour, paler than pattern; pattern, delicate though distinct from ground colour; appears to wear a misted veil, caused by random ticking in the solid colour areas. The legs and tail are ringed or barred, and the face and neck also have delicate lines of colour. Australian Mist cats come in seven colours: brown, blue, chocolate, lilac, caramel, gold and peach.

As a relatively new breed, most Australian Mist catteries are in Australia, however there are a few in the U.K. and some desexed cats have been introduced to America and several other countries. The breed is now accepted for Championship status by the World Cat Federation. The Australian Mist celebrated 20 years as a Championship breed in Australia during 2006.

Abyssinian

The Abyssinian (Pronunciation: \a-bə-si-nē-ən, -nyən\) is a breed of domesticated cat with a distinctive ticked coat. There are many stories about its origins, often revolving around Egypt, but its true origins are uncertain. The Abyssinian has become one of the most popular breeds of shorthair cat in the USA.

The name 'Abyssinian' refers to Ethiopia, but most of the stories about the origins of Abyssinians refer to Egypt. The breed is sometimes believed to have originated from one Egyptian female kitten called Zula, who was taken from a port in Alexandria by a British soldier and brought to England. This theory is not established as true because there is no solid link between the cat first listed as an Abyssinian in 1882 and Zula.

Many sources spread the story that the Abyssinian breed is a few thousand years old and that it directly comes from Ancient Egypt. There are also stories that wild 'Abyssinians' live in parts of North Africa today.

At least one, and possibly as many as three Abyssinians were introduced into the American Abyssinian gene pool from Libya (or, less likely, Egypt).

Abyssinian by peter_hasselbom

Many sources spread the story that the Abyssinian breed is a few thousand years old and that it directly comes from Ancient Egypt. There are also stories that wild 'Abyssinians' live in parts of North Africa today.

At least one, and possibly as many as three Abyssinians were introduced into the American Abyssinian gene pool from Libya (or, less likely, Egypt).

Abyssinian by FurLined