Cat Breeds
There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.
– Albert Schweitzer
Cat breeds are usually divided into short-haired breeds and long-haired breeds.
1. Short-haired breeds
As the name suggests, these cats have shorter hair. Some examples include American shorthair, American wire-haired, Bombay breed, British shorthair, Japanese bobtail, Manx, Siamese, etc.
2. Long-haired breeds
These are the cats that have long fur. Some examples are Persian, Ragdoll, Somali, Tiffany, etc.
1. Siamese
This breed was first observed in 1971 during a British National Cat Show. It is also referred as a pointed breed because of the dark pigmentation of ears, feet, legs and face. The commonly seen colours in this breed are brown, black, and pale cream or white. They are slender, long-bodied and light. The head has a wedge-shaped triangle. They are known for their energy, social temperament and playfulness.
2. Abyssinian
It is believed that this breed originated in Egypt or Ethiopia. They are medium-sized and slender. They usually have large and expressive eyes and almond-shaped ears. They are known for their agile, inquisitive and affectionate behaviour.
3. The Singapura
This breed originated in California and was primarily a street cat. It is a quiet breed, quick at adaptation, shy and takes time to socialise. It is a small breed with a round head and very large eyes. This breed has a ticked coat. The eyes are mostly hazel-green or yellow.
4. The Bombay breed
This breed was produced by crossing a black Burmese and American shorthaired cat. These cats are jet-black in colour and have gold to copper coloured eyes. They are medium-sized with rounded heads and broad foreheads. Their ears are slightly forward.
5. Himalayan and Kashmir Breeds
These breeds were developed in Britain and North America. They are a cross of Siamese, Persian and Birman cats. They are easy-going breeds that fit in easily with families and their varied lifestyles. They are attention-seekers, intelligent and outgoing. They have voices louder than Persian cats and gentler than Siamese cats. They usually have a short muzzle, compacted teeth and wide face.
6. The Turkish Angora
This breed originated in Ankara, Turkey. They are known for their politeness and intelligence. They can be trained easily to fetch and perform tricks. They are small to medium-sized cats with medium-length fur. They have almond-shaped, deep coloured and radiant eyes. They exist in many colours and patterns.
