Sure this has been asked before, but is it possible to breed cats(basic domestic) toward dispostion? And what about color/markings?
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Breeding for disposition?
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Colors and markings can definately be bred for, and I also believe disposition (thus the charm of the Ragdoll or the specific points of the Siamese)
But I dont think anyone should breed just for color or just for temperment. The cat should be overall healthy and a good breed specimen. Moggies have no business reproducing, as there are already enough homeless kitties in the world
But I dont think anyone should breed just for color or just for temperment. The cat should be overall healthy and a good breed specimen. Moggies have no business reproducing, as there are already enough homeless kitties in the world
The breeding for color/markings is easy - that's why you have a "standard" to go by and then you can have consistency for the breed.
The disposition is not so easy. You can somewhat do it - breed the nicer disposition cats together and you have higher chances of that being passed on; but its not really genetic per say. I think its more of how the cats/kittens are raised.
The disposition is not so easy. You can somewhat do it - breed the nicer disposition cats together and you have higher chances of that being passed on; but its not really genetic per say. I think its more of how the cats/kittens are raised.
GK I have a similar question Mica's is a shy cat (automatically hiding when stranger come over) but she becomes quite friendly if she sees the person a few more times. Her mother on the other hand is very scared of strangers and will growl/hiss at people she does not know. None of the breeders other cats are like this, in fact Mica's sisters are EXTREMELY friendly and not shy at all. Her breeder is a friend of mine and I have seen her other cats in shows and they have never had any behavioral problems that I have seen.
What do you think? This is just out of curiousity, I still learn so much every day from this wonderful forum!
What do you think? This is just out of curiousity, I still learn so much every day from this wonderful forum!
It might be part on watching the mom's reactions. Seems that females tend to imitate their mothers/grandmothers more. With our barn cats, most of the females were shyer or less tolerate of new cats compared to the males.
My female rexes (I had 2 breeding) - one was pretty tolerant in shows and most of her kittens (males especially) were easy going. Spooky's sister hated shows and I showed a few of her daughters - they didn't like them either....yet the males were fine.
I don't think about it too much - too hard to figure out
My female rexes (I had 2 breeding) - one was pretty tolerant in shows and most of her kittens (males especially) were easy going. Spooky's sister hated shows and I showed a few of her daughters - they didn't like them either....yet the males were fine.
I don't think about it too much - too hard to figure out
If I am reading this correctly, the term "basic domestic" would lead me to think non-pedigreed cats ... I would think it would be much much more difficult to breed for disposition OR color/markings unless you knew for certain the accurate ancestry of the breeding cats.
Breeding pedigree cats is pretty hit or miss for most breeders I know. I would think breeding "basic domestics" would be a real crap shoot!
That said, I am very curious as well to know just how much is nature vs. nurture when it comes to cat temperament.
That said, I am very curious as well to know just how much is nature vs. nurture when it comes to cat temperament.
