Reigning cats and dogs: Have you ever wondered why there are more kinds of dogs than cats? One big reason is that dogs have been bred to do different things, such as hunting, guarding and herding. Cats have not.
A breed is a group of related dogs or cats with similar characteristics. “Purebred” means that an animal comes from two parents of the same breed. Some dog breeders allow a dog to be only 75 percent “purebred” to be considered part of the breed. The World Canine Organization in Belgium recognizes nearly 400 dog breeds, but the American Kennel Club recognizes only 161.
The International Cat Association recognizes 54 breeds of cats, but the Cat Fanciers’ Association only recognizes 40. Persian and Siamese cats remain among the most popular breeds.
And now we have “designer” dogs and cats: the result of putting two completely different breeds together.
One of the best-known designer cats is called an Ashera, a mix of an African serval, an Asian leopard cat and a specific kind of domestic cat. The result is a cat that looks like a small leopard and costs between — are you ready? — $22,000 and $125,000.
Sources: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; American Kennel Club; Dog Breed Info Center; International Cat Association; Lifestyle Pets.
The Washington Post
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