Cats, Cats, and more Cats! part two

Hi my friends!




As promised, here is part two of the cat blog. Today I will tell you all about short hair pedigree cats, their history, temperament, description, and colors. So, here we go!



BRITISH AND AMERICAN SHORT HAIR




History: This is a very old breed and goes back to Roman times. The Roman soldiers kept them because they were good hunters and kept rodents away from the food supply and also because they were somewhat self-sufficient and did not require much grooming.

Temperament: It is a very gentle and loving cat but can be a little shy. They are affectionate, have quiet voices, and don't like to wander. They are perfectly happy to be confined to the house.

Description: Their body is large, strong, sturdy, and muscular with a deep chest. Legs are short and strong. The face is round with defined jowls in males. Ears are small and set apart. Their coat is short and dense. Eyes are round and have a deep copper color.

Colors: The come in self-colors such as white, black, blue, cream, chocolate, and lilac as well as patterned colors such as tabby, tortie, color points, tipped, smoke, and bi-color.



MANX



History: The Manx has a similar history as the American and British Short Hair.

Temperament: Manx have a delightful temperament. They are gentle, affectionate and don't like to wander.

Description: Their body is similar to that of the American and British Short Hair but they lack a tail and their nose is a bit longer. Also, the hind legs are considerably longer than the front legs and the coat is thicker and thus, more prone to matting. Manx come in four forms: The Rumpy with no tail, the Stumpy with a small amount of tail, the Tailed with a normal tail, and the Cymric which is a long haired version and is very rare.

Colors: Manx come in any color and any combination of colors.



ORIENTAL SHORT HAIR



History: The Oriental Short Hair became popular in the 1950s and was a result of experimental breeding between a Siamese and a Russian Blue among others.

Temperament: They have an outgoing personality and demand a lot of attention with a very loud voice which they like to use often. They enjoy being part of everything that is going on in a household and don't like to be left alone much. These cats benefit greatly from a companion cat. They also like to fetch and make an endless game out of it.

Description: They have a muscular, slender, and elegant body, similar to that of a Siamese but without the color points and they should feel heavier than they look. The legs are long and slender. The coat is short and silky. The eyes are shaped with a slant but unlike the Siamese, they come in different colors. The face is triangular with a long nose and large ears that are wide apart.

Colors: The come in all the self colors as well as patterned such as tabby and tortie.



ANGORA



History: The Angora has a similar history and is a similar cat as the Oriental Short Hair. To be specific, it is the long hair version of an Oriental Short Hair.

Temperament: They are intelligent, playful, and affectionate. They like company and are very vocal just like the short haired version.

Description: Their body is the same as in a Oriental Short Hair, except the coat is longer but not as long as in a Persian.

Colors: They come in all variations of colors and patterns.



ABYSSINIAN



History: They are an old breed as well and were imported from Abyssinian which is now known as Ethiopia. Their shape and size resemble that of a mummified cat found in tombs in Egypt as well as wall paintings of Bast and other feline gods. Recently, breeders introduced a long haired version which is called Somali.

Temperament: They are intelligent and outgoing. Disliking to be alone, they benefit from a companion but don't like to be over crowded.

Description: Abyssinians have a medium build and muscular body with a long and tapered tail. The head is a moderate, medium wedge with large ears that are broad at the base and are wide set with tufts at the tips. The eyes are large and a little slanted with either amber, green, or hazel color. They have long, slender legs. The coat is short, close-lying, and ticked (the tip of the hair is a dark color).

Colors: They come in ten colors, usual, sorrel, blue, chocolate, lilac, silver, fawn, red, cream, and tortie.



AMERICAN WIRE HAIR AND AMERICAN CURL



History: Both are the effect of a naturally mutated gene that has only be found in the United States.

Temperament: They are friendly, intelligent, sturdy, and adaptable.

Description: Both have a medium size body with a rounded head and a well developed muzzle. The American Wire Hair has a unique, wiry coat and straight ears. The American Curl has a thicker, medium length coat and the ears are curled away from the head.

Colors: They come in any color and combination of markings.



BURMILLA



History: The Burmilla was an accidental breed between a Chinchilla Persian male and a Burmese female due to a negligent house cleaner's leaving a door open between the two lovers. The result were adorable kittens that gained in popularity. The name Burmilla was derived from Burmese and Chinchilla.

Temperament: Burmillas are friendly, outgoing, and sociable. They are not as loud and demanding as the Burmese but a bit more adventurous and inquisitive as the Persian.

Description: They have a medium size, muscular body with a medium to long tail. The head is wide with a distinct break of the nose. The eyes are roundish and set wide apart as are the ears.

Colors: They come in any color or combination of colors and markings.




BENGAL


History: The Bengal is a very new crossbreed between a Domestic Short Hair and an Asian Leopard Cat with its first attempt in the early 1960s. However, it took almost 20 years for a structured breeding plan to be developed. The interest was mainly because the Asian Leopard Cat did not have the Feline Leukemia genome in its DNA and this made the Bengal a very sturdy breed.

Temperament: Bengals are friendly, loving, alert, curious , and intelligent. They have little fear of other animals and thus are good hunters and get along well with dogs.

Description: The Bengal is a large, sleek but muscular cat. The hind legs are slightly taller than the front legs. The coat is sleek and more like a wild cat's pelt. The head is a broad, long wedge and the ears are short with rounded tips. The eyes are oval with a slight slant.

Colors: The coat of the Bengal is spotted and should show a distinct contrast between the spots and the back ground colors.



EGYPTIAN MAU



History: The name Mau comes from the Egypt word for cat. It is a spotted variety of a Siamese type of cat. Despite the name, it did not come from Egypt but was bred for the coat pattern that resembles cats from Ancient Egypt. The breed was not developed until the mid 1950s.

Temperament: The Egyptian Mau is friendly, outgoing, adventurous, and intelligent. They love company and don't like to be left alone a lot.

Description: It is a Siamese type of cat with a rounded wedge shaped head. The tail is medium length and tapered. The eyes are almond shaped and pale green.

Colors: The coat is accepted in black, smoke, pewter, bronze, and silver. The spots have to be in a deep contrast to the main color.

JAPANESE BOBTAIL

History: As the name states, it originated in Japan and has a bopped tail. In Japan, this cat is considered a symbol of friendship and hospitality. The Japanese people often display ceramic cats of this type in their homes as a symbol of welcome.

Temperament: The Japanese Bobtail is the most friendliest cat and it makes a perfect pet. They are intelligent and have a very sweet disposition. It loves human contact and gets along well with other animals in the household.

Description: This is a mid-size, slender but muscular cat. The hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs. The tail appears cropped and is carried upright. The head is similar in shape as that of a Siamese. The eyes are large and oval. The ears are medium size.

Colors: Traditionally, the Japanese Bobtail is white with black markings but other color varieties are accepted.

KORAT

History: The Korat originated in Thailand where it is considered sacred. It is one of the oldest breeds but did not come to the United States until the early 1950s. In Thai, Korat means good fortune. They are a unique breed because they are available in only one color.

Temperament: Korats are quiet, gentle, and loving. They are intelligent but do not like loud noises or lots of commotion around them. They are best suited for a quiet home.

Description: Korats have a heart-shaped face with round, green eyes. The head has a slightly pointed muzzle with medium size ears that are set high. The coat is short, sleek, and silver blue in color. The body is medium size, muscular, and firm.

Colors: Korats come in only one color called blue. It is a silvery grey.

OCICAT

History: The Ocicat is a crossbreed between a Siamese and an Abyssinian. It was bred for its spotted coat and its resemblance to an Ocelot. Thus the name Ocicat.

Temperament: Ocicats are intelligent, playful, and outgoing. They like company but are not as demanding and vocal as the Siamese.

Description: Ocicats are large and well spotted. The head is a modified wedge with a broad muzzle and does not have a noticeable break in the nose. Ears are large and wide apart. The eyes are large and almond shaped. The body is muscular and should feel heavier as it appears.

Colors: The Ocicat can have any main color with distinctive dark spots.

REX

History: The Rex is a naturally mutated breed and was first discovered in the late 1950s in Great Britain. They come in two forms, the Cornish Rex which has a thick, curly coat and the Devon Rex which has a thin, wavy coat.

Temperament: The Rex is a lively, intelligent, and active breed. They love people and want to be included in everything that is going on in a household. They can be very naughty and mischievous.

Description: The Cornish Rex has a long and elegant body with firm muscles. The legs are long and the head is a medium wedge with a strong chin. The nose is straight and level with the forehead. The eyes are medium size and oval shaped and the ears are large and high set. The tail is long and tapered. The coat is slightly longer, curly, and does not have an undercoat.

The Devon Rex has a firm, muscular body with a broad chest. The head is a medium wedge with full cheeks and a short muzzle. The ears are large and low on the head. The eyes are large, oval shaped, and wide set. The tail is long and tapered. The coat is very short but wavy and can have bold spots.

Colors: They come in any color, marking, or variety thereof.

And this my friends, concludes the second part of our cat blog where I told you all about short hair pedigree cats. Stay tuned for the conclusion where I tell you about a few more short hair cats and even a hairless cat.

Love and Peace,

Tiny