I’m referring to domestic, stray and feral cats. I am not referring to wild cats because there is quite a big difference. Without some sort of restraint on numbers (and there is always restraint on numbers) a cat population can … continue reading…
Can a cat’s personality be linked to their coat colour and type? Apparently, the answer is yes, although I had always thought that this was not strictly possible despite the fact that, anecdotally, many cat owners link coat colour and … continue reading…
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is the most common inherited disorder in cats according to a 2015 study. It is present in British Shorthair cats. Both the Persian and the British Shorthair carry the same genetic mutation causing the disease. It … continue reading…
It has been suggested that cat association breed standards might be encouraging breeders to select breeding cats with genetic traits that promote an overweight physique in order to meet the breed standard. There is a very interesting article on the … continue reading…
by Lisa James (Green Cove Springs, FL) Introduction by Michael (Admin): These are the words of an experienced Persian cat breeder who has strong views on the subject. It was written many years ago but I have brought the post … continue reading…
“The most active discussion on adverse breeding effects in companion animals has been in the German speaking community” (The Welfare of Cats page 261 – a section written by A Steiger). It is nice to venture into other areas and … continue reading…
Selective cat breeding is what cat breeding is all about. So, what is it? This is an outline discussion. It is slightly controversial in keeping with my slightly rebellious nature. Before I continue, I would like to say that I … continue reading…
Pointed cat with hard-to-see points The Burmese cat is a pointed cat meaning that it has darker extremities than the areas in the middle of the body. However, the pointing may be difficult to see except in full sunlight. And, … continue reading…
The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) has been under pressure for decades to revise the breed standard i.e. the guidelines, for the flat-faced cat breeds namely the Exotic Shorthair, the Persian and the Himalayan. I hope that the pressure has been … continue reading…
Munchkin cats are not genetically modified in the conventional meaning of the term. A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an animal, plant, or microbe whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. This does not apply to Munchkin cats. … continue reading…
The smartest type of cat will be the wild cat species. You can take anyone of them. I believe that you will find that it is accepted that the wild cats are smarter than domestic cats. This is translated into … continue reading…
Persian cats have a distinct reputation for being lethargic and lazy. There are probably three reasons why this breed has been labelled with this description. The first is that through selective breeding over decades, cat breeders have not only selected … continue reading…
“Breeding true” means that the offspring look like their parents. It is achieved by “line breeding” which is a form of inbreeding which ideally does not transfer undesirable traits together with those traits that the breeder wants such as the … continue reading…
I have consistently said that cat guardians should respect their cat companion as a feline but treat them as a member of the human family. I think that is the right combination but it does lend itself towards anthropomorphising your … continue reading…
I don’t want to criticise the almighty Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), probably the most influential cat association on the planet but…they are hypocritical in a very fundamental way. It has to be stated until they do something about it. Yes, … continue reading…
