In This Chapter
- Deciding between a kitten and a cat
- Debating the male or female issue
- Choosing between longhaired and shorthaired
- Understanding the pedigreed cat
- Exploring characteristics by breed
- Considering the not-so-ordinary everyday cat
You’ve taken everything into account: Your home. Your time.
Your finances. A cat is in your future, beyond a doubt, but what kind
But wait! You have more to consider. Before you get to
imagine Your Perfect Cat, you must determine whether a grown cat would work
better for the life you lead than would a kitten, no matter how adorable.
Before you consider whether a random-bred or pedigreed cat will suit you best,
you must consider the issue of fur: long or short? And what about gender? Do females
make better pets, or do males?
Caution
The decisions you make must keep for a very long time. The cats themselves pay the price for wrong spur-of-the-moment decisions — just check out any shelter for proof.
As serious as that thought is, remember that choosing a
feline companion is also a great deal of fun. You get to see oodles of
beautiful cats, play with adorable kittens, and consider the incredible variety
of the world’s most easy-going, adaptable, and ever-more-popular companion.
Random-bred or pedigreed, grown cat or kitten, whatever
gender, fur length, color, markings, or variety you choose, we want you to be
in love with your cat for years to come. So read on.
Cat Tracks
After you decide what kind of cat or kitten you’re looking for, you want to be just as deliberate about choosing a place to get your new pet and in picking out the very animal who’s right for the life you’re leading. We discuss breeders, shelters, rescue groups, and other sources in Chapter Considering Sources, and hints for picking out the right kitten or cat — including temperament tests and health checks — you find in Chapter Choosing Your Feline Companion. You may even wish to give a feral cat or kitten a chance. Find out more about these special animals in Chapter Ferals: Special Cats, Special Considerations.
Kitten or Cat: Which Is a Better Choice for You?
When people think about adding a cat to their lives, they
seem to automatically think “kitten.” And why not? A kitten seems to make
perfect sense, a little fluffball who’ll grow into your household and your
heart. For some people, though, an adult cat is a better option. And even if
you’re perfectly set up for a kitten, you ought to consider an adult as well,
for you’ll find many wonderful pets among the ranks of grown cats, and most will
never get a second chance to show how perfect they can be.
Don’t rule out either before you consider each fairly.
Everyone loves kittens!
Even people who profess to dislike cats can’t look at a
kitten without saying “awwwwwww.” Baby animals are all adorable, but kittens
seem to have something special going for them. Maybe it’s those large eyes, following
every movement intently. The oversized ears, twitching to and fro. The
playfulness, chasing and pouncing on everything that moves, be it your
fingertip or a piece of kibble batted across the linoleum. The tousled fur a
kitten can’t quite seem to groom into the sleekness every adult cat considers
her duty to maintain. A kitten is all these things — and more.
What many people don’t think about as they’re falling in
love is that a kitten can be a lot of work and aggravation. They can mean a lot
of expense, too, because many a kitten seems to use nearly all a cat’s nine
lives, which means you may end up seeing the nice people at the emergency
veterinary clinic a time or two in the first year. With a kitten, you also need
to put more effort into training, from making sure the tiny baby understands
what’s expected regarding the litter box to helping your kitten learn to stay
off the counters. You also need to kitten-proof your home — or keep your baby confined
in a safe part of the house whenever you’re not watching him — and then spend
months during which, every day, you’re picking your little tiger off the
drapes, off the kids, off the back of the couch, or off your slippers every
time you walk down the hall.
Cat Tracks
For tips on “kitten-proofing” your home and basic early training, see Chapter Getting the Relationship Started Right.
A kitten may be a poor choice for families with very young
children or for someone who’s handicapped by advanced age or illness. For all
their spunk, kittens are fragile and may accidentally be hurt by young children
who don’t understand the concept of “gentle.” Similarly, a kitten isn’t the
best choice for anyone who’s a little unsteady on his feet or isn’t able to chase
or otherwise keep up with an energetic feline baby.
On the other hand, a kitten can be a dream come true to a
family with older, more-responsible children, or a source of delightful
amusement to an active older adult. You just need to look carefully at your
living situation and consider the problems and pleasures a kitten will bring.
Finally, consider the matter of time. An adult cat does
quite well on her own alone in the house while you work — most of the time
she’s sleeping anyway. A kitten needs your time, for raising her and for
watching over her to keep her out of trouble.
Adult cat considerations
Adult cats offer some compelling advantages and few
disadvantages — the most serious disadvantage being simply that they aren’t as
“baby cute” as kittens!
Kittens get away with all their endearing goofiness because
they measure way off the adorability scale, but if you suspect you’re going to
get tired of having your feet attacked, if you worry about your children not
being gentle enough, or if you don’t want to be figuring out what your little
baby is into every second of the day and night, an adult cat is a better option
for you.
If you adopt an adult cat, you know exactly what you’re
getting. Body type, coat, and eye color are set. Laid-back or active, quiet or
vocal, cuddly or demanding, an adult cat has already settled into his own
persona. These considerations may not be as important in a pedigreed cat,
because you know, based on your kitten’s background and the breeder’s knowledge
and reputation, what your kitten is likely to grow into in terms of body type
and temperament. But in a nonpedigreed kitten, these qualities are really anybody’s
guess. If you want to make sure that you’re getting, say, a mellow pet, choose
a cat beyond the ants-in-his-pants kitten stage. (More on pedigreed cats later
in this chapter.)
The easy care and generous affection of adult cats make them
perfect pets for people for whom walking dogs would be difficult or impossible.
And study after study confirms the importance of a cat in the lives of those
who feel isolated by age or disabilities.
Remember
One of the most compelling reasons to adopt a mature cat is that many of these adults have little hope of getting a second chance after they hit the shelter, no matter how healthy, beautiful, and well mannered they are. Kittens are so adorable they’re hard to pass up, and so many people never even look at the cages of adult cats when they’re at the shelter.
The possible disadvantage of adopting an adult cat is that
you may be choosing a pet with behavioral problems — not using a litter box,
for example. A good shelter, rescue group, or breeder practices full disclosure
of any known health or behavior problems with the animals up for adoption.
Remember, however, that many animals are given up for behavior problems that
can be resolved or aren’t their fault — such as the cat who’s looking at a
filthy litter box every day and decides to do his business elsewhere.
Cat Tracks
Litter box problems are one of the top reasons adult cats are taken to a shelter. Although keeping a cat who refuses to use a litter box is certainly frustrating, the problem isn’t incurable. To understand why a cat avoids the litter box and to set up a retraining program to correct the problem, see Chapter Getting Good Litter Box Behavior.
An adult cat’s personality may be set, but his affections
aren’t — a grown cat bonds with you just as tightly as a kitten does. We think
that adult cats are even more likely to appreciate you for taking them in.
Tip
Most people — maybe even you — will still choose a kitten over a cat; such is the power of packaging. But we want to make sure that you aren’t automatically excluding some wonderful pets. Look at kittens, sure, but check out the cats, too. Strike a blow against ageism! We think you get brownie points for adopting an animal who has everything going for her — except kittenhood. Adopting an adult cat is also a great time- and money-saver.
She-Kitty, He-Kitty: Which One’s Better?
You’re not going to get a definitive answer out of us on
this one, even if we had one, which we don’t. Males and females make equally
good pets, under one very important condition: altering.
Male or female, a cat who is what the experts call whole or intact — in other words, fully equipped to reproduce — is a royal
pain to live with. When females are “in season” — which happens several times a
year, for a couple weeks at a time — they’re yowly escape artists who attract
noisy suitors from miles around. Some people think males are even worse. By the
time they’re sexually mature, they begin spraying
— marking territory with a special pheromone-spiked urine with a smell that’s
not only foul but also nearly impossible to eradicate. They’re also roamers and
fighters.
Cat Tracks
Altering goes a long way toward eliminating spraying, but more is involved in curing this disagreeable behavior. For the lowdown on this smelly problem, see Chapter Getting Good Litter Box Behavior. What’s involved in altering — commonly known as spaying or neutering — a cat? The answer’s in Chapter Littering: Should Your Cat Become a Parent?.
The Cat’s Meow
The experts — even reputable breeders who keep intact cats for their breeding programs — all agree that neutering is the key to a cat’s being a good pet, no matter the gender. An important contribution that those involved in the sport of showing cats have made is to ensure that animals who can no longer breed can still compete — in classes for alters. This aspect of showing is wonderfully progressive and supportive of those who like to show their lovely cats but not breed them.
After cats are altered, is one gender then a better pet than
the other? The answer depends on whom you ask. Some people believe males are a
little more outgoing; others suggest that females are smarter. (We got into an argument
over that one after one of us — not Paul — snorted “of course!” And then we
each came up with examples of smart males and outgoing females, the latter
group including Paul’s cat, PC.)
Cool Cat Facts
Despite Paul’s interest in computers, “PC” doesn’t stand for “Personal Computer” or even “Politically Correct.” It’s short for “Prayer Cat,” and it comes from the tabby’s endearing habit of sitting up on her haunches and “praying” for what she wants, holding her front paws together before her.
Perhaps the biggest reason some people prefer one gender
over another we can sum up by using the word always — they have always
had males (or females), have always
been happy with their choices, and see no reason to change.
Technical Stuff
If you’re thinking about adopting a pedigreed kitten, you may not have a choice about the gender: Males may be all that the breeder is offering for sale, especially if the breed is rare or in development. That’s because the females are held back to remain part of the breeding stock or shared only with those the breeder believes are willing to show and breed the kitten as she recommends.
Remember
Both male and female cats make good pets, and we can’t really steer you in one way or another. If you have a personal preference, go with it. If not, make all your other decisions and then go with the kitten that best fits your criteria, male or female.
Let the Fur Fly
We need to get one thing straight up front: Almost all cats
shed. The “almost” is there to apply to those cats who haven’t any fur — such
as those of the Sphynx breed, who still manages to carry a little down that
rubs off on your clothes.
Technical Stuff
Cats can have three kinds of hair in their coats — down, awn, and guard. The down is the shortest, finest, and softest hair. The awn is the coarsest, and the guard (sometimes called the primary hairs ) is the longest. Not all cats have all three varieties. The Sphynx, as just noted, has only down hairs, and few of these. The Cornish Rex has only awn and down. The awn hairs are usually shorter than the guard hairs (and longer than the down), but when awn and guard hairs are the same length, as in the Russian Blue, the cat is called double coated.
Some cats, such as the kinky-furred Rexes, shed very little.
Some longhaired cats shed a lot — or seem to, because the hair they drop is longer.
Even the ordinary garden-variety domestic shorthair is going to lose enough fur
to drive the overly fastidious person nuts. If you really can’t stand the
thought of cat fur on your sofa, your sweater, or even in your food from time
to time, give this cat thing some serious thought.
Cat Tracks
Are you allergic to cat fur? The chances are good that you’re really allergic to something else. For what that may be, and for strategies on coping with cats and allergies, see Chapter A New Appreciation of the Cat.
In considering a cat’s coat, think about three things:
- Aesthetics: Some people like the sleek look and feel of a shorthaired cat; others adore the flowing softness of the longhairs. The shorthairs have about them the air of a tiger: You can see their muscles move as they walk, see the coiled promise of power while they sleep. In longhairs, the power is even more subtle, hidden by lush thickets of lovely long fur. Do you prefer to rub your hand down a sleek pelt or bury your fingers in a longhaired one? This preference is the first of your decisions.
- Fur levels: Here is where the trade-offs start to come in. Although nearly all cats shed, the difference in shedding levels between short and longhaired cats can be dramatic, especially in cats that are prized for the volume of coat, such as with Persians. Are you prepared to live with a lint roller in your bathroom, your glove box, and your desk drawer at work? Would you be appalled to have a friend pick one of those glorious 4-inch pieces of fur off the back of your sweater? If you’re on the low end of fur tolerance, you’d better stick with shorthaired cats. (If you have no tolerance for fur, maybe you’d be better off with a tank of fish.)
- Time and money: Longhaired cats require extra care. They mat easily and need to be combed out every other day or so and brushed thoroughly on a weekly basis. Hairballs, or clumps of fur caught in the cat’s digestive system, can be a constant problem with longhaired cats, requiring medical attention. If your cat’s mats get out of control, you need to have her professionally groomed — most likely shaved — and that costs money.
Longhaired cats are more challenging to live with in other
ways, too. Their urine and feces can get caught in their coats (which is why
many owners generally prefer to keep those areas of their cats clipped short),
and litter may catch on the tufts of fur in their paws and get tracked all over
the house.
Cat Tracks
For more information about good grooming, see Chapter Good Grooming. For guidelines on choosing litter, litter boxes, and accessories, see Chapter All the Right Stuff.
Your cat’s coat also has a bearing on whether you can
consider letting him be an indoor-outdoor cat. The sparse coats of some of the
Sphynxes and the Rexes offer no protection against sun or cold; on the other
end of the scale, although the hearty coats of the Maine Coons and Norwegian
Forest Cats stand up to the elements, the silkier coats of the Persians may
need to be protected from the elements.
Caution
Although coat length, type, and color are truly a matter of personal preference in terms of picking out a cat, you do need to watch out for one thing that’s related to coat color: White cats with blue eyes have a high probability for deafness. Some of these cats have eyes of different colors and are deaf only on the side with the blue eye. (You can check for deafness by snapping your fingers or clapping your hands behind a cat or kitten’s head.) Though a deaf cat can still be a good pet — indoors only, for her own protection — you’ll still want to know what you’re getting into before you adopt.
Should You Consider a Pedigreed Cat?
You should consider everything! Although pedigreed cats make
up a very small percentage of the overall cat population — less than 5 percent,
according to some sources — some people would never consider having anything
but a pedigreed cat of their particular favorite breed.
Cool Cat Facts
One fan of pedigreed cats is Lilian Jackson Braun, whose best-selling The Cat Who . . . mysteries have charmed cat lovers for years. Braun’s breed of choice is the Siamese, and so, too, is her detective’s. In fact, if not for that very first Siamese cat, a gift from her husband, there would probably be no such mystery series at all.
Although the development of dog breeds has been going on for
as long as dogs have been around, the interest in purebred cats is a relatively
recent phenomenon, starting in the last century. Probably the most compelling reason
for the difference is that people needed dog breeds to perform various tasks —
herding, hunting, and guarding — whereas the cat walked in perfectly suited to
the needs of humankind: Then, as now, no more efficient hunter of rodents could
be found. Why mess with perfection?
Some people have always appreciated cats as much for their
beauty and companionship as for their hunting skills, and some of these folks
have worked to preserve and develop cat breeds and to nurture the development of
new — and ofttimes controversial — varieties.
Beautiful colors, beautiful cats |
|
Considering how little they had to begin with, modern
breeders have developed an incredible variety of colors and patterns in
today’s pedigreed cats. The Cat Fanciers’ Association lists more than 60
color patterns for the Persian alone. Not that what they started with wasn’t beautiful — and
isn’t beautiful still. By far, the most common cat color/pattern is the
“tiger-striped,” or tabby, markings
that you can still see in the wild ancestors of the domestic cat. The name tabby comes from Atabi, a silk imported to England long ago that had a striped
pattern similar to that of the domestic tiger cat. Tabbies comes in many colors, such as red (more commonly
called “orange,” “ginger,” or “marmalade”), cream, brown, or gray. The tabby pattern
is so dominant that, even in solid- colored cats, you can often discern faint
tabby markings, especially on the head, legs, and tail. Smoked, shaded,
and shell describe the varying
amounts of tipping that appear on each individual hair, with shell being a dash of color at the very
tip, shaded a little more tipping,
and smoke, at the other extreme, being
a coat so heavily tipped that it may look solid, except as the cat moves and
the lighter color becomes visible underneath. Fur can also be ticked — that is, banded with color,
as in the agouti pattern seen in
the Abyssinian, where dark-colored bands alternate with lighter ones on each
hair shaft. Pointed cats are
those such as the Siamese, with lighter-colored bodies shading to darker,
complementary colors at the points
— the face, the ears, the legs, and the tail. Bicolors are any
other color (or pattern, such as tabby) paired with white, and particolors have three or more colors,
as is true of calicoes (commonly with patches of white, red, and black) or
tortoiseshells (with swirled red, cream, and black). Mixing these color types can have some unpredictable
results. The spotted Ocicat, for example, was created as the result of mating
a Siamese and an Abyssinian! |
What are the benefits of owning a pedigreed cat?
Predictability is probably the main one: If you buy a pedigreed kitten from a
reputable breeder, you know in large part what you’re getting. Size, body type,
coat color, and levels of activity and vocality are imprinted on each kitten at
the time of conception. Although each cat is still an individual, you can rest
assured that your individual Siamese is going to have more in common with other
Siamese in terms of looks and personalities than it does with any Persian ever
born. The Siamese is active and talkative; the Persian is calm and quiet. If
your tastes in a feline companion run to either of these extremes, choosing an
appropriate pedigreed cat is the most likely way to have your wish.
Pedigreed cats also offer a little more variety than the
everyday cat does. If you like a long, sleek cat, certain breeds fit that
profile. The same, too, is true for a thicker-set body type, called cobby by fanciers. Color choices, too,
are broader. The slate gray of the Korat and Russian Blue, really a dilution of
the gene that produces black, is almost unheard-of outside the world of
pedigreed cats, as is the glossy warm tone of the Havana Brown.
And what about the novelty factor? Only in the pedigreed
ranks can you find cats with ears that fold forward or back, cats with kinky
fur — or none at all — and cats with little or no tails or short legs. Some of
these breeds are controversial — to say the least! — but they certainly do
expand the choices when the time comes to “think cat.”
Cool Cat Facts
Concerning pedigreed cats, cat lovers like them big, and they like them furry. Or at least that’s the picture you get from the Cat Fanciers’ Association, which lists the Persian at number one on the popularity parade, followed by the Maine Coon, another hefty longhair. Rounding out the top five are the Siamese, the Abyssinian, and the Exotic (the shorthaired Persian). Worldwide, there are close to 50 cat breeds, many so rare that only a few hundred representatives exist in each.
The overwhelming majority of cat seekers do not choose a pedigreed cat. For some,
the choice may be a matter of price and convenience. Pedigreed cats can be
expensive — a couple of hundred dollars, at least, and climbing into the
thousands of dollars for kittens of rare breeds and colors. They can be hard to
find, too, if you journey past the most-popular breeds. Upkeep on the coats of
some breeds may also limit many cat lovers to admiring them from afar.
Caution
Although most pedigreed cats are as healthy as their nonpedigreed relatives, you do need to be aware of some health concerns. The Persian, for example, is prone to respiratory problems, blocked tear ducts, and runny eyes because of the short face that some breeders prize. Other problems are associated with the very attributes that make some breeds special: Skeletal defects can pop up in Scottish Fold and Manx litters, for example. Reputable breeders are aware of the genetic problems in their breed and work to keep them at bay. Anyone you’re considering buying a pedigreed kitten or cat from should honestly discuss any problems in their breed and what is being done to reduce their frequency.
Characteristics by Breed
Pedigreed cats are roughly divided by experts into two
groups that are distinguished by body type and activity level.
The breeds in the first group, the Oriental, are notable for their long, sleek bodies and active
participation in the world around them. They’re not happy unless they’re
supervising dinner, climbing to the top of the bookshelf, teasing that dopey
dog, or seeing what every member of the household is up to. The way these cats
see the world, you’re not capable of running your own life without their help.
Cats in this group, such as the Siamese, Burmese, and Abyssinian, are often
touted as being more intelligent and trainable.
Do you want a chatty cat? |
|
One trait that is highly predictable by breed is
noisiness. Some breeds are so quiet you hardly know they’re around, and
others tell you every thought that crosses their minds, every minute they’re
awake, with all manner of meows. Siamese are probably best known for being chatty, but
other breeds keep up their end of the conversation, too. The Balinese, a
longhaired version of the Siamese, is, not surprisingly, very vocal, as are
the Oriental Shorthair and Colorpoint Shorthair, also versions of the
Siamese, and the Tonkinese, another breed developed from the Siamese. Other
feline conversationalists include the Bombay, the Burmese, the Rexes, and the
Ocicat. The quietest cat breeds are generally those with heavier
builds and more mellow dispositions: the Persian, the British Shorthair, and
the Maine Coon. |
The non-Orientals
see things a little bit differently. If you’re big and beautiful, the world
comes to you with all your needs. Why interrupt a good nap to see what’s on top
of that bookshelf? Cats in this group, such as the Persian, Ragdoll, and
British Shorthair, are generally happy to sleep in your lap while you read —
and not bat at the pages as you turn them!
At first, the differences between these breeds may also seem
to relate to their coats, with the sleek shorthairs falling in the Oriental
group and thicker-set longhairs in the other. That assumption would be true
except for the work of those who want to offer you even more options in a cat,
such as longhaired versions of the Siamese (the Balinese) and Abyssinian (the Somali)
and a breed that’s pretty close to a shorthaired version of the Persian (the
Exotic).
The Cat’s Meow
The history and legends behind the various breeds of pedigreed cats are almost as interesting and colorful as the cats themselves. Two books that are good jumping-off points for more in-depth research into cat breeds are The Cat Fanciers’ Association Cat Encyclopedia (Simon & Schuster) and Cat Breeds of the World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, by Desmond Morris (Viking). You can also check out the breed profiles on the Cat Fanciers Web site at www.fanciers.com/breed.html.
Unlike purebred dogs — who are divided roughly by purpose:
sporting, herding, and so on — pedigreed cats aren’t quite so easy to
categorize. Not surprisingly, really, if you consider that each cat himself is
unique — and if you don’t believe it, just ask him!
Not happy with the two divisions the experts offer, we break
down the various breeds into categories, a task almost as difficult as herding
cats themselves. The breakdown’s not perfect — some longhaired cats are also
among the largest, for example, and some of the more active breeds are also distinctive
in other ways. (In such cases, we list the breeds twice, once in each
category.) But we figure that breaking the almost 50 breeds down into categories
would make thinking about what sort of breed you may want a little easier.
The go-go group
Consider the Siamese the prototype of this group. Always
into everything, always looking to see what you’re up to, and always loudly
suggesting ways you can do it better — these characteristics are the essence of
this cat, one of the world’s most easily recognizable breeds with his
distinctive “pointed” markings. The Siamese is such an important breed that its
genes went into the development of many others, such as the Himalayan (a
pointed version of the Persian); the Balinese (essentially a longer-haired
Siamese); and the Birman, Burmese, Havana Brown, Ocicat, Oriental Shorthair (a Siamese
in solid colors and total-body patterns), Colorpoint Shorthair (a Siamese with
more options in point colors), and Tonkinese. Not surprisingly, many of these breeds
— the Himalayan alone not among them — are also high on the activity scale.
A cat doesn’t need to be Siamese — or related somehow to the
Siamese — to be above-average in terms of being on the go. Not as talkative
generally, but just as busy, is the Abyssinian, with markings that suggest a
mountain lion and a reputation for being one of the most intelligent and
trainable of all breeds. Other breeds with energy to burn are the Bombay, the
kinky-coated Cornish and Devon Rexes, the Egyptian Mau, the Somali (a longhaired
Abyssinian), and the hairless Sphynx.
Remember
Although these breeds can be a constant source of amusement with their energy and fearless ways, they can also be a handful. You should be prepared to endure cats on the drapes — the better to get up, up, up! — and kittenish behavior that endures for a lifetime. These cats never stop and are as likely to want to play at 2 a.m. as at 2 p.m. They surely want to be with you all the time, but on you? That’s another matter. Lap-sitter kitties these are generally not — they’ve got things to do!
 |
| Figure 2-1: You couldn’t get these cats to sit still for a photograph! Active breeds include the Abyssinian, Burmese, Cornish Rex, and Siamese. |
Tip
The people who choose these breeds do so for a reason: They’re fun! If one of these cats is in your future, get a good cat tree — see Chapter All the Right Stuff — and lay in a huge supply of toys, because you’re going to need them.
A touch of the wild
One of the many things we humans find appealing about cats
is that, even in the most tame and loving of our household companions, a touch
of the tiger remains. Indeed, the tiger’s stripes remain on many of our pets,
reminding us always of the connection — a reminder strengthened whenever you watch
a cat walk, run, or leap. The grace and power are the same for big cats and for
small.
Our cats may have chosen domestication, but on their own
terms. And always, always, with a little bit of wildness held in reserve.
That we love this essential wildness is apparent in our
long-standing interest in cat breeds that retain the look of the wild about
them — not with the “ordinary” tiger stripes of the tabby but with spotted coat
patterns evocative of another great wild cat, the leopard.
Cool Cat Facts
One of the most controversial of these breeds is the California Spangled, because of the decidedly unique way its creator sought to market the kittens — in the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog. Priced at $1,400 each, the kittens were the topic of much heated debate from people who thought selling cats by catalog sent the wrong message — that cats were little more than living toys or decorator accessories.
As is true of the California Spangled, most cats with a
spotted “wild look” haven’t any wild blood in them at all — they’re the results
of breeders trying to develop coat patterns that resemble the domestic cat’s
wild cousins. You can put into this category the Ocicat, derived from breedings
of the Siamese and Abyssinian and named for the Ocelot, which it resembles. The
Egyptian Mau (Mau means cat in Egyptian)
is another spotted wonder, a lovely cat bred to resemble the cats seen in
ancient Egyptian artwork.
A cat of a different variety altogether is the Bengal, a cat
developed through breedings of domestic cats with wild Asian Leopard Cats.
Fanciers say the wild temperament has been removed by generations of breeding
only the most sociable and friendly Bengals, although the look of the wild cat
it came from remains.
The temperament of these “wilder” breeds generally lies
somewhere in the middle between the go-gos and the more easygoing breeds, which
we discuss next. They’re not placid layabouts, but neither are they as active
as some breeds. For those who love the look of a leopard in a manageable, loving
package, these cats are perfect.
 |
| Figure 2-2: The Bengal, Egyptian Mau, and Ocicat evoke the beauty of the Leopard with their spotted coats. |
Longhaired beauties
The Persian is the other cat besides the Siamese that nearly
anyone, cat lover or not, can recognize in a crowd. The incredible coat of this
breed has enchanted cat lovers for centuries. Whenever companies look for a breed
that says “glamour” to use in their advertising, that they usually settle on a
Persian is no accident. This cat is a glamour-puss, no doubt about it.
Perhaps no cat besides the Persian comes in as many
varieties, each cat resplendent in that incredible coat: tabbies of every
color, torties, calicoes, every imaginable solid color, and tipped coats, too.
The markings of the Siamese can be found in the Himalayan, which in cat shows is
considered a pointed Persian.
If you’re looking for a more natural longhair, you have
plenty of options. The Turkish Angora and Turkish Van are two ancient
longhaired cats. The Norwegian Forest, Maine Coon, and Siberian cats are
longhairs that still have the rough-and-tumble look of farm cats about them.
And don’t forget the Birman, the sacred cat of Burma, a breed that looks
somewhat like a Himalayan, with color darker at the points, except for the
perfectly white-mitted paws.
The Ragdoll is another pointed longhair with white mittens
of more-modern origins — it was “invented” in the 1960s — and is another choice
for those seeking a longhaired cat, especially one designed to have an
extremely laid-back temperament. Another lovely longhair with a relatively
short history is the Chantilly/Tiffany, a cat with silky hair, commonly
chocolate colored.
In the longhaired ranks, too, are a few breeds you can
distinguish from their better-known relatives only by the length of their coat.
Put in this class the Cymric, a longhaired version of the tailless Manx, as
well as the Somali (a longer-haired Abyssinian), Balinese (a longer-haired
Siamese), and Javanese (a longer-haired Colorpoint Shorthair).
Remember
The biggest challenge facing those who own longhaired cats is coat care. The long, silky coat of the Persian mats easily and requires daily attention to keep it in good form. Other longhaired coats aren’t quite as demanding, but they all require more attention than the coats of shorthaired cats. And they all shed rather remarkably! Ingested hair, commonly called hairballs, is a bigger problem in longhaired cats, too.
Cat Tracks
For everything you need to know about grooming these longhaired beauties — including choosing a groomer for your cat — see Chapter Good Grooming. In the same chapter, you find more information on hairballs.
The temperament of longhaired cats depends on what’s
underneath that lovely coat. If an Oriental body is underneath — such as in the
Balinese — you’ve got an active cat. The larger, more thickset body types, such
as those of the Persian and Norwegian Forest Cat, tend more toward the
laid-back end of the spectrum.
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| Figure 2-3: The Birman, Himalyan and Persian are all cherished for their luxurious, long coats. |
The big cats
Although you’ll never see a pet cat as big as a St. Bernard
— or at least, we certainly hope not — a few breeds definitely warrant the
heavyweight category where cats are concerned. Although most healthy cats — pedigreed
or not — weigh between 8 and 12 pounds, some of the big cat breeds range
between 15 and 20 pounds, especially the males. Now that’s a cat who can keep
your lap warm on a winter night!
The biggest domestic cat is thought to be the Siberian cat,
with some males topping 20 pounds. This breed is pretty rare, however, so if you’re
looking for maximum cat, you may want to consider the Maine Coon, number two on
the Cat Fanciers’ Association’s list of most-popular cats, or maybe the Norwegian
Forest, another longhaired chunk of a cat. Other longhaired cats with an
above-average size include the Ragdoll, Turkish Van, and American Bobtail.
For a lot of cat without the fur, consider the British
Shorthair, the American Shorthair, and the Chartreux.
Remember
The large cats are generally fairly easygoing in temperament and more laid-back than many other breeds. If you’re looking for a more active and involved pet, these breeds are not the ones for you.
Cool Cat Facts
The Maine Coon has long been popular both as a pet and a show cat. In fact, a brown tabby Maine Coon named Cosey won the first major cat show in North America, held May 8, 1895, in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The engraved silver collar and medal presented there is now the most important piece in the Cat Fanciers’ Association’s collection of cat memorabilia and art.
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| Figure 2-4: The Turkish Van, Maine Coon and British Shorthair are perfect breeds for those who like their cats large. |
Something different
New cat breeds are created all the time, some by accident,
some by design. Many cat breeds start after someone notices a kitten with
something “different” — ears, legs, or other characteristics that set him or
her apart from other cats. These cats are some of the rarest around and among
the most controversial. They’re also among the most expensive to acquire — if you
can find one at all.
Coat — or lack of it — sets some breeds apart. Primary among
these breeds is the Sphynx, a cat who’s nearly hairless — nothing more than a little
fuzz on his face, feet, and tail. The Rex breeds — Cornish, Devon, German, and
Selkirk — all sport kinky hair, as does the LaPerm and the American Wirehair.
Cat Tracks
Some breeders of Rexes claim an additional distinction for their breeds: They claim that the cats are hypoallergenic. Some people with allergies may be able to tolerate certain breeds more than others, true, but unfortunately, no such thing as an allergy-proof cat exists. For tips on making living with a cat easier on your allergies, see Chapter A New Appreciation of the Cat.
Tails — or lack thereof — are the talk in other breeds. The
Manx is undoubtedly the best-known tailless or short-tailed cat, but others are
on this list, too. The Cymric is a longhaired Manx; the Japanese Bobtail, American
Bobtail, and Pixie-Bob round out the ranks of the tail-challenged.
And what about ears? Two breeds are based on an ear
mutation: the Scottish Fold, with ears that fold forward, and the American
Curl, with ears that arch backward.
Undoubtedly the most talked-about new breed has been the
Munchkin, a cat with short legs. Although some people say that the breed is a
mutation that shouldn’t be developed into an actual breed, others see little
difference between having a short-legged cat breed and a short-legged dog
breed, of which several exist. One thing is certain: The controversy over
breeds developed from mutations isn’t about to abate anytime soon.
Should you consider any of these breeds? Of course. If
you’re looking for something that’s sure to start a conversation whenever
company comes over, these cats are just the ticket. But be prepared, too, to
hear from those who think it’s a bad idea to perpetuate such genetic surprises.
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| Figure 2-5: The short-legged Munchkin, short-tailed Japanese bobtail, ear-altered Scottish fold, and nearly hairless Sphynx are all certain to start a conversation. |
The unCATegorizables
What did we tell you earlier? Herding cats is hard work, and
some breeds refuse any efforts at being categorized. One, the Singapura, a
Southeast Asian breed that resembles an Abyssinian, is noteworthy for being exceptionally
small, which practically puts the breed in a category of its own.
And where do you put the Snowshoe, a cat with many breeds in
its background who resembles a white-mitted Siamese but isn’t as active? We couldn’t
decide.
Three other breeds are of medium size and temperament but
are notable for their coats. Count among these the Korat and Russian Blue, from
Thailand and Russia, respectively, both remarkable for their stunning blue-gray
coats — as is the Nebelung.
The Not-So-Ordinary Everyday Cat
Cool Cat Facts
Most people couldn’t care less if a cat has a pedigree or a fancy breed name — they just like cats and are content to adopt one that strikes their fancy or wanders into their lives. Calling a nonpedigreed cat a “mixed breed” isn’t exactly right, however, because most breeders are so careful with their pedigreed cats that the possibility of an unplanned breeding is almost nil. The everyday cat really is completely random-bred, produced as a matter of complete serendipity with no rhyme or reason at all — at least not where humans are concerned! We like the British name for these cats — moggies.
Still, randomness being what it is — random — you can find some nonpedigreed cats that look very close to their show-going cousins. A big, brown, longhaired tabby that has more than a passing resemblance to a Maine Coon, for example. In the very real terms of love and affection, such cats are neither more nor less valuable than their pedigreed counterparts.
Even without human meddling, cats display a remarkable range
of traits and appearances. Some of the more popular are the tuxedo-marked cats.
Calicoes and tortoiseshells are fabled, too, and more than one cat lover has a
soft spot in her heart for a ginger tabby.
Cat Tracks
Are all calicoes and tortoiseshell cats female? The surprising truth is in Chapter Ten Cat Myths Debunked.
The point here is that all
cats have the potential to be a special pet to someone, no matter where they
come from, no matter what they look like. And cats are really more alike than
they are different in terms of health, general size, and behavior.
The differences count only in relation to what you want in a
pet. You need to know your own heart before you choose to let any cat into it.
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| Figure 2-6: The tuxedo, calico, and the most common pattern — the tabby — reflect the variety found among random-bred cats. |
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