Man Made Cat Breeds Add Unique Quality

As cats become more popular and people are breeding them more, there are those who experiment with cross breeding to create new breeds with qualities of other pure breeds. The Bengal and Snowshoe breeds are two breeds that are deliberately man made to bring out the best qualities of the breeds that make their bloodline. Both breeds were created in the 1960's and came onto the show circuit in about the 1980's. New breeds must be unique and have a totally different quality then the breeds already in cat fancy. They have to have something the other breeds do not have.

The Bengal cat breed is a hybrid of the domestic tabby and Asian leopard. This was done so that the cat would have the wild look of the Asian leopard cat, but still have the temperament of a domestic. The Snowshoe cat is combination of the Siamese and the American Shorthair. This was to get the combination of the length of the Siamese and the heftiness of the Shorthair.

The Bengal has small round ears and puffy cheeks. Their eyes are large and oval shaped, with a long and muscular body. What sets this cat apart is the color and pattern of their coat. They have large horizontal spots which is NOT a classic pattern for cats. Their color is an orange almost rust red coloration with the tip of the tail almost black. The Snowshoe on the other hand has a muscular body that combines power and agility. The males grow to be about eight to twelve pounds while the females grow to about six to ten pounds. The white spotting gene and their long body is what set this breed apart from the other breeds. They also have large ears that are set at the base of the head. Their eyes are almond shaped like the Siamese. They have high cheek bones with unpronounced whisker pads. They have a rectangular body and feels heavier then it really is. The female Snowshoe is not dainty like most cat breeds. They have medium, oval shaped feet. Their tale is thick with a slight taper.