What is a breed? What is a cat breed? How is the cat breed defined? What cat breeds are there?

A cat breed is an infrasubspecific rank for the classification of domestic cats. To be a recognised breed, a proposed breed must breed consistently for the selected traits. Cat breed is recognized only when it is different enough from existing recognised breeds to be distinct.

There is no single definition of what a breed is. Webster's Desk Dictionary of the English Language defines a breed as "a homogeneous grouping of animals within a species, developed by humans," and the Oxford English Dictionary says a breed is "a line of descendants perpetuating particular hereditary qualities."

Within the cat fancy, a "breed" is a group of pedigree cats (cats whose ancestors are known) that breed true for a variety of traits although they may not breed true for certain other traits. Outside of the cat fancy, a breed may be defined as a naturally occurring local variety of cat (whose pedigrees are often not recorded) that breeds more-or-less true for a variety of traits because they are geographically isolated from other cats.

To a geneticist, a breed is simply this: a population of animals whose breeding is controlled and outcrossing limited, so that genetic selection can be exercised on it. Technobabble? Maybe. But let's look at what it means.

In biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species, i.e. a subgroup of the whole species of cat, Felis catus.

Controlled breeding and limited outcrossing make it possible to selectfor whatever genetic traits the organized breeders decide on.

Organized breeders is almost a necessary part of the definition; one breeder cannot produce enough cats to truly create a breed, and a lot of breeders going in different directions will never produce any sort of directed selection.

In what way the breeders become organized? The breeder or breeders who initially establish a breed, do so by selecting individual animals from within the groups gene pool that they see as having the necessary qualities needed to enhance the breed model they are aiming for. The most importnat part of this process is creation of the breed standard description, i.e. a cat breed in that case is defined as a collection of breed traits which regulate the efforts of breeders to achieve the most possible fit to the characteristics described in the standard. Another part is the recognition of the standard by a cat registry, international or national.

What does a breed standard include? Conformation and fur type are usually the main traits that define a breed, with colour and/or pattern being secondary defining traits.

Conformation (shape or body type) is usually described in a cat breed standard along the following lines:

• General
  • Appearance
  • Size
• Head
  • Shape
  • Nose
  • Cheeks
• Ears
  • Shape
  • Placement
• Eyes
  • Shape
  • Color
• Neck
• Body
• Legs and Paws
• Tail
• Coat
  • Structure
  • Color

A registration certificate by a cat registry proves that a cat belongs to a cat breed by showing the cat's pedigree back to at least four generations. You should remember that breed standards are not absolutely unified. There are different cat registries and they might have different standards for the cat breed with the same name, i.e. the Burmese in America is cobbier and rounder-headed than the Burmese in Europe. Some breeds are recognised in some countries, but not in others where the new breed is too similar to something already recognised. Currently there is a list of about 70 cat breeds which are more or less recognized by major cat registries.