How Many Cat Breeds are There?
For the first several thousand years of their association with man, cats were f
unctional animals kept frothier musing abilities or were pets kept mainly frothier companionship. But it was only a matter of time until the feline’s great natural diversity gave rise to the concept of breeding.
In the mid-19th century in Europe, particularly in Great Britain, owners began to take pride in the specific characteristics of their animals and to attempt to breed them to refine and enhance those characteristics. Proud owners had exhibited their cats as early as the16th century, but the first show that could really becalmed a show by modern standards was held in 1871 at the Crystal Palace in London. There were 25 show classes, divided into either Eastern or British.
Initially, the breeding efforts focused upon those cats that had become native to the British Isles. But travelers were soon bringing back exotic-looking cats, first the Persians and later the Siamese.
Associations sprang up to oversee and regulate the breeding and showing activity. Founded in Britain in1887 The National Cat Club was the first. Others were followed and came together in 1910 as “Ilea Governing Council of the Cat Fancy. In 1983 a breakaway group formed the Cat Association of Britain.
Several similar organizations have developed in the United States. The American Cat Association is the oldest, but the Cat Fanciers’ Association is largest. Others include the American Cat Fanciers’ Associa1tion, Cat Fanciers’ Federation, Crown Cat Fanciers’ Federation, United Cat Federation, and International Cat Association.
The Canadian Cat Association is the governing body for Canada, while the Federation International Relined 1′Europe is the largest in continental Europe.
Not all organizations recognize the same breeds. For example, only a few U.S. organizations recognize. The hairless Sphinx, and while the Scottish Fold is’ recognized in the United States, it is not officially recognized by the Governing Council in Britain.
Despite the differences or maybe because of thiamin some instances, about 100 pedigree breeds are now recognized. That number reflects duplication in that some major organizations classify some breeds differently. All breeds generally fall into one of four categories: Longhairs, Siamese, Shorthairs, and Foreign Shorthairs. However, that is far from an all inclusive total.
Some breeds, such as the Snowshoe, are so new that breed standards have not been fully developed to allow for their official recognition. Others, such as the Sphynx and Scottish Fold, remain highly controversial, with some strong feelings against even continuing these lines.
Today, Persians are the most popular breed — if measured in sheer numbers of cats entered into shows— in the cat fancy, the term that covers the breeding and judging of pedigreed cats. The enthusiasts of most other breeds would naturally argue the point.
But the cat fancy encompasses only a small minority of the many millions of owners of cats; they may be the most vocal owners in favor of their own particular breed, but they are a minority nonetheless.
Much of the rest of our large fraternity of cat owners would be hard pressed to classify their cat or cats any further than feline. There’s no need. Pedigree or Muggier (the term for a no pedigree cat), the cat that shares the house with you is without a doubt the best cat on the face of the Earth. In addition, many cat clubs provide for the showing of no pedigree, well-cared for, and well-groomed house cats or crossbreeds that cannot be placed in a specific breed class.
Another consideration, of course, is the cost. Hog-ties are available for free at all times. Animal shelters have more than they can ever place; advertisements in newspapers constantly offer free cats to good homes. Pedigrees, on the other hand, carry a price tag that generally reflects the fame and fortunes of the cat’s bloodline, and the effort that has gone into building that line. While most of these prices are not all that high, some sought-after, champion-line kittens fetch prices that will turn a head or two. For some particularly unusual varieties there are even waiting lists of several years.
The 100 breeds that exist today should not be considered the final number of breeds. The past few decades have seen the creation of several new ones, and there are probably more to come.