What Breed is My Cat?
This is a very popular question among cat people. Many people even believe that every animal must be some sort of breed. We all want to label our special friend as a certain breed. The truth is, most cats do not belong to any breed but are simply domestic random-bred cats. Breedlist.com says: "According to the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), fewer than 3% of all owned cats worldwide are pedigreed. Note that they say 'owned'. This does not count for the millions of homeless stray and feral domestic cats worldwide. If these estimates were factored in, fewer than 1% of all domestic cats are the result of a purebred breeding program."
The main thing people need to realize is that there is a big difference between breeds and traits. Breedlist.com says it best: "A particular breed of cat may almost always have a particular trait, but not every cat with that trait is a member of that breed. For example, the trait of solid blue coloration is common to four breeds: Korat, Russian Blue, Chartreux, and British Shorthair. However, these four breeds are very, very different from one another -- in body type, boning, facial structure, eye shape and color, and general conformation. They are also very rare breeds, particularly in the United States. . . Blue coloration is also very common in the mixed-breed cat population at large. . . In other words, more than 99% of all blue cats are from the general (non-pedigreed) cat population."
The main thing people need to realize is that there is a big difference between breeds and traits. Breedlist.com says it best: "A particular breed of cat may almost always have a particular trait, but not every cat with that trait is a member of that breed. For example, the trait of solid blue coloration is common to four breeds: Korat, Russian Blue, Chartreux, and British Shorthair. However, these four breeds are very, very different from one another -- in body type, boning, facial structure, eye shape and color, and general conformation. They are also very rare breeds, particularly in the United States. . . Blue coloration is also very common in the mixed-breed cat population at large. . . In other words, more than 99% of all blue cats are from the general (non-pedigreed) cat population."
"Breed is not about traits as much as it is about pedigree. A cat is a member of a breed because its parents were registered members of that breed. Without papers to say that a cat is a member of a breed, there is absolutely no way to say for certain that a cat is a member of a breed. The most accurate thing you can say about them is that they are a breed look-alike." You technically can't even call them a mix as there is no known parents that were purebreds. Admittedly, there are rare occasions when an undocumented cat is indeed a pedigreed, but these cats are usually of an abandoned or lost pedigreed. "One thing that's also important to note is that almost every breed of purebred cat started from domestic populations." But just because you have a cat that is not a purebred doesn't mean you can't show it. If someone is interested in showing cat, The International Cat Association has a Household Pet category for owner's to show of their babies. Go to tica.org for more information.
As you can see, the cute kitty sitting in your lap is most likely not a purebred with a pedigree. However, and most importantly, none of this is to say that that cat is less cute, beautiful, well behaved, loving, or in need of your care just because it is missing some papers and has not won a blue ribbon. As long as he still has a place in your heart and your home, why worry about a pedigree?
All quotes came from breedlist.com.
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