The Japanese Bobtail is a breed of cat with an unusual ‘bobbed’ tail more closely resembling the tail of a rabbit than that of an ordinary feline. The short tail is a cat body type genetic mutation caused by the expression of a recessive gene. Thus, so long as both parents are bobtails, all kittens born to a litter will have bobtails as well.

The Japanese Bobtail is a small domestic cat native to Japan and Southeast Asia, though it is now found throughout the world. The breed has been known in Japan for centuries, and there are many stories, as well as pieces of ancient art, featuring it.

Japanese bobtails may have almost any colour, but calicoes, are especially favoured by the Japanese. Much like any other breed, the colours may be arranged in any number of patterns, with van patterns and calico being common among purebred cats, though other coloration’s are also accepted.

Legend and lore

As in cultures around the world, cats feature prominently in Japanese folklore. As in other traditions, cats are frequently objects of fear and mistrust, with numerous supernatural abilities ascribed to them. In some such stories, the length of their tails is an important plot point.

One legend tells of a sleeping cat whose long tail caught fire–it then ran through town, spreading flames everywhere. With the capital in ashes, the Emperor decreed all cats should have their tails cut short as a preventative measure.

Long-tailed cats may further come under suspicion of becoming a kind of bakemono (ghost or goblin) called nekomata, a cat who after a certain period of time grows a double tail, and gains the ability to walk around on its hind legs, shapeshift, and enchant human beings, much like the magical kitsune (fox). (The cat, kitsune, and more good-natured tanuki are the three main shapeshifters of Japanese lore.)

Bakeneko sometimes loyally serve their masters and mistresses–even protecting them from beyond the grave–but are more usually menacing, even murderous creatures, as in the story of the “Vampire Cat of Nabeshima”, (related by Mitford in his Meiji era collection, Tales of Old Japan). The titular “vampire cat” is a nekomata who kills and impersonates a beloved spouse, then proceeds to drain the life of her lord and husband.

On the flip side, the auspicious maneki neko (literally, “inviting cat”Wink, a fixture in Japanese business places around the world, usually depicts a bob-tailed cat, typically of the calico colouring.

It’s possible legends and superstitions may have favoured the short-tailed breed at one time or another, but it seems likely the bobtail simply has a longer history than other breeds in Japan. It is also likely to have carried much prestige, having originated on the continent and arrived via Korea in the sixth century, along with other prized articles of Chinese culture.

CARING FOR YOUR CAT NEWSLETTER – Delivered Directly To Your Inbox – Starting Immediately – SIGN UP FOR FREE TODAY

—————————————————————————————————————–

 

The Himalayan cat is a breed of long-haired cat identical in type to the Persian, with the exception of its blue eyes and its point colouration, which were derived from the crossing of the Persian with the Siamese. In Europe they are referred to as Colourpoint Persians.

While the Himalayan is considered a breed separate from the Persian by The International Cat Association, it is grouped together with the Persian and Exotic Shorthair (shorthaired version of the Persian) under a “Persian Breed Group standard”. The Cat Fanciers’ Association considers the Himalayan a colour variation of the Persian rather than as a separate breed, although they do compete in their own colour division.

Temperament

These cats are sweet-tempered, intelligent and generally very social and good companions. Because of their heritage from the Siamese cats they tend to be more active than Persians.

Health Issues

Due to their Persian ancestry, some Himalayans may have the gene that causes Polycystic kidney disease, (PKD), but a genetic test can reveal which cats carry the PKD gene, so that they may be spayed or neutered.

Fur

Like many long-haired cats, Himalayans need to be brushed daily to keep their coats looking their best and healthiest. In addition, they may need their face wiped daily, depending on the cat. Bathing a Himalayan is also recommended by some breeders, to help reduce the amount of oil on the cat’s fur and skin. The fur on the body of a Himalayan is white or cream, but the points come in many different colours: seal (or black), blue, lilac, chocolate, red and cream. The points can also be tabby or tortoiseshell-patterned. The chocolate and lilac point Himalayans are the most difficult to produce, because both parents must carry the gene for chocolate/lilac to produce a chocolate or lilac kitten, as the trait is autosomal recessive.

CARING FOR YOUR CAT NEWSLETTER – Delivered Directly To Your Inbox – Starting Immediately – SIGN UP FOR FREE TODAY

—————————————————————————————————————–

 

The Havana Brown, also known as the Swiss Mountain cat, is a breed of cat well known and shown in England in the 1890s. Similar to the oriental shorthair, full colour cats, also known as non-blue eyed Siamese, were known to interbreed with the pointed cats of Siam.

During World War I and World War II, the breeding programs of pedigreed cats suffered. It was not until the post World War II era that cat fanciers renewed their breeding efforts. In the early 1950s a group of English cat fanciers began working together to restore the breed.

The ladies credited with this effort include Mrs. Armitage Hargreaves of Laurentide Cattery, Mrs. Munroe-Smith of Elmtower Cattery, the Baroness Von Ullmann of Roofspringer Cattery, Mrs. Elsie Fisher of Praha Cattery, and Mrs. Judd of Crossways Cattery. These breeders produced a chestnut (chocolate) coloured kitten through mating a black shorthair and a chocolate point Siamese.

The Havana Brown is a moderately sized, muscular short-haired cat with a body of average length. The coat colour must be brown, typically reddish-brown, with no tabby markings. Whiskers should also be brown and the eye colour should be green. The head should be slightly longer than wide and the nose should have a distinct stop at the eyes. Males tend to be larger than females and are average in weight compared with other breeds.

The Havana Brown is an intelligent cat that often uses its paws both to examine objects and to communicate with its owners. The most likely explanation of the breed’s name is that its coat colour is very similar to that of Havana cigars.

The breed has been recognised for championship competition in both the US and Britain since the late 1950s. It is considered an endangered breed, since the breeding pool is very small. In the late 1990s, there were only 12 CFA-registered Havana Brown catteries and under 130 unaltered cats.

CARING FOR YOUR CAT NEWSLETTER – Delivered Directly To Your Inbox – Starting Immediately – SIGN UP FOR FREE TODAY

—————————————————————————————————————–

 

The European shorthair (or Celtic shorthair) is a breed of short-haired cat originating in Sweden. It’s a recently recognised breed established to resemble the look of naturally occurring cats that have lived in European villages and cities for ages. Many people incorrectly refer to any stray cat as a European Shorthair.

Temperament

Because the breed has been developed from ordinary domestic cats, which have very different temperaments, the character of the European Shorthair is impossible to summarise. Members of this breed may be very affectionate but there are others that prefer to be out mousing. Most European Shorthairs are strong and healthy, and as a rule they are friendly. They get on well with other cats and tolerate dogs well. European Shorthairs are intelligent and playful, and most of them are expert at keeping houses and gardens free of mice.

Physical characteristics

In terms of personality and appearance the European Shorthair is comparable to ordinary domestic European short-haired cats. The European Shorthair is a muscular, medium-sized to large cat, with a broad, well-muscled chest. The strong legs are average length and the paws are round. The tail is fairly thick at the base, tapering to a rounded point.

The relatively large head is rounded, with well-developed jowls, but it is not as round as the British Shorthair’s head. The ears are medium-sized, they are as long as they are broad at the base, with slightly rounded tip. They are quite wide-set and upright. The eyes are round and may be of any colour.

The European Shorthair’s dense coat is short, soft and glossy, and should lie flat. All natural colours are permitted, such as black, red, blue and cream, with or without tabby or white markings. Pure white is also permitted. The eye colour corresponds to the coat colour and may be yellow, green or orange. Blue or odd-eyed individuals are permitted if the coat colour is white.

CARING FOR YOUR CAT NEWSLETTER – Delivered Directly To Your Inbox – Starting Immediately – SIGN UP FOR FREE TODAY

—————————————————————————————————————–

 

Egyptian Maus are a small-medium sized short-haired cat breed. They are the only naturally spotted breed of domesticated cat. The spots on an Egyptian Mau are not only on the coat; a shaved Mau has spots on its skin. The spotted Mau is an ancient breed from natural stock; its look has not changed significantly as is evidenced by artwork over 3000 years old. Unlike other spotted cats such as the Ocicat or Bengal cat, the Egyptian Mau is a natural breed. Other breeds are created from domestic breed outcross or, in the case of the Bengal cat, domestic outcrosses with wildcats. The Mau is significantly smaller than these other breeds. The breed conformation is described by The Cornell Book of Cats as a balance between the compactness of a Burmese and the slim elegance of a Siamese. Its medium-length body is muscular, with the hind legs longer than the front, giving the Mau the appearance of standing on tiptoes when upright.

The Egyptian Mau is the fastest of the domestic cats, with its longer hind legs, and unique flap of skin extending from the flank to the back knee, provides for greater agility and length of stride. Maus have been clocked running over 30 mph (48 km/h).

Maus often possess very musical voices. They are known to chirp, chortle and emit other distinctly unusual vocalisations when stimulated.

Another behaviour, quite common in happy Maus, has been described as “wiggle-tail.” The cat, male or female, moves its back legs up and down, and appears to be marking territory, also known as spraying, but it is not actually releasing urine. Even veteran Mau owners are known to check after a joyous Mau does this little dance.

Physical attributes

Egyptian Maus are typically slender and muscular and they are thought to be one of the progenitor breeds of the modern domestic cat. They have anatomical, metabolic and behavioural differences from other cat breeds which could be considered as evidence of antiquity or at least uniqueness from other cat breeds. Maus are more temperature sensitive than most breeds – they are fond of very warm temperatures. They are more sensitive to medicines and anaesthesia.[citation needed] Maus allegedly have an unusually long gestational period, about 73 days. The maximum normal period for cats is 65-67 days, although Siamese may take a day or two longer. The typical Mau is known for having what is considered a loyal, friendly but slightly obnoxious dog-like personality.

Rarity

Egyptian Maus are a relatively rare breed to encounter. As of 2007, fewer than 200 kittens are registered with the GCCF each year. As of 2006, a total of 6741 Maus are registered with the CFA. Maus come in five colours. From most to least common these colours are: silver, bronze, smoke, black and blue/pewter.

Black and pewter Maus cannot be shown, but may be used in breeding. All Maus must have green eyes, but an amber cast is acceptable in kittens and young adults up to eighteen months old.

CARING FOR YOUR CAT NEWSLETTER – Delivered Directly To Your Inbox – Starting Immediately – SIGN UP FOR FREE TODAY

—————————————————————————————————————–