You might think that size wouldn't be a problem for cat fanciers or breeder. After all, most breeds of domestic cat are fairly uniform in size. Shouldn't this make creating new breeds easier? Doesn't it mean that you can cross breeds and experiement without having to consider size?
The answer to the second quesiton is yes. The answer to the first is, unfortunately, no. Unlike dog breeders, who are able to work with a wide variety of sizes, cat fanciers and breeders are very limited in design. The difference between the largest breed and the smallest breed is barely 12 pounds in weight and less than 1 foot in length. The diffference between the largest and shortest facial profiles is only 2 inches. This isn't a lot to work with in terms of developing new breeds.
This presents a problem for cat breeders that dog breeders simply do not face. If you have only one size to choose from, new breeds, or even variations on a single breed, are difficult to come by. Despite this limitation, breeders have managed to create more than fourty distinctive and recognized breeds. While this may not be as many as dog breeders have been able to create, it is still impressive given the limited variables cat fanciers have to work with.
The eyes are often said to be the windows to the soul, and the eyes of a cat gleam more than most. The romantic notion that a cat's eyes gleam because they house great power or are otherwise mystical in nature is pretty, but there's actually a very scientific explanation for the mysterious luster you found in a cat's eyes.
Cats are the most efficient gleaners of light. Their pupils can dilate to a full half-inch in width or narrow to an almost-invisible slit. Their eyes can take in as much or as little light as they require to effectively see. This trait allows them to see in almost complete darkness. Contrary to popular belief, they cannot see in absolute darkness; Even their sensitive eyes need some light to make sense of the environment. But they can see their surroundings in great detail with only the smallest bit of light.
Cats are not completely color blind, though they can see red only in the emotional sense. By which I mean red is outside their visual abilities. They also can't see orange, since orange is a combination of yellow and red. They can, however, see striking shades of blue, shades we will probably never be able to appreciate.
Felines are also a little farsighted. In fact, their depth of field is in sharpest focus between 7 and 20 feet. This is not to say that they cannot see things outside this field. They can, but they'll see it in sharper detail if it's inside that range.
Like many other breeds, the true origins of the American Curl cat remain a mystery. We do know that a stray kitten was found in California in 1981. This kitten had long silky hair and unique ears. The ears curled backward at the tips. No one really knows where this cat, called Shulamith, came from, but all modern American Curls can be traced back to her.
Shulamith gave birth to her first litter of kittens later that same year and two of the kittens inherited her unique ears. By 1983, breeders had started a breeding program designed to preserve and enhance the mysterious gene that gave these cats their curly ears.
But that may not have been enough to create a new recognized breed if it hadn't been for a man named Roy Robinson. An English feline geneticist of some renown, Robinson analyzed hundreds of kitten from dozens of litters. He determined that the gene for curly ears was an autosomal dominant gene. This meant that a cat with only a single copy of this gene would inherit the curly ears of its parents. But even this may not have been enough to establish the breed if he hadn't conclusively stated that he found no genetic defects in any of the cats he studied. In effect, the American Curl was a new breed, not a mutated or defective version of another breed.
Since Shulamith was found in North American, it's safe to say that the American Curl is native to that continent. American Curls are medium-sized cats with ears that curve up, out, and back. The pull of the ears gives the cat a naturally happy and alert expression. Even when irritated this breed looks like its smiling. The breed may have either long or short hair and may be of many different colors and patterns. You might have a black American Curl or a silver tabby. The defining characteristic is the ears, though the large, almond-shaped eyes are also quite distinctive.
American Curls are not born with curved ears. The ears will begin to curl after about 3-5 days, sometimes a little later. By 16 weeks of age, the ears have reached their final shape. Some cats will have more curl than others.
Because of the limited gene pool (a single cat, Shulamith), other cats without curled ears are bred to American Curls to maintain genetic diversity. Approximately half of these outcrosses will have curled ears and will be used in American Curl breeding programs. This outcrossing makes it difficult to develop a breed standard, which has limited the acceptance of the breed in associations around the world. You might think that a breed such as this would have a few genetic health problems, but American Curls are healthy creatures with a robust constitution.
American Curls are considered one of the friendlier breeds. They like to be with people and tend to follow family members from room to room. They tend to be good with children and adapt well to life with other animals. If you're looking for a vocal cat, the American Curl might not be for you. Instead of loud meows, these cats make soft cooing sounds. These sounds are made by both kittens and cats and full-grown cats act very much like kittens throughout their lives.
This breed is a good pet and companion animal. They are often sought out for their generous and sweet nature and are only rarely purchased as show cats.
The American Bobtail is a fairly recent breed of cat that developed from feral cats that naturally have almost no tail. Back in the 1960s, a young couple (John and Brenda Sanders, to be exact) picked up a kitten along the side of the road while driving in Arizona. This kitten had a shortened tail. When this kitten bred to the non-pedigreed cat the Sanders already had, the kittens had this same shortened tail. Charlotte Bentley and Mindi Shultz, friends of the Sanders, saw this and thought that the kittens might have some potential.
But these kittens weren't actually American Bobtails, which were not recognized around the world until 1989. The first Bobtails were born when the kittens were bred to long-haired pointed cats. Feral cats may have been the foundation stock of the American Bobtail, but they are not used in breeding programs today by reputable breeeders. However, because they are descended from wild cats, American Bobtails have very few health issues to speak of. Ask your breeder for any health problems specific to their breeding program.
The Appearance of the American Bobtail
Obviously the Bobtail has a shortened tail, the appearance of which varies from cat to cat. In fact, kittens in the same litter will have different tail lengths. This is because the genetic mutation which results in the shortened tail is a little wild. There is no way to control it and no way to breed for a specific tail length. Breed standard indicate that the tail much be at least one inch without being longer than the hock, and most American Bobtails fall within this range.
The coat of the Bobtail is either short or long and comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Any color is acceptable. It is more the short tail and the well-muscled, solid, graceful, and athletic build of this cat that is judged. But all American Bobtails require regular grooming to stay healthy and presentable. Their fur tangles easily and needs care.
These cats are medium in size with the males ranging from 12 to 16 pounds and the females ranging from 7 to 11 pounds.
The Personality of the American Bobtail
This cats are intelligent and friendly most of the time. They get along well with children and bond to their families in short order. They like attention and hate being left alone, but they're not really the kind of cat the will insist on sitting on your shoulder all day. If you're going to be away, a friend such as a dog or another cat is recommended. They tend to get along well with other animals if introduced slowly, so don't rush introductions.
These cats are neither lazy nor active. They are, in effect, both. When in motion, they're really in motion, dashing about as if being chased by whatever it is they imagine themselves being chased by. But when the American Bobtail decides it's time to laze about, nothing will move them. They're stubborn and will just lay there, often ignoring everything until they're ready to move. Still, they make wonderful and entertaining companions.
