Is Ben the Vet right about the four cat breeds he would never own?

Ben the Vet is a UK veterinarian with a healthy social media presence. He can speak to his followers and it gets picked up on the news media. It's always interesting to hear the views of a veterinarian. They can have a slightly different perspective on companion animals because they interact with them in their clinic's consulting rooms.

They see a different aspect of animal behaviour and of course they are tuned into the health of these animals including inherited diseases. Ben criticises: Bengal cats, Sphynx cats, Scottish Fold cats and Persian cats.

He's picked out four purebred cat breeds but, to be perfectly honest, he could have picked out more. But is he right to be critical of these four cat breeds?

Ben the Vet would not purchase 4 cat breeds. Image: his TikTok page.

Bengal

He makes it clear that this is his opinion. He finds the Bengal cat too aggressive. This is why he wouldn't adopt this purebred cat. And he says that the aggressiveness comes from the fact that this is a wildcat hybrid, and the wildcat component of this hybridisation is the Asian leopard cat, a very independent-minded small wild cat species living in Asia.

When this breed came out as long ago as the late 1960s (Jean Mill founded this breed), the cat fancy was reluctant to accept it because of what they perceived as its inherited aggressive character. The breed standard stated that Bengal show cats must not show any aggression. It was unusual for a breed standard to specify a standard concerning aggression. This indicated that this cat breed could be aggressive.

Things have moved on and the F5 Bengal cats are now considered to be like standard domestic cats. But Ben has a point. And also, many people have higher filial Bengal cats, and they possess more of the leopard cat's DNA which means they potentially import more of that instinctive aggression. So, Ben is essentially right in respect of the Bengal cat.

What do Bengal cat owners think of their cats?

Sphynx

With respect to the Sphynx cat, he doesn't particularly like them because there's no fur on them! He prefers a fluffy cat. He wants to feel the fur. Perhaps he likes cats to be more natural and hairlessness is distinctly unnatural. He doesn't mention the other quite extensive problems with hairless cats namely that they need washing all the time because they become grimy because, in turn, the sebaceous glands deposit oil on the skin where it picks up grime.

In addition, hairless cats can't go outside normally because they get sunburned or get too cold. The Sphynx cat is basically an indoor cat and not everybody wants to confine their cat to the home full-time. There are other problems with this hairless cat namely the ear canals get dirty because there is no hair in the ear canals to repel dirt coming into them.

That means you have to clean the ear canals and you have to do this with extreme care and expertise. Ben is correct.

18 facts about the Sphynx cat

Scottish Fold

The Scottish Fold is well known to be a problem cat breed. The recessive genetic mutation affects the production of cartilage to the point where it loses stiffness which means the ears gradually fold down a certain time after being born. This makes the face of the Scottish fold attractive to some people. It is because these cats have an owl-like or baby-like appearance.

But the problem with the cartilage affects other parts of the body and this can be a major disability and a source of pain and discomfort for a Scottish Fold. The Germans would call this torture breeding. They don't allow this cat breed to exist in Germany as far as I remember.

Scottish Fold cats health problems. Beware.

Persian

The Persian cat, too, has health problems to do with extreme selective breeding where the flat face of this popular breed affects the anatomy of the cat to the point where it is detrimental to their health. There are several issues namely tear duct overflow and poor breathing.  And the Persian cat suffers from a high preponderance (35%) of polycystic kidney disease.

The Persian is popular, but people are often unaware of the extent of the health issues concerning this cat breed. If they were they might think twice.

Conclusion

My conclusion is that Ben the Vet is correct in his unwillingness to adopt cats of these breeds. Although Bengal cat followers of which there are many, might argue that he is being a little bit unfair with respect to Bengal cats because over many years of selective breeding the cat fancy has created a beautiful cat with a good character. 

They just tend to be a little bit more aggressive on occasions and certainly compared to another breed mentioned here, the Persian, which is unassuming but a bit nervous. The Bengal is more active and demands more input and consideration as to a suitable environment. So called 'environmental enrichment' is more of an issue for Bengals.

Are Persian Cats Healthy?

Postscript: Ben also makes it clear that if an individual cat of one of these cat breeds was available at a rescue centre, he would not be against adopting that animal. It is just about purchasing a purebred cat of one of these breeds from a breeder. That is a different matter because you are adding to the sum total of domestic cats when there are already unwanted cats in rescue centres.

Cornish Rex vs Devon Rex

In this article I compare the Cornish Rex with the Devon Rex and the lesser-known Selkirk Rex. I have included the Selkirk Rex as I consider these three the core Rex cats in the cat fancy. I also believe that you will find that the Devon Rex is the best known and most popular followed by the Cornish and then the Selkirk Rex.

You can make a choice: (1) stay on this page to see a comparison in photographs by the celebrated Helmi Flick, one of the world's best cat photographers together with a summary of the differences or (2) go to a full-blown description of each cat breed:

1. Cornish Rex
2. Devon Rex
3. Selkirk Rex

There is also a Selkirk Rex longhair. All Rex cats have curly hair. That is what makes them Rex cats. The whiskers are brittle and break.

Photos strictly copyright Helmi Flick - violations reported to Google (DMCA)

Overviews

Cornish Rex - This cat has a greyhound-like body conformation. The hair is "marcelled" - wavy or rippled to you and me. The ears are huge and the head small and egg-shaped. This is an unusual looking cat and completely different in general appearance to the Devon Rex. This breed dates from 1950 in Cornwall, England, UK. A farm cat produced a litter of kittens, one of which was to become the founder of this breed: Kallibunker. The breed was exported to the USA in 1957 in a pregnant Cornish Rex cat whose two kittens founded the breed in America. In cat fancy terms the body is "oriental" in conformation (slender). The tummy is tucked in like a greyhound. This cat is medium sized and slim and comes in a wide range of colors and patterns. The cat in the picture is a bicolor black and white. Temperament: active, talkative.

Devon Rex - Pixie faced cat of considerable charm. Wavy hair and bat sized ears! A sweet little charmer. This breed dates from 1960 in Devon, England, UK. Devon is adjacent to Cornwall in the south west of England. It is a place of farms, retired people and tourists. The breed was imported into the USA in 1968. This cat has large eyes, set wide apart. There are prominent cheek bones and huge ears. This is a slender cat "semi-foreign" type. As for the Cornish Rex the rexed coat is due to a genetic mutation. This cat breed has a wide range of colors and types. The hair can be sparse, which is normal and due apparently to hormonal changes. Temperament: kleptomaniac! Friendly, charming and easygoing.

Selkirk Rex - "Cat in sheep's clothing", is the well-used description. This cat certainly does have the appearance of a sheep. This breed dates from 1987 in the United States (Wyoming shelter cat). The genetic mutation is dominant. Wide range of colors and patterns. This cat is much stockier in appearance - called "semi-cobby" than the other two. The head is round and the ears normal sized. They have a similar structural appearance to the British Shorthair or perhaps traditional Persian. You could say that the Selkirk is less extreme in appearance than the Cornish and Devon Rex cats.  The fur is thick but made up of loose individual curls. There is a shaggy look to the coat, which is soft and dense. Temperament: gentle, loyal and sweet

Hope this helps....

Havana Brown: Real Name Angelique Meunier

Angelique Meunier, an Australian celebrity singer/dancer took the name of a cat for her stage name. She must have hijacked the name of a fairly rare purebred pedigree cat, the Havana Brown, which is the name of a chocolate coloured fine looking cat breed. The origin of the name is unclear. It ultimately has its origin in Havana cigars and has been linked with Swiss chocolate or a rabbit!

I don't know of any other celebrity who has taken the name of a cat! It is quite neat in one way but I guess only a few people know it is the name of a cat.

I am slightly peeved because when you Google "Havana Brown" you are presented with a pile of information about this female celebrity. You have to add "cat" to the search. 

There are many examples of the names of wild cats being used by people. Tiger Woods, the golfer, is the standout example but many teams also use wild cat names such as "cougar" and "lion" etc.

It is a shame that none of this translates to better cat welfare.

The picture of the cat is by Rikki's Refuge on Flickr

Timeline of Cat Breeds

Photo of Abyssinian cat copyright Helmi Flick

Here is a timeline of cat breeds. The breeds are in alphabetical order and the place of origin is specified. You will see variations on dates and place on the internet and even on this site because the origins of cat breeds is not always clear. Also the word "origin" can be interpreted in different ways. On occasions you will also get some variation in the name of cat breeds. This is not necessarily a complete list but it is a good list. Please go to this page: Pictures of Cat Breeds and follow links for much more on these breeds.

Abyssinian - Ethiopia - 1860s
Alaskan Snow Cat (Snow Cat) - USA - 1990s
American Bobtail - USA - 1960s
American Curl - USA - 1981
American Lynx - USA - 1980s
American Shorthair - USA - 1900 as "Domestic Shorthair" and then 1966
American Wirehair - USA - 1966
Australian - Australia - 1946
Australian Curl - Australia - 1996
Balinese - USA - 1940s
Bengal - USA - 1963
Birman - Burma - uncertain
Bohemian Rex - Czech Republic - 1994
Bombay - USA - 1958
British Angora - UK - 1960s
British Shorthair - UK - 1870s
Bristol - 1970s
Burmese - Thailand - 1350-1767
Burmilla - UK - 1981
California Rex - USA - 1959
California Spangled - USA - 1971
Celonese - Sri Lanka - 1984
Chartreux - France - 14th century
Chantilly - USA - 1967
Chausie - USA - 1995 (I say 1960s)
Chinese Lop - China - 1796
Colourpoint British Shorthair - UK - 1980s
Colourpoint European Shorthair - Italy - 1982
Colourpoint Shorthair - UK - 1947
Cornish Rex - UK - 1950
Cymric - Canada - 1960s
Devon Rex - UK - 1960s
Don Sphynx - Russia - 1987
Dutch Rex - Netherlands - 1969
Egyptian Mau - Egypt - ancient and 1953 in Europe
European Shorthair - Italy - 1982
Exotic Shorthair - USA - 1966
French Sphynx - France - 1960s
German Rex - Germany - 1946
Havana Brown - UK - 1951
Himalayan - USA/UK - 1950s/1920s
Italian Rex - Italy - 1950
Japanese Bobtail - Japan - 5th - 10th century
Javanese - USA/UK - 1960s
Karakul - USA - 1930s
Karelian Bobtail - Russia - 1990s (uncertain)
Kashmir - UK - 1950s
Korat - Thailand - 1350-1767
Kurilian Bobtail - Russia - 1990s (uncertain)
LaPerm - USA - 1986
Longhair Exotic - USA - 1990s
Longhair Fold - UK - 1980s
Longhair Japanese Bobtail - Japan - 1954
Maine Coon - USA - 1860s
Manx - UK - before 1700s
Marbled Mist - Australia - 1997
Malay Cat - Malaya Peninsula - 1881
Malayan - USA - 1980
Mei Toi - USA - 1994
Mexican Hairless - USA - 1902
Missouri Rex - USA - 1990s
Munchkin - USA - 1983
Nebelung - USA - 1990s
Norwegian Forest Cat - Norway - 1930s
Ocicat - USA - 1964
Ohio Rex - USA - 1959
Oriental Shorthair - UK - 1950s
Persian (modern) - USA - 1950s
Persian (original) - UK - 1800s
Peterbald - Russia - 1994
Pixie-bob - USA - 1980s
Poodle Cat - Germany - 1994
Prussian Rex - East Prussia - 1930s
RagaMuffin - USA - 1994
Ragdoll - USA - 1960s
Renegade - USA - 1997
Rexed Maine Coon - UK - 1988
Russian Blue - Russia - pre-1800s
Russian Hairless - Russia - 1987
Safari  Cat - USA - 1970s
Savannah - USA - 1986
Scottish Fold - UK - 1961
Selkirk Rex - USA - 1987
Serengeti - USA - 1994
Seychellois - UK - 1984
Siamese - Thailand - ancient - shown late 1800s in England
Siberian - Russia - 1980s
Si-Rex - USA - 1986
Singapura - uncertain (Singapore/USA) - 1971
Snowshoe - USA - 1960s
Sokoke - Kenya - 1977
Somali - USA/Canada - 1967
Sphynx - Canada - 1966
Spotted Mist - Australia - 1976
Suqutranese - UK - 1990
Thai-Bobtail - Russia - 1990s?
Tiffanie - UK - 1980s
Tiffany - USA - 1967
Tonkinese - USA - 1950s
Toy-Bobtail - Russia - 1986
Turkish Angora - Turkey - 1400s
Turkish Van - Turkey - pre-1800s
Ural Rex - Russia - 1991
Ussuri - Russia - 1990s
Victoria Rex - UK - 1972
Wild Abyssinian - Singapore - 1980s
York Chocolate - USA - 1983

Sources:

• Myself
• Robinson's Genetics (primary)
• Encyclopedia of the Cat
• Legacy of the Cat

Singapura Cat Picture

The amazingly large eyes in relation to the head size is a bit surprising in this excellent Singapura cat picture by Sakura Ishihara on Flickr. The picture is titled:

シンガプーラのジジちゃん in Japanese (I think!). Sakura is a cat photographer.

Singapura cat

I actually took the extreme liberty to adjust the photograph; fading the edges away a bit and darkening the highlights a bit too.

I have never seen a domestic cat with such large eyes in relation to head size before. With respect to the breeder, it looks a little exaggerated. I am not sure if there are health issues.

You can see an American show cat photograph by the professional cat photographer Helmi Flick on this page and a lot of detail about this cat breed, the smallest cat breed, on this page.

The history of the Singapura is clouded in mystery and a bit scandalous. No that is too strong a word but the big question is: is this cat breed "manufactured" (hybrid selective breeding etc.) or was it discovered in the drains of Singapore? The Singapura is quite a rare cat breed.

Sphynx Cat versus Don Sphynx Cat

Overview

I am writing about two fairly rare cats here. I would expect that there are not that many people within the entire cat keeping population who keep either of these cat breeds. Of the two, the Sphynx is the better known. In fact you will find that the Don Sphynx is not mentioned in most of the books that you can buy in the West about cat breeds. If an author of a book about cat breeds writes about hairless cats, it is the Sphynx that is featured.

One reason for this is that the history of the Sphynx is part of the history of North America, while the Don Sphynx is Russian. Although there is a lively cat fancy in Russia, the largest cat fancy and largest domestic cat market place is North America. Therefore cats get discussed more in North America. Also more books about cats are written in English and therefore more widely circulated. Accordingly the Sphynx becomes better known. Although in Russia, a somewhat closed-off society still in 2012, no doubt the Don Sphynx is what people first think of when they think of a hairless cat.

Appearance

Straight off, you probably would not see a difference between the Sphynx and Don Sphynx. I struggle to find real differences. My personal view is that a person thinking about adopting a hairless cat need not be overly concerned with the fine differences in appearance between these two cat breeds.

Referring to the breed standards tells us that they are very similar. The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), in the general section of their breed standard, says that this is a medium sized hairless cat that is warm to touch with a skin texture that is "soft peach or smooth nectarine". They say the cat is "sweet tempered and amenable to handling" and has "surprising weight for its size".

In America, TICA recognise the Don Sphynx (AKA "Donsky", another name for the breed) under preliminary new breeds .  They have a breed standard. However, I'll refer to the general description of the breed standard of FIFe, which is a European cat association. The author says that, "The Don Sphynx is a solid cat, soft and warm to the touch. The specific feature is hairlessness".

As I said there is almost nothing to tell them apart in general. Note: the hairless coat of the Donsky takes four forms. "All but one results in hairlessness". So one version is not hairless. You will find that hairlessness in cats does vary. It is the same with the Rex cats which also have a mutation that affects the coat. However, I am sure your breeder will ensure that you cat is hairless as demanded in the breed standard.

History

As mentioned, the cats' history is the real difference but one that is not hugely relevant. The Don Sphynx is essentially Russian and the Sphynx North American. The history of the Sphynx is a bit confused so I want go over it in detail here. Suffice to say that the Sphynx is a selectively breed cat that started life as a mutated random bred cat discovered in Minnesota, America in 1975 and in Canada in 1966 and 1978 (source: Legacy of the Cat). The mutation that causes hairlessness in cats is not that unusual as can be seen. It just so happened that a breeder decided to create a cat breed from that mutation. 

The Don Sphynx has a similar history but in a different part of the world; a mutated random bred cat was picked up by a breeder in Rostov-on-Don in Russia in 1987. Rostov-on-Don is in western Russia near Europe. In fact that part of Russia is considered European.

Genetics 

This is another major area of difference between these cat breeds. A recessive gene causes the hairlessness in the Sphynx while it is a dominant gene in the Donsky. That should make breeding easier for the Don Sphynx and there should be more hairless cats of Don Sphynx type roaming around Russia.

However, I don't think the genetic reasons for the hairlessness are of importance to people who wish to adopt a cat. The genetics of a cat (its "genotype") is the concern of cat breeders not cat caretakers.

Ragdoll Profile Picture

Perfect profile, a photo by fofurasfelinas on Flickr.

This is a nice profile photograph of a beautiful Ragdoll cat. The photograph was taken by Giane Portail AKA fofurasfelinas (on Flickr). The picture is protected by copyright. The Ragdoll is one of the world's most popular purebred cats. The name however is I feel a little misleading. This is a pretty normal cat! Yes, they can tend to me docile, calm and quiet but it depends a bit on the individual cat. Cats do vary in their temperaments.

The Ragdoll head should be a broad "modified wedge". The phrase in hyphens is a cat fancy term that should be dropped in my opinion. It is very strange terminology. I guess it must mean a wedge shaped head that is not entirely wedge shaped! Of course, a cat cannot have a head like a wedge. The head should be wide but in the general shape of a typical domestic cat. The contours of the head should be rounded. This echos the breed standard of the Persian, a similar breed in many ways (e.g. character). The guideline of a round head probably follows the soft nature of the character. The chin and muzzle should be well developed and rounded.

The ears of the Ragdoll should be medium-sized and broad at the base (all ears are actually). The tips of the ears should be rounded. Notice the use of the word "round" again.

The eyes should, of course be blue and large! Diamond blue eyes. Did you know that the Ragdoll has a tendency to develop a pot belly..err I mean a "fatty pad"¹ on the lower abdomen. The Egyptian Mau has what is called a "belly flap". Is that a pot belly too?

You can see the longer fur around the around the neck forming a kind of bib (low key ruff).

This individual cat is Zucca, from the RagBurt cattery. Zucca seems to be a blue pointed Ragdoll. Giane lives in Brazil so this is a Brazilian Ragdoll cat. I don't know how fancy the cat fancy is in Brazil. I should think it is well developed but we don't hear much about it.

Note: 1. Legacy of the Cat page 134.

Siberian Cat vs Maine Coon

This is a comparison between the Siberian and Maine Coon purebred cats. They look similar. People sometimes want to know the differences. The differences come from the origins of the breed, their appearance and character. However, all of these factors are somewhat elastic so it is not possible to provide a difference that is as clear cut as black is from white.

The Obvious

Forgetting the color and patterns because both cats can have a wide range of colors and patterns, what strikes you as the obvious difference in appearance?

It has to be the ears. The Maine Coon ears are larger and more pointed which with the ear tufts creates a completely different appearance to the smaller more rounded Siberian cat ears. The breed standard for ears for these breeds is (verbatim for accuracy):

•  CFA: SIBERIAN EARS: medium-large, rounded, wide at the base and tilt slightly forward. The ears should be set as much on the sides of the head as on top. The hair over the back of the ear is short and thin. From the middle of the ear, the furnishings become longer and cover the base of the ear. Ear tipping is allowed.
• CFA: MAINE COON EARS: Shape: large, well-tufted, wide at base, tapering to appear pointed. Set: approximately one ear’s width apart at the base; not flared.

Without getting too technical and becoming a hard core cat fancier, the respective breed standards tell us about the appearance of the ears,  a major difference between the Siberian cat and the Maine Coon.

Another difference that you can't see in the pictures by Helmi Flick (images are copyright protected, please note), is that the Maine Coon is larger than the Siberian. On my assessment the Maine Coon is the largest purely domestic purebred cat.

I won't quote the breed standards anymore but highlight some general differences in appearance, character and history.

Appearance

Coat: Siberian: a long thick coat with a tight undercoat. The coat is referred to as triple coated. The hairs are of similar length. Maine Coon: uneven shaggy coat is not dense or full.

Muzzle: Siberian: shorter than that of the Maine Coon. It is full and rounded. Maine Coon: broad and square muzzle.

Head: Siberian: large and impressive modified wedge. Medium in size. Maine Coon:  broad modified wedge. The head shape is similar for these cat breeds as confirmed by the photographs.

Conclusion: the Maine Coon has larger and more pointed ears with a slightly more slender face and a slightly less neat coat. It is also a larger cat. The tail in the picture is more plumed for the Maine Coon than the Siberian but this may be just an individual cat difference.

See: Siberian breed standard and Maine Coon breed standard (links to cat association standards). 

Character

Siberian: strong minded and independent and therefore likes plenty of living space. Dog-like devotion to human companion. Maine Coon: a relaxed cat and relatively easy going. The Maine Coon is not overdependent on people and good with children and other companion animals.

History

Siberian: native Russian cat. Thought of as an ancient breed. Let's say that this cat was around as a cat companion about 1000 years ago in Russia. Obviously at that time it was not thought of a breed of cat. It was a random bred cat. Maine Coon: I think that the history of the Maine Coon is more interesting but that may be because we know more about it. This is a semi-longhaired cat that originates in the state of Maine, USA. They were farm cats before becoming show cats in the mid-1800s, when the first cat shows in the USA took place. The early origins are probably in the imported long haired ship's cats from Europe that accompanied the first immigrants to America. These long haired British cats where Angoras. Angoras were probably Turkish Angoras. Turkey is near the place where the first domestication of the wild cat took place (fertile crescent).  The Maine Coon may have origins that are better connected to the absolute beginnings of the domestic cat.

Popularity

The Maine Coon is ranked the most popular (1st) on my 4,500 vote poll out of over 60 breeds. The Siberian is ranked about 21st. This may partly be because the biggest cat fancy is in America (most visitors to PoC are American) and the Maine Coon is the American cat.

Curious Ragdoll Picture

This is handsome Ramses. He has a classic, bright, blue eyed Ragdoll appearance. He looks astonished, slightly...The diamond blue eyes are a strong feature of this cat. The history of this cat breed is vague, opaque even, but the eyes are clear.

The placement of the white on the particolor point is subject to a lot of restrictions under the breed standard. In the cat fancy, "particolor" means colors and patterns that come with white.

Curious Ragdoll - Photo copyright Giane Portal.

The Ragdoll is in the top 5 most popular breeds under a long term poll of 4,500 votes that I have run. You can see why. This is a large, docile cat noted for his or her tendency to go floppy when picked up. And the coat is stunning.

Do Ragdolls really go floppy? I don't believe that - unless someone leaves a comment to the contrary. They would be better described as docile cats with even temperaments although individual cats won't even be that.

We are told that they are not interested in going outside. That is a nice quality for a concerned cat caretaker as it prevents the possibility of contracting a disease and putting himself in danger.

Associated: Comparing Ragdoll and Maine Coon

Small Girl Carries Big Cat

This is an outtake from videos made by me with video material generously provided by Kathrin Stucki of A1 Savannahs. A1 Savannahs is the premier Savannah cat breeders in the world and they are located near Ponca City, Oklahoma, USA. Oklahoma has a wide open landscape with a big sky; and a warm wind.

Leonie is Martin and Kathrin's daughter. She has grown up a bit since this video was filmed. I think she looks very cute carrying Magic, a female F1 Savannah cat, raised at A1 Savannahs who was soon, at the time of filming, to become the world's biggest domestic cat and the world's most celebrated and exotic domestic cat.

You have probably seen Andreas with Magic in the famous boy/cat relationship video also made by me with video material filmed by Kathrin.

You can see that Magic is a beautiful cat in more ways than just appearance. She has a great character. She was socialised really professionally. Being a first filial wildcat hybrid she has a lot of wild cat serval in her yet she behaves in many respects like a docile domestic cat.

In the video you see her rubbing her head against a towel. This is scent exchange. I think the towel may be impregnated with catnip as she seems very animated. She is crazy about it.

Three Valuable Savannah Kittens

A picture of three valuable Savannah kittens. I say valuable because these are special cats. They are at the very top end in terms of quality and when they grew up they no doubt went to great homes with, I hope, cat caretakers that are of equal quality!

Three classy Savannah kittens - Photo: Michael at PoC.

Anyone is free to use the picture under a creative commons license provided it is used "as is" and a link and credit given. In fact you can hot link to this image because it is a direct link from Flickr and Flickr lets you use their website as a server. This by the way is the Flickr page. These darlings where being socialised at A1 Savannahs. There were born and raised at A1 Savannahs.

You can see how the coats change. The coats of these kittens are undeveloped. The contrast has yet to develop as have the spots. Servals have deep, rich spots and the objective of the Savannah cat breeder is to mimic that. This is not the same objective as the Bengal cat breeder.

As I said, these kittens are expensive. Why is that? Well, it is hard to breed savannah cats that have a high percentage of wild cat in them. These are rare cats and keeping servals (the wild cat parent) is difficult and expensive too. Servals, though, are relatively gentle medium sized wild cats and sometimes domesticated. Personally I find them a little intimidating to be next to if they are semi-wild. There are only a few breeders who do this successfully.

The famous Magic is probably the epitome of what the Savannah cat breeder is aiming for:

Real Calvin and Hobbes Picture

This is the real life Calvin and Hobbes. If you have seen the well known video, I apologize. This is a still from an outtake of video material made with a Flip camcorder - not bad quality under the circumstances.

I don't think there is anything approaching this on the internet. It was taken some time ago but is still worth publishing. I have been meaning to do this for a while. The boy is Andreas, the son of Martin and Kathrin Stucki and the cat is the famous, Magic, at one time the Guinness World Record largest domestic cat and a female F1 Savannah cat. They had a great relationship as is clear from this picture and the videos. Both Andreas and Magic were raised by Martin and Kathrin at A1 Savannahs, Ponca City, OK, USA.

Calvin and Hobbes: Fiction and Reality. Montage: Michael at PoC.

If anyone wants to use this montage they can but please link back to this page and provide a credit: "Montage by Michael at Pictures-of-cats.org (PoC)".  I don't expect anyone will! You will also have to justify publishing the cover of the book as has Wikipedia. I have adopted their arguments.

Note: I adopt the arguments of the Wikipedia authors in justifying the publication of the Calvin and Hobbes book cover in the illustration above. The real Calvin and Hobbes picture is taken from a Flip camcorder video by Kathrin Stucki of A1 Savannahs, Ponca City, Oklahoma, USA.

A bit about Calvin and Hobbes: Calvin is the precocious 6 year old boy and Hobbes the tiger. To Calvin, Hobbes is alive and humanized (here goes..anthropomorphized..). To other people Hobbes is simply a stuffed tiger. I guess imagination can take you there. And it gave the author and artist, Bill Watterson a medium through which he expressed some of his principled ideas.

Calvin had alter egos. In his mind he was someone else.  His parents were standard, middle of the road, middle class Americans; a foil against the exotic Calvin.

Bill Watterson was a bored and frustrated advertising executive. His mind took flight and he had the courage to get out and create the now famous Calvin and Hobbes. It was a tough road at the beginning it seems as his work was first rejected. Isn't it always that way?

Kitten Stare

Kitten Stare, a photo by broadsurf on Flickr.

Gorgeous F2 Savannah kitten playing at home. He is being socialised. He has a very intense stare. Perhaps this is the look of a wild cat hybrid.

"F2" means second generation from the wild cat serval. So there is quite a bit of serval in this little charmer. I had lots of fun photographing these kittens. They were very inquisitive and active. What else?

The photograph was taken at the home of Martin and Kathrin Stucki owners of A1 Savannahs. The kittens are socialised at their home. He is playing on one of the chairs. This was a very nice chair. One thing about this chair that we all recognised was dangerous was that it was a recliner and one or perhaps two of the kittens had a habit of crawling into the mechanism space under the sofa. That could prove very dangerous so it was locked into a static position as I recall. This eliminated the danger. This is the kind of thing you have to watch out for when kittens are growing up.

The original picture is in colour but I like it in black and white for some reason. See more Savannah cats and detailed information.

Picture of Sad Siamese and Sleepy Persian

This little collage of two purebred cats These cats represent the extremes.

Sad Siamese - Sleepy Persian

It is odd looking at them and to think that they are domestic cats. You can see that this a due to selective breeding. In the wild you do not see this sort of variation.

The top cat is a modern Siamese and the bottom an ultra typed Persian (contemporary Persian).

Ugly Cat Picture

The ugly cat picture is one of the many internet cults along the lines of the cheeseburger LOL pics. Many people like them but the cult is dying. Personally I don't like them. Sorry to be a killjoy. I just see either a sick cat, or a wet cat or a photoshopped cat or a badly bred cat with no future.

Uglly cat Yoda. Image in public domain

I don't know a thing about Yoda except this: he is bloody ugly. But what a shame. Someone created him. Shame on them. I feel sorry for Yoda. Although he does not feel sorry for himself as ugliness is a human concept. He appears to be a cat breeding nightmare mistake as nearly all ugly cats are. Read on please....

The first picture looks like a modern Siamese cat or an Oriental Shorthair that is patently overbred even for a cat that is already overdone:

Ugly cat? Yes, and because of misplaced selective breeding. Think of the cat. 

Above: I am not sure I would call this cat an ugly cat, actually. More a sad cat. Breeders like to breed large ears and an oriental style face (long). This fella has a very bony long face that looks artificial and the ears are horribly unnatural.

Ugly cat or sick cat?

The cat immediately above looks like a poorly bred orange tabby Exotic Shorthair with tear duct overflow and jaw misalignment. This is a cat that suffers because of irresponsible breeding and to call the cat ugly is unfair. Apparently deformities of the jaw or teeth are a hazard in breeding the Exotic Shorthair. I mention that on this page: Tabby and White Exotic Shorthair Cat. The picture below is another horrible mess of an attempt to breed a flat faced cat, probably the modern Persian. Madness. We don't see these failed attempts do we?

Badly bred Persian with jaw misalignment and tear duct overflow and more I suspect. A mess.

Ugly cat - yes I agree

Looks like a hairless cat that went wrong. Picture in public domain

The 4th and 5th of this fivesome are genuinely ugly. The 4th one is a very peculiar looking cat. The picture looks genuine. There are elements of the face that indicates that this cat is meant to be a Sphynx or a Peterbald (with a brush coat). But who knows? This cat could just be one of those anomalies. The hair is very thin so it might be hairless on a seasonal basis. He appears to have been in a fight as he has a scar on the nose. I could say the same about the 5th and last cat. A mess of a human creation. Botchy humans at the cat's expense.

Picture of Ragdoll Cat at a Cat Show

Cat show cat - Photo Tomi Tapio

The photographer says "very nice nose". And I agree. I think this is a purebred Ragdoll show cat with, yes, a really nice nose. We shouldn't get too excited about a nose though! That said show cats are all about appearance so noses and all the other elements of a cat's physical appearance are important. This cat seems to be a blue pointed Ragdoll. This is a large semi-long haired cat with a laid back character. Back to the nose: I can think of a similar cat that has a nose that is much less attractive: the flat-faced Persian (ultra typed Persian). The picture below shows you what I mean:

Ugly nose? Photo protected by copyright.

How did breeders decide that the appearance of this overbred Persian was attractive? This was created deliberately. Come of ladies, let's go back to a nice nose...!

Ragdoll Cat Picture

I chose this superb Ragdoll cat picture by the celebrated Helmi Flick because I think this individual cat has all the physical attributes of this very popular cat breed. The Raggie, as it is fondly called, is certainly in the top ten most popular cat breeds. I say it is the 5th most popular in fact. He looks like a chocolate point bicolor Ragdoll to me. One reason why they are popular is because they are large. I would say that this cat is the second largest cat breed after the Maine Coon that is registered by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA). The Ragdoll is a pointed semi-longhaired cat. They are said to become limp when picked up. I don't believe it. Please leave a comment if your Raggie does! The history of the origin of this breed is probably the most confusing and opaque of all the cat breeds thanks to the creator, Ann Baker. You will find several different versions! The whole thing is compounded by the history of a "spin-off" breed, the RagaMuffin. Ragdoll breeders became disenchanted with Ann Baker's behavior and franchising system and formed their own group breeding a similar cat, the RagaMuffin whose history is equally confusing. Read more about the Ragdoll and RagaMuffin is you like.

Cat History in Pictures

A series of pictures and accompanying words that describe some milestones in the history of the cat. We have to start at the beginning, which is the era when the cat did not exist on the planet. Of course, the first cats were wildcats and it stayed that way for millions of years until relatively recently.

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This first cat history picture shows the complete development from the animal that was the precursor to the cat, the Miacid, to a highly selectively bred purebred cat in this case a Snowshoe cat - but it could be anyone of the well established cat breeds in the picture.

The time frame from the bottom picture to the top picture is about 60,000,000 years (60m or 60 Ma).

It is believed that the genus Felis (Felis lunensis - Martelli's Cat) appeared about 12 million years ago. 2.4 million years ago the ancestor to the European wild cat appeared.

The Near-eastern wildcat or African wildcat was first domesticated about 9,500 years ago we think so you can see how relatively recent the domestic cat is. Read more on domestic cat history.

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The earliest recorded lion fossil is dated about 3.5 million years ago. The picture, left is of a lion in cave paintings from the Palaeolithic period (2.6 million years ago - 10,000 years ago).

However, the history of the big cats is not certain. It is thought by some that the lion appeared in African about 1 million years ago.

Jaguars roamed over Europe about 1.64 million years ago. See history of the big cats.

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Jumping forward to relatively modern times, the picture left shows the domestic cat in Ancient Egyptian times 1400 BC - almost 3,500 years ago.

The picture shows a slice of cat history. It appears to be of a domesticated or semi-domesticated cat, the precursor of today's Egyptian Mau purebred cat, catching a bird. It appears that the cat was trained by the person in the picture to do this. Cheetahs were also trained to hunt (16th century)

The Ancient Egyptians had a long and close relationship with the domestic cat and worshiped the cat at one time for a period of 2,000 years. The cat was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, which includes the Nile delta in Egypt.

Above : picture of a statue of the goddess Bastet from the temple of Queen Berenice, who was the wife of King Ptolemy III (246-222 BC). Location: Alexandria, Egypt. See post.

Bastet festivals were popular until about AD 390. People made sacrifices to the god. Cats were killed for the purpose. Were the Egyptians truly cat lovers?

It seems not. See Egyptian cat art.

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Moving to modern times, cat history now is more about the development of the cat fancy and the cat breeds.

The picture left is of a champion purebred show cat, CHAMPION FULMER ZAIDA,  of 1902. The cat fancy started not long before that in the late 1800s in England, UK. See Persian cat history. Development of new breeds has now, 2012, all but stopped.

However, the most pressing aspect of cat history for us today (2012) is not about the domestic cat but the wild cats and pressingly the demise of the tiger in the wild.

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The tiger is heading for extinction and quite rapidly as the human population expands equally rapidly.

The extinction of the tiger (and the other wildcat species) began in earnest in the mid 1800s to early 1900s when they were shot for sport or skins. Poaching of the now rare tiger for tiger body parts to supply the Chinese medicine market (see e.g. tiger bone) continues today and is the biggest threat together with habitat loss. Ironically, as the tiger becomes rarer its bones become more precious to the commercial market and thus it is more likely to be shot or poisoned and dissected for its body parts.

At that time artists had the habit of anthropomorphizing the wildcats in drawings. See Tiger for a lot more.

York Chocolate Cat Picture

A York Chocolate cat picture will be a rare picture. And even when you have found a picture entitled, "York Chocolate" you might not be looking at a York Chocolate or at least a pedigree cat or purebred cat. The fact that I have used a Wikimedia image, albeit cleaned up, is indicative of the fact this is a rare cat breed. It is also a cat breed that has its origins in random bred cats (as have many others). But as this is a cat of nicely moderate appearance, and as you will see random bred cats that look similar, you will of necessity bump into cats that are claimed to be York Chocolates but which are not. They will be handsome chocolate colored, fine semi-long haired cats but not purebred cats. That does not make them lesser cats, however. Also the Tiffany looks similar to this cat.

The colors are not confined to dark chocolate as they also include: white and chocolate (bicolor), solid lilac and lilac and white (bicolor). One cat association, the Canadian Cat Association (CCA) at 2012, recognise this cat breed at championship status (the highest form of recognition). The biggest registries are yet to recognise this newish cat breed. Read more if you wish...

Turkish Van Cat Picture

A super glamorous Turkish Van cat in a Helmi Flick special picture. Helmi is one of today's leading cat photographers, probably the best. When we think of the Turkish Van we think of the classic van coat pattern, which is the inverted "V" on the forehead and the colored tail. The cat in the Helmi picture is a calico  - three colors: orange, white and black - with the non-white areas exactly as they should be for this cat breed. This is a very special cat, I think. We also think about water or at least I do because I see so many websites saying that this cat likes swimming and loves water etc. This enhances the breed's history as this breed ostensibly comes from the Lake Van region, which is in Eastern Turkey. Personally (forgive me), I think it is pure fiction to dress up a cat breed that does not need dressing up by saying that the cat likes swimming. Some cats like water, some don't and some are in between. It is about individual cats although we can say that wildcat hybrids have an affinity for water because their wildcat ancestors do. That makes sense.

Here is another piece of Turkish Van history. This cat breed is not that common in Turkey (where it is probably not a cat breed but a random bred cat) because they prefer all white cats with odd-eye color. That describes the Turkish Angora (see picture right) This preference came about because the founder of modern Turkey declared, in 1923, that his successor would be bitten on their ankle by an odd-eyed white cat! Believe that?! Read and see more...