Say goodbye to guessing games .
" What breed is my cat ? " favorite parents often demand this question . Some African tea breed are easier to name than others . With their smooshed faces and retentive , luxurious coats , it ’s easy to differentiate aPersian catfrom the crew . The same run for aSiamese — the thin build , blue eyes , and colorpoint fur are deadened giveaways . But when it comes to your furry BFF you bestow home from a shelter , things can get a lilliputian complicated .
We spoke with veterinarians to learn more about cat breed identification . There are a few room to guess your cat ’s breed , but only one method acting will give you a true answer . Here ’s how to separate what breed your computed axial tomography is .
Photo: Jason Donnelly
How to Identify Your Cat’s Breed Using Physical Traits
Your cat ’s strong-arm appearance — specifically their coat character , body size , head Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe , ear , and tail — may help you determine their breed chronicle . While comparing your cat to sleep with cat breeds can be helpful , it ’s not always exact .
" A big cat ’s physical dimension and behavior may offer hint as to which breed they might be , but no undivided gadget characteristic or combination of characteristic can be used to limit a cat ’s breed with sure thing , " enunciate Alison Gerken , DVM , of theSan Francisco SPCA . " While some cat breeds are more easy distinguishable , mixed - breed computed tomography often do not resemble their parent or even their littermates , complicating the ability to find out their breeds . "
However , she says your computerized axial tomography ’s appearance can hint at his breed , though it ’s not a unfailing method .
Coat Color, Pattern, and Length
The coming into court of your cat ’s pelage may suggest his stock . While some color are common no matter the strain ( for instance , orangeness tabby and black cats are n’t breed - specific ) , sure patterns are more common in some cat breeds than others .
" There is a great variableness in feline whisker coat color and radiation diagram , " Gerken read . " Some cat breed , such as the Siamese andHimalayanbreeds , are color pointed — their paws , face , ears , and tail are a different shade than their soundbox — while other computerized axial tomography breeds , such asBengalsandEgyptian maus , have coats that fare in blemish or marbled patterns . "
However , Gerken says , pelage colors and markings can overlap between several cat breed and may also be base in mixed - breed cats . Similarly , fur length does n’t say much about your cat ’s transmissible makeup .
" Most miscellaneous - strain cats are identify as domestic shorthair , domestic intermediate hairsbreadth , or domestic longhair , " she say . " Domestic shorthair cats are the most vernacular type of cat in the U.S. , accounting for 90–95 per centum of pet kat . "
In other words , ifyour quat has long , fluffy fur , that does n’t mean he ’s aMaine coon .
Size
While theaverage cat weighsabout 11 pound , some breeds ( such as the Maine coon ) can tilt the scale at intimately 20 , and others ( like littleSingapuras ) are significantly smaller . Gerken says your cat ’s sizing and body type might tell you which cover he is . Svelte and slonky cats can bespeak a slender breed , such as a Siamese , while thick body case can be fromNorwegian forest catlineage .
Head Shape
Your true cat ’s head shape may also suggest at their breed . " Some stock such as Persians , Himalayans , andScottish foldshave flat cheek , while other breed such as Siamese cats have more narrow and angulate feature , " Gerken allege .
Ears
If your cat ’s ears are curl , folded , or tufted , it could mean they have purebred cat genes . " Some cat breed have distinctive ear features . Scots fold andAmerican curlcats have folded and curled pinna . Other breeds may have tufted auricle , such as Maine coon , ragdoll , and Norse wood computerized tomography .
Eye Color
Some cat breeds , such as the Siamese , Balinese , andTonkinese , are acknowledge to haveblue center . A few of these stock are also prone toheterochromia , or different - colored eyes . However , a cat ’s eye color is determined by pigment - producing melanocytes and is not specific to multiply . Any motley - stock cat can have these traits , but if your cat has blue or threefold - biased eyes , it could be related to one of these breeds .
Tail Length
Your computerized tomography ’s tail ( or lack thereof ) may be another index of stock . Cats with longsighted hindquarters are harder to distinguish by strain , but cats with bobbed tails may be related to particular breeds , such as theJapanese dock , American bobtail , andPixie - bob . And anurous cats could be interrelate to theManx .
However , it ’s potential your cat lost his tail to an harm before you got him . Unless you know your cat was born with a bobtail or no tail assembly , you ca n’t bank on arse show to estimate your computed tomography ’s breed .
Gerken also tell that looking at the combination of your computerized tomography ’s forcible property may help narrow the list of potential breeds . " If a cat has a lean build , an angular face , and dark - colored points on their brass , feet , and tail , they are more potential a Siamese than a Maine coon . If a cat has a orotund physique , a farsighted hair coating , and large ears with tussock of hair on them , they are more likely a Maine nigger than a Siamese . "
How to Determine Your Cat’s Breed Based on Behavior Traits
Analyzing your cat ’s behaviour is even less exact than guessing your African tea ’s breed through appearance . While it ’s true that each bozo breed has dissimilar temperaments and trait , that does n’t have in mind a lazy cat is a Persian or acat who have sex wateris aTurkish van .
" Siamese are chatty , but just because yourcat is chatty , that does n’t mean that he is Siamese , " says Lisa Radosta , DVM , a board - certify veterinary behaviorist atFlorida Veterinary Behavior Service . " In other words , the H2O does n’t menstruate in both management . If your Arabian tea is gossipy that does n’t have in mind he ’s a Siamese , but if your computed tomography is a Siamese , he probably is perish to be chatty . "
DNA Testing
You involve a cat DNA test to line up out what breed your cat is with sure thing . These kits practice your kitty ’s desoxyribonucleic acid ( obtained through a cheek swab ) to decode his genetic science and give you in - deepness information on his lineage .
There are a few feline DNA test on the market , includingBasepawsandOptimal Selection by Wisdom Panel . But they are n’t cheap — tests can be anywhere between $ 100 to $ 500 . you could also ask your vet about in - berth origin test to determine your Arabian tea ’s DNA .
But if your budget does n’t have room for feline genetics , Radosta has some advice : " loosen ! Your cat is who he is regardless of breed , " she tell . " A certain breed does n’t make him special . A mixed - breed cat is just as special as a purebred Arabian tea . concentrate more on what your cat does , how you interact with your cat , and whether or not you are actively seeking out way tomeet your cat ’s demand . "
