The list of cat
breeds is quite large. Each breed has distinct
features and heritage. The owners and breeders of
show cats compete to see whose animal bears the
closest resemblance to the "ideal" definition of
the breed (see selective breeding). Due to common
crossbreeding in populated areas, many cats are
simply identified as belonging to the homogeneous
breeds of domestic longhair and domestic
shorthair, depending on their type of fur. In the
United Kingdom and Australia, non-purebred cats
are referred in slang as moggies. In the United
States, a non-purebred cat is sometimes referred
to in slang as an alley cat, even if it is not a
stray.
Cats come in a variety of colors and patterns.
These are physical properties and should not be
confused with a breed of cat.
Household cats are divided into:
- Domestic
longhaired
- Domestic
shorthaired
Cat coat genetics
can produce a variety of coat patterns; some of
the most common are
- Bicolor cat
Also known as 'Tuxedo cat' or 'Jellicle cat'
(tuxedos are mostly black with white paws/legs,
bellies, chests, and possible markings on face).
- Maltese cat
The former name for a blue (grey) cat.
- Oriental cat
(not a specific breed, but any cat with an
elongated slender build, almond-shaped eyes,
large ears and very short sleek fur).
- Tabby cat
Striped, with a variety of patterns. The classic
pattern is the most common and consists of
butterflies and bull's-eyes. The mackerel tabby
is a series of vertical stripes down the cat's
side (resembling the fish). This pattern broken
into spots is referred to as spotted tabby.
- Tortoiseshell
and Calico, Featuring three colors mottled
throughout the coat, this cat is also known as a
Calimanco cat or Clouded Tiger cat, and by the
nickname "tortie". A true tortoiseshell must
consist of three kinds of color: a reddish
color, dark or light; white; and one other
color, typically a brown, black or blue, as
described by American breeder Barbara French,
writing for the Cat Fanciers community [21].
Calico cats are white with distinct black and
red (or blue and cream in the dilute variant)
spots. The Japanese refer to this pattern as mi-ke
(meaning "triple fur"). Both tortoiseshell and
calico cats are typically female because the
coat pattern is the result of differential X
chromosome inactivation in females (which, as
with all normal female mammals, have two X
chromosomes). Those male tortoiseshells that are
created are usually sterile. This external link
[22] features an extensive genetic explanation
for tricolor cats, and detailing the possible
combinations of coloring.
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