#cat breeds

[zooophagous]

The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (UK) posted this to their Facebook page today:

We are very excited to announce our NEW RECOGNISED BREED - The Transylvanian! 🤩

'Indigenous to the woodlands and forests around the Carpathian Mountain areas of Romania and Hungary, the Transylvanian cat is the most recently discovered natural breed in the world.

They have fascinating features such as the reverse Karparti coat, born white, over the first 12 months the kitten grows a black, blue or sometimes a red coat whilst leaving the points of the ears, nose and paws white. Basically a reverse point! The Transylvanian is thermal too, being lighter in summer and darker in winter.

The foundation breeders led by Beverly Elian (WCF Judge) are based in Romania, Hungary, Switzerland and in the UK with Stuart & Amanda Brass.

Extensive testing has occurred on all four generations supported by Leslie Lyons and it appears the breed is robust with no genetic or hereditary issues appearing in any of the litters.'

Not seen and heard enough? You can see our newly recognised Transylvanian at the Feline Fair! Buy your tickets here - https://tinyurl.com/5dm7kp9a! 🎟️

[felinefractious]

hi, you say you put links relating to health issues common with certain breeds, why do Persians, Exotic & British Shorthairs, other flat-faced breeds not have one? maybe I'm wrong but I thought they're pretty well known to have breathing and oral problems? /genq

There are different grades of brachycephaly and moderate - severe is generally where we see significant issues.

An appropriately bred British Shorthair (and similar breeds) shouldn’t present with a degree worse than mild… although unfortunately there are breeders who breed for extremes or overlook them in pursuit of a different desireable trait (looking at you dominant blue eye).

But the reason I don’t include a link to relevant cats is because I didn’t feel comfortable deciding where the line was for me to include a link.

This British Shorthair [source] has a nice muzzle length and well-balanced features. I wouldn’t say it’s much more severe than this Ragdoll [source].

Or what about breeds that aren’t brachycephalic per their standard, like the Devon Rex [source] but some breeders [source] are selecting for that extreme type anyways?

With the other breeds the issue is universally relevant, there is no room for me to make a decision on which individuals to mention it om and which deserve a pass.

Brachycephaly is horrible and those who breed these sickly cats are rotten but it’s an issue that can be worked out with ethical breeding. We can breed for longer muzzles and retain other breed traits.

The same can’t be said for the sebaceous cysts in Lykoi which are directly due to the abnormal formation of their skin responsible for the signature werewolf look. The same can’t be said for the Scottish Fold whose folded ears are exclusively caused by defective, weakened cartilage that effects their entire body not just the ears.

[norapotwora]

Pet illustration commission for Sarah of her beautiful creature, Sketch!

Psst, I'm taking print orders.There are a lot of striped burritos and other animals! If you're interested check out form here -> CLICK

[toyastales]

Purrfect just the way you are!

[theravenzzz]

I feel like if Rex Splode was a cat, he would be a Samoli cat ⭐️

[nortism]

I will never understand people who buy pure bred cats from breeders. I can understand with dogs a bit as the experience of owning a German shepherd versus a Pomeranian is vastly differently but all cats basically do the same thing: nap and cause problems. The domestic moggy is the perfect companion animal already, why would you spend thousands to get a fancy one who (depending on the breed you go for) may not even live as long? Cats are everywhere, find one in a bin like God intended

[the-adventures-of-dave]

im not saying this to come at you, as a bengal owner myself (though i do not plan to purchase any more of them), but aren’t there issues of ethicality surrounding the bengal breed as well, because of their wild cat blood? in particular ive heard stories from vets online regarding the fact that they do not handle visits the way fully domestic animals do and can be dangerous as a result. i see this in my own bengal as well despite his coming from a reliable and reputable breeder and regularly receiving comments from vets that he is very well behaved for the breed. despite being generations down, the wild blood has a clear effect on how well he handles shots, flea treatments, etc. however, outside of vets, very few people seem to actually discuss this matter in relation to the breed. i had personally not even thought about it until i saw them compared to wolfdogs, so i thought to bring it up to you in case you were the same.

Hey there anon, it's no trouble at all! I'll split this into two parts. It's gonna be a long one, so take a look under the cut for my answers (and a very cute photo of Kep).

The question about aggression is interesting to me, as I've never actually heard of bengal-specific aggression before. To vetblr and catblr, what are your experiences with bengal aggression? Do you find the breed leans one way or another?

On that note, let's look at aggression. Like I said, this ask is actually the first I've ever heard of bengal cats being aggressive! Of all the bengal owners I've talked to, both breeders and your average folk, none mentioned anything about human or cat aggression in bengals. As a high energy breed, bengals are known to be environmentally destructive when understimulated, but I can't find anything supported by science stating the breed is any more or less human/cat aggressive than your regular tabby. In talking to both my vet and acquaintances that work at vet clinics, they've all only had positive things to share about bengal personalities.

In my own F7 bengal experience Kepler is as sweet as a button, and even in high stress situations like parties or vet visits he is calm and friendly. He's never had issues with shots, ultrasounds, flea treatments, or handling from the vet. (Dave my domestic shorthair, on the other hand, needs multiple drugs including complete anesthetic to prevent him from hurting himself or veterinary staff, and has a greater history of aggressive behaviour). I actually purchased Kepler because the bengal personality seemed a lot safer and more consistent than adopting a dsh from the shelter and risking owning two aggressive cats.

(A photo of Kepler at the fear free vet, allowing them to lay him on his back for an ultrasound and urine collection.)

Regarding ethics, the issue most look to is the Wild x Domestic cross of the asian leopard cat and domestic shorthair. In the United States and other countries with lax animal welfare laws, poaching and private ownership of servals to create the Savannah breed is an ongoing issue, so it makes sense to want to apply the same logic to bengals.

The reason the cross is not an issue to me personally is that the bengal is considered a "closed breed" under the TICA and CFA, meaning that breeders can no longer register and show <F4 bengals or create new bengal bloodlines by outcrossing to the asian leopard cat. As of this change reputable registered bengals are considered a fully domestic cat and not a wild cross.

(The CFA breed standard stating no bengal can be outcrossed to asian leopard cats.)

This means that so long as you source your pet from a registered and reputable breeder, you are not contributing to the poaching or the unethical breeding of wild mixes. It's a fantastic inclusion, as it also actively discourages people from poaching, owning and breeding wildlife. It also makes it clear to potential cat owners like myself which breeders to avoid (ie. those that don't register or show their "bengals").

As an Albertan Canadian I also have further peace of mind as it is illegal for people in this province to own or import wildlife or wild mixes F4 or below, so there is no chance of getting a poached cat (or its offspring) unless I went to the black market or a particularly shady breeder.

Are there people in the United States and other countries that still cross domestics with ALCs? Most definitely. But I personally don't think that owning a cat that is;

Purchased from a reputable breeder;

Barred by law to be a recent outcross; and

Registered under a cat fancy that discourages outcrossing

actively supports modern poaching or unethical wildlife ownership. Cat fancy has taken steps to minimize the harm of bengal breeding and ownership on wildlife while still preserving a bit of cat history. Those steps are sufficient enough for me to be comfortable with it, and I hope that breeds like the savannah cat follow in their footsteps with a closed breed standard.

That being said, if the history of the bengal upsets you or is something that rubs you the wrong way, I wouldn't fault you for it. Wildlife and animal welfare is a bit of a tricky business, and it's not always black and white. Just make sure to do your research and be open to multiple opinions. I appreciate you reaching out to me, and I hope my own thoughts have given you something to think about, even if you don't agree. Cheers!

[mirtadraws]

cat breeds! Round #1: Abyssinian, American Bobtail, American Curl, Maine Coon, Cornish Rex, La Perm

[pati-ka]

[mau-mao]

Usually, when a breed has various coat lengths, they'll have their name then "shorthair" or "longhair" at the end (e.g., Oriental shorthair and Oriental longhair).

BUT! there are several breeds that don't follow this.

Abyssinian (SH)

Somali (LH)

Bengal (SH)

Cashmere (LH)

Manx (SH)

Cymric (LH)

Exotic (SH)

Persian (LH)

Siamese (SH)

Balinese (LH)

Burmilla (SH)

Asian Longhair/Tiffanie (LH)

[lestcat-de-lioncourt]

Rip when my giant black maine coon x persian mixed cat gets fat shamed for being, well, the size of a maine coon x persian ig. Or, slightly, gasp, furry compared to a short hair.

Are people normally whipping out face-tune for cats now? And plastic surgery?

Connasse stupide.

C'est comme si on faisait honte à un lion parce qu'il est plus gros qu'un chihuahua. Pah.

His head is nearly as big as mine. That's not fatness. He is just LARGE. Also, tbh why would y'all say a cat needs a face lift.

----

This is what a healthy maine coon x persian mix should typically look like. Not mine, below ⬇️

They also continue to grow for 4-5 years and become larger than other breeds. Often, cats mature by 18 months old. These grow for much longer, so there's a significant difference.

He has talons, incredibly massive teeth, and is the most gentle thing. A beauty, healthy (I should hope so, I've been raising all types of cats since I was like, 5). People aren't often used to cat breeds closer to larger cats, though. It can be more work to train and frightening for some, but maine coons possess a very kind nature, like ragdolls, and are great anxiety cats.

[bluebuckk]

Rocket

[felinefractious]

Do you consider brachycephalism in cats as serious as in dogs? I'm in veterinary medicine but I don't encounter many brachy kitties and would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Brachycephaly is a problem.

Schlueter et al (2009) categorized brachycephalic head shapes into four categories randing from mild to severe.

Moderate brachycephaly is where we begin to really see problems and profound or severe brachycephalic cats are going to have a real issue.

The British Shorthair (left) is a breed where mild brachycephaly is part of the standard compared to an Exotic Shorthair (right) where profound - severe brachycephaly is desireable.

On the left with have a British Shorthair, in the center an Exotic Shorthair and on the right a Persian.

One of the problems we see with brachycephalic breeds is stenotic nares, which are narrow nostrils. You can’t even make out the nares on the Persian shown above and, as one may expect, this affects how much air they move through them.

We can see similar obstructive effects in cats with nasopharyngeal polyps, masses or reconstruction due to scarring from chronic rhinosinusitis problems.

Due to their inability to breath normally through their nose these cats tend to be heat and exercise intolerant and can run into trouble more quickly during high stress events.

Stenotic nares can be surgically corrected but I don’t think this is as common in cats as it is in dogs, at least I haven’t encountered many cats who’ve undergone the procedure. I don’t know if it’s not as necessary, if cats don’t respond as well or if cat owners are less likely to seek treatment.

Or maybe it is as common and my lack of experience is the outlier.

Brachycephaly is also associated with malocclusion and dental disease, chronic epiphora, facial dermatitis related to the chronic tearing and ocular issues such as conreal sequestrum or entropion related to the protruding eye structure.

I know globe proptopsis is a problem in some brachycephalic dog breeds like pugs but I haven’t heard of this specifically happening in brachycephalic cat breeds.

Exotics and Persians are obviously the worst when it comes to brachycephaly in cats but the Bombay and (American) Burmese are also offenders.

There are other breeds which don’t call for a brachycephalic head shape (or even default it) or call for only a mild version but certain breeders are selecting for extreme typeing anyways because even though their cats might not win any shows they can sell them as designer variants for more.

On the left we have a Sphynx and in the right we have a Devon Rex both with an extreme head type contradictory to the breed standard.

So yes, unfortunately the brachycephalic head type is a problem in cats. Some try to argue that brachycephalic animals often live long lives which means the abnormal structure isn’t a problem… but longevity is only one measure of a breeds ethical soundness, quality of life and history are also important in my opinon.

[norapotwora]

When I was a kid, I absolutely loved temporary tattoos.

One day there was a big moment. An issue of the Donald Duck magazine came with temporary tattoos - what a deal! I put on my shoes and ran to the newsstand as if my life depended on it. I got it. I had my holy grail. Now, I just needed to get home as quickly as possible.

I ran, and I fell. Right onto the road, scattered with tiny bits of gravel.

I ended up with stones embedded in my hands and knees, which my mother had to remove with a nail brush.

And now, years later, I can finally fulfill that childhood dream again without brushing gravel out of my hands, this time with temporary tattoos that I’ve created in collaboration with @storeypub. The book contains 50 different cat-themed tattoos!

[elanorx]

Hey, does somebody know the name of this cat breed?

I have seen videos of curly kittens before but I can't make me remember the name of the breed...

[zzzuyuo]

how feline