BREEDY CATS – WHO IS SUCH?
Cats have been living with a man for more than one millennium. Domesticated cats, according to experts, themselves. At first, they simply caught mice in Egyptian granaries, and then, apparently, decided to “sacrifice” some of their independence in exchange for safety.
Pedigree cats
It was from Egypt that cats were brought to Europe, where they bred with European wild cats. Over time, this amazing animal managed to conquer the whole world.
The first “cat” standard, which has come down to our days, belongs to the pen of King of Wales Howell the Good, and dates back to 140 AD. e.
So, according to the prescription, a cat should have:
excellent hearing and eyesight
long uncut tail,
all teeth and claws
and be not “burned”, i.e., without a trace of fire on wool.
HOW THE CATS BREED
After the distribution of cats throughout the civilized world, according to natural selection, they began to acquire signs that helped them survive in a particular environment. In just a few millennia, gene mutations have performed a miracle – they created an incredible variety of these amazing animals.
Pedigree cats
The first recognition of “purebred” cats received precisely for the performance of their main functions – catching rodents. Some of the ancient rocks have survived to our time. So, the rare animals of the Asian breed Kort, lived only in monasteries, protecting ancient manuscripts from mice. Due to its isolation, this breed was unusually rare, and those few individuals found in other parts of the world go back to Thailand.
Other cats attracted attention with their unusual appearance – so in various documents you can find a description of cat breeds that appeared in the distant Middle Ages. And in the middle of the XVIII century, the first description of the famous cat breeds made by the French earl and writer George-Louis Leclerc appeared. The count divided the cats according to their appearance.
BEGINNING OF BREEDING CATS
Pedigree cats
One can argue when systematic work began on the breeding of purebred cats and on breeding new breeds. But, most likely, the first exhibitions were the start – one of them was held in England in 1871. At the beginning of the 20th century, pedigreed cats began to gain in popularity, and breeders started breeding new breeds by crossing existing ones. At the moment there are more than 400 breeds of these wonderful animals.
WHAT IS CAT BREED?
In simple terms, the breed is the characteristics of the animal that distinguish it from others and are inherited. Unlike dogs, in which variations in the definition of breeds are quite significant, in cats, the definition is mainly focused on the following signs:
