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Archive for the 'Basics' Category...

Filed under Basics, Felinest

Cat ColorsThe earliest pointed cats were Siamese, although the coloring has since spread, many people erroneously assume a pointed cat is, in fact, Siamese. Today there are a variety of breeds that display this characteristic.

Quick Education

All of the colors & patterns are based on a few basic solid colors, from there a variety of patterns & dilutions can be displayed. Today we are looking at pointed animals which don’t just come in solid colors, tabbies can be pointed too.

Pointed animals are bright cream with colored (or patterned) face, feet & tail. We stuck to the basic solid colors here.

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Published by Felinest on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Filed under Basics
Siamese Cat

Image © Abe K

Although not many people have seen one in the flesh, Siamese cats are among the most distinguishable breeds on the planet. Their sleek profile simply looks fit for a king.

Thai Natives

This breed comes from the kingdom Siam (which is now called Thailand) where they are thought to descend from sacred temple cats. They are a legendary symbol of good luck & thought to ward off evil spirits which meant their aristocratic profile only graced temples and the homes of the royalty.

An Interesting Twist

Today there are two types of the breed, one the traditional Siamese with an apple shaped head and a robust build and the modern animal with a triangular head and a lithe, slender body.
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Published by Felinest on Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

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Cat ColorsThere is a huge variety of different cat colors, so many in fact that we are sure to miss a few here & there. But we wanted to bring you some of the basics, so you’ll know just by looking what color & pattern a cat is.

Quick Education

All of the colors & patterns are based on a few basic solid colors, from there a variety of patterns & dilutions can be displayed. Today we are taking a look at bi-colored cats which always show spots of white & one other color (or pattern).

There are five basic colors, black, red, blue, cream & brown. Here are examples of each bi-colored one (one or two of them are tabby’s too).

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Published by Felinest on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

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Persian

Image from chloe delong

Perhaps one of the most widely recognized of the domestic cat breeds, Persians can be found throughout on laps the world over. Their signature coat & arresting are all part of their charm.

Unknown Native

Although this breed is named for their original country of origin, heiroglyphic references to the breed date back to 1684 BC creating questions about the exact origins of the Persian cat. These animals were prized by the Persians, held in higher regard than even spices & jewels.

An Interesting Twist

It is rather interesting that an animal from such a southern area would develop long coats. However it is thought that perhaps they migrated down from areas in the south of Siberia. The lack of concrete evidence of their origins may leave this question unanswered.
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Published by Felinest on Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

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Korat

Image from NickHodge

The Korat or Si-Sawat cat has long been a symbol of good luck & fertility to the Thai people. They are often given to brides as wedding presents to ensure a good pairing & long union.

Thai Natives

The first reference to this breed goes back to an ancient book of paintings & prose called the Cat-Book Poems (which can still be seen in the Natural Library of Bangkok). This book is thought to have been written & illustrated at some point between the mid 14th to med 18th centuries.
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Published by Felinest on Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

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Cat ColorsThe calico is not a breed of cat, but rather a coat coloration that can be found in many different breeds. However some breeds have specific guidelines as to what % of the coat may be white.

Classic Calico

This is a tri-colored pattern with definite patches of red or orange, white & black fur. These colors can be diluted to lighter variations of the same, (called dilute or pastel calico). Their colors are lightened to a cream instead of orange & blue instead of black…white hair remains the same.

Mistaken Identity

Calico’s can be mistaken for other coat patterns but they are fairly easy to identify. Their distinct spots must be of a solid color (often the color runs along the topline while the undersides are generally white). If the orange & black hairs are mixed then they aren’t calico but tortoiseshell (we’ll look at them in more depth as well).
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Published by Felinest on Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

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British Shorthair

Image from Paterples

The British Shorthair is the oldest of the native English cat breeds and one of the larger domesticated cat breeds of the world. They were officially recognized as a breed in the late 19th century.

British Natives

The ancestors of this breed came to Britain from Rome and crossed with native wild cats. Later they were bred to Persians which achieved the goal of improving their coat. This shorthair has long been prized in Britain for their physical strength and hunting prowess.
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Published by Felinest on Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

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Cat ColorsThe tabby family has four different types of coat patterns, the classic, the mackerel, the ticked and the spotted, which we will take a closer look at today. Each coat pattern comes in a brilliant array of colors and dilutions.

Spotted Tabby Cat

Spotted Tabbies have small spots that form a pattern, instead of the characteristic lines of the classic & Mackerel patterns. Spotted patterns are found naturally on most wild cats & are often found on more exotic domestic breeds.

Characteristics

All four of the tabby patterns share several characteristics that distinguish tabbies from other patterns.
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Published by Felinest on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

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Cat ColorsThere are four different types of tabby coat patterns, the classic, the spotted, the ticked and the mackerel which we will take a look at today. Each of these patterns come in a great variety of different dilutions & colors.

Mackerel Tabby Cat

Perhaps what most people think of when they think of tabbies, this pattern has characteristic vertical stripes that run parallel up & down the cats sides. The kind of look like they are wearing pinstripe suits.

Characteristics

Each different tabby pattern has its own specific characteristics, however some physical elements are native to all tabby patterns.
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Published by Felinest on Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

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Cat ColorsThere are four different types of tabby coats (who knew?), the Mackerel, the spotted, the ticked and the classic, which we will be looking at today. Each of these patterns come in a wide variety of colors and dilutions.

Classic Tabby Cat

The classic pattern has bold, dark lines, swirls and bullseye patterns. Their sides are highly decorated and they generally have thick, dark lines running down the middle of their back.

Characteristics

Although there are different types, there are several characteristics common to all tabbies.
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Published by Felinest on Wednesday, August 4th, 2010