List of cat breeds
- 6.1 European organizations
- 6.2 American Organizations
- 6.3 Miscellaneous
Development of cat breeds
The majority of currently existing breeds derived exclusively from European, Oriental and Asian domestic cats. As the oldest planned bred cat breed is the Persian cat. Another very old breed is the Siamese cat. The origin of the long-haired mutation of the long-haired breeds is probably in the Middle East ( Turkish Angora, Turkish Van ). Recent research on the genome of the cat, however, have shown that, for example, in the genome of present-day Persian dominate, the genes of the domestic cat of European origin; may indicate that the influence was also at the beginning of scheduled cat breeds existing in England Russian long-haired cats on the evolving Persian breed larger than previously thought. From the mid-20th century, the cat breed developed rapidly, and other regional types have evolved into separate races and brought to recognition. Some breeds created by splitting a race, others by crossbreeding. Even cats with mutations caused by unusual physical features were founders of new breeds.
Very recently, also in small cat species were from the genera of Bengal and the caracal group crossed with domestic cats to produce new breeds. From this emerged and created hybrid breeds such as Bengal or Savannah.
The trend towards the creation of ever new breeds is unbroken. Especially American breeders are very keen to experiment. Each new breed must be recognized by the felinologischen umbrella organizations. Not all newer breeds are already recognized in all federations.
Systematics of cat breeds
The cattery has a number of different cat breeds brought forth, who see each other, however, significantly more similar than different breeds. In contrast to the working dog, whose duties are different in nature ( Hatz or greyhound, badger and fox dog, herding dog, pointing dog, bear hunting ), the cat always had only two tasks, namely keeping out mice of the human environment and the use of as a pet. Therefore, also revealed no need for different breeds.
Cat breeds are traditionally divided into short hair, long hair and semi- longhair breeds, with only the Persian cat and its color variants is attributed to the long-haired, all other more or less long-haired breeds, however, the semi-long hair. Genetically speaking, there is only short-or long hair ( recessive gene l [ small " L" ] ).
On race cat shows further subdivisions are often made. Thus, the long-haired Maine Coon natural breeds, Norwegian Forest Cat and Siberian cat are grouped under the generic term " Forest Cat ".
Crossing Boundaries
Extreme varieties can have negative effects on the health of the animals, which leads in some cases that this under animal protection legal aspects ( § 11b of the German animal protection law ) are questionable. As examples may be mentioned here in white cats often occurring deafness; as well as the the " racial characteristic " constructed mutations of tail ( Manx ), Kurzschwänzigkeit (the various Bobtails ), folded ( Fold ) or crimped ( Curl ) ears, hairlessness ( Sphynx ) and the shortening of the limbs ( Munchkin ) or the facial skull ( brachycephaly ) in extreme varieties of Persian cat. The published on 2 June 1999 on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture opinion on the interpretation of § 11b Animal Welfare Act (prohibition of torture breeds ) lists those features and races.