cat fancy terminology – Michael Broad

‘Modified wedge’ terminology used in the cat fancy (infographic)

September 13, 2023 by Michael Broad

NFC (Norwegian Forest Cat) head is an equilateral triangle

This is an infographic on the well-used cat fancy phrase ‘modified wedge’. It is used all the time in cat association breed standards. I see it used a lot in the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) breed standards and I’ve extracted some examples for the infographic below. The cat fancy administrators were drawn into using the phrase ‘modified wedge’ because they had to find a way to describe the head and face shape of their registered cats. Fundamentally, the wedge shape fits the feline head shape but only in a very general way which is why it is ‘modified’!

Modified wedge terminology used in the cat fancy breed standards explained in an infographic.

American Burmese cat – evolution and comparison with European Burmese

December 24, 2021December 24, 2021 by Michael Broad

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, for example, the stable Burmese has dark brown points and a dark brown body …

What does breeding true mean?

May 5, 2021 by Michael Broad

“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 correct phenotype (appearance as per the breed standard). It is a fine balance being …

Thai cats – describing their place in the Siamese cat family

December 27, 2022August 26, 2020 by Michael Broad

People have different points of view about Thai cats. And it is quite a complicated history. I will present my views and try and simplify the history. Although I expect someone to disagree with me. Thai cats are a relatively new form of Siamese cat. It is probably politically incorrect to describe Thai cats …

The meaning of “lines” in cat breeding

July 4, 2020 by Michael Broad

The goal of cat breeders should be to found (establish) a line of healthy cats which excel in reference to the breed standard of the cat association at which their cats are registered. The word “line” in cat breeding comes from the word “bloodline”. Bloodline means an animal’s line of ancestors with particular reference …

Cat Breeds Linked To The Siamese

March 17, 2014March 17, 2014 by Michael Broad

There are a bunch of cat breeds that have some Siamese cat in them – the “Siamese family of cats”. It is remarkable how many there are. Unless you know cat breeds well, you probably won’t realize it. Some of these breeds are very similar to the Siamese. Sometimes there is a single difference. …

Glossary of Cat Terms

February 25, 2020May 25, 2012 by Michael Broad

Above: An adorable old and distinguished Himalayan cat (pointed Persian). Photo ©copyright Helmi Flick. Please respect copyright, thanks. He looks like a grumpy old man! This is what I might call a cat fancy dictionary. There are numerous words that are used in the cat fancy that are unknown to most of us outside. They …