Meow! Purrr!
Odds are good that if you have a pet, it is a cat, because according to Wikipedia, cats are the most popular pet in the world.
Learn more about cats and the defining characteristics of over 50 breeds in this week’s feline site picks.
Cat Channel: Breeds
www.catchannel.com/breeds
In addition to browsing by the alphabetical index, there are four breed categories featured on the front page: curly coated cats, shorthaired breeds, longhaired breeds, and wild cats. Be sure to scroll through the user-submitted photo galleries that are accessible from each breed’s profile page. In fact, you can “create your cat’s very own web page” if you are 13 or older. Just click on Cat Club Member Login in the upper-left-hand corner of the masthead.
FindTheBest: Cat Breeds
cat-breeds.findthebest.com
“While many dogs demand months of training and close attention, cats tend to be much more independent. As such, your main consideration should be the cat’s temperament. Do you prefer a loving, affectionate feline, or a highly intelligent forager?” This feline comparison engine displays core breed temperaments along with physical attributes in an easy-to-browse layout. Select those features important to you, and view the matching breeds side-by-side.
Pet MD: Breedopedia: Cat
www.petmd.com/cat/breeds
In addition to a Symptom Checker and Ask the Vet column, the cat section of Pet MD has a “breedopedia” of cat breeds accessible via gallery or list view. There is also a cool cat comparison engine that lets you refine your search by breed size, personality, and coat characteristics. The breed-specific photos (sorted by popularity) are a highlight. To upload yours, simply register with your e-mail address.
TICA: Recognized Cat Breeds
www.tica.org/public/breeds.php
TICA is a feline pedigree registrar that defines “fifty-five breeds of cats for championship competition” plus non-championship breeds such as Household Pets, Advanced New Breeds, and Preliminary New Breeds. To see a photo gallery of cat breeds, just scroll down to where they are arranged alphabetically. Each breed detail page includes photos of Best of Breed winners. There is also a separate photo gallery for breed champions listed by year. Look for these archive links in the fourth paragraph of the introduction.
Animal Planet: Cat Breed Directory
www.animal.discovery.com/breedselector/cat
selectorindex.do
“Whether cats are completely domesticated is questionable, but it is believed that humans have bred cats for specific characteristics for the past 2,000 years. These profiles explore some of those breeds and their unique traits.” Try the breed selector to find the best cat for your family, or use the drop-down breed list to learn more about a specific breed. Each profile page includes a rating of breed characteristics such as activity level, vocality, playfulness, and compatibility with children and other pets.