Whether a mishmash of breeds or a purebred cat, every feline has a story to tell when it comes to their beginnings. While some of those origin stories are easy to puzzle out, like the American Shorthair or the Scottish Fold, others have a rather surprising start to their lineage. For example, do you know how the Manx and their missing tails came about? How about the Bombay with its eyes of gold? Put your knowledge to the test and find out if you know the backstory of these five popular cat breeds!
5 Cat Breed Origin Stories
1. Sphynx
The Sphynx is actually the only cat breed to come from Canada. Although they look almost like Egyptian statues with their tall ears and wide-set eyes, this breed originated from a hairless kitten born in Canada in the late 1960s. Selective breeding of this kitten gave rise to the hairless breed we know today. Through the hard work of some very passionate Sphynx lovers, this breed achieved success through careful, selective breeding.
2. Bombay
Despite the reference to the capital city in India, this stunning black cat breed actually originated in the United States. With their witchy black coats and distinctive yellow eyes, the Bombay has the quintessential spooky appearance you see in festive Halloween decor. These striking ‘mini panthers’ are not only gorgeous, but intelligent and social, bringing much love and affection to their families.
3. Havana Brown
With their rich chocolate coats and beautiful green eyes, the majestic Havana Brown is easily recognizable to many cat lovers. And although the name resembles that of the Cuban capital, this cat breed originated in the United Kingdom. These smart cats are also known in England as the Chestnut Brown and came into existence during the 1950s. The Havana Brown thrives on connection and will certainly let you know if they’re feeling ignored!
4. Bengal
This spotted cat breed is known for its lovable antics and wildly fun personality, originating in the United States through hybrid breeding. The Bengals we know today are thought to be the result of crossing a domesticated feline with an Asian leopard cat. And if that sounds fancy, it certainly is, as this high-quality breed also comes with a high price tag attached. People are ready to fork over thousands for these rosette-wearing acrobats.
5. Manx
Although they typically resemble your traditional American tabby cat minus the tail, this breed came about off the coast of the British Isles from a tiny island known as the Isle of Man. This tailless cat was first referred to as the Manks, and came to be a naturally occurring genetic mutation that caused them to be tailless at birth.
A Tail of Surprise!
So, how many of these origin tails, er, tales, did you know? The cat lover you are, you probably knew most of this, didn’t you? If you didn’t, then you just added to your feline knowledge base, and that’s always a thing of purrfection!
