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Korat, Good Luck Cat

The Korat is one of the oldest stable breeds of cat. Originating in Thailand, it is named after the Nakhon Ratchasima province, although in Thailand it is often known as Si-Sawat, which means good fortune. In fact they are often known colloquially as the “Good Luck Cat” and are given in pairs to newlyweds or people of high esteem as a wish for good luck.

Korats are a rare feline, even in their native Thailand, and remain the most highly prized cat of the Thai people; who think of the Korat as their national cat, (not the Siamese, as you might think).

The first known written mention of the Korat was in “The Cat-Book Poems” authored between 1350 and 1767 AD in Thailand, now preserved in the National library in Bangkok. They first appeared in America in the 1950s and arrived in Britain from there in 1972.

Korat

Korat – “known to form strong bonds with humans”

Korat cats are a shorthair breed with a small to medium build and a low percentage of body fat. The Korat is a slow maturing, medium sized cat with a smooth curved body and a heart-shaped face. The eyes are large and are luminous green in colour. The body is semi-cobby muscular and firm, with a blue coat well tipped with silver. The Korat can be a very vocal cat, but this does not usually indicate aggression. They are surprisingly heavy for their size and are highly active. They can form strong bonds with people.

Korats have many characteristics that together distinguish them as a breed. Here are just a few of Korat characteristics which are sought at Cat Shows.

  • Head – The Korat should have a heart-shaped head and face when viewed from the front. The forehead should be large and flat.
  • Nose – The nose has a downward curve just above the nose leather and the required stop should be easily seen in profile.
  • Chin – Chin and jaw should be strong and well developed, completing the heart-shaped head.
  • Eyes – The eyes size and prominence is a particular feature of the breed. The eyes should be bright and almost over large, with a green luminosity as though lit from within.
  • Body – This is a cat that is lightweight in appearance, but unexpectedly heavy when picked up. The body should be supple and well muscled with the feeling of hidden power.
  • Coat – The coat should be short to medium in length, glossy and close-lying is the ideal.
  • Colour – The coat colour should be very well tipped with silver. It is the tipping that is of primary importance. The coat should be free from patchiness or tabby markings. The lightness or darkness of the colour can vary. It is the graduation from root to tip that produces the required silvery sheen.

As a final Note, Jean Johnson first introduced Korats to the US in 1959. She had lived in Thailand, where she first encountered the breed. Her first pair were named Nara (male) and Dara (female).

Breed Website:https://www.korats.org.uk

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European Shorthair

The European shorthair is a breed of short-haired cat originating in Sweden. It’s one of the oldest and most common breeds, but it wasn’t standardized until quite late and is currently only recognized by one major cat club.

European shorthair

European shorthair – One of the oldest cat breeds

Because it hasn’t been bred strictly until very recently, many European Shorthairs don’t have a pedigree and have not been certified as an European Shorthair. Instead, many European shorthairs are called “bondkatt” (Cat of the Farmer) in Swedish, by the fact that many were bred on farms. To confuse things many mixed breed cats are incorrectly referred to as “bondkatt” instead of the preferred term “huskatt” (Cat of the House).

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Chartreux

The Chartreux is an internationally recognized breed of domestic cat from France. There is a legend that the Chartreux are descended from cats brought to France by Carthusian monks to live in the order’s head monastery, the Grande Chartreuse, located in the Chartreuse Mountains north of the city of Grenoble. But in 1972, the Prior of the Grande Chartreuse denied that the monastery’s archives held any records of the monks’ use of any breed of cat resembling the Chartreux.

Chartreux

Chartreux – Large Muscular Moggies

Physically, the Chartreux is large and muscular, with short fine-boned limbs, big paws, and very fast reflexes. They have been described as “potatoes on toothpicks”. They are known for their blue/grey water-resistant short hair double coats and thier gold or copper-colored eyes. Chartreux cats are also known for their ‘smile’ due to the structure of their heads and their long, tapered muzzle, they often appear to be smiling. Chartreux are exceptional hunters and were highly prized by farmers. Patellar luxation is a common weakness in the breed which responsible breeders screen for.

Legend has it that the Chartreux’s ancestors were feral mountain cats from what is now Syria, brought back to France by returning Crusaders in the 13th century, many of whom entered the Carthusian monastic order. The first documented mention of the breed was by the French naturalist Buffon in the 17th century. The breed was largely decimated during the first World War and wild populations were not seen after World War Two. A concerted effort by European breeders kept the breed from extinction. The first Chartreux were brought to the USA in 1971 by Helen and John Gammon of La Jolla, California. There are fewer than two dozen active Chartreux breeders in North America as of 2007.

Chartreux cats tend to be quiet, rarely making noises such as mewing or crying, and some are mute. They are quite observant and intelligent, with some Chartreux learning to operate radio on/off buttons and to open screen door latches. They take about two years to reach adulthood. Chartreux cats are playful cats well into their adult years; some can be taught to fetch small objects in the same manner as a dog. Chartreux are good with children and other animals. They are non-aggressive and affectionate, good travelers, and generally very healthy. Chartreux tend to bond with one person in their household, preferring to be in their general vicinity (often following their person from room to room), though they are still loving and affectionate to the other members of the household.

Link:

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Australian Mist

The Australian Mist (formerly known as the Spotted Mist) is a breed developed in Australia in the late 1970s, 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.

Australian Mist

Australian Mist (spotted mist)

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.

Australian Mist are excellent mothers, moderate breeders, and superlative studs. Desexed cats, females and kittens fit in easily with all sorts of other pets. Their conviction that no person or animal could do anything but love them leads to ease of integration with any but the extremely aggressive. Temperament is such that even many males are able to live in small groups with other males.. To further increase the pleasure of the small breeder, later maturation of both males and females is being selected for.

The people centredness of Australian Mist contributes to their ability to be wholly indoor pets, and their willingness to remain indoors between dusk and dawn. While it is not possible to alter the inherent behaviours which enable the cat to hunt, these characteristics can be redirected towards interacting with people. Selection is continuing to enhance further these qualities, creating a truly companionable pet, which quickly becomes a member of the family.

Australian Mist make excellent pets for children, even very young ones, as they are very tolerant of handling, and disinclined to scratch. As kittens they are lively, but sober up somewhat on maturity. Their propensity to crawl into the nearest lap with or without invitation, and to constantly hang around to see what people are up to makes them an excellent companion for the home worker, and the invalid. Older cats in need of rehoming are available at times. These cats settle in well, and are often preferred by older, or working buyers.

As a relatively new breed, all Australian Mist catteries are in Australia, however desexed cats have been introduced to America and several other countries. The breed is now accepted for Championship status by the World Cat Federation.

The Australian Mist celebrated 20 years as an accepted Championship breed in Australia in 2006.

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American Shorthair

The American Shorthair is the most popular breed of cat in the United States. The breed is believed to be descended from English cats (the forebears of today’s British Shorthairs) brought to North America by early European settlers to protect valuable cargo from mice and rats.

American Shorthair

American Shorthair. The most popular breed of cat in America.

American Shorthair cats are medium to large sized, with powerful legs and strong paws. Their muzzle is squarish. Their coat is short, with the fur being thick, dense, and stiff to protect them from cold, moisture, and superficial skin injuries. Their coat thickens up in the winter and sheds in the spring but still remains lighter and slimmer than its close cousin, the British Shorthair.

American Shorthairs are very affectionate, long-living, and disinclined to behavioral problems; they get along well with other family members, including dogs. The American Shorthair is also an excellent hunter, but its sunny and gentle disposition makes it ideal for families with small children. Shorthairs tend to get overweight very easily.

An American Shorthair is not considered fully grown until 3-4 years old, when it attains the true strong athletic proportion of its breed. Males are usually larger than females and whole males have definite jowls. It is perfectly happy as an indoor or outdoor cat.

American Shorthairs come in over 100 different varieties of colors (blacks, whites, silvers, creams, reds, browns, blues, bicolors, tabby or solid), but their eyes, pad color, and nose will always match their coloring. Their tail tapers to a blunt tip and has no kinks.

Grooming for an American Shorthair is extremely easy, all they require is regular brushing and a wipe over with a damp chamois will make the coat shine. During shedding seasons using a good shedding comb weekly helps prevent hairballs.

The American Shorthair makes a great pet because of its gentle temper, and because it gets along well with other family members, it makes a great pet for small children.

Link to one of many American Shorthair websites

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Bombay

The Bombay is two distinct breeds of cat (please see below). These are muscular yet agile cats with a black coat. The heads of Bombay cats are rounded and wide with a short tapered muzzle. The eyes, which are of golden or copper color, are rounded and set wide, and their ears are broad, slightly rounded and medium sized and, like the eyes, set wide.

Bombay

American Bombay

The Bombay has a coat that is short, satiny and tight to the body. Bombay cats do not require grooming, although petting the cat will keep their coat shiny and will also remove dead hair. A rubber brush can help when the cat sheds larger amounts of fur (uncommon). If the cat is fed a balanced diet, the coat will shine and the cat’s naturally energetic personality will become evident.

Personality

Bombay cats crave human affection like most felines. The Bombay appreciates affection and purrs loudly. Bombay cats are quiet and watchful and prefer living indoors. They can be affected by loud intrusive noises as loud noises make the Bombay nervous. A symptom of this nervousness is that they lose fur from their belly and near their tail. One remedy for this is to simply keep the cat indoors or away from loud noises and make sure they have somewhere to hide. Some convenient locations where a cat can hide are behind chairs, cupboards and almost anywhere that it is difficult for a predator to gain entry, including spaces behind TVs, inside cabinets and underneath small tables.

While Bombay cats will tolerate other breeds of cat, they may tend to dominate other cats. Bombay cats seem to get along well with dogs. Dogs are pack animals and have a pecking order which the Bombay will take advantage of.

Like most cats that have been raised properly, Bombay cats are smart, agile and inquisitive. They will often seek out human interaction. Bombays will investigate packages and will commonly chew through bags and containers to get at food. This can lead to problems if they eat chicken bones which can injure the cat’s throat.

Bombay cats are by nature lap cats. They seek heat and will jump up on their owner’s backs and rest around their neck for comfort and reassurance.These cats are head-bumpers and nose-rubbers, Some can be very “talkative” (meow loudly) and have distinct “voices”. The Bombay will often “fetch”, and takes on other dog-like characteristics. These cats love nothing more than to be held and fussed over. Sensitive, reserved and intelligent, the Bombay is suited to life in a quiet home, where it is affectionate to the whole family. Both males and females are excellent pets.

Bombay cats enjoy being around anyone, but may select someone specific to pay the most attention to. They are wonderful for families with children but may be at first annoyed with a new cat in the house.

Bombay cats are rumoured to have sometimes unusual diets as lap cats. They may actually eat not just sour cream, but baked cookies or beans if the situation arises. Like many other species of domestic cats, they are rather sneaky and creative at the kitchen table.

British Bombay
The British Bombay cat is the name given to black cats of the Asian group. It is a cat of Burmese type with a black coat, toes, nose, and copper to greenish eyes.

American Bombay
The American breed called Bombay was created in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky, when Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery deliberately bred an American Shorthair with a Burmese for the purpose of creating a domesticated cat that resembled a wild panther (also known as baby panther). The offspring of this breeding did indeed resemble the black leopard of India. The name came from the Indian city of Bombay (now Mumbai). Horner called her creation the “patent leather kid with the new penny eyes.”

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Ocicat

The Ocicat is a new and still-rare breed of cat which has spots resembling a ‘wild’ cat and the temperament of a domestic animal, named for its resemblance to the ocelot. 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 colour, bone structure and distinct markings.

Ocicat

Ocicat – named for its resemblance to the Ocelot and still a rare breed

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 surprising result in the second generation was 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 base of a separate Ocicat breeding program. Other breeders joined in and used the same recipe, siamese * aby, and offspring * siamese. Today the ocicat is found all around the world, popular for its temperament but wild appearance.

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. 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. 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.

An Ocelot

Ocelot – South American / Mexican wild cat.

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.