10 Fun Cat Breed Facts
1. Probably the most LOL cat breed to photograph, Scottish Folds enjoy being in strange positions. They sleep on their backs, stand on their hind legs, and can often be seen sitting in the “Buddha Position” with their hind legs stretched out in front and their front paws rested on their bellies.
2. Turkish Vans are fascinated by water and can often be seen swimming in warm, shallow pools in their native homeland of Lake Van, Turkey. For this reason, they are known as the “swimming cats.”
3. The Pixie-bob is the only cat which breed standards give the thumbs up to polydactyly (having more than the usual number of toes). They can have up to 7 toes on each paw!
4. If you’re a dog lover thinking about getting a cat, your best bet may be the American Bobtail. Just like dogs, they love to fetch toys, play in water, and follow their owners from room to room. They even wag their tails when they are happy.
5. The smallest cat breed is the Singapura which can weigh as little as 4 pounds. The largest domestic, non-feral cat is the Maine Coon, weighing up to 25 pounds (or 4 average-sized Singapuras!).
6. Hide your bling bling when this cat is around. The Bengal cats enjoy stealing shiny household objects and hiding them from their owners.
7. The elegant and aristocratic Balinese cats pride themselves on their manners, and while they enjoy jumping up on high shelves, they will be polite and avoid knocking over any of your objects.
8. The Japanese Bobtail is a symbol of good luck in Japan. If you’ve ever seen a statue of a cat with its paw raised (maneki-neko) inside Japanese stores or restaurants, that’s the Japanese Bobtail. The manga character Hello Kitty is also a Japanese Bobtail.
9. Having a bad hair day? For Somali cat owners, the answer may be ‘yes’ more often than not. Somali cats love playing with people’s hair, including moustaches and beards. They are said to have been blessed with the “hairdresser’s gene.”
10. The most expensive pet cat breed in the world is the Savannah cat, a cross between a serval and a domestic cat. The average cost for a kitten is between $4000 – $10,000. A Savannah cat named Scarlett’s Magic is also the Guinness World Record holder for the world’s tallest cat, measuring 17.1 inches from shoulder to toe.
photo credits:
sitting Scottish Fold – lanaflickr
standing Scottish Fold – Nekoyanagi
Bengal – Dan Sutton
Somali – peter_hasselbom
Savannah – a1savannahs
