Part of the beauty of this world is its variety. There are various unique organisms beautiful to behold and worth studying. There are various animals, some of which humans have been able to domesticate and have as pets.
Each animal has various breeds. Some of these breeds came by naturally while some where facilitated by humans. One animal that has been affected by both and which humans also have as pets is cat.
What to Know About Cats
They are quite a large family that includes lions, tigers, cheetahs but this not what is meant when cats are talked about rather, it is the domesticated species that are being referred to. Aside from dogs, they are the other creature that many people have as pets (there are over five hundred million pet cats in the world). You can read more about them here.
The Various Cat Breeds
There simply are many domesticated cat breeds. As of today, there are 71 breeds recognized by TICA (The International Cat Association), these are regarded as the standardized breeds. However, FIFe (the Federation Internationale Feline) recognizes 43 while the CFA (Cat Financiers Association) recognizes 44. These organizations have their reasons for the variations in breed classification, as they have their classification methods.
The point however, is that there are many breeds around and some might not even be suitable as pets. But there are ten major breeds that are popular in the market and many families have one or more of these types as pets. Again, if you were to go get one or more as pet, you would likely be getting from these breed and they are:
The Devon Rex Cats
This breed’s origins can be traced back to England, the region of Devonshire to be precise and has character similarities with dogs (part of the reason it was referred to as alien cat). It is unique in appearance and many people love to have it as a pet.
The Abyssinian
These ones are famous for their elegant and regal look; they are the very embodiment of “if cute was a cat”. They are also very expressive and love participating in activities happening in their environment t and they mingle well with children.
Sphynx Cats
These are weird looking cats; they are hairless with big eyes and ears but many people do like them and have them in their homes. They are a newer breed (as recent as 1966) with origin from Canada. They are quite rare to find but are highly in demand.
American Shorthair Cats
From the name, you might guess that it was bred in America; well, you would be wrong as the first settlers in the new world came along with it. However, it is very popular in the United States and is consistently being sought for by households across the country. It is very intelligent, gets along with other pets and its cool with children.
Scottish Fold Cats
The fold in their name comes from the fact they have folded ears. This feature aside, they are very easy going, mingle well with other pets and plays well with children. They can also become very much attached to a particular individual out of the rest of the family.
Persian Cats
These are another breed of very beautiful cats that are quite laid back in character (they are very quiet) and affectionate. They are the oldest breed known to mankind with their origins traceable to Persia present day Iran (hence the name Persian cat).
Maine Coon Cats
This is north America’s natural breed. They are also the largest of the breeds but are gentle despite their size hence they are called gentle giants. They do share certain traits with dogs (they are energetic and are very people oriented) they are also popular with families. You can find out more about these cats at https://www.dailypaws.com/living-with-pets/pet-compatibility/most-popular-cat-breeds.
What to Know About Cat Health
Obviously, there are some responsibilities that come with having a pet. You have to feed them, give them a bit of your time and generally tend to their needs. One crucial area that should be taken seriously is the area of their health.
Cats can have health challenges that can be as a result of various issues like genetics and infections arising from untreated wounds, inflammation, seizures and epilepsy, arthritis among others. It is important that whatever the health challenge is, it should be discovered on time so as to be able to attend to it early enough to prevent the condition from reaching a critical stage.
It is therefore very important that you as a cat owner should invest in getting the right knowledge and information as it concerns the health of your pet. This will prepare you to know how to take care of them should they develop certain health challenges.
To do this, consult a veterinary doctor for directions as to what to do for them in their general upkeep. On a personal level, get a guide for cat breeds to inform yourself on these various breeds and on how to take care of them.
Conclusion
The pets that we own are our responsibility therefore, it should be ensured that they are well taken care of. However, they are of varying breeds and might require different levels of care.
It is therefore important to first be knowledgeable about these various breeds of cats and their unique health challenges. This will now enable you to know how best to take care of them.
