There are a number of unusual cat breeds, many of which have resulted from natural mutations.

Many cat lovers seek out unusual cats, such those of the following assortment of quirky breeds.

The Scottish Fold

The Scottish Fold is the result of a mutation that occurred in 1961. The first Scottish Fold cat, Susie, was discovered on a farm in Scotland. Intrigued by the unusual cat which had flattened ears and a face like an otter, shepherd William Ross and his wife adopted one of Susies kittens.

A few years later, cat breeder and geneticist Pat Turner worked to develop the breed, overseeing a number of pairings to ensure that the genetic mutation became widespread. Because the flattened ear gene is dominant, if either of a kittens parents is a Scottish Fold, the kitten will also have folded ears.

Scottish Folds tend to have sweet, good-natured personalities and quiet voices, and usually live about 15 years. They should be bred with straight-eared cats, as breeding two folded-eared cats can cause a degenerative joint disease in the offspring.

The Maine Coon Cat

A wild-looking cat with pointed tufts on its ears and a bushy tail, many falsely believe that this breed is the result of matings between cats and raccoons. In reality, the Maine Coon is likely the offspring of shorthaired local cats and long-haired cats from overseas, such as those brought by the Vikings to North America.

A thick, water-resistant coat and large tufted feet that act as snow shoes make this cat well suited to harsh winter climates. Maine Coons tend to be very large, and continue to grow for the first 3-5 years of life, far longer than most cats. Gentle and usually laid back, they tend to maintain playful, kittenish qualities into adulthood. They dont meow often, and when they do, it is an unusual chirping trill.

Ukrainian Levkoy

This cat is hairless and has folded ears and a long, very muscular body. Levkoys have big eyes that often appear to be partially closed, as though the cat is tired, and wrinkled skin that is very soft to the touch. The Levkoy is very active and friendly.

The Cornish Rex

Looking like aliens with their slender bodies, pointy faces, wavy fur and enormous bat ears, Cornish Rex cats are enjoyable to pat because their fur feels like silk or velvet. The Cornish Rex sheds less than other cats as well.

Cornish Rex cats are extremely affectionate. They love people and tend to be very active and playful.

The Oriental Shorthair

The Oriental shorthair is affectionate, playful and quick to purr. This breed is highly curious and needs a lot of attention.

Oriental Shorthairs, which have enormous ears, slender triangular faces and very long tails, can be found in more than 300 colors and patterns.

The Sphynx appears to be a hairless cat, although it is not truly hairless. The skin should have the texture of Chamois leather. It may be covered with very soft hair which can only be described as peach fuzz. Because the sphynx cats have no hair to keep them warm they prefer to cuddle up against other animals and people, they even tend to cuddle up and sleep with their owners under the covers. Lack of coat makes the cat quite warm to the touch. Whiskers and eyebrows may be present, either whole or broken, or may be totally absent. Their skin is the color their fur would be, and all the usual cat marking patterns (solid, point, van, tabby, tortie, etc) may be found in Sphynx too.

This site is dedicated to bringing you the very best and most accurate information concerning pet cats.

Here you will find information about:

Choosing a cat
Cat furniture and how to stop them scratching yours!
Cat diet advice
Cat breeds

Choosing the type of cat you will adopt or purchase is of course the first step you will take. You need to consider breed, price, health, age, sex and other things when you are looking at various cats. Some cats are suited to an indoor life whilst others will be more at home outdoors so that is another factor to consider.

Whilst it can be a major problem when your new cat begins using your furniture as a scratching post, this can be rectified by purchasing or making some specific toys and furniture pieces that your cat can use to sharpen his claws. Once your cat is trained to use these pieces rather than your sofa and curtains, you should not have to constantly tell her to stop ripping up your house.

People are getting fatter and so are cats. It is a fact that more and more pet cats are overweight so it is important to feed your cat a quality diet and importantly, not to overfeed. It’s always tempting to treat your cat with table scraps or snacks but this does more harm than good as cats can gain weight easily but are unable to lose it so quickly.

Finally, there are a number of cat breeds available and each have their own little quirks. Whilst there is not a large gap of differences between cat breeds as there are with dog breeds, there are still some cat breeds which are specialty and may or may not suit you. It is important to read about act breeds if you want to buy a pedigree (purebred) cat.

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Cat dandruff is common among diabetic cats. A study shows that happens in 1 in 200 cats have what is known as diabetes mellitus (DM) and if you want your pet to get better, here are some things you can do.

The cause of this problem is associated with poor nutrition. So, instead of buying one of those generic brands of cat food, maybe you should change it and go for one of those that are of good quality even if it may cost a little more.

You can also give food supplements that contain fish oil which have proven to correct the dandruff problem. This may also come from canned tuna since it is rich in Omega 43 fatty acids that will improve their hair in about a week.

The symptoms that will tell you if your cat has a skin care problem like dandruff includes an increase in their appetite, excessive thirst or urination, dehydration, depression, muscle wasting, lethargy, weight loss and an umkempt hair coat that is a direct result of poor grooming. It gets worse when the cat displays weak rear legs.

Aside from a cat being diabetic, other risk factors include certain steroid injections, neutering and old age. The cold weather could be another cause since it dries the cat’s skin. If your hunch is correct, you can fix this problem by buying a topical and oral treatment that is designed to treat dry skin.

Aside from dandruff, owners should also worry about allergies as this also causes skin problems among cats. This may come from cleaners, pollen, food and other sources and since it is hard to pinpoint the exact cause, owners are advised to use only natural care products in cleaning the home.

The cat should also be confined indoors to prevent them from roaming outside. Studies have shown that sunburn kills the top layer of their skin causing it to dry and flake off. Repeated sunburn may result to skin cancer so if you decide to let them go out, this should be done before 10 in the morning and after 4 in the afternoon.

During the winter, the cat should not be allowed to sleep near the fireplace as this also dries out their skin quickly. To keep them warm during the cold months, you should invest in a good humidifier.

The cat may also be infested with fleas and ticks. You can check the cat’s skin routinely to pull them out and use powder to flush the rest out. The hair should also be combed so this does not happen again.

If the cat’s skin care problem continues, it is best to bring it directly to the vet as over the counter medications and parasite treatments which you have tried are not good enough to do the trick. Some of the symptoms associated with dandruff could be something else like a skin disorder and one of them is Cheyletiella which requires the help of a professional.

Cat skin care problems like dandruff must be taken cared off immediately before it gets worse. Proper hygiene, diet and grooming are the best ways to keep it away and if household remedies don’t work, you better get help so the exact cause can be determined and the proper treatment can be given.

There are quite a few cat breeds available around the world, although not as many as are dog breeds available.

Many people purchase or adopt a mix breed cat. These cats make perfectly fine pets and loving companions.
On the other side of the coin, many people are into cat showing and breeding and these people often go to great length to find a breeder who can bring them the perfect specimen of a breed according to the national breed outline guide.

Some of the most popular cat breeds worldwide include:

Abyssinian
Birman
Devon Rex
Ocicat
Ragdoll

Siamese

Abyssinian
Graceful, long-bodied cat with large eyes. Loving, gentle and playful natured.

Birman
Softly spoken, great indoor cat. Pale silky coat with white gloves on paws. This cat can grow quite large with males commonly weighing up to 8kg.

Devon Rex
Pixie faced cat with large ears. Low maintenance and low allergenic short coat. Small breed of cat.

Ocicat
Beautiful spotted cat. Friendly temperament. Very intelligent, easily trained. Males weigh up to 6.5kg

Ragdoll
Affectionate, gentle breed. Sociable and love human company. Great indoor cat.

Siamese
Striking, slim cat with a pointed facial shape. Very talkative and social. Great cat for those who do not spent alot of time away from home.

It may be hard for a pet owner to notice a pet cat getting older. Outside, pet cats may show the same things- playing with toys around the home, taking naps sprawled on a favorite spot inside the home, snuggle up with you on the sofa. But inside, it might be a whole different thing. And health care for cats as they get old may change a little bit.

When caring your an aging cat, there are some things that a concerned pet owner should know about. When a cat approaches somewhere between the ages of eight or twelve years, this is the equivalent of a human being approaching middle age. This will be the time that your pet cat may be needing a bit of extra attention.

Most veterinarian generally estimate that cats start their geriatric years when they reach twelve years. This will be the time that caring for your pet cat would have to change to accommodate the needs that aging brings.

A major part of caring for older pet cats involve feeding them. As cats get older, their digestive systems do not function as efficiently as before. Aging cats may need to eat smaller and easily digestible meals in a day rather than just two square meals. Try also to make sure that you give your cat a variety of food to eat to ensure that it gets a well balanced diet.

There are also a number of cat food now available as food for the different life stages of your pet cat. There is cat food that is specially formulated for older cats as well as for the less active ones. The best advice in feeding your aging pet cat would be to ask your vet about the nutritional needs of your cat.

When cats age, they also start to lead a less active lifestyle. Whereas cats enjoy playing around and hunting during their younger years, older cats seem to prefer spending more time quietly around the home. This would be a benefit for some pet owners since they no longer have to worry about their once playful cat overturning and breaking things around the house. But this sedentary lifestyle would not be good for the cat.

Even though your pet cat would you may still need to keep them active since the exercise would help keep them healthy. Try to have them active as often as possible to keep them active. As they age, cats may also need to have their vaccinations up to date. Older cats have a less efficient immune system and may need vaccinations to keep them protected from diseases.

Dental problems may also become a concern for old cats when they become prone to having loose teeth, tartar buildup, and sore gums. This can have a big effect on your pet cat’s well-being. Dental problems may be the reason why they are not eating well. A regular dental check up might be needed as part of health care for old cats.