A Question about Breeds and Please do not yell at me :S

Okay, so I know a fair amount about dog breeding, but very little about cat breeds so I thought I'd ask all of you guys since you seem nice.

Why are there multiple cat breeds? Were certain breeds bred to do a certain task or is it just the area they came from? Or is it based solely on the looks sought after?

I just ask this because a lot of the original breeds of dogs were bred for certain tasks. Lap dogs, Hunting/Hound dogs, shepherds, guard, etc. But I never hear cats going into any kind of feline category as such.

So I was wondering if initially they were bred for a certain task or if they just happened? I am not trying to be rude or anything, I just hate being ignorant to facts about animals and this is one that popped into my head.

Most of the breeds were either mutations, natural, or man-made (crossing breeds together to create a new one). They exist purely for type - not for working, etc. All cats are either companion animals or they do work in barns, etc.

Some breeds like Scottish Fold, Rexes, Manx were spontanious mutations that came out of local barn cats! People showed an interest in these new "breeds" and then worked to create more of them and after decades, they set type and had a new breed.

Ahhh, I see, I see. Thank you for your reply I really appreciate how nice you are, I was imagining someone yelling at me for my ignorance of cat breeds :S haha but you were very nice about it

Cats joined the human race as working animals, but they were still fairly wild. And they were the most recent animal "domesticated."

National Geographic did a world survey of cat genetics and found that ALL modern domestic cats are descended from the little African Wildcat, which apparently wandered into the villages in Egypt, found that they had a steady supply of food in the graineries, and decided to stay.

There are tales of various cat breeds doing some useful work or another. The old legend of the Siamese is that they worked in the harems, keeping the ladies company and protecting them...and holding their rings on their tails while the ladies bathed.

I think you are referring to the documentary National Geographic did on Dr. Leslie Lyons's work at UC Davis. National Geographic does not do any research themselves; rather, they report on significant advances in various scientific fields.

Not all scientists studying the domestication of cats agree that Egypt is where domestication first took place--some argue that cats were already domesticated when they were brought to Egypt. They were brought to protect the grain stores and papyrus from rodents and snakes.

Either way, the research is exciting and it seems every time we think we know how small wildcats became the living room leopards we know and love, another piece of the puzzle is found and we must adjust what we think we know to the evidence presented before us.

Haha, it's funny you say livingroom leopards because that is what my friend calls her cat, Krissy heehee.

Personally, I call both my kittens hoover because they suck on EVERYTHING. Poor babies are not hungry, they just like to suckle it seems

We own two Ocicats and tell people we have two baby leopards at home.

Cute wonder what I could refer my Nakeds too

Originally Posted by nakedbynature

Cute wonder what I could refer my Nakeds too

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Its funny, because I usually call my animal babies 'fur-kids', but nakkid cats wouldn't really be called that, eh? haha.

LOL & you couldn't call them skin kids, because some people on here call there human kids that. Maybe call them your living peaches? Piggies? lol.