Cats may all look very similar at first. If you look closely, there are abundant different and individual features about each cat. To see a picture of the cat breeds listed below, connect to the link for "Pictures of Various Breeds" at the bottom of this page.
Eyes
For example, look at cats' eyes. What shape are your cats eyes? While all cats eyes are round, they appear to have different shapes because of the eye opening. Some cats, have almond shaped eyes, like the Somali, round eyes like the Scottish Fold or slanted eyes like the Siamese. Pure bred cats are considered ideal if their head shape is consistent with the desired head shape for each bred. Eye colours may be varied according to the genes inherited.
The Head
A cat's head shape can be categorized into one of three basic shapes, wedge- shaped, round or rectangular. Siamese have a wedge shaped head. Persians have round heads. Main Coon cats have rectangular shaped heads.
The Tail
Some cats have a distinctive tail, and some, like the Manx has no tail. A cat's tail is never the same as another's, as it always varies a little bit from every other cat, much like a human fingerprint. The Manx has a tail that is round and resembles a pom-pom while the Siamese have almost a whip like tail.
Body Shape
The body ranges from short, thick and stalky such as the Persian breed to long, lean and muscular like the Rex and Siamese breeds.
Click on link below to continue
Bibliography
1. Understanding Cats Their History, Nature and Behavior. Robert Tabor. David and Charles Publishers 1997
2. Good Owners Great Cats A guide book for humans and their Feline companions Authors Brian Kilcommons Sarah Wilson Warner Books Inc. Nov 1995.
3. The book of the Cat. Editors Micheal Wright and Sally Walters. Pan Books 1980.
4. The Complete Cat Owner's Manual. Author Susie Page. Fog City Press 2004.
