Devon Rex Cat

The members of the Devon Rex cat breed are curly-furred, generally playful cats, with distinctive, large ears.

Devon Rex Behavior/Personality

People often say that Devon Rex cats are quite playful, even to the point of being mischievous. These cats also have a propensity for jumping quite high.

Note that despite their short fur coats, Deven Rexes are not quite hypoallergenic, since they do produce dander and do shed (though perhaps not in the same quantities as other cats).

Devon Rex Breed Standard/Physical Description

Devons are often called "pixie cats," but that's not because of their small size. Rather it's because of how unique they look: their ears are very large, and set low on their broad heads. They also have large eyes and slightly upward-pointing noses. They are also slim and light in body. Another name for these unusual-looking cats is "alien cats."

Note that though the Devon Rex cat breed may resemble the Cornish Rex and German Rex breeds, the gene that produces the "rexed" or curled fur is different in each breed. Therefore, these different breeds of cats cannot be bred together, since they will not produce the same curled fur if interbred.

Devon Rex History

The first Devon Rex cat was a male named Kirlee, born in Buckfastleigh, Devon, England, in an area near an abandoned tin mine, and kept by a woman named Beryl Cox. Kirlee was taken into the breeding program of another curly-furred breed, the Cornish Rex cat breed. However, after several attempts there were no curly-furred kittens: the gene responsible for curling in Kirlee was apparently different from the relevant gene in the Cornish Rexes. The breeders decided to start a new breed of curly Rexes, the Devon Rex. In 1968, a North American breeding program for Devon Rexes was established and the breed was fully established in North America by 1980. The breed has been outcrossed with the American Shorthair and British Shorthair, to avoid several horrible genetic defects which appeared in the 1970s as a result of severe inbreeding.

Egyptian Mau Cat

The Egyptian Mau cat breed is an ancient, rare breed of cat known for the distinctive spotted coat as well as being the fastest running housecat breed.

Egyptian Mau Behavior/Personality

Source: Wikipedia

The most striking behavioral features of Egyptian Maus are their great running speed, and their voices: they have been said to chirp, sing, and chortle. They are also said to strongly prefer warm temperatures.

Egyptian Mau Breed Standard/Physical Description

Here are some facts on the Egyptian Mau breed based on information in Wikipedia

The Egyptian Mau cat breed is the only spotted-fur officially recognized cat breed to have developed in the wild rather than due to selective breeding. The spots extend beneath the fur: shaved cats also have spots on their skin. They are also the fastest of the housecat breeds; the fastest Maus have been clocked at 36 miles/hour (this is also the speed at which giraffes run!). Their hind legs are longer than their forelegs, which is largely the reason for their impressive speed. Their lower abdomens have a loose skin flap which also allows them to run faster, since it permits a longer stride.

There are five fur coat colors for Egyptian Maus: silver, smoke, bronze, blue, and black. The last two colors are not considered "show" colors, though cats with these coats may still breed. Adult Maus all have green eyes.

Egyptian Mau History

Source: Wikipedia

Egyptian Maus are arguably the oldest cat breed, going back thousands of years in Egypt, where they roamed feral for most of that time. Some people speculate that Egyptian Maus were the ancestors of modern housecats. Today, purebred Maus are relatively rare; there may only be 3,000 of them anywhere on earth. In the 1980s, Egyptian Maus were one of the cat breeds included in the breeding program for the new cat breed, the American Keuda.

European Burmese Cat

The European Burmese cat has a coat that is short and fine. There is almost no undercoat and the texture is satiny. The large and alert eyes are set apart with a slight slant toward the nose. The eyes are a bright yellow to amber. The medium-sized ears are wide at the base and are set apart with a small forward tilt. The head is somewhat rounded with wide cheekbones and a strong chin. The body is medium in size and length. The chest is strong and the body may be hard and muscular. The European Burmese cats may be heavier than they appear. The legs are slender and the tail length is medium.

The European Burmese is a medium-sized shorthaired cat. These cats are extremely smart. loving and devoted. The European Burmese is an elegant cat that has good bone structure. The eyes are expressive with a sweet facial expression. These cats love people and make great companions. They do prefer the company of other animal. but can adjust to being the only pet.

European Burmese History:
The European Burmese, sometimes known as the foreign Burmese, was developed in the 1960s by British breeders who imported Burmese cats to England and then crossed them with red-point Siamese and British Shorthairs in an attempt to expand the gene pool. By introducing the gene for red, they expanded the number of coat colors in the breed. The European Burmese was recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) in 1994. Now, it’s also recognized by the Canadian Cat Association (CCA), Cat Fanciers Federation (CFF), Traditional Cat Association (TCA) and United Feline Organization (UFO). The CCA and CFF register it as the Foreign Burmese.

European Shorthair Cat

It is the purest of all breeds, replicating its characteristics naturally without any help from breeders. Each color is recognized as its own breed because of the different genes that go into producing each. The European Shorthair gave us the term "tabby," in a round-about fashion. Weavers in Iraq duplicated the colors and patterns of the cat's coat in the silks they exported to Europe, dubbing the fabrics with the name.

European Shorthair Behavior/Personality

With such a natural, direct ancestry and with a large proportion of all European Shorthairs being born outside of controlled breeding situations, individual cats vary widely in temperament. However, the breed is generally territorial and combative toward other cats, but affectionate with owners that show it respect and care. Females, particularly, attach to the whole family. All individuals seem to genuinely enjoy new people. It's an extremely active cat, with a definite need to roam large, open spaces. It is also an able mouser, with an almost manic desire for the activity.

These breeds, if given the slightest opportunities, will reproduce more frequently than any other breeds. They will also produce much larger litters.

European Shorthair Breed Standard/Physical Description

There are many breeds of the European Shorthair: Black, which is extremely widespread and has a glossy black coat with yellow, orange, or copper eyes; White, with snow white coat with yellow or copper eyes; Albino, with white coat with light blue eyes and pupils that reflect red; Cream, which is extremely rare and has a uniform cream coat with copper or hazel eyes. Red, with red-brown coat with orange eyes; Gray, with gray coat with orange or copper eyes; Tabby, tiger-striped; Marbled, see Classic Tabby pattern under American Shorthair; Tortie, with black, red, and cream coat with copper, orange, or hazel eyes; Tortie-with-White, with black, red, and cream coat with white on face and chest, and orange, amber, or copper eyes; Blue-Cream, with blue and cream coat with orange, yellow, or copper eyes; Black-and-White Bicolor; White-and-Blue Bicolor; Orange-and-White Bicolor; and Cream-and-White Bicolor.

The fur is short, thick, fine textured, and sometimes bristly. The body is extremely muscular and sturdy, with similar legs and medium, round paws. The head is round with a short nose, fully developed cheeks, large, round eyes, and relatively small, pointed ears. Regular brushing and stroking with a gloved hand will maintain the coat. It is a very long-lived cat.

European Shorthair History

The common house cat for millions of Europeans over many generations, the European Shorthair probably descended from the African Wild cat brought north by the Romans some 2,000 years ago, or by the native European Wild Cat. The widespread breed goes by many localized names, including Cyprus Cat, Marbled Cat, and Tiger Cat.

Exotic Shorthair Cat

The Exotic Shorthair cat breed, also simply known as the Exotic cat breed, is an offshoot of the Persian cat breed. The first Exotic Shorthairs were the result of interbreeding between Persians and American Shorthairs. With the denser, shorter coat, the Exotic Shorthair breed is less of a grooming challenge than the Persian, hence the nickname, "Persians for lazy people."

Exotic Shorthair Behavior/Personality

Source: Wikipedia

The Exotic Shorthair breed is generally known for a gentle and calm personality. Known as quiet cats who rarely meow, Exotic Shorthairs tend to show more affection than most breeds. They are also known to make excellent lap cats.

Exotic Shorthair Breed Standard/Physical Description

Here are some facts on the Exotic Shorthair breed based on the Cat Fanciers Association's breed standard.

• Head: round, large
• Ears: small, round tipped, set far apart
• Eyes: large, round
• Body: Large or medium in size
• Legs: short, thick, and strong
• Paws: large, round
• Tail: short, proportion in length
• Coat: dense, soft, medium in length

Exotic Shorthair History

Source: Wikipedia

In around 1960, breeders crossed the American Shorthair with the Persian in the United States, creating shorthaired Persians. The new breed of shorthair Persians was called the Exotic Shorthair breed and recognized by the C.F.A in 1966. Since 1987, the only allowable outcross breed has been the Persian. The F.I.Fe. recognized the Exotic Shorthair in 1986. Because they have nearly identical bodies to the Persians, but a thick, dense short coat, they have come to be known as "Persian cats for lazy people"--i.e., people who don't want quite the grooming challenge of the traditional Persian cat's coat.

Havana Brown Cat

While many cat breeds are as precious as they can be, some cat breeds are more like the workhorses of the cat fancy. The Havana Brown breed not only has a simple brown coat; these cats are so eager to please they are almost dog-like-in a nice, thoroughly cat-like way, of course.

Havana Brown Behavior/Personality

Source: "The Havana Brown: The Cat in a Not So Plain Brown Wrapper," by Norma Placchi

The Havana Brown breed is thought of as being very intelligent. That is, they are generally more easily trained to fetch than other cats and respond well to praise. Most Havana Browns make excellent show cats.

Havana Brown Breed Standard/Physical Description

Here are some facts on the Havana Brown breed based on the Cat Fanciers Association's breed standard.

• Head: head is longer than it is wide when viewed from above, narrow muzzle
• Ears: large, round-tipped
• Eyes: oval in shape, medium sized, set wide apart
• Body: medium in length, firm and muscular
• Legs: straight, high
• Paws: oval, Toes: five in front and four behind
• Tail: medium in length and in proportion to the body
• Coat: short to medium in length, smooth

Havana Brown History

Source: "The Havana Brown: The Cat in a Not So Plain Brown Wrapper," by Norma Placchi

Self-brown cats were documented in cat shows in Europe as early as the 1890s. These self-brown cats went under names such as "Swiss Mountain Cat." They apparently may have fallen out of favor in the early twentieth century, as self-brown cats such as these did not appear again in cat shows until after World War II.

Havana Brown Cat

While many cat breeds are as precious as they can be, some cat breeds are more like the workhorses of the cat fancy. The Havana Brown breed not only has a simple brown coat; these cats are so eager to please they are almost dog-like-in a nice, thoroughly cat-like way, of course.

Havana Brown Behavior/Personality

Source: "The Havana Brown: The Cat in a Not So Plain Brown Wrapper," by Norma Placchi

The Havana Brown breed is thought of as being very intelligent. That is, they are generally more easily trained to fetch than other cats and respond well to praise. Most Havana Browns make excellent show cats.

Havana Brown Breed Standard/Physical Description

Here are some facts on the Havana Brown breed based on the Cat Fanciers Association's breed standard.

• Head: head is longer than it is wide when viewed from above, narrow muzzle
• Ears: large, round-tipped
• Eyes: oval in shape, medium sized, set wide apart
• Body: medium in length, firm and muscular
• Legs: straight, high
• Paws: oval, Toes: five in front and four behind
• Tail: medium in length and in proportion to the body
• Coat: short to medium in length, smooth

Havana Brown History

Source: "The Havana Brown: The Cat in a Not So Plain Brown Wrapper," by Norma Placchi

Self-brown cats were documented in cat shows in Europe as early as the 1890s. These self-brown cats went under names such as "Swiss Mountain Cat." They apparently may have fallen out of favor in the early twentieth century, as self-brown cats such as these did not appear again in cat shows until after World War II.

Highlander Cat

The Highlander is the complete package, beautiful, domestic yet it has a distinctly different and wild look, it is loving, entertaining, physically sound, and is so much fun.

Highlander Behavior/Personality

This is a very adaptable and loving breed that is equally happy in a very active or a very quite home. They get along well with children and other pets.

Highlander Breed Standard/Physical Description

What first draws your attention to the Highlander is its incredible ears. Standing tall, open, and with a slight backwards flare, they bring to mind the large tufted ears of the Canadian Lynx. The dominant curl gene in the Highlander breed makes the ears more noticeable and exotic in appearance. The Highlander's ears have more of a vertical crimp than a horizontal one. Having this vertical crimp makes the ears stand tall and open. The ears should not fold back into a tight curl. This breed's chin and muzzle are also very noticeable. The muzzle, long and squared-off with large whisker pads and resting on top of a well-defined deep chin, evokes the image of a wild cat.

This breed has substantial body structure and is a large cat. Watching a Highlander move is pure beauty as their long hind legs flex and the heavy, pronounced muscles ripple between their shoulder blades, reminiscent of the wild cat. The Highlander's feet are most impressive; they are large with prominent knuckles, built for the stamina for which the Highlander is known, and some have extra toes (polydactyl) that make the feet appear even larger.

Anchored on the muscular hips of the Highlander is a natural short tail. Ranging in length from 1 inch to hock length, it should be thick and preferably articulated. Though a straight tail is preferred, sometimes slight twists and kinks may be detected. Many times there will also be a noticeable fat pad at the end of the tail.

Highlander History

The Highlander breed, although new, has a deep-rooted foundation. In 2006, a group of dedicated, responsible breeders decided to protect and reinforce the value and worthiness they saw in the cats they were breeding.

The foundation of the Highlander breed rests specifically on the Highland Lynx, a breed that is currently unaccepted by any recognized professional organization. With their curled ears, short tails, and sometimes polydactyl feet, these cats have captivated the hearts of people nation wide. Highland Lynx have been selectively bred with domestic short hairs to maintain and, in some cases improve, the viability of the breed.

Japanese Bobtail Cat

in tradisional art

Three Japanese Maneki-neko cat figurines. The first is a Japanese bobtail cat - the traditional cat portrayed with Maneki-neko figures. The second one is a Tsushima cat, and the third is an Iriomote cat, a rare Japanese wild cat.

Japanese Bobtail Cat Breed Introduction

The Japanese Bobtail cat breed is the quintessentially Japanese cat breed and one of the oldest breeds of cat on earth. Japanese Bobtails are immortalized in the Japanese statues of the cat with one paw raised, gracing the entrances of innumerable Japanese businesses.

Japanese Bobtail Behavior/Personality

Source: Cat Fanciers Association's breed profile

Japanese Bobtails are widely considered active and intelligent. They also actively seek out the company of human beings. Fun fact: they tend to like to carry things in their mouths. No divas, they are generally thought to travel well and get along well with children, dogs, and other animals.

Japanese Bobtail Breed Standard/Physical Description

Here are some facts on the Japanese Bobtail breed based on the Cat Fanciers Association's breed standard.

• Head: equilateral triangle with gentle curving lines
• Ears: large, upright, set wide apart
• Eyes: large, oval
• Body: medium in length, long and lean
• Legs: straight, high, hind legs longer than the forelegs
• Paws: oval, Toes: five in front and four behind
• Tail: short
• Coat: Shorthair: medium length, soft, silky. Longhair: medium-long to long, soft, silky, noticeable undercoat

Japanese Bobtail History

Source: Wikipedia

The Japanese Bobtail is one of the oldest breeds of cat in the world. It is also the quintessentially Japanese cat breed. In fact, if you've ever been to a Japanese restaurant, you've probably seen these cats without realizing it. The Japanese Bobtail is the kind of cat represented in the statues of a cat sitting with one paw raised, placed near the entrances of many Japanese businesses. These statues are called maneki-neko and are good luck charms.

The history of Japanese Bobtails closely parallels the history of cats in Japan. The first cats came to Japan at least 1000 years ago, which is when the first written evidence of cats in Japan dates from. According to that written evidence, the first cats in Japan came from China or Korea.

The history of cats in Japan was forever altered by a 1602 decree that all cats be set free, in order to exterminate rodents that were hurting the silk worms. Japanese Bobcats became feral street urchins and country cats.

Javanese

Javanese Cat Breed Introduction

The Javanese cat breed was one of numerous cat breeds developed in the United States in the mid-twentieth century; it is essentially a colorpoint shorthair offshoot of the Balinese breed, which in turn was an offshoot of the Siamese breed.

Javanese Behavior/Personality

Source: Cat Fanciers Association's breed profile

Javanese cats are generally considered easy to care for, and friendly. They often seem to enjoy using their paws as hands, opening doors, quite literally-at least, for cabinet doors.

Javanese Breed Standard/Physical Description

Here are some facts on the Javanese breed based on the Cat Fanciers Association's breed standard.

• Head: long, tapered wedge, medium size
• Ears: large, pointed, wide at base
• Eyes: almond shaped, medium size
• Body: medium size, long
• Legs: long, slim, hind legs longer than the forelegs
• Paws: small, oval, Toes: five in front and four behind
• Tail: long, thin, tapered to a fine point
• Coat: colorpoint shorthair

Javanese History

Source: Cat Fanciers Association's breed profile

The history of the Javanese cat breed is fairly straightforward. The breed is one of the relatively new cat breeds to appear toward the middle of the twentieth century, developed by cat fanciers. The Javanese breed is an offshoot from the Balinese breed, and was named for Java, the island next over from Bali in Indonesia. The Balinese, in turn, was an offshoot from the Siamese cat breed.

The Javanese is essentially a colorpoint shorthair Balinese. Colorpoint shorthair kittens had always been born to Balinese litters, but since they did not fit the Balinese breed standard, they were not allowed to compete in shows. Breeders who liked the colorpoint shorthair kittens petitioned the cat fancier organizations for recognition of the cats as a new breed, finally succeeding in the 1980s, when the new breed was named Javanese.

Korat

Korat Cat Breed Introduction

The Korat is another ancient breed of cat from the Far East, this time from Thailand, where the breed is also called the Si-Sawat.

Korat Behavior/Personality

Source: Cat Fanciers Association's breed profile

Korats are generally thought to be warm and cuddly, active but gentle.

Korat Breed Standard/Physical Description

Here are some facts on the Korat breed based on the Cat Fanciers Association's breed standard.

• Head: heartshaped
• Ears: set high on head, large, with a rounded tip and large flare at base,
• Eyes: large
• Body: Broad chested , muscular
• Legs: well-proportioned to body, front legs slightly shorter than back legs
• Paws: oval, Toes: five in front and four behind
• Tail: medium in length, tapering to a rounded tip
• Coat: short in length, glossy and fine

Korat History

Source: Cat Fanciers Association's breed profile

The oldest known picture of one of a Korat cat dates to the Ayudhya Period (1350-1767). The picture is in The Cat-Book Poems in the National Library at Bangkok. Why is the breed named "Korat?" It was named by a king for the province from which the cat is said to have originated. King Rama V (1869-1910) commissioned Somdej Phra Buddhacharn Buddhasarmahathera, a monk, to create a new copy of The Cat-Book Poems. King Rama admired the picture of the Korat cat, and named the cat for the province when told where it was from.

Today in Thailand, Korats are called Si-Sawat. The first Korats known to have been brought to the United States were Nara and Darra, who came in 1959.