Which cat is right for me?
There is a myriad of cat breeds in the world. If you want to get a cat, you are probably wondering which breed suits you best. Here you will find an overview of the many cat breeds and a little help in choosing.
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| How to adopt a Cat in 2022 |
The most important in a nutshell
- In the USA there are about one hundred different cat breeds
- The group of small cats is interesting for us
- Which catsuits you depends on your character and living conditions
- Each cat breed has its own character
How are cat breeds categorized?
Cats in general are a sub-family They are spread all over the world and are exclusively carnivores. The family of cats is in turn divided into groups of big and small cats. The big cats include, for example, the lion, the tiger, or the leopard. The small cats include, for example, the wild cat, the lynx, and the ocelot. A subspecies of the wild cat in turn is the widespread domestic cat. This represents a separate group of small cats, which, however, do not belong to any particular breed. In the following we call all cats, which are kept by humans, domestic cats.
What are the breeds of cats?
Domestic cats, in turn, are divided into three groups:
- Short hair cats
- Semi-longhair cats
- Long hair cats
Here it must be mentioned that the semi-longhair and the longhair cats are genetically the same. Here, only the coat length serves to distinguish them. For which breed you decide in the end is a matter of taste. It is important to know that short-haired cats do not shed less than their long-haired companions. Long-haired cats, however, usually require more hair care.
Short-haired cats
Short-haired cats are most common in Germany. Known short-haired cat breeds are:
- Domestic cat
- Abyssinian cat
- American Shorthair
- Bengal cat
- British Shorthair
- Burmese
- Devon Rex
- Russian Blue
- Siamese
- Savannah
- Sphynx
- Snowshoe
Semi longhair cats
Semi-longhair cats are also widespread in Germany and Europe. The coat of semi-longhair cats is a bit longer than that of short hair cats. It serves as protection and allows the cat to cope better in the cold as well as in brushwood or thorns. This type of cat requires a bit more grooming than short-haired cats, however, it requires much less grooming than long-haired cats. For example, it does not need to be bathed regularly. Daily combing and brushing are only necessary when the cat is in the phase of changing its coat. Popular semi-longhair cats are:
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Maine Coon cat
- Neva Masquerade
- American Bobtail Longhair
- Turkish Angora
- Birman cat
- Misty cat
Longhair cats
This variety is especially popular because longhair cats are very soft and cuddly. It is very pleasant to pet them and they look beautiful. Of course, grooming their fur requires a lot more work than their short-haired counterparts. The matter becomes especially hairy when the cat completely changes its coat in autumn and spring. Vacuuming and sweeping then become a daily chore. These are the most popular longhaired cats:
- Persian cat
- Angora cat
- British Longhair
What character traits do cats have?
For a long time it was claimed that cats are loners and basically antisocial animals. This statement is not correct and has been disproved many times. Domestic cats (along with lions) are fundamentally social animals, with much group interaction taking place. However, domestic cats actually hunt alone, while lions go hunting in packs. The opinion that domestic cats are solitary animals comes from the fact that all other cat species (except domestic cats and lions) are actually solitary animals. The distinct social behavior of domestic cats is the reason they could be domesticated in the first place.
Does each cat breed have its own character?
Each cat is an individual animal and has its own unique character. In Erin Hunter's series of novels "Warrior Cats", the different cats have different characters. Many people ask themselves if it is possible to ascribe certain character traits to individual cat breeds in reality as well. The answer to that is yes. Here are a few examples:
The domestic cat
Right at the beginning, it is necessary to mention that the question is difficult to answer in the case of the domestic cat. Because the domestic cat does not belong to any particular breed. So whoever buys a house cat, literally buys the "cat in the bag", because it can show the most different characteristics. However, domestic cats have one thing in common: they need space to romp and love their freedom. In addition, the relationship with humans is important to them and they want to be stroked regularly.
The Bengal cat
The Bengal cat is a breed from the USA. Here, wild and domestic cats were crossed, which is clearly reflected in the character. It is wild, active, loud, and communicative. She needs a lot of exercises and is an excellent hunter.
British Shorthair
This cat is the exact opposite of the Bengal cat. She is cozy, relaxed and easy to care for. She loves contact with humans and is very affectionate. So, the British Shorthair is the perfect indoor cat.
Maine Coon Cat
This cat breed is as fierce as it is gentle. It is one of the largest cat breeds in the world and at the same time very friendly. That is why it is also called the "gentle giant". The Maine Coon cat is smart, playful, and likes to communicate with other cats.
Character lists on the Internet
This list can now be continued for each breed. You can read through many such lists on the Internet and then even test yourself with a "Which cat breed suits me quiz". So you can easily see which cat character suits you.
What other distinguishing criteria are there?
So you see that each cat breed has its own character traits. Of course, you can also distinguish cats by the following characteristics:
- Appearance
- Nutrition
- Age
- Origin
I want to get a cat - what is the best way to proceed?
If you want to get a cat into your house, you should consider the following:
- What character do you want the cat to have? Do you want a wild or a gentle cat? Should it be independent or affectionate? For this, you can do one of the many "Which catsuits me? tests" on the Internet.
- Think about how often you are at home and whether you have enough time to care for the cat. If you are away from home a lot, you should rather not get a long-haired Persian cat. Because this is very high-maintenance.
- What color should the cat be?
- How big should it be?
- What is the diet like?
- How expensive is it?
If you have answered these questions for yourself, you will soon have found your perfect new roommate. Or should it be a dog after all? This dog suits you!
Thanks for reading: Which cat to adopt for 2022?, Sorry, my English is bad:)