Question about breeds

baloneysmom

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Awhile ago I had posted a thread saying that a lot of people have asked if my Bugsy was Turkish Angora or had at least some Turkish Angora in him. I remember I got a response that unless I had papers for him that he wasnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t a purebred anything.

So I just got thinking today when someone was saying they had a Maine coon but said they didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have papers when I asked.

Are cats different then dogs? I know my Bruno is in fact a half Shepherd half Doberman… with or without papers that is his breed. I also know that my German Shepherd at home is a pure bred, with or without papers, But judging from multiple thread comments if I cat doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have papers is he just a cat?

I was just curious, I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know anything about breeds of cats and am learning a lot from this site. I was just curious about this.

Thanks in advanced!
 

goldenkitty45

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Like dogs, unless you know who the parents are, its only a guess as to the breed. Cats don't have a lot of differences like dogs do and sometimes its hard to really pick out a breed.

It would depend on type (head shape, body, fur, etc.) to guess which breed. But I would say just cause it doesn't have papers, doesn't necessarily mean its not a purebred or close to it.

If I saw a cat with curly fur, I would know its got rex in it or is a rex depending on body, type. I would not need papers to know that one way or the other.
 

epona

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Cats are very different than dogs. Dogs have been selectively bred for centuries in order for them to be suitable to do different jobs, and mutts tend to be a combination of several (or indeed many) breeds.

Selective breeding of cats is very recent, the main purpose humans have had for cats over the centuries is to keep mice and other vermin out of granaries, barns, and homes, and you don't need them to be a bit bigger or smaller or longer for them to be able to do that, and they don't take to being trained for other purposes like a dog will.

Most domestic cats don't have any breed in them at all, none of their ancestors (or at least very few) are cats that have been selectively bred, they are just direct descendents of their wild cat ancestors, untampered with by human hand.
 

kitytize

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Originally Posted by Epona

Cats are very different than dogs. Dogs have been selectively bred for centuries in order for them to be suitable to do different jobs, and mutts tend to be a combination of several (or indeed many) breeds.

Selective breeding of cats is very recent, the main purpose humans have had for cats over the centuries is to keep mice and other vermin out of granaries, barns, and homes, and you don't need them to be a bit bigger or smaller or longer for them to be able to do that, and they don't take to being trained for other purposes like a dog will.

Most domestic cats don't have any breed in them at all, none of their ancestors (or at least very few) are cats that have been selectively bred, they are just direct descendents of their wild cat ancestors, untampered with by human hand.
Yes this is correct. Many of our breeds have been bred out of the domestic population such as the popular Maine Coon. Over the years and many generations Maine Coons were bred to a fit a standard. Many domestic cats resemble Maine Coons but they would have fewer standard traits then the pedigreed Maine Coons who have been bred for many generations for those traits. That is why you need papers.

Also many breeds are rare with less than 500 registered a year in all the US registries. Turkish Angora is one of those breeds. Many breeders spay/neuter pet kittens before leaving their home. The chances of there being a pedigreed TA randomly breeding is extremely slim. Is it possible? Yes! But more in likely your cat just resembles the TA and by coincidence has some of those traits.
 
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