Over 8 posts, I am going to go through cat breeds, and cover some basic titbits about the breeds; a little bit of history surrounding the breed, including the original use for the breed, and some other interesting facts.
This, the seventh, post will cover S-V of cat breeds. In the follow-up (and final) post I will look into cat breeds from W-Z… basically I am doing an A-Z of cat breeds, covering 1-3 breeds per letter.
If I do not cover the breed of your cat in this post, and you would like me to; please leave the breed in the thoughts comment box below, or post it via the contact page, or get in touch via any social media pages listed at the end of each post – this way I can include your breed in another post (either the follow up, or a repeat with different breeds). Do the same if you want more information than I have provided on any particular cat breed, or if you would like to share a photo of your cat(s)!
S
Scottish Fold
Country of Origin: Scotland, UK
Lifespan: 11-15 years Breed Size: Medium
Hair/Fur Length: Shorthair and Longhair
Colour(s): White, Blue, Cream, Red, Silver, Cameo, Brown, Tortoiseshell, Black – in solid colouration, bi-colour, tri-colour, tabby, ticked/spots.
Breed History: The origin of this breed is said to stem from a mouser in a farmer’s barn in 1961; a white cat with unusually folded ears, named Susie. Susie mated with a local tom cat; a local shepherd named William Ross acquired one of the kittens and named her Snooks. William bred Snooks, and then bred one of her kittens with a British Shorthair, which resulted in a litter of “lop eared cats”. While the Scottish Fold is generally Shorthaired, from Susie the trait for Longhair has been passed down – a Longhaired Scottish Fold is often known as a Highland Fold.
Outstanding Physical Trait: The folded ears. kittens are born with straight ears, which may fold at about 3 weeks old (they do not always fold). The fold could be a single – a fold half way up the ear, or a double – where the ears sit tighter to the head, or a triple – where the ears lie flat against the head (which is the desired ear fold for show cats).
Sphynx
Country of Origin: Toronto, Canada (not Egypt as many think due to the name)
Lifespan: 10-15 years Breed Size: Medium
Hair/Fur Length: Hairless Colour(s): All colours and patterns
Breed History: Developed as a breed in the mid-1960’s, when a domestic shorthair had a hairless kitten in her litter (named Prune). Prune was a male, and bred with furred cats (including the Devon Rex) to try and produce more hairless kittens. The results of the breeding of Prune was litters that had kittens both with and without fur. The hairless kittens were subsequently bred and the breed developed into the mid-late 1970’s. Some of the hairless kittens were also exported to Europe, where the breed was developed there.
Outstanding Physical Trait: The lack of hair/fur.
T
Tonkinese
Country of Origin: USA
Lifespan: 15-18 years Breed Size: Medium
Hair/Fur Length: Semi-Longhair
Colour(s): Champagne, Blue, Natural, Platinum – in solid, point, and mink patterns.
Breed History: The modern version of this breed that we see today is a cross between the Siamese and Burmese, developed in the 1950’s. However in the 1880’s it was a breed in its’ own right, but were known as Chocolate Siamese, and was very close genetically to the Siamese and the Burmese. In the 50’s they went by Golden Siamese but by the 60’s they were renamed to Tonkinese.
Outstanding Physical Trait: The oriental but fuller look – not quite a slender as most oriental type breeds.
U
Ukrainian Levkoy
Country of Origin: Ukraine
Lifespan: 15-19 years Breed Size: Medium
Hair/Fur Length: Hairless Colour(s): All colours and patterns
Breed History: A cross between the Donskoy (or Russian Hairless) and the Scottish Fold (above) – this is a hairless cat with folded ears, artificially bred 2000-2001 for their unique appearance.
Outstanding Physical Trait: The lack of hair/fur coupled with the folded ears.
V
Van Kedishi (a.k.a. Turkish Van)
Country of Origin: Eastern Turkey (Lake Van region)
Lifespan: 12-17 years Breed Size: Medium
Hair/Fur Length: Semi-Longhair
Colour(s): Traditionally white with auburn throughout. Modern accepted colours include white with cream, black, blue, tortoiseshell (tortie), blue tortie, blue tabby, brown tabby, tortie tabby or blue tortie tabby.
Breed History: There is a myth relating to the origin of this breed; the Van Kedishi cat was on Noah’s Ark during the flood. Noah’s Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat when the flood was over, which is said to be not too far from Lake Van, and is where these cats headed once they cam off the Ark. It is also said that the coloured markings on their fur are due to God blessing the animals as they came off the Ark. Thought to have originated in the Lake Van region of Turkey, and to have existed there as a domestic breed for centuries, but first brought to Britain in the 1950’s.
Outstanding Physical Trait: The van colour pattern – white with colour on the head and tail only.
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