cat breed 101.

eviltomthai, Flickr Name: Scottish Fold Appearance: According to the Cat Fancier's Association (CFA), the Scottish fold is a medium-sized cat with a rounded body and a variety of fur colors/patterns. Best known for their characteristic ears, which literally fold forward at 3 to 4 weeks of age, the fold actually comes in two varieties: Folded ear and straight ear. The fold has a coat that's short, but yet relatively dense, giving the breed a padded look. Due to the breed's diverse pedigree, the CFA's breed standard states that Scottish folds are accepted in all colors, with the exception of chocolate, lavender, or the Himalayan pattern. History: The history of this breed dates back as far ...

aerodream2001, Flickr Name: Percy Location: Boyertown, Pa. Age: 2 Breed: Domestic Shorthair Favorite Toy: Catnip stick. Favorite Treat: Vanilla ice cream. Likes: Drinking from the bird bath, climbing trees, and racing us across the yard. Dislikes: Rain, and the foxes that come into the yard. Animal Play: He carries chipmunks back to the house to play with. The chipmunks hide and he tries to reach them. He would never hurt his furry friends. Congratulations to our submitter, aerodream2001. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool! More Cute Pets Share ...

Getty Images Name: Himalayan Appearance: According to TheCatSite.com, Himalayans have large, round heads and short necks with small ears and very large, wide, blue eyes on their brachycephalic faces. They are medium to large in size, and have short legs and big feet. Their pointed coats are their most distinguishing characteristic. They come in colors from lilac to blue, cream to seal. In general, they look like large, puffy Siamese cats. History: Unlike most breeds of cat, the history of the Himalayan is concrete and well-documented, according to Himalayan Cats Online. In 1931, cat breeder Virginia Cobb and Harvard Medical School's Dr. Clyde Keeler set out to breed a long-haired, ...

Getty Images Name: Maine coon Appearance: According to Maine Coon Cat Nation, Maine coons generally are very large, long-haired cats with shaggy coats and pronounced manes. They are most notable for their size -- males can weigh between 13 and 18 pounds, and females between 9 and 12 -- and the massive amounts of long hair that sprouts from all over their bodies, except their faces. Their shaggy, water-repellent coat sprouts from every inch of their bodies, between toes, around the neck and, most impressively, all over their peacock-like tail. Their faces are long and expressive, and they have large, lynx-like ears. History: Although many people believe that Maine coons came about in ...

Sarah_Jones, Flickr Name: Manx Appearance: Manxes are very round cats with curves every which way, according to the Cat Fanciers' Association. Their bodies are somewhat lumpy and can even appear fat despite even when they are in optimal health. Manxes can sport a long or a short coat. They have large jowls -- larger in males -- on their face and neck that sometimes can look like double chins. They have large eyes on their rounded heads, giving them an inquisitive, kind appearance. The Manx's most startling attribute, however, is that it can have different types of tails. This is due to a dominant gene which is similar yet distinct form of the gene found in Japanese bobtails. Because the ...

eva101, Flickr Name: Norwegian Forest Cat , aka Skogkatt, aka Wegie Appearance: According to Cats of Australia, Norwegian forest cats are some of the largest cats, taking four to five years to mature. They have long fur and a long undercoat, which they shed in the summer. Like Maine coons, they often develop a mane, and have a long nose. They feature large, almond-shaped, green eyes and very expressive faces. History: CFA Norwegian Forest Cat Breed Council notes that the Norwegian Forest Cat's history is mostly already told in its name. The cats were first seen around 4,000 years ago living in the forests of Norway. Like other feral cats at the time, they domesticated themselves. They ...