Oriental Shorthair

Posted by mykitty Thursday, April 22, 2010 6:39 PM

The Oriental Shorthair is a breed of cat.This cat combines the Siamese body with a diversity of colorings and patterns.
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Oriental Shorthairs as pets
Oriental Shorthairs are intelligent, social animals who bond very closely to their people. They are inquisitive, friendly, emotional, demanding and often quite vocal. They will depend on and trust you forever if you love and take care of them. Their purr can be extremely loud when happy.
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Description
The Oriental Shorthair is a self-coloured (non-pointed) member of the Siamese Family. They can be found in solid colors (white, red, cream, ebony, blue, chestnut, lavender, cinnamon, or fawn), smoke (white undercoat to any of the above except white), shaded (only the hair tips colored), parti-color (red or cream splashes on any of the above), tabby (mackerel/striped, ticked, spotted, and blotched/classic), and bi-colored (any of the above, with white). In total, there are over 300 color and pattern combinations possible. Though in CFA, pointed cats from Oriental Shorthair parents are considered AOV (Any Other Variety), in TICA, as well as in the majority of worldwide Cat Associations, these cats are considered to be, and compete as.
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Siamese.
Oriental Shorthairs have expressive, almond-shaped eyes, a wedge-shaped head with large ears that fit in the wedge of the head. Their bodies are very elegant yet muscular. When seeing an Oriental Shorthair, one would never guess them to be as solid as they are.
The longhaired version of the Oriental Shorthair, Oriental Longhair, simply carries a pair of the recessive long hair gene.
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Origins
The Siamese cat was imported to Britain from Siam (Thailand) in the later half of the 1800s. According to reports, both pointed and solid colors were imported. The gene that causes the color to be restricted to the points is a recessive gene, therefore the general population of the cats of Siam were largely self (solid) colored. When the cats from Siam were bred, the pointed cats were eventually registered as Siamese the others were referred to as "non-blue eyed siamese" or foreign shorthair. Other breeds that were developed from the moggies of Siam include the Havana Brown and the Korat.
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It was not until 1977 that the Oriental Shorthair was accepted for competition into the CFA. In 1985, the CFA recognized the bicolor oriental shorthair. The bicolor is any one of the accepted oriental shorthair color patterns with the addition of white to the belly, face, and legs/paws.
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Patterns, Solid
Coat color is the uniform across the entire cat. Each hair shaft should be the same color from shaft to tip and be free of banding and tipping.
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Tabby coat pattern
Tabby patterns include ticked, spotted, mackerel, and classic. Each hair shaft should have a band of color around the middle of the hair shaft.
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Bicolor pattern
The bicolor pattern is created by the addition of a white spotting gene to any of the other accepted colors/patterns. The cat will have white on its belly, legs,and an inverted V on the face.
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Shaded pattern
A Shaded cat will have a white undercoat with the tips being colored.
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Smoke pattern
The hair shaft will have a narrow band of white at the base which can only be seen when the hair is parted.
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Parti-Color
A parti-color is essentially a patches of red/cream. patches may be well defined blotches of color to merled. This color is referred to as Tortoiseshell coat pattern in non-pedigreed cats.
So Your Pet Isn't Listening to You? Ready to Understand Why?

Ocicat

Posted by mykitty Sunday, April 18, 2010 10:25 PM

The Ocicat is an all-domestic breed of cat which resembles a 'wild' cat but has no wild blood. The breed is unusual in that it is spotted like a wild cat but has the temperament of a domestic animal. It is named for its resemblance to the ocelot.

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Despite its appearance, there is no 'wild' DNA in the Ocicat's gene pool. The species is actually a mixture of Siamese and Abyssinian, and later American Shorthairs (silver tabbies) were added to the mix and gave the breed their silver color, bone structure and distinct markings.
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Breed history
The first breeder of Ocicats was Virginia Daly, of Berkley, Michigan, who attempted to breed an Abyssinian-pointed Siamese in 1964. The first generation of kittens appeared Abyssinian, but the result in the second generation was not only the Abyssinian-pointed Siamese, but a spotted kitten, Tonga, nicknamed an 'ocicat' by the breeder's daughter. Tonga was neutered and sold as a pet, but further breedings of his parents produced more spotted kittens, and became the basis of a separate Ocicat breeding program. Other breeders joined in and used the same recipe, Siamese to Abyssinian, and offspring to Siamese. In addition, due to an error by CFA in recording the cross that produced the Ocicat, the American Shorthair was introduced to the Ocicat giving the breed larger boning and adding silver to the 6 colors. The Ocicat was initially accepted for registration in The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc., and was moved into Championship for showing in 1987. Other registries followed. Today the Ocicat is found all around the world, popular for its all-domestic temperament but wild appearance.
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Breed temperament
Ocicats are a very outgoing breed. They are often considered to have the spirit of a dog in a cat's body. Most can easily be trained to fetch, walk on a leash and harness, come when called, speak, sit, lie down on command and a large array of other dog-related tricks. Most are especially good at feline agility because they are very toy-driven. Some even take readily to the water. Ocicats are also very friendly. They will typically march straight up to strangers and announce that they'd like to be petted. This makes them great family pets, and most can also get along well with animals of other species, although they are likely to assert their dominance over all involved. Ocicats make excellent pets for people who want to spend a lot of time with their cat, but they do require more attention than cats who aren't so people-oriented.
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Breed standards
There are twelve colors approved for the ocicat breed. Tawny, chocolate and cinnamon, their dilutes, blue, lavender and fawn, and all of them with silver: black silver (ebony silver), chocolate silver, cinnamon silver, blue silver, lavender silver and fawn silver. Ocicats have almond shaped eyes perfect for seeing at night. They also have a large, strong body, muscular legs with dark markings, and powerful, oval shaped paws. The body shape of the Ocicat is partway between the svelte Oriental and the sturdy American Shorthair. The breed's large, well-muscled body gives an impression of power and strength.

Norwegian Forest Cat

Posted by mykitty Thursday, April 15, 2010 9:51 PM

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a breed of domestic cat native to Northern Europe, and adapted to a very cold climate. In Norway they are known as theskogkatt/skaukatt which means forest cat ("skog" and 'skau" being alternate words for "forest" in different Norwegian dialects), or more formally as the Norsk Skaukatt(Norwegian Forest Cat).
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The breed is very old, and occurred as a natural adaptation to the cold climate of the region, but it was not regarded as anything other than a standard house-cat until the late 1930s, when a small number of 'Skaukatten' were shown in Germany and received very favorably by the judges. World War II brought an abrupt end to the fledgling Norwegian show cat industry, and the breed was forgotten until the 1970s. The cats are now being bred and shown in several countries including the United States. The first international association to accept the breed was FIFe, in 1977. They are rumored to be the early ancestors of the Maine Coon and the long-haired Manx.
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Description
Norwegian Forest Cats have a thick fluffy double-layered coat, long tufts of fur in ears and between toes, and a long bushy tail to protect them against the cold. Their coat is essentially waterproof due to its water repellent outer layer and dense underlay. They are very large cats with adult males weighing 6 to 10 kg (13 to 22 lb), while females may be smaller. Their hind legs are longer than their front legs. They are very intelligent, playful cats that enjoy human company but can get upset if left alone for a long period of time. The nickname of "Wegie" (pronounced to rhyme with 'squeegee') began in the United States and is a shortened version of the word Norwegian.
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Behavior
Like Maine Coons, Norwegian Forest Cats are an intelligent, robust and playful breed. They like the outdoors, are well suited to cold conditions and are great hunters. Despite their great affection for the outdoors, they also enjoy the company of humans and other pets and will sometimes go looking for company if left alone by their owners. They are not easily stressed and are quite patient, which makes them great for a family with children. They appreciate high vantage points and enjoy climbing trees, or, if they are indoor cats, climbing on appliances, bookshelves and other elevated surfaces in the home. Norwegian Forest Cats are very good family pets and do not need too much maintenance, only a comb at least once a week, without which the coat can become knotted and tangled.
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Countries introduced
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• Australia: First introduced in the late 1990s
• Japan: First introduced in the early 1990s
• United States: First introduced in 1979
• United Kingdom: First introduced in 1986
• South Africa: First recognised in 1994

Munchkin (cat)

Posted by mykitty Saturday, April 3, 2010 7:29 PM

The Munchkin is a relatively new breed created by a naturally occurring genetic mutation that results in cats with abnormally short legs. However, the shortness of their legs does not seem to interfere with their running and leaping. They are capable of running and climbing as well as a normal sized cat. The gene responsible has been compared to the one that gives Welsh Corgis and Dachshunds their short stature. Fortunately for Munchkins, though, they don't suffer from the many spinal problems that are typically associated with those types of canine breeds and that is because cats' spines are physically different from those of a dog, therefore making the Munchkins more suited to the short legs. The spine of a Munchkin cat is usually indistinguishable from that of other cats.
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History
Throughout history and around the globe there have been sightings of short-legged cats from Russia to Germany to Great Britain. A breeding population existed in Europe around the middle of twentieth century but the lines died out during/after Second World War.
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The breed was first discovered in the United States in 1964 by Ellen Kasten in the town of Westbury, New York. Growing up on a farm, Mrs. Kasten was particularly inclined to welcome any animal into her home. She named the first Munchkin "Little One" due to her tiny legs as a kitten. However, the cat was not bred and therefore was not discovered again until 1983 when Sandra Hochenedel, a music teacher in Louisiana, found 2 pregnant cats who had been chased by a bulldog under a truck. She kept one of the cats and named her Blackberry and half of her kittens were born short-legged. Hochenedel gave a short legged male kitten from one of Blackberry's litters to a friend, Kay LaFrance, and she named the kitten Toulouse. It is from Blackberry and Toulouse that today's Munchkin breed is descended.
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The Munchkin was first introduced to the general public in 1991 via a national network televised cat show held by The International Cat Association (TICA) in Madison Square Garden. Critics predicted that the breed would develop back, hip and leg problems similar to those that plague some Dachshunds. Studies were conducted by Dr Solveig Pflueger (Chief of the genetics committee for TICA) who determined that the Munchkins were physically sound. Amidst much controversy, TICA accepted the Munchkin into its New Breed development program in September 1994. One veteran show judge—who had Munchkin supporters threatening to burn her house—resigned in protest, calling the breed an affront to breeders with ethics. The Munchkin achieved TICA Championship status in May 2003.
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Characteristics
The Munchkin is generally described as a sweet-natured, playful, people-oriented, outgoing and intelligent cat which responds well to being handled.
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The Munchkin is a small to medium sized cat with a moderate "semi-foreign" body type. A male Munchkins typically weigh between 6 to 9 pounds (3-4 kg) and is usually larger than a female Munchkin, which typically weigh between 4 to 8 pounds. The short legs of the Munchkin may be slightly bowed, although excessive bowing is a disqualification in the show ring. Cow-hocked legs are also penalized. The hind legs can be slightly longer than the front.
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There are three sizes: Standard, Super Short and rug-hugger.
The body of the Munchkin cat is medium sized with a level spine with a slight rise from the shoulder to the rump.
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For TICA shows, they are separated by fur length into two groups: Munchkin and Munchkin Longhair. The short-haired variety has a medium-plush coat while the Long-haired has a semi-long silky coat. The Munchkin comes in all colors and patterns. This variety stems from the outcross program, which allows the use of any domestic cat that does not already belong to a recognized breed. Similarity to other breeds is grounds for disqualification.
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Health
For the most part Munchkins are a healthy and hardy cat that in general suffer from the same common health problems as other cats but lordosis and pectus excavatum have been documented conditions seen in a few Munchkin cats. These are rare medical conditions seen in other cat breeds too and are not specific to the Munchkin breed.
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Dr. Solveig Pflueger, chairperson of TICA's genetics committee and advisor to the Board of Directors conducted studies on the Munchkin cats to determine the over all genetic health of the breed. Based on the research she discovered them to be "happy healthy cats" and that they should have a future as a Championship breed. In 1995 several Breeders had their oldest Munchkins X-rayed and examined for signs of joint or bone problems and no problems were found.
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Advocates and critics
For the most part Munchkins are a healthy and hardy cat that in general suffer from the same common health problems as other cats but lordosis and pectus excavatum have been documented conditions seen in a few Munchkin cats. These are rare medical conditions seen in other cat breeds too and are not specific to the Munchkin breed.
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Dr. Solveig Pflueger, chairperson of TICA's genetics committee and advisor to the Board of Directors conducted studies on the Munchkin cats to determine the over all genetic health of the breed. Based on the research she discovered them to be "happy healthy cats" and that they should have a future as a Championship breed. In 1995 several Breeders had their oldest Munchkins X-rayed and examined for signs of joint or bone problems and no problems were found.
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Advocates and critics
The Munchkin cat is the result of a genetic mutation and some people believe that they should not be continued to be bred but others see little difference in a short legged cat breed and the short legged dog breeds such of the Dachshund, Bassett hound, Corgi.
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The controversy among breeders of pedigree cats as to what genetic mutations are abnormal and potentially disadvantageous to the cat. The Australian government consider the munchkin breed to be "malformed animals" and the deliberate breeding of them "unacceptable" because of the "genetic health problems associated with such breeding". Owners and Breeders of munchkins declare them to be "a sound breed" that is "ideal" for small homes and not particularly susceptible to health problems.
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Small litter sizes when two munchkin cats are crossed indicate that embryos that are homozygous for the munchkin gene are non-viable. Several cat registries do not recognize the Munchkin: Fédération Internationale Féline, which refuses to recognise what they consider a breed based on a "genetic disease", achondroplasia. The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy likewise refuses to recognise the breed, considering this breed and others like it to be "unacceptable" because they are based on an "abnormal structure or development". The breed is also not recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association.
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Apart from TICA, registries that recognize the breed includes The American Association of Cat Enthusiasts, UK's United Feline Organization, the Southern Africa Cat Council, and the Waratah National Cat Alliance in Australia.
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Biology
Although the genetic mutation causing the short-legged trait in munchkin cats is often referred to as achondroplasia, it has not yet been proven that the trait is due to a gene at the same locus as causing achondroplasia in humans. Furthermore, while achondroplasia is typically associated with an enlarged head as well as short legs, a combination of features not seen in munchkin cats, the condition has sometimes been referred to as hypochondroplasia instead.
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Genetics
The munchkin gene is an autosomal dominant one. Homozygous embryos for the munchkin gene are not viable due to gene lethality. Only kittens that are heterozygous for the munchkin gene develop into viable short legged munchkin kittens. Because only heterozygous munchkin cats are able to pass on the gene, all litters with at least one munchkin parent have the possibility of containing all short-legged kittens, all normal-legged kittens(referred to as non-standard munchkin), or a combination of short-legged and normal kittens. A litter with two munchkin parents may be all short-legged, all normal, all non-viable kittens with two copies of the munchkin gene, or any combination of the three.
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Punnett squares, in which the M represents the dominant munchkin gene and the m represents the recessive normal gene, may be used to illustrate the chances of a particular mating resulting in a short-legged cat. Kittens bearing two copies of the munchkin gene (MM) will not survive. Kittens bearing one munchkin gene and one normal gene (Mm) will be short-legged munchkins. Kittens bearing two normal genes (mm) will be normal. Mm munchkin kittens will be able to pass on the munchkin gene to their own offspring. Normal mm kittens will not, as they do not have a copy of the munchkin gene.

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