Mary Allen
House cats are great – even without a breed and a pedigree that is longer than themselves. With a house cat, you get a loyal life partner who convinces you even without breed breeding. Find out everything about the domestic cat breed here.
Domestic cats are among the most popular cats among cat lovers. Here you will find the most important information about domestic cats.
Origin Of The Domestic Cat
The history of the domestic cat begins around 4000 years ago in ancient Egypt. Their people had discovered the advantages of the skillful wild cats and let them into their houses and granaries as mouse catchers. The wild cats were thus domesticated and prized and revered by the Egyptians.
Genetic studies show that the wild cat is probably the “primal mother” of today’s domestic cat, but the reed cat, which is widespread in Egypt and South Asia, was probably also involved in the ancestral line. She served the Egyptians not so much in the house but was trained as a hunting companion to fetch prey from the thick bushes. When the domestic cat died, it was embalmed and lovingly buried by its owners as a mummy.
The domestic cat then came to Europe through seafaring. Julius Caesar is said to have had it with him on his campaign to Gaul. The adaptable cat spreads quickly. In Central Europe, she soon became a welcome guest who protected the supplies from vermin.
Also interesting:
In the Middle Ages, the positive image suddenly changed: the house cat mutated through superstition into the embodiment of evil, it was feared and persecuted. In the world-famous children’s book “Alice in Wonderland” (1869) by the English author Lewis Carroll, the “laughing cat” embodied falsehood and vulgarity per se. Fortunately, the domestic cat has long since been fully rehabilitated.
The Appearance Of The Domestic Cat
The domestic cat is medium-sized and medium-slender, though with variations in every imaginable direction. Their proportions appear balanced. The archetype of the house cat, which was mostly found on farms in the past, is somewhat rounder in everything. From the strong and huge “Bowler”, which is feared in panic by the neighboring dogs, to the delicate, sensitive beauty, which spreads a touch of luxury and exoticism like a noble cat, there are no limits in appearance.
Coat And Colors Of The Domestic Cat
Domestic cats should be free from crossings with other breeds and may only have naturally occurring colors. “Special finishes” such as cinnamon, chocolate, or mask drawings are not permitted.
When it comes to fur colors, the two-tone cats prevail. In some areas, there are around 80% tabby cats, i.e. the tabby classic. Even blue-cream or spotted sometimes occurs. What doesn’t make the breeder of noble cats particularly happy, makes the fans of the domestic cat happy: Each new generation of cats surprises with an unimagined wealth of colors – none is like the other – an individual through and through.
While in Germany, apart from a few exceptions, most domestic cats are short-haired, many domestic cats in the Scandinavian countries and also in the cold East are long-haired. Such cat breeds as the German Longhaired Pointer, the Norwegian Forest Cat, and the Siberian Cat or the Neva Masquerade were developed.
The Temperament Of The Domestic Cat
While each noble breed of cat stands out due to its specific character traits and preferences, the breadless domestic cat is a “package of surprises”. She is sweet, affectionate and cuddly, cheeky, moody, and shy. She is the sensitive cuddly tiger in the apartment, outside the house she is a daredevil. As different as the character of the individual among the house cats is, they are almost all the same in one characteristic: house cats love freedom!
Keeping And Caring For Domestic Cats
Nothing is nicer for house cats than stalking through the garden and making the neighborhood unsafe. Therefore, you should definitely allow her to run free. However, once she has become accustomed to going outside, there will be bitter protests when it is banned. If a house cat is to live exclusively in the apartment or on the balcony, it must be used to it from the start.
The independent house cat loves and needs the affection of its human. However, she decides when. The fur of the house cat is usually easy to care for. An occasional brushing is usually sufficient.
Since the domestic cat is not a breed, it rarely falls ill with hereditary diseases. However, it is susceptible to a variety of bacterial infections and viral diseases. However, most of these diseases can be prevented by vaccination. For example, cat cold or cat distemper can be prevented.