| Sometimes within the
cat fancy there is an argument as to whether there is such a thing as a
traditional cat breed. For instance, the contemporary, "foreign"
(slender) looking Siamese is claimed by some breeders to be the
original shape. In which case the modern version of this cat breed
would be the same as the original cat and the traditional Siamese would
be an aberration in the breeding program. Not so, say I.
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In truth there are
three types of cat breed; (1) the original cat, which at the time it
was original was not in a strict sense a cat breed because it existed
before cat breeds were thought of, (2) the traditional cat breed and
(3) the contemporary cat breed. Complicated, isn't it? I explain what I
mean. These are my views; slightly controversial as usual but then
again, this is a slightly controversial subject. People hold strong
views on what the original cats looked like.
Firstly, it is worth mentioning that the creation of cat
breeds usually takes place in one of three ways: (1) a deliberate
creation through hybridization and/or selective breeding,
(2) the selective breeding from a mutation (e.g. rex cats) and (3) the
selective breeding from a well established cat type that exists or was
found in a certain region (e.g. Siamese, Korat, Russian Blue, Bahraini
Dilmun, British Shorthair etc.).
The subject of traditional
cat breeds is concerned with the 3rd type of breeding.
Taking the Siamese as a classic case, this cat in its original state
was and presumably still is a standard looking domestic cat with points
in Thailand. Over many years, it was selectively bred to look like a
modern fashion model...in human terms! This seems to have been the
preferred look for breeders but not for the public in general and
indeed not for some breeders. Whereas the breeders made the Siamese
skinny and slender they decided to improve the Persian by breeding in
the opposite direction; towards round and flat! In either direction
they are called "extremes" - the natural desire to push the boundaries
being demonstrated by cat breeders.
The Siamese cat breed now falls into at least two and I say three camps: modern, classic (Thai)
and traditional. None of these are true and accurate replicas of the
original Siamese cat because any sort of selective breeding (and all
professional breeding is selective breeding) alters the appearance.
Traditional Siamese cats are called Appleheads
because the head is more rounded. They are championed by The
Traditional Cat Association (TCA) run by Diana Fineran based in
Washington as I understand it. Its head office was or is called "Battle
Ground"1.
This informs us as to Diana's approach to
the fight to establish the true appearance of all cat breeds that have
been over bred to the point where they have lost their true or near
original appearance.
Traditional cat breeds, though, are not quite the same as "original cat
breeds" or a better description would be the original cat type. This is
a fine point, I know. But as mentioned if a breeder takes an original
cat from the streets of a country like Thailand (was Siam) and breeds
from that cat it is bound to change even slightly. A breeder is not
going to perpetuate the appearance of a household moggie cat from
Thailand. They have to "improve" it, make the cat more marketable.
There is at least one possible exception that comes to mind. Breeders of the Chartreux
vow to maintain the original appearance we are told. The Chartreux is a
traditional cat breed and its raison d'etre is founded on that
principle. It is said to be a "primitive" domestic cat - an
exaggeration as it looks like a normal cat to me. TCA say there is a
classic and traditional Chartreux. This undermines the concept of
sticking to one cat type, the traditional, doesn't it? I wish breeders
would simplify things!
There are many people who find the more "refined" Siamese cats
very beautiful and interesting. That applies to any other breed
that has undergone a similar process of breeding (the Korat or Balinese are lesser examples). Others prefer the more traditional look.
The Traditional Cat Association are said to fiercely guard the copyright to their breed standards, of which there are 301. There are therefore 30 traditional cat breeds by their standards.
I
don't understand, by the way, why the breed standards are guarded to
this extent. They should be freely available to help promote the cause
of the traditional cat breed, to spread the word. That said, I can't
see them on the TCA website!
Perhaps Diana is being a bit to defensive, I don't know for sure. She
has probably been attacked too much by the breeders who champion the
contemporary appearance. In any event she does good work and sets high
standards. TCA for example provide a cattery inspection service for
their members. The major cat associations don't do this as far as I am
aware. It is a fantastic idea and shows a high level of responsibility.
I see this lacking in the main cat associations such as the CFA, TICA
and GCCF who have a laissez-faire attitude to breeding standards.
Another big plus for TCA is that they promote health through
the breeding of more traditional cats. Breeding to more extreme body
shapes can lead to a less healthy cat. See for example: Siamese Cat Health Problems.
The traditional cat breeds
recognised by TCA as stated in their website are: Abyssinian, American
Bobtail, American Curl, American Shorthair, American Wirehair,
Traditional and Classic Australian Mist, "Authentic" Bengal, Bengalese,
Birman, Bombay, Traditional British Shorthair and Longhair, Burmese,
European Burmese, Chartreux, Exotic Shorthair, Egyptian Mau, Gao Taem,
Havana Brown, Himalayan, Household Pet, Japanese Bobtail, Jungala
(never heard of this breed), Khao Manee, Korat, LaPerm, Main Coon (I
never knew that there was a traditional version of the LaPerm and Maine
Coon), Colorpoint Manx, Manx, Nebelung, Ninlaret (never heard of this
breed before now), Norwegian Forest Cat, Ocicat, Oriental Shorthair and
Longhair, Persian, Peterbald, Pixie-Bob, Ragamuffin, Ragdoll, Cornish
Rex, Devon Rex, Selkirk Rex, Russian Blue, Siamese, Balinese, Siberian
Forest Cat, Savannah (this sounds strange to me as this is a modern
breed and their has only ever been one type of Savannah cat), Scottish
Fold, Singapura, Snowshoe, Somali, Sphynx, Tiffany/Chantilly,
Tonkinese, Turkish Angora, Turkish Van....Phew that is a long list. You
can read about them all on PoC starting on this page.
I am not sure that I agree on some of these cat breeds. I don't
believe that there is such a cat as the traditional Savannah cat breed.
And the Siberian Cat? Isn't there just one type? Apparently not.
Lets take some examples. I have covered the subject of the evolution of the Siamese cat extensively on this page: Siamese Cat History.
Traditional Siamese have short thick velvet-like coats. "The
traditional Siamese preserves the look of the first Siamese cats
imported into the West...."1
The Korat
is a cat that also originates in Asia, Thailand specifically, as does
the Burmese too. Regular Korat breeders will claim that they stick to
the cat's original appearance but TCA thinks otherwise. TCA lists the
traditional and classic Korat. It is a kind of gradation, much like the
Siamese. The traditional Korat is has a sturdier body shape, the
classic is more slender and the contemporary more slender still.
 The traditional Abyssinian is an interesting case. The Abyssinians
that I have seen at cat shows are not extreme. They are slender or of
foreign body shape to use cat fancy language. In fact that language
tells us a bit of how breeders think. It seems that they consider
foreign cats more slender.
Anyway back to the traditional Abyssinian. The exact origins are
unclear Diana Fiernan says the east coast of India. I discuss this here
(new window). We do know from early pictures of the Abyssinian cat (see
the photo collage heading this page) that the earlier cats from around
the early 1900s were more cobby, more robust and less slender if you
like. The traditional Abyssinian should not have a head that is too narrow or fined boned. The classic modern Abyssinian head can seen in the cropped adjacent photo of Helmi Flick.
Breeders
will consider that through selective breeding they have refined the
breed. Refining it means making it more delicate and elegant looking.
Also during the long breeding process going back over 100 years now,
cat associations have extended the range of allowable coat colours. The
traditional is only accepted in two colours: Ruddy and Red1.
Another classic bit of selective breeding which has left a cat breed almost not looking like a cat at all is the Persian. This is perhaps the farthest a cat breed cat get from its roots! The traditional Persian however, is possibly the best looking cat breed of them all other than the Australian Tiffanie but this is very subjective...
In conclusion
then, in this discussion on traditional cat breeds, long standing de
facto cat breeds that have originated in far flung foreign places have
been refined and extended through selective breeding distancing the
cat's appearance from its original shape and colour and leaving the
door open for people to desire a return to traditional cat breeds, a
cat that is closer to the original household cat upon which the breed
was founded.
Notes:
1. The Encyclopedia Of The Cat by Dr Bruce Fogle page 180 on traditional cat breeds, published by DK, ISBN 978 1 453 2149 5
From Traditional Cat Breeds to Cat Appearance |
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