Five Breeds of Cats You Never Knew Existed

Articles on Cats | Topics: cats, cat, kitten, kitty

by Vanni Lynn

Sphynx: In 1966 a domestic house cat gave birth to a hairless kitten somewhere in Toronto, Canada. It was discovered through many scientific tests, to be a natural mutation and the Sphynx cat, as we know it today, came into existence. These are some of the rarest domestic cats in existence. The Sphynx is not always totally hairless; some have very light "fuzz" close to their bodies, which makes it feel like a warm peach. Some light hair is often present on the nose, tail and toes. The texture of the Sphynx skin has been likened to suede, or faux leather, or a heated chamois. They come in a wide variety of cat colors. The color is seen in the pigment of the skin and the few hairs that they do have. One of the questions most frequently asked is "Don't they get cold?" Well, of course, if it is too cold for you it will be too cold for a hairless cat too. Don't be surprised to find this kitty under the covers with you or curled up with all your clothes.

Havana Brown: There are several theories about how the Havana Brown cat got its name. Some people believe it was named after the rabbit of the same color, some people believe they were named after the cigar. Their eyes are green in color, oval in shape, and lower on the face than other cats. This gives the appearance of a cat looking down its nose. The result of which, makes the cat appear to have an alert appearance. Very little is actually known about this breed

Croshca: Croshcas are an ancient breed of longhaired cats. This breed was thought to be a combination of all modern longhaired cats including both the Angora and the Persian. Sometimes it is referred to as simply the "Siberian Cat" or the "Siberia". This breed was common to Russia. They have a thick fur, waterproof, oily coat that protects them from the cold. In Russia at the time people could not have pets, pedigreed or otherwise, because of the food shortage, so this cat was very rare. Another interesting fact about these cats is that they are believed to be hypoallergenic. People, who are usually allergic to cats, seem to tolerate this cat fairly easily.

Bit of History

The surprise of animals... in and out, cats and dogs and a milk goat and chickens and guinea hens, all taken for granted, as if man was intended to live on terms of friendly intercourse with the rest of creation instead of huddling in isolation on the fourteenth floor of an apartment house in a city where animals occurred behind bars in the zoo.

—Elizabeth Janeway (b. 1913)

Devon: The Devon has a soft, downy coat with waves as if he had just stepped out of a hair styling salon. They have a velvety, short undercoat. It gives a most extraordinary appearance. You can't truly appreciate this unique coat until you have had an opportunity to feel the velvety soft texture. It is something you'll never forget. The Devon's ears are very large. They are wide at the base and set low on the head. The head is also short and wide. These cats are hypoallergenic and hardly even shed.

Sokoke: Sokoke cats have nice long legs and a medium build torso. They have very dense short coat without any undercoat. Their markings can be compared with a cheetah. The most usual colors are light brown, dark chestnut and chocolate. In the wild Sokoke cats are never found to be white, but domesticated types come sometimes in a white tabby. The body of a Sokoke cat is very muscular and elegant. Their back legs are longer than the front legs; it allows the cats to run very fast. The tail is long and whip-like. Sokoke Cats are very rare, perhaps the rarest cat breed in the world. Only about 100 exist today. Cat and feline societies have been trying to promote the breeding of this rare breed, but finding breeders are very difficult. Some countries do not have breeding standards, so most attempts are restricted to the United States and the United Kingdom. Hopefully this breed will come back before it becomes extinct.

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