Bengal Cat

he Bengal is a relatively new hybrid breed of cat, which exhibits the "wild" markings (such as large spots, rosettes, and a light/white belly), and body structure reminiscent of the wild Asian Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). The Bengal cat has a desirable "wild" appearance with a gentle domestic cat temperament, provided it is separated by at least three generations from the original crossing between a domestic feline and an Asian Leopard Cat.
The name Bengal was derived from the taxonomic name of the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC), as shown above, and not from the more widely known Bengal tiger species, which is unrelated to the Bengal's ancestry.

History

The world's first official cat show, held at The Crystal Palace in London on 13 July 1871, gave birth to the modern Cat Fancies. The breeds shown were the Persian, Angoras, Manx, Abyssinian, the Royal Cats of Siam, and domestic cats crossed with wild cats (hybrids) as well as wild species. The 1875 cat show in Edinburgh included a special class for "Wild or Hybrid between Wild and Domestic Cats"; this was won by an Ocelot (purebred, not hybrid). The first displayed hybrids were based on Scottish Wildcats (Felis silvestris grampia) and Caffre Cats (the Egyptian variant of the North African Wildcat Felis silvestris lybica), not ALCs, but it shows that the first Cat Fancy happily embraced hybrids.
The earliest mention of an ALC/domestic cross was in 1889, Harrison Weir wrote in "Our Cats and All About Them"
There is a rich-coloured brown tabby hybrid to be seen at the Zoological Society Gardens in Regent's Park, between the wild cat of Bengal and a tabby she-cat. It is handsome, but very wild. These hybrids, I am told, will breed again with tame variety, or with others. However in 1927, Mr Boden-Kloss wrote to the magazine "Cat Gossip" [3] regarding hybrids between wild and domestic cats in Malaya: "I have never heard of hybrids between bengalensis (the Leopard Cat) and domestic cats. One of the wild tribes of the Malay Peninsula has domesticated cats, and I have seen the woman suckling bengalensis kittens, but I do not know whether the latter survive and breed with the others!"
The earliest mention of a confirmed ALC/domestic cross was in 1934 in a Belgian scientific journal, and in 1941 a Japanese cat publication printed an article about one that was kept as a pet. (As a point of interest, Jean Mill/Sugden, the person that was later to become the greatest influence of the development of the modern Bengal, submitted a term paper for her genetics class at UC Davis on the subject of cross breeding cats in 1946.)
The 1960s was a period when many well known breeders, including Jean Sugden, produced ALC/domestic crosses, but records indicate that none of them took it past the F2 stage. Several zoos in Europe also produced a number of F1 ALC crosses. During this period there was an epidemic of feline leukemia virus and it became known that many wild cats seemed to have a natural immunity to the disease. As a result of this, Loyola University would start a research program in the 1970s to investigate if this natural immunity could be bred in or replicated.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s there was a great deal of activity with hybrids, but there was no significant effort to create an actual breed from them. A number of Cat clubs formed that oriented on hybrids and a few oriented specifically on something William Engler, a member of the Long Island Ocelot Club and a breeder, called a Bengal.

Club newsletters detailing the production of Bengals and Safaris started being published and members of these clubs bred some second and third generation Bengals. These were registered with the American Cat Fanciers Association (A.C.F.A.) in 1977 as experimental and were shown at several A.C.F.A. cat shows throughout the 1970s.
Around this time, Jean Sugden resurfaced again (although she had remarried and was now Jean Mill), and the following quote explains her increased interest in renewing her breeding efforts.
She contacted Dr. Willard Centerwall in Riverside who had produced a number of F1s using domestic tabbies at Loma Linda University for his Centerwall project into Feline Leukemia. Once the F1s had donated blood samples for his research, he needed homes for them. He gave Jean 4 hybrids. She later received another 5 hybrids from another source, but originally from the same Centerwall project.
Contrary to popular belief, Jean did not use local domestics to create her first Bengals. She felt the ALC was a genetically superior animal and wished to avoid weakening this element. Around 1982, the Mills made a trip to India where a zoo curator showed them a feral Indian Mau. This was how the famous rosetted domestic called "Millwood Tory of Delhi" came to be found in virtually all Bengal pedigrees.
Credit also needs to be given at this point to Greg and Elizabeth Kent, who developed their own line of Bengals using ALCs and Egyptian Maus. This was a very successful line and many modern Bengals will find it in their pedigree.
Jean Mills and the Kents worked hard to popularize the breed, and when the public saw the result of their work, word spread quickly. As the number of breeders and owners grew, it led to the formation of T.I.C.A.'s Bengal Breed Section. T.I.C.A. adopted the first written breed standard in 1986 and the first Bengal Bulletin was published in Nov/Dec 1988.
Shortly after The International Bengal Cat Society (T.I.B.C.S.), the Bengal Breeders Alliance (B.B.A.) and the Authentic Bengal Cat League (A.B.C.L.) were formed. These organizations exist to promote good breeding practices, discourage unscrupulous breeders, and attempt to educate people about the Bengal breed.
The breed is now T.I.C.A.'s most popular registered breed but it is still not fully recognized by some modern cat fancies. This is somewhat ironic considering all modern Cat Fancies can trace their existence to the original show held in 1871, a show that welcomed hybrids.


New developments

• The British government agency, DEFRA, has proposed revising regulations under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 to remove licencing requirements for keeping of Bengal cats in the United Kingdom.
There are currently several varieties of domestic cat being developed from the Bengal:
• The Serengeti cat - developed from crosses with Oriental Shorthair or Siamese with the aim to produce a domestic cat mimicking the appearance of an African Serval, without actually incorporating Serval genes by hybridization.
• The Toyger - developed from crosses with domestic cats with the aim to produce a striped "toy Tiger".
• The Cheetoh - an attempt to blend two existing domestic breeds of spotted cats with defined characteristics (Bengal and Ocicat), into a third breed.

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Balinese Cat

The Balinese is a breed of oriental cat with long hair and Siamese-style markings, or points. It resembles a Siamese with a medium-length silky coat and a plumed tail, but is not nearly as fluffy as a Himalayan, and requires much less grooming. Balinese are extremely intelligent cats, although less talkative than their Siamese ancestors.

History

The Balinese was originally registered as a "longhaired Siamese", and examples were known from the early 1920s. The occasional long-haired kittens in a Siamese litter were seen as an oddity, and sold as household pets rather than as show cats. This changed in the mid-1950s, when two breeders, Mrs. Marion Dorsey of Rai-Mar Cattery in California and Mrs. Helen Smith of MerryMews Cattery in New York, decided that they would commence a breeding program for the longhaired cats. Helen Smith named the cats "Balinese" because she felt they showed the grace and beauty of Balinese dancers, and because "longhaired Siamese" seemed a rather clunky name for such graceful felines. The breed became quite popular after this, and a number of breeders began working on "perfecting" the Balinese appearance. This led eventually to the development of two entirely separate "strands" of Balinese cat - some owners prefer a traditional or "apple-headed" Balinese, while breeders and judges tend to prefer a more contemporary appearance.

Types

Like the Siamese, there are now two different varieties of Balinese being bred and shown - "traditional" Balinese and "contemporary" Balinese. The traditional Balinese cat has a coat approximately two inches long over its entire body and it is a sturdy and robust cat with a semi-rounded muzzle and ears. The traditional Balinese closely resembles a Ragdoll cat although they do not share any of the same genes or breeding other than having a partially Siamese ancestry. A "contemporary" Balinese has a much shorter coat and is virtually identical to a standard show Siamese except for its tail, which is a graceful silky plume. Like the Siamese, the Balinese has a long, slim body, wedge-shaped head, and vivid blue eyes. Its soft, ermine-like coat is short in comparison to those of other longhaired cats, and doesn't form a ruff.
Temperament
Like the Siamese, the Balinese loves attention; it is very playful and fond of human company. The Balinese is a gregarious creature that tends to be very vocal, sometimes even talking to itself.

Colors

In most associations, the Balinese is accepted in a full range of colors, including the four traditional Siamese point colors of seal, blue, chocolate, and lilac, as well as less traditional colors such as red and cream, and patterns such as lynx (tabby) point and tortie point. However, in the Cat Fanciers' Association, the Balinese is only accepted in the four traditional Siamese colors; all other colors and patterns are considered Javanese.

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The Aegean Cat

Aegean is a natural breed of cats. It is the only feline breed native to Greece. It is said to have originated from Greek Cycladic Islands located in the Aegean Sea. Formal development was initiated in the last decade of twentieth century by Cat Fancy breeders of Greece. As such it is one of the newer cat breeds and often mistakenly thought by some to be somewhat rare, even as the Aegean Cat itself is widespread throughout Greece.

Aegean Cat is a medium sized feline with a predominantly white coat. There are other colors too including red, blue, cream and black, though a third to two thirds of the fur is white. Overall appearance is bi-colored or tri-colored. Though less profuse than those of Turkish Angora, hair are longish that protect it against cold winter, with a ruff around neck. There are no down hair. Built is athletic and muscular and the cat is known to be a good mouse hunter, a source of its admiration, particularly in rural areas. Body and tail are long. Head is broad and ears are widely set on the skull. Eyes are oriental in their shape with a color often in shades of green. Legs are strong and paws rounded.

In its natural environment, the Aegean is an independent yet friendly feline. It often lives in small groups and is very fond of fish, its chief food item. The cute cat is often seen sitting at beach, waiting patiently for fishermen as they bring back their daily catch in the evening. The cat is well liked in its native lands.

Apart from its beauty, the Aegean Cat is a very admirable animal. It makes a good pet and is quite comfortable residing in apartments. The cat is intelligent, active and good natured. Also it is considered to be a social, lively and communicative feline. It is placed as a breed in the Semi-longhaired, light European/Continental type.

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Polydactyl Cat Introduction

A polydactyl cat is a cat with a congenital physical anomaly, with more than usual number of toes on one or more of its paws as a result of a cat body type genetic mutation. In animals including humans, polydactyly (or polydactylism, also known as hyperdactyly) is the anatomical abnormality of having more than the usual number of digits on the hands or feet.

Description

Normal cats have four toes and one dewclaw (thumb) on each front paw and four toes on each hind paw. Polydactyl cats may have as many as seven digits on front and/or hind paws, and various combinations of anywhere from four to seven are common, although each of the front and rear paws are typically the same. Polydactyl is most commonly found on the front paws only, with polydactyly of all four paws being less common. It is rare for a cat to have polydactyl hind paws only.

The true polydactyly - commonly called mitten foot, mitten cat or thumb cat condition - is a congenital abnormality, genetically inherited as an autosomal dominant trait of the Pd gene with incomplete penetrance. This type of polydactyly is not life-threatening and usually not even debilitating to a cat. Some polydactyl kittens initially have more difficulty in learning to walk and normal animals. However in some cases polydactyly appears to improve the dexterity of the animal. For example, a common variation with six toes on the front paws, with two opposing digits on each (comparable in use to human thumbs), enables the cat to learn and perform feats of manual dexterity generally not observed in non-polydactyl cats, such as opening latches or catching objects with a single paw.

Feline radial hypoplasia (see squitten) is a mimic of polydactyly and is considered a severe condition. Radial hypoplasia may cause the formation of extra jointed toes, but it is not a result of the Pd gene normally associated with polydactyls. It thus does not cause the "mitten cat" or "thumb cat" condition where the extra toes occur separated from the normal ones just like a dewclaw, usually associated with an additional pad which makes them look like an underdeveloped foot sticking out near the base of the normal toes.

Rather, radial hypoplasia-related extra toes are immediately adjacent to the normal ones, giving the cat overly large, flat feet - colloquially known as "patty feet" or "hamburger feet". Though this looks less serious than true polydactyly (as the feet appear "normal" apart from having one or two extra toes), breeding such cats will eventually result in severely crippled offspring. Cats used in polydactyl breeding programs can be screened by x-ray for indicators of radial hypoplasia, and cats suspected to have radial hypoplasia should not be used for breeding.

People think that they are made from breeding a brother cat and sister cat.

History

The condition seems to be most commonly found in cats along the eastern coast of the United States and in South West England. Some sources state that these cats are rare in Europe because they were killed as witches' familiars, but other sources indicate that they are quite common in England. Polydactyl Cats are very common in the Cardigan area of Wales and are known as Cardi-Cats. A Canadian cat called Tiger was recognised by Guinness World Records as having the highest number of toes on a cat, with 27 toes. The current world record for the cat with most toes belongs to Jake who has 28 toes, with seven on each paw, as counted by a veterinarian on September 24, 2002.

Although there is some controversy over whether the commonest variant of the trait originated as a mutation in New England or was brought there from England, there does seem to be agreement that it spread widely as a result of cats carried on ships originating in Boston, and the prevalence of polydactylism among the cat population of various ports correlates with the dates when they first established trade with Boston. Contributing to the spread of polydactyl cats by this means, sailors were long-known to especially value polydactyl cats for their extraordinary climbing and hunting abilities as an aid in controlling shipboard rodents. Some sailors also considered them to be extremely good luck when at sea.

Breeds and varieties

Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway was one of the more famous lovers of polydactyl cats, after being first given a six-toed cat by a ship's captain. Upon Hemingway's death in 1961, his former home in Key West, Florida, became a museum and a home for his cats, and it currently houses approximately fifty descendants of his cats (about half of which are polydactyl). Because of his love for these animals, Hemingway cat, or simply Hemingway, is a slang term which has come to describe polydactyls (Michael Palin describes one such cat named "Bill Clinton" he found at a former residence of Hemingway's in Key West during the filming of his "Hemingway Adventure" special).

Other nicknames include "boxers" or "boxing cats", "mitten cats", "thumb cats", "six-finger cats", "Boston Thumb Cats", "Cardi-cats" and "double-pawed cats" (a misnomer since there is a specific double paw condition, although they may be interrelated).

American Polydactyl Cats are also being bred as a specific cat breed, with specific physical and behavioral characteristics in addition to extra digits. A particular strain native to Ithaca, New York, is known as the "Ithacats". The American Polydactyl is not to be confused with the pedigree Maine Coon polydactyl. The polydactyl form of the Maine Coon is being reinstated by some breeders.

Polydactyly has also been observed in big cats.

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The American Polydactyl Cat

With extra toes on their feet American Polydactyls are unique cats. The additional toes can either be on only the front or the hind paws or on all four paws. They are more common on front paws though and may range anywhere between four to seven in their number. This condition is owing to a genetic mutation and is seen more as a trait than a distinct breed. Indeed many cat fanciers are reluctant to grant them registration and individual status. Nevertheless many breeders continue to develop these cats for their appearance and attributes. It is said that they were brought to United States couple of centuries ago on ships from Europe, with sailors treasuring them for their extraordinary mousing skills and supposed good luck affiliation.

Polydactyly may be seen in any cat breed and is perhaps commonest in Maine Coons. The cats with extra toes are called mitten cats, thumb cats or at times Hemingway cats - owing to the great love and passion that the famous writer had for these felines. The polydactyl cats that are specifically bred for this trait have medium sized muscular bodies. Head is broad with wide set pointed ears and slightly slanted round eyes. They may occur in any color as does the close-lying fur. At times the tail may be short and resemble that of a Bobtail cat.

Though American Polydactyls are generally healthy and perfectly normal, there are some health concerns, with some polydactyl variants having bony anomalies that may lead to degrees of disablement. Sometimes the cats have difficulty in learning how to walk and move about early on though they are able to adapt with age. The additional toes may be fused with the remaining ones or may appear as a separate offshoot of a couple of toes.

The added toes may be advantageous too. They enable the cat to grasp and manoeuvre objects better and may be the reason behind the felid's good hunting ability. Some people report the American Polydactyls to be gentler and possessive of a sweeter personality than normal cats.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on American Polydactyl cat.

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Australian Mist Introduction

The Australian Mist (formerly known as the Spotted Mist) is a breed of cat developed in Australia.

History

This breed was developed by Dr Truda Straede in Australia commencing in 1976, hence its name. The breed was developed by crossing the Burmese, Abyssinian, and Domestic shorthair cats to create a shorthaired cat with a spotted coat. The name was changed from 'Spotted Mist' to 'Australian Mist' in 1998 when cats with marbled coats, rather than spots, were accepted as part of the breed.

Physical characteristics

Australian Mists are medium-sized shorthaired cats, with a round head and large, expressive eyes. The coat patterns have three levels of definition; (1) ground colour, paler than pattern; (2) pattern, delicate though distinct from ground colour; (3) appears to wear a misted veil, caused by random ticking in the solid colour areas. The legs and tail are ringed or barred, and the face and neck also have delicate lines of colour. Australian Mist cats come in seven colours: brown, blue, chocolate, lilac, caramel, gold and peach.

Temperament

They make perfect pets for children of all ages, even very young ones, as they are tolerant of handling, and are not inclined to scratch. As kittens they are lively, but sober up a little on maturity. Their life expectancy is in the mid to late teens.

Australian Mists thrive on human contact, making them happy to remain indoors between dusk and dawn or to be wholly indoor pets, an advantage as most people now prefer to keep their pets indoors. This also protects native wildlife. Some Mists can be trained to go for walks on a lead.

Their tendency to crawl into the nearest lap with or without invitation and to constantly hang around to see what people are up to, makes them excellent companions for home workers and invalids. Desexed cats and kittens fit in easily with all sorts of cats and dogs. Selective breeding has further enhanced these qualities, creating a truly companionable pet, which quickly becomes a member of the family.

Distribution

As a relatively new breed, most Australian Mist catteries are in Australia, however there are a few in the U.K. and some desexed cats have been introduced to America and several other countries.

Breed Acceptance Status

The breed is now accepted for Championship status by the World Cat Federation. The Australian Mist celebrated 20 years as a Championship breed in Australia during 2006.

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The Australian Mist Cat

A new shorthair feline breed, Australian Mist was developed in Australia in nineteen seventies from three different cat breeds, namely Abyssinian, Burmese and Domestic Shorthair. As a result the Australian Mist shares its physical and behavioral features with all these three felines. It is said to have inherited its intelligence, ticking of coat and certain colors from the Abyssinian. Burmese gave rise to the cat's placid personality, dilute colors and some patterns. And finally the Domestic Shorthair contributed to the robustness and pretty spots of the modern Australian Mist.

Medium sized felines, Australian Mists have a balanced physical makeup. Head is round with big bright green eyes and largish ears. Chin, whiskerpads and nose are wide, giving rise to a beautiful expressive face. Tail is well plumed. Coat is short and dense and was previously accepted only in a spotted pattern, leading to the earlier name of 'Spotted Mist'. Thereafter cats with a marbled pattern were also recognized, and the nomenclature thus revised. Recognized colors are blue, brown, chocolate, gold, lilac and peach that occur in delicate patterns of spots and swirls on a 'misty' background.

Australian Mists were developed to create perfect pets with a very affectionate temperament. Their breeding has been quite successful to this end. Another goal was to produce cats that would not have an adverse influence on their native ecosystem through hunting. It is unclear at the moment if this goal has been met.

Overly adoring and sweet cats, the Australian Mists are much loved in the continent of Australia though they are not found in all territories currently. Their relative recency in origin means that they are not quite widespread as pets in Europe and United States at the moment. In their native areas, they are known to be predominantly indoor pets. They are completely people oriented and love their humans alot. They are tolerant of other pets and get along well with all members of the family including children.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Australian Mist cat.

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The Aegean Cat

Aegean is a natural breed of cats. It is the only feline breed native to Greece. It is said to have originated from Greek Cycladic Islands located in the Aegean Sea. Formal development was initiated in the last decade of twentieth century by Cat Fancy breeders of Greece. As such it is one of the newer cat breeds and often mistakenly thought by some to be somewhat rare, even as the Aegean Cat itself is widespread throughout Greece.

Aegean Cat is a medium sized feline with a predominantly white coat. There are other colors too including red, blue, cream and black, though a third to two thirds of the fur is white. Overall appearance is bi-colored or tri-colored. Though less profuse than those of Turkish Angora, hair are longish that protect it against cold winter, with a ruff around neck. There are no down hair. Built is athletic and muscular and the cat is known to be a good mouse hunter, a source of its admiration, particularly in rural areas. Body and tail are long. Head is broad and ears are widely set on the skull. Eyes are oriental in their shape with a color often in shades of green. Legs are strong and paws rounded.

In its natural environment, the Aegean is an independent yet friendly feline. It often lives in small groups and is very fond of fish, its chief food item. The cute cat is often seen sitting at beach, waiting patiently for fishermen as they bring back their daily catch in the evening. The cat is well liked in its native lands.

Apart from its beauty, the Aegean Cat is a very admirable animal. It makes a good pet and is quite comfortable residing in apartments. The cat is intelligent, active and good natured. Also it is considered to be a social, lively and communicative feline. It is placed as a breed in the Semi-longhaired, light European/Continental type.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Aegean cats.

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Aegean Cat

The Aegean cat is a naturally occurring breed of cat originating from the Cycladic Islands of Greece. Development of this breed started in the early 1990s by breeders in the fledgling Greek Cat Fancy. It is considered to be the only native Greek breed of cat.

Origins

The Aegean Cat originates from the Cycladic Islands in the Aegean Sea, where they occur naturally. Since it is one of the newest cat breeds, it is believed that it could be among the rarest; however, they seem to be ubiquitous throughout Greece. They are much liked for their character and intelligence. In rural areas, they are often seen as the best method of pest control, because they are very capable predators.

Aegean Cats as pets

Although the Aegean Cat has only very recently begun to be bred systematically, has been domesticated for many centuries and thus has become adapted very well to humans. It is a social pet that tolerates living in an apartment rather well. It is intelligent, active and lively and also communicative, not hesitating to draw a person's attention.

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The Abyssinian, Burmese, And Egyptian Mau

The Abyssinian tends to have a lot of energy, and tends to be very active and playful. This cat is a great pick if you are looking for a feline friend that is fun and entertaining. Plus there is the factor that the Abyssinian is a very attractive cat. They are a midsize cat, with beautiful green and gold eyes of an almond shape, and a striking ticked pattern. There are generally three different breed colors.

The first is called ruddy; this is where the cat is an orange and brown color that is marked with dark brown or black. The second color for this breed is red; the cat has a warm color of fur that has chocolate brown spots. The last color of this breed is blue; this is a unique color where the cat looks like they have a mix of different shades of slate blue. They are a graceful and regal looking feline with soft, silky coats, and their hair is medium in length.

Burmese

If you are looking for more of an affectionate cat that isn't going to freak and claw you, a Burmese might be just what you are looking for. The Burmese is of medium size with quite a muscular body. Because they have more of a solid build, it might come as quite a surprise when you pick them up and feel the full effect of their weight. They are quite beautiful with a short glossy coat. With breeding over the years, there have come to be three different types of Burmese; there is the contemporary, traditional, and the European.

The contemporary has more of the stocky body, rounded head, and very pronounced round and spaced eyes. You can find them in coloring such as sable, champagne, blue, and platinum. The traditional has closer ties to the original breed. They are more of a sturdy yet muscular build with a very different head. Unlike the contemporary, the traditional breed has a more rounded head and the face takes on a full look. They come in the same colors as the contemporary breed does. European takes on a more foreign look, much as the name suggests.

The European is more of an elegant looking cat with a slim body type. Their eyes take on a slightly slanted look and they can be found in more colors such as brown, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, seal tortie, brown tortie, blue tortie, chocolate tortie, and lilac tortie. In addition to being a beautiful feline, they are also a very loving and stay with you wherever you go. They love to be with their owners and are very smart cats and great companions.

Egyptian Mau

If you are looking for a spotted cat, the Egyptian Mau is the way to go. They are the only natural breed that sports spots. They are a very beautiful and graceful feline that is also extremely muscular as well. This breed of cat is actually the fastest breed of domestic cat that there is. Although quite muscular, they are not that heavy of a cat. They have heads that have sort of a rounded shape. They have alert looking ears that can be either of a medium or large size and their eyes are the pretty almond shaped eyes with a slight slant and green color. What sets the Egyptian Mau apart from many other breeds of cat is that they have spotting around their body that can vary in shape, size, and location.

They also tend to have an M shaped mark on their forehead that only makes them more unique. They have beautiful coats that are of medium length and can be found in various beautiful colors. They are a very smart cat that is quite active, and extremely loyal to their owners.

Information on king cheetah can be found at the About Animals site.

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The Most Loyal Abyssinian Cat

Just as all domestic dog breeds share the wolf as its common ancestor, all of the domestic cat breeds share the same common ancestor, the African wildcat. Abyssinians are believed to be one of the oldest breeds of domestic cat in existence, but not without some controversy. With its distinctly almond shaped eyes, graceful arched neck, large ears and lean, muscular body, Abys maintain a distinct resemblance to the ancient Egyptian cats that are portrayed in all of the art from statues to paintings to drawings on the walls of the great pyramids.

Although Abys are a result of the cross breeding between various silver and brown tabby cats with the British "Bunny" ticked cats, they were called Abyssinians. During their first showing at British cat shows, a news article at the time mistakenly reported these beautiful animals as being from Ethiopia, which at the time was a country called Abyssinia. Even though the breed was refined in England, it is actually believed that they originated in India and were brought into the country by merchants who stopped to trade at the city of Calcutta, which was the major port in the Indian Ocean at the time. Reportedly, one of the earliest examples of this breed of cat was a subject of a taxidermist that was purchased sometime between the years of 1834 to 1836 by the Leiden Zoological Museum in Holland, where it remains on display to this day.

Abys later appeared on the North America continent for the first time when they were imported from England in the early nineteen hundreds. A late comer to the new world, today's American breeding program for Abys didn't really get off the ground until the 1930s when several high quality Abys were exported from England for the express purpose of breeding.

Abys have been described as one of the best "people cats" that has ever been bred. Though not typically considered to be lap cats, these highly intelligent animals love to be with people and are very good at training their owners to do just what they want them to do. They are highly curious, a trait common to most cats, but more than that, they love to be wherever you are. They want to know what you are doing. They want to help, and as long as they are with the people they love, they are happy and contented cats. When you own an Abyssinian, you will find that you have a wonderful companion that, in its own way, seems to understand you in every way. People who own Abys firmly believe that there is no other breed of cat in the world that is more loyal than their Abyssinian, and they are possibly right.

For more specific information on Abyssinian Cats, click here Abyssinian Cats, for more cat breed care and information on all types of felines visit our main site The Feline Cart

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The Abyssinian Cat

Abyssinian is a shorthair feline. It is said to have been brought from Africa to England in the nineteenth century and bred selectively thereafter, though there is no conclusive supporting evidence in this regard. And even as experts consider the Abyssinian to be an ancient cat, there are conflicting opinions as regards its origin. Many believe it was a wild cat originally owing to similarities in its markings with the African Wild Cat.

A medium sized sleek feline, the Abyssinian is a slender, yet muscular cat. Head is triangular with almond shaped expressive green or gold eyes and pointed ears. The long tail tapers at its end. Fur is short and bright with the most popular coloration being reddish brown, also referred to as 'Ruddy' or 'Usual'. Other colors and patterns include blue, cream, lilac, silver, tabby and tortoiseshell.

In general Abyssinians are very healthy and active cats. They often reportedly live beyond twenty years of age. As with other breeds, care of teeth is important as the cat ages. Occasionally Amyloidosis of kidneys occurs along some Abyssinian lines. Believed to be a hereditary ailment, it is not very common though.

Playful and intelligent, Abyssinians are inquisitive cats. They are very fond of exploring everything and are always on the move in the house. Reported to be very understanding, these cats are affectionate and develop special bonds with their humans. They accept other pets readily too though some female Abyssinians are reported to be a bit edgy in this regard. Athletic and active, the cats like to reach atop high places in the house and play with water. Other attributes include their loyalty and expressive nature. These elegant felines are objects of great beauty and admiration in many parts of the world and are highly valued as loving and sweet pets.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Abyssinian cat.

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Abyssinian - the Facts Every Owner Should Know

A wild looking cat, the Abyssinian is thought to be one of the oldest breeds in the world. Though paintings of them have been found in ancient Egyptian art, their exact origins are unclear. Some believe they came from Ethiopia (formerly called Abyssinia) and others believe they originated from areas near the coast of India. Whatever the origins, Abyssinians were imported to England where they were refined by breeders.

Abyssinians are average sized cats of a medium build, weighing about eight to ten pounds and living anywhere from thirteen to twenty years. Described as resembling a Puma or a Cougar, Abyssinians have medium length coats that are dense and have markings similar to a tabby cat. The coats can come in several colors, ruddy (burnt sienna), red, sorrel (burnt orange), blue (soft blue and apricot), and fawn (pinkish beige and oatmeal) with even ticking.

Abyssinians are described as very independent and intelligent. They are not considered lap cats and hate being confined, but Abyssinians are sociable creatures that will get along well with humans and other pets.

Though they purr when content, Abyssinians are not 'talkative cats' and have a soft purr. Abyssinians are high-energy cats and enjoy running and jumping to high places. They also enjoy playing with water and will entertain themselves with nothing more than a running faucet. This breed does tolerate human handling, but is probably not the best choice for children, due to their independent nature. Children may enjoy the activity level of the Abyssinian but will be disappointed when it does not want to play with them.

Abyssinians are generally healthy; however, they do have some genetic health concerns. They can develop patellar luxation, renal amyloidosis (a kidney disorder), and retinal atrophy. Some Abyssinian may also have sensitive stomachs making them more likely to vomit but this can be controlled through diet. They are also prone to gingivitis, but brushing their teeth can help prevent this.

There is a website that has great information on Abyssinians and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2007

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.

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Abyssinian Cat Breeders Have A Wild Time

If you hang around Abyssinian cat breeders you will be convinced that must have raised squirrels at some point in their lives. Abyssinian cat breeders and owners say that living with an Abyssinian is like living with squirrels.

Abys have the wildcat look of felis lybica, the African wildcat ancestor of all domestic cats. You might think they bear some resemblance to a mountain lion, a mini-cougar. Unlike their wild cousin, they area very sweet and affectionate animals that love to interact with their human families. Images in ancient Egypt show cats with a very similar appearance, right down to the ticked appearance of their coats. In the early eighteen hundreds, the first Abyssinian cats arrived in England from Ethiopia on trader ships

The Abyssinian cat has a graceful tail that is as long as the rest of its body. Although Abyssinians can have coats in several shades, including ruddy, red, blue and fawn, they all are tabbies with a ticked appearance. This means that each individual hair has four to six bands of dark and light color. This cat breed has a wedge shaped face with eyes that are green, amber, or hazel colored.

It is no surprise that such a curious breed is also extremely active. While they will spend some loving time in the lap, do not consider them a lap cat. You should also put up your breakables, and rethink your decorating. It may be time to add some cat furniture decor for climbing.

Owners spend a lot of time playing with these 'feline squirrels'. Abyssinians can scale any fences, rail or wall trim as they explore their surroundings. If you adopt an Aby, you'll grow accustomed to seeing her cross shelving and even jump several feet in the air.

Did I mention toys? These cats need lots of toys. If you don't provide playthings, your cat will use your belongings to create his own toys. There goes your necklace, earrings and grandmother's ring.

Perhaps more than any other breed you must keep a close eye on your Abyssinian if you allow him to go outdoors. He is an escape artist. Plus he has to introduce himself to the neighbors.

This breed's personality means that it needs a lot of attention and affection from its owner. An Abyssinian is the wrong choice for anyone who spends most of their time away from home at the office or traveling. This breed does enjoy playing and interacting with other cats. You could add another Abyssinian to the fray, but an Aby really doesn't make a good latchkey kid.

It won't take long for you to teach your cat a few simple commands. He can learn to come to you when he is called, fetch and chase. This helps keep him trim too. It shouldn't be a chore to spend time playing and training this agile descendant of Ethiopian wildcats.

As a breed, Abyssinians are very healthy. The breed can be prone to kidney problems (feline renal amyloidosis), become anemic, have a tendency to develop gingivitis, and develop a degenerative eye disorder (progressive retinal atrophy) which can end up in blindness.

With its short sleek coat, the Abyssinian needs very little grooming. However, they have been known to love water and have fun in the bath -- with or without their human bather.

All Abyssinian cat breeders know, their felines probably won't spend a lot of time in your lap, but they will learn quickly and have a wild time with you and your family.

Kate Rieger has been owned by 15+ cats and is a champion of spaying all her cat neighbors. While she would like to extend this same concept to some of the human population, she swears she's only into altering cats. She is on good behavior during her speaking engagements at various organizations. Drop by for a free copy of her eBook 111 Things You Don't Know That Could Harm Your Cat

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