Show Cats – Beautiful, Special, and Rare

Posted by Jeanne on January 30, 2009

Show standards are quite specific on the general conformation of cats, but may become complex and variable, depending on the association consulted or the fashion from year to year, with regard to coloration and marking.

What makes show cats beautiful, special, and rare is the fact that attractions like long hair or unusual coat and eye colors are, biologically speaking, recessive characteristics. They are cultivated by patient and careful breeding, until all vestiges of tabby markings, say, are gone from the Siamese and disfiguring, off-color splotches are eliminated from pure white, black, blue, and so on.

Just how delicate this balance is and just how recessive a recessive characteristic can be has been proved time and again by the mating – accidental, of course – of a fancy-shmancy with a common cat who has no style but is bulging with gross, salt-of-the-earth, dominant characteristics. The kittens invariably come up plain cat, with tiger stripes and yellow eyes, and no faint trace of grand lineage in any feature.

The mating of two common cats is equally unpredictable. Often as not, a pair of attractively marked parents will produce babies with random spots and blotches – black eyes, striped noses, and so forth – that are most unbecoming. The same may be true of size and shape. A compact, neatly built mother cat may find her youngsters growing up to be thin-shanked, lean-bodied critters with no family resemblance at all.

If the owner likes cats impartially this will be no problem. Certainly it has never troubled cats. They are not self-conscious about aesthetic defects; none has ever felt out of place at a social gathering.

As a matter of fact, cats of all breeds always try to look as presentable as circumstances allow and seem to have an eye for tasteful backgrounds – white bedspreads, red chairs, bouquets of flowers – which set them off to advantage. There may be other, simpler reasons for it, but there is no denying that cats have a sense of the dramatic. Every cat, whether a purebred Persian lolling on a silken pillow or a nameless waif resting beside an alley trash can, looks as though she expected to be looked at and, better still, admired.

Burmese – an Athletic and Playful Cat

Posted by Jeanne on January 23, 2009

The Thai word for Burmese means fortunate, beautiful, and splendid appearance. The Burmese breed of domesticated cats is split into two subgroups: the American Burmese and the British Burmese. Most cat registries do not recognize a split between the two groups, but those that do formally refer to the type developed by British cat breeders as the European Burmese.

Originally, Burmese cats were exclusively brown (sable), but years of selective breeding have produced a wide variety of colors. Different associations have different rules about which of these count as Burmese. Burmese cats are known for being sociable and friendly with humans, as well as intelligent. They are very vocal and often call to their owners.

The Burmese is considered a foreign shorthair in the United States. Accepted eye color for the breed is gold or yellow, although interbreeding with Siamese may lead to blue or green. Blue eyes or teal (“aqua”) eyes are genetically impossible in a pure Burmese cat. The coat is known for being glossy, with a satin-like finish. As with most short-hairs, it requires no additional grooming. The shape of the British breed is more moderate but must not be Oriental, while the American breed is sturdier in build. Longer lived than most pedigree cats, they often reach 16 to 18 years of age.

Burmese are vocal like the Siamese but have softer, sweeter meows. They are people oriented, forming strong bonds with their owners, gravitating toward all human activity. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) breed information on the Burmese implies that all survival instinct of flight or fight seems to have been bred out of them. However, other sources note that, while rarely aggressive with humans, Burmese cats tend to be able to defend themselves quite well against other cats, even those larger than themselves.

Burmese maintain kitten interests and energy throughout their adulthood and are very athletic and playful. In some instances they even retrieve items as part of a game.