Most of the millions of cats kept as pets throughout the world will be offspring of cats that spontaneously bred with one another and are an inadvertently combined jumble of genes!
These cats go by many different names around the world, such as non-pedigrees, moggies, domestic short- or long-hair cats, street cats, etc. They can vary in coat color and pattern depending on their paternity, but they are typically the same size and shape all around the world. Cats with shorter coats will be able to handle them on their own; cats with longer coats are more likely to survive without human assistance. Cats with coats that are normally not manageable or robust (e.g., those born with thin or virtually no hair) are not likely to live without human assistance.
What is a pedigree cat?
Pedigree cat may also display breed-specific behaviour. They have been bred to have distinctive physical characteristics (for example, Siamese cats are frequently more chatty and boisterous than some moggies or other breeds). Some breeds developed independently as a result of a pool of naturally occurring genes that caused certain qualities to become inherited by all cats. The efforts of breeders have led to the breeds we know today by:
- Mating a cat with a genetic defect, such as short legs, folded ears, or no coat, with other cats to create a New breed Combining several breeds to create a new breed
- By breeding domestic cats with members of another species, a hybrid breed of cats has been produced.
Cats with pedigrees can cost a lot of money and are generally regarded as unique. However, rather than thinking of pedigree cats as “better” than non-pedigreed cats, it is best to think of them as different (moggies). A combination of the Serval and a house cat, for instance, is the Savannah (shown to the right). This suggests that one can choose their appearance or hue, and that some behavioral traits may even be more likely to show. It also suggests that there would be far fewer cats available for breeding, meaning that the “gene pool” will be much smaller. Because of the limited gene pool, problems can still arise even when the desired cat’s appearance can be practically guaranteed. Since they are more likely to be passed down to the following generation if there are illnesses or disorders in this pool, we refer to these as hereditary issues. The most well-known are included under the breeds, if relevant.
Extreme body shapes, such as very small noses or the lack of a tail, may be required by a breed’s “look” or “standard,” which may not be ideal for the cat’s health.
In our advice on cat breeds, you can find references to them. At International Cat Care, we have strong feelings regarding specific breeds where we think the cat’s welfare or health is sacrificed for a certain appearance.
Good breeding
Excellent breeders must be well knowledgeable about cats in general, their own particular breed, and any potential problems. Breeders should aim to produce healthy, sociable cats in order to prevent (or try to treat) hereditary diseases.
There are numerous breeds, and some of them require particular care and consideration, such as if they have an incredibly long coat or even no coat at all (which does not mean they are more easy to care for).
Different personalities
Breed lists frequently praise the unique characters of the various breeds. Individual variation may be as important for the majority of cats as the supposedly distinct personalities of the breeds, as personality is impacted not only by genes but also by early experiences in the life of the kitten.
But simply because breeders choose sociable, people-oriented cats to breed from, the following generations may be more people-oriented, which could produce very amiable, social cats. Additionally, it can make cats more reliant on their humans than, say, a moggie. Some cats may even develop separation anxiety (like dogs), and they may benefit from starting out as one of a pair. This may imply that these cats are a little more equipped to handle the stresses occasionally placed on them by owners seeking a little emotional support (something most cats can deal with very well).
There are also specific breed traits, such as the Siamese possibly being the talkative or boisterous breed. Of course, certain breeds require only the attention of their owners, like as the long-haired Persian whose extremely thick undercoat makes it difficult to maintain tangle-free fur. On the other hand, the Sphynx, which has almost no hair, must be bathed and cleaned to remove the oil that should have coated its skin but instead congealed on its coat. Furthermore, it needs to be shielded from the sun’s rays because it cannot resist the chilly temperature outside.
Get your schoolwork done
If you decide to have a pedigree cat as a pet, do your homework, make informed decisions, and carefully select the breeder and the kitten. See:
- Where to buy a kitten or cat choosing a grown cat choosing a kitten
- Whether they are pedigree or moggie cats, we adore them all and think that health comes first. We want you to have a healthy, content cat that matches your lifestyle and that you would like keeping as a companion if you are a cat owner. It makes logical that people could desire a cat that is a different shape, color, or length, and as long as this can be done without endangering the cat, it is wise to appreciate the beauty of the cat.
- We should all carefully examine whether to keep a breed or issue going if our intervention causes health or welfare problems.
An inventory for kittens
The Kitten Checklist was developed by 20 animal welfare and veterinary groups to help you adopt a kitten carefully. It will help you find a healthy, friendly kitten and keep you out of any potential pitfalls.
Cat species: word of caution
Although the breeds in our section on cat breeds briefly describe the cat’s looks, they mostly focus on health and make mention of any potential inherited health problems.
You will read in a comment that International Cat Care considers the breed to have a significant problem.
Both the well-known breeds and those that are not are recognized by various cat fancy groups or pedigree registration organizations. For various reasons, not because we think these should be recognized as breeds—in many situations, we don’t. But anyone who is tempted to consider getting a cat should be aware that each of these breeds descended from a single cat with a genetic abnormality and developed into a ‘breed’ before the three were united to become the repugnant Dwelf.
The majority of genetic faults are “normal,” but since people may not want to keep them alive, a breed may have been developed based on one or two cats who were mistakenly found among a litter of kittens (for example, with no hair).
Which would you choose to live in: this miserable creature, whose health is likely to be impaired by the variety of malformations present, or a healthy moggie? It is unfortunate that some people feel the need to invent something new and want to take “credit” for developing a new breed of cat, oblivious to the difficulties the creature inside that body must overcome.
One of nature’s most adaptive, strong, beautiful, affluent, and healthy creations is the non-pedigree cat. If breeders wish to create something new, they must first prevent harm.
We should speak up and say that new breeds that do not suit this definition are unacceptable if they are to exist. Compared to the dog world, there are currently less problems with breeding in the cat world. In order to protect the welfare of all the participating cats and avert the suffering that can come from irresponsible breeding, let’s endeavor to not only maintain it that way but also to set an example for progress.
Hybrids
One more thing regarding hybrid breeds, which are made when domestic cats (Felis catus) are crossed with various wild breeds. Unlike moggies, which are actually a mix of cats, pedigrees are created from precise and remarkably identical individuals of the same “breed” or with different breeds, either in accordance with a defined breed standard or to create a new breed.
The temperament, behavior, and safety of these cats in a household environment are all up for debate, even if this cross may produce a huge and attractive-looking cat. The welfare of the early crosses that can’t be kept as pets and must therefore be kept in captivity, the welfare of the wild cats, the welfare of the female domestic cats used to breed with the much larger wild male cat, and the impact on wildlife if they escape are just a few of these considerations.
International Cat Care will not encourage the development of hybrid breeds because we currently have so many adorable cats.
RELATED: What Is A Cat?
