CAT

:This article is about the domestic cat. For alternative meanings see cat (disambiguation).

Varieties of domestic cat

The list of cat breeds is quite large. Each breed has distinct features and heritage. The owners and breeders of show cats compete to see whose animal bears the closest resemblance to the "ideal" definition of the breed (see selective breeding). Due to common crossbreeding in populated areas, many cats are simply identified as belonging to the homogeneous breeds of domestic longhair and domestic shorthair, depending on their type of fur. In the United Kingdom and Australia, non-purebred cats are referred in slang as moggies. In the United States, a non-purebred cat is sometimes referred to in slang as an alley cat, even if it is not a stray.

Related Topics:
List of cat breeds - Selective breeding - Domestic longhair - Domestic shorthair - United Kingdom - Australia - Moggies - United States - Stray

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Cats come in a variety of colors and patterns. These are physical properties and should not be confused with a breed of cat.

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Household cats are divided into:

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• Domestic longhaired
• Domestic shorthaired

; Cat coat genetics can produce a variety of coat patterns; some of the most common are:

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; Bicolor cat : Also known as 'Tuxedo cat' or 'Jellicle cat' (tuxedos are mostly black with white paws/legs, bellies, chests, and possible markings on face).

Related Topics:
Bicolor cat - Tuxedo

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; Maltese cat : The former name for a blue (grey) cat.

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; Oriental cat : (not a specific breed, but any cat with an elongated slender build, almond-shaped eyes, large ears and very short sleek fur).

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; Tabby cat : Striped, with a variety of patterns. The classic pattern is the most common and consists of butterflies and bull's-eyes. The mackerel tabby is a series of vertical stripes down the cat's side (resembling the fish). This pattern broken into spots is referred to as spotted tabby.

Related Topics:
Tabby cat - Mackerel

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; Tortoiseshell and Calico : Featuring three colors mottled throughout the coat, this cat is also known as a Calimanco cat or Clouded Tiger cat, and by the nickname "tortie". A true tortoiseshell must consist of three kinds of color: a reddish color, either dark or light; white; and one other color, typically a brown, black or blue, as described by American breeder Barbara French, writing for the Cat Fanciers community {{ref|http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/tricolors.shtml}}. Calico cats are white with distinct black and red (or blue and cream in the dilute variant) spots. The Japanese refer to this pattern as mi-ke (meaning "triple fur"). Both tortoiseshell and calico cats are typically female because the coat pattern is the result of differential X chromosome inactivation in females (which, as with all normal female mammals, have two X chromosomes). Those male tortoiseshells that are created are almost always sterile. This external link {{ref|www.messybeast.com.611}} features an extensive genetic explanation for tricolor cats, and detailing the possible combinations of coloring.

Related Topics:
Tortoiseshell and Calico - Coat - X chromosome - Inactivation - Females - Mammals - Chromosomes

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