Types of Cats A. 1. What comes to mind when you hear the term cat?

Im sure that for most of us, an ordinary house cat is what we think of first. Well, have you ever thought of the Scottish Fold? A Sphynx? Or even of the adorable Munchkin? The answer is most likely no, only because these breeds of cats are not common where we live. Some just from different states, and others from different continents. 2. You may think that a cat is just a generic household pet, varying in a few different colors and patterns, but in reality, there are over 40 different types of cats from all over the world. Transition: Today I am going to describe to you three of those breeds, starting with the Scottish Fold. B. Scottish Fold 1. In 1961, on a farm near Coupar Angus in Perthshire, Scotland, there was the very first scottish fold; a barn cat named Susie. Her ears had very different folds in the middle of them. When she had kittens, two of them also had a similar appearance. One of the farms neighbors, William Ross, took in one of the kittens and registered it with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) in Great Britain, five years later. He then, with the help of a friend, started to breed this certain type of cat, and within the first three years, produced 76 kittens; 42 with folded ears and 34 with straight ears. They then discovered that the fold in the ear was caused by a simple dominant gene. 2. The Scottish fold is a medium-sized cat with a round head, large, round eyes, and a short, curved nose. Their hair can either be long or short, and can be found in almost every color. 3. When it comes to its personality, according to fanciers.com, it can be very friendly. Its not a very energetic cat and tends to stay close to its owner. This breed isnt very talkative, and also has a soft voice. Conclusion: As you can see, the Scottish fold is a very calm, normal cat, with the exception of its very uncommon appearance. Transition: The next cat I will describe to you is the Sphynx.

C. Sphynx 1. The Sphynx was started in 1966, in Roncesvalles, Texas when a hairless kitten, Prune, was born to a short-haired black and white cat. It was eventually breeded with its mother which resulted in another hairless kitten. After creating a few more hairless kittens, it became the first attempt in creating a hairless breed. Actually, when it comes to the name, it isnt completely true. Although it is referred to as hairless , this cat is actually covered in a very short layer of hair, otherwise known as peachfuzz. After a science graduate of The University of Toronto bought these kittens, he, for a while, renamed them as Moonstones and as the Canadian Hairless. With the help of his mother, a long time Siamese breeder, and a few other friends, they were able to develop an actual breed of cats which was later renamed as Sphynx. 2. The Sphynx may seem like it would be an easy pet because of its lack of hair, but it is actually a little more complicated than that. Because of their lack of hair, the oils that would normally be absorbed by their hair is left on their body and can build up. Also, because of their naked skin, they can be very vulnerable to sunburn and the cold. 3. If you were to pick some words to describe this very unusual cat, you would choose intelligent, friendly, curious, and affectionate. Affectionate would be the best because the Sphynx is a very cuddly cat, and because they do not have the regular layer of hair to keep them warm, they can get very cold. Conclusion: But, the hairless body of a Sphynx makes it definitely one of the most unique cats of them all. Transition: Lastly, I will describe to you a breed that is very much growing in its popularity; the Munchkin. D. Munchkin 1. Short-legged cats have been appearing since the 1940s. In 1944, a British vet noted four generations of short-legged cats, with all the same characteristics of regular cats, excluding the leg length. Eventually, these generations disappeared, but came back in 1956 in Russia, and in the 1970s in the United States. In Russia, this cat was nicknamed the Stalingrad Kangaroo Cat. Then, in 1983, a music teacher by the name of Sarah Hochenedel in Louisiana found two pregnant cats. She kept one and her name was Blackberry. Half of her kittens were born with short

legs. Then she gave one of the short-legged male kittens to her friend who named him Toulouse. Blackberry and Toulouse are basically the parents of the Munchkin breed. Eventually, the owner of Toulouse, Kay LaFrance, thought that she had a new breed, and contacted Dr. Solveig Pflueger, a show judge, chairperson of The International Cat Associations genetics committee. With the help of Dr David Biller, Head of Radiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University, Pflueger determined that the short-legged trait had a autosomal dominant mode of inheritance, which means that the kitten only needs to inherit the abnormal gene from one parent in order to get the short-legged trait. 2. The Munchkin was actually first introduced in 1991 on a cat tv show held by The International Cat Association in Madison Square Garden. Since then, many registries do not recognize this cat as an actual breed, but as a regular cat with a genetic disease called Achondroplasia, which is otherwise known as dwarfism. 3. The Munchkin is generally a sweet, friendly, and intelligent cat. Their short legs do not interfere with their running and jumping abilities. Their back legs are slightly longer than the front legs, which creates a small curve from the shoulders to the tail. You can also find this cat in almost any color, and with either short or long hair. Conclusion: Although the Munchkin is not accepted by some, its cuteness makes it very well-known. Transition: To sum everything up.. G. 1. You may think that a cat is just a generic household pet, varying in a few different colors and patterns, but in reality, there are over 40 different types of cats from all over the world. 2. The Scottish Fold, whose ears give them a significant appearance, the Sphynx, whose hairless body can give them an alien look, and the Munchkin, whose short legs can set them apart from all the others. 3. These three cats prove to be very different, but yet all similar when it comes to the one thing they have in common, which is their one characteristic that stands out and makes them unique.