The Most Interesting Cat in The World?
Well, maybe not the most interesting cat in the world, but certainly an interesting episode! We got to spend some time with Teresa Kreiger of the Cat Fanciers Association and explore the most popular breeds of cat (and the rarest ones too!) Could your cat be on the list? Find out about each of the breeds- their appearance, size, temperament, as well as what it takes to keep them groomed and looking sharp.
I am not going to give them away! You will have to listen, but can you guess which breeds are the most rare? Listen to find out if you have ever met one of these cats!
Listen to Episode #127 Now:
BIO:
CFA Allbreed Judge Teresa Keiger has been exhibiting and breeding cats since 1993. She joined CFA’s judging panel in 2007 and has judged cat shows across the US, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Korea, Europe, Kuwait, and Russia. She has judged for other associations in Australia and New Zealand..
She is also a graphic designer for CFA and editor of their bi-monthly online magazine Cat Talk. This publication as well as Keiger herself have won numerous awards and Muse Medallions from The Cat Writers’ Association, including the President’s Award, several design awards, and many articles on feline health and caregiving.
Her original breed is the Russian Blue, which she is still breeding under the cattery name Platina Luna. Her wins with the breed include many Regional Winners, 3 National Winners, and 2 Distinguished Merit cats. The highlight of her breeding career was having Second Best Cat in CFA in 2009, a Russian Blue who had also won the prestigious Madison Square Garden show. During her training in the CFA Judging Program, she exhibited Siamese, Manx, Abysinnians, Javinese, Ocicats, Persians, Exotics, and Maine Coon Cats.
Transcript:
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Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
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Announcer: Let's Talk Pets.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Hey there, cat lovers.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Welcome to Nine Lives with Dr.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Kat.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: I'm your host, Dr.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Kathryn Primm, and I'm a small animal veterinarian and crazy cat lover, as you know.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Today, I have a super interesting guest, Teresa Kreiger, and she is with the Cat Fanciers Association, and she is going to talk with us about what breeds of cat are the most popular.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So we will be right back to learn all about these cool and interesting cats right after this break.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: As I mentioned, I have Teresa Kreiger with me.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Hi Teresa.
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Teresa Kreiger: Hi Dr.
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Teresa Kreiger: Kat, how are you?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: I am excellent, marvelous, if you will.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So you are with the Cat Fanciers Association, and you are an All Breeds judge, as well as I understand a graphic designer, is that correct?
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Teresa Kreiger: Yes, I am.
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Teresa Kreiger: I am contracted with the Cat Fanciers Association.
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Teresa Kreiger: As their graphic designer, I also judge all 45 of the breeds that see it, they recognize us all over the world.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: That is really fascinating.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So you said you were putting together a graphic about the most popular cat breed.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So I thought we could sort of, I don't know, take advantage of the information and the research that you did on this and talk about these three.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So you just said there are 45 breeds in total?
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Teresa Kreiger: Yes.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Oh, that's awesome.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: And they are each kind of their own cat, so to speak, right?
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Teresa Kreiger: That is correct.
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Teresa Kreiger: Every breed has something unique besides just collar and coat that sets them apart from every other breed.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Well, we love them all, but I do want to jump right in because I want to talk about these individual breeds a little more specifically and maybe why you think they're so popular.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So let's get started.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: What's number one?
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Teresa Kreiger: Number one is the Ragdoll, originally recognized for registration by CFA in 1998.
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Teresa Kreiger: Interestingly enough, not one, not two, but all three of our most registered breeds for 2023 are all long hair cats.
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Teresa Kreiger: So I think that says a little something right there.
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Teresa Kreiger: Folks love the soft look of long hair cats.
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Teresa Kreiger: The Ragdoll is a very unique breed.
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Teresa Kreiger: It is a large cat.
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Teresa Kreiger: It is pointed with various types of three different light spotting factor overlays on top of that.
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Teresa Kreiger: Now with our pointed cats, we always get blue eyes regardless of the breed or lack thereof.
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Teresa Kreiger: So Ragdolls are known for being large, having a long flowing coat, and these huge oval blue eyes.
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Teresa Kreiger: They're absolutely mesmerizing and they're soft coat.
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Teresa Kreiger: Just, you want to run your fingers through it all day long.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: I agree.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So for my listeners that aren't really familiar with the terminology that you're using, when you say the points, you mean that the ears are a different color, like maybe like a Siamese cat, like my listeners might.
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Teresa Kreiger: Exactly like a Siamese cat.
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Teresa Kreiger: That's usually the breed that I used to describe, the pointed cat.
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Teresa Kreiger: So the color comes in on the extremities, the ears, the face, the feet, and the tail.
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Teresa Kreiger: So with the ragdoll, we have the pointed colors, then the body shades up, but its chest can be in one pattern, it will be white.
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Teresa Kreiger: The chest and the underbelly and the legs will be white, and it'll have a white triangle coming up through the face and meeting at the top of the head.
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Teresa Kreiger: And another pattern, the mitten pattern, the chest is white and it has a white chin and then little gloves that's white at the end of the toes of all four feet.
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Teresa Kreiger: So they do come in a couple of different patterns, but the bicolor, what we call the poignant bicolor, is the most popular and the one that people think of when they think of the ragdoll breed.
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Teresa Kreiger: They're very friendly, very owner-oriented, and they're known for their docile personality, hence the name ragdoll.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So what would you describe their typical energy level being?
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Teresa Kreiger: Moderate energy.
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Teresa Kreiger: They are somewhat active, but they're really kind of home bodies.
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Teresa Kreiger: They get along well with dogs and young children as well.
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Teresa Kreiger: I actually have some pictures of a ragdoll breeder and her son, he's grown up with ragdolls, and they're absolutely adorable.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So what about, you said interestingly that the popular breeds this year were all long-coated.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So what about grooming for the ragdoll?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Is there anything special?
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Teresa Kreiger: What a pet owner would need to do is just comb through with a comb a couple of times a week to keep the mats away, under the arms and on the belly.
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Teresa Kreiger: And you can always shampoo and blow dry if you want to.
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Teresa Kreiger: There is an art to doing that, but cats can indeed be bathed.
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Teresa Kreiger: But for your average home pet owner, just a simple groom through should be enough unless something happens.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So do they have any specific health issues as a breed?
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Teresa Kreiger: Not that I am aware of.
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Teresa Kreiger: They're genuinely hardy cat.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: What about their lifespan?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: How long would a typical ragdoll be expected to live?
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Teresa Kreiger: Probably about 15 years.
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Teresa Kreiger: That is a little beyond my expertise, but from what I have seen, that's probably about average.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So you said that they get along well with children and other animals.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: What about other cats?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Like do all the cats in a home need to be ragdolls for them to get along?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Or is it-
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Teresa Kreiger: I don't think so, no.
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Teresa Kreiger: As I said, they're a very laid back cat.
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Teresa Kreiger: And when we talk about bringing any breed or breedless cat, a lot of it also has to do with the individual cat's temper and that pedigreed cats do have distinct personality traits that they are known for.
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Teresa Kreiger: But otherwise, I always say a proper introduction goes a long way to introducing a new cat into your household and integrating it to a successful relationship with your resident cat.
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Teresa Kreiger: But by and large, they would be a breed that would get along well with other cats.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So if someone listening is interested in getting a ragdoll cat, how would they go about finding a reputable breeder or finding out more information about a ragdoll cat?
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Teresa Kreiger: I always suggest, and this will go for all of the breeds that we talk about today.
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Teresa Kreiger: One, go to a cat show, go to a CFA cat show.
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Teresa Kreiger: There you will have a chance to see these breeds up close in the fur, as I like to say, and actually meet the breeders.
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Teresa Kreiger: They may not have a pet available at the show, but that's a good way to introduce yourself and get connected with the breeder.
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Teresa Kreiger: CFA also has a find a breeder section on their own website.
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Teresa Kreiger: Thirdly, if you're, I would contact the breed council secretary.
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Teresa Kreiger: They know who is working, actively working with the breed, who is a reputable breeder, and they can often put you in touch with a breeder.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Well, that's great.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So what is the web address for CFA?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Is it cfa.org?
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Teresa Kreiger: It's cfa.org.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Excellent, that was a good guess.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Okay, so, all right, so you said there were top two, top three.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: What's number two?
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Teresa Kreiger: Number two, another long hair and our largest breed ever, the Maine Coon Cat.
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Teresa Kreiger: It's really very, very popular with everyone.
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Teresa Kreiger: Actually, I just lost my Maine Coon at 15 years and through the judging program, I had to show a lot of cats to become familiar with them.
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Teresa Kreiger: My husband said, you know, he's the favorite breed that you had in that of all of them.
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Teresa Kreiger: And men really kind of like Maine Coon Cats.
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Teresa Kreiger: They're big, they're fun, they're loving.
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Teresa Kreiger: They have these little, little, tiny voices that you wouldn't expect from a 20 pound cat.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: What kind of temperament overall would you expect from a Maine Coon?
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Teresa Kreiger: You know, they are one of the very few breeds that in their breed standard, it says must be amenable to being handled.
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Teresa Kreiger: And they are very laid back.
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Teresa Kreiger: Their nickname is the Gentle Giant.
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Teresa Kreiger: And a lot of this is because you don't want a cat that's that large to have personality issues.
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Teresa Kreiger: And by and large, they follow you around.
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Teresa Kreiger: They want to be with you.
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Teresa Kreiger: My guy was on the sofa beside me every night.
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Teresa Kreiger: And he would say, put your arm on my back.
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Teresa Kreiger: And then he'd throw his head back and give me the big, I love you looks.
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Teresa Kreiger: Just, they're just a great, great breed.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Yes, I like them too.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: I have a lot as patients.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: What about grooming specifically for the Maine Coon, different from the ragdoll?
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Teresa Kreiger: Not that much different from your average, for your average pet owner.
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Teresa Kreiger: Again, a good combing with steel comb, a couple of times a week will go a long way as to getting out the dead hair and getting out the mats.
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Teresa Kreiger: Because of their size, really for both of these, but for especially the Maine Coons, that type of grooming is very important in as far as keeping the cat fur at bay as it were, and for helping them to look their best.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Okay, so you said that Maine Coons can be large.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: You said maybe 20 pounds or whatever.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Do they require more space because of their size?
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Teresa Kreiger: Well, that's kind of interesting.
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Teresa Kreiger: It's nice, but like a lot of cats, they also like small spaces.
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Teresa Kreiger: And it's a kind of a dichotomy because they really don't know how large they are.
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Teresa Kreiger: My guy, I would have a cat carrier, just a small cat carrier, maybe 18 inches long, et cetera, in the hall.
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Teresa Kreiger: And I kept it out there because he would like to take his 22 pound self, put himself in the carrier, curl up in there and close the door.
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Teresa Kreiger: Honestly had no idea how large he was.
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Teresa Kreiger: But in regards to if they get to get you gummies and want to run for a little bit, it's good for them to have a bit of space, but it's not like you have to have a three story house for them.
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Teresa Kreiger: They pretty much make themselves at home wherever they want to be.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So you did not mention specifically for them about compatibility with other pets and children, but it sounds like you're implying that they are very amenable to that.
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Teresa Kreiger: Absolutely, they absolutely are.
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Teresa Kreiger: Again, I have seen children grow up in the cat fancy with Maine Coons, and they know that these are little people.
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Teresa Kreiger: And as long as they're, as with all cats, the children treat them with respect and kindness, then there's generally no problem.
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Teresa Kreiger: I have always fascinated them with just how large they are.
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Teresa Kreiger: I mean, their bones are very, very large, almost as big as my arms.
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Teresa Kreiger: And that can, if you're lifting them or carrying them around, when they get to be a little older, that can be a challenge for some people.
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Teresa Kreiger: But by and large, they're pretty good about plopping themselves right upon the sofa with you.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Yes, I love them.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Okay, so let's take a real quick break and come back.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: I want to talk about the number three.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: And then you mentioned that you had some information to share about some rare cat breeds as well.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So we'll be right back.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Today, Teresa Kreiger and I from Cat Fanciers Association are talking about popular breeds and all the characteristics and interesting things about them individually.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: And I want to jump right in.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Okay, Teresa, what was the third most popular breed?
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Teresa Kreiger: The third most popular breed is a breed that most people are familiar with, or think they're familiar with, the Persian.
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Teresa Kreiger: With its round, round head and short body and flat face, the Persian is easily one of our most recognizable breeds.
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Teresa Kreiger: It's also one of the original breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association and has been recognized since its inception in 1906.
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Teresa Kreiger: As I said, they have these round head, large round eyes and sweet, open expression.
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Teresa Kreiger: Not every long hair cat is a Persian.
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Teresa Kreiger: A Persian has that distinctly short body and completely flat face.
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Teresa Kreiger: I always think that they look like little pansies.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: And they are not as big as the mancoon.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: What is their average weight range?
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Teresa Kreiger: They should be a large cat, but they will probably at their, for most pet cats, their largest would be the males at 15 pounds, the females somewhat smaller.
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Teresa Kreiger: I also had a female, black female Persian coming through the judging program, and she was just an absolute joy.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So is there anything about their temperament?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: I mean, they're not called ragdolls, right?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: Is there anything about that makes them different, their temperament?
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Teresa Kreiger: They are very loving.
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Teresa Kreiger: What's kind of interesting is that this breed gets a lot of handling because of its long hair and that flat profile.
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Teresa Kreiger: The breeders are always wiping eyes and bathing them, because you know, little kitties, when they're potty training, their rear ends can become a little less than fresh and they have to be bathed.
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Teresa Kreiger: So they're used to being handled and handled a lot.
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Teresa Kreiger: And I think that makes them very, very amenable to being handled.
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Teresa Kreiger: I used to say with my girl, I like to bathe her and blow dry her, block her little face.
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Teresa Kreiger: And it was like playing with Barbie dolls, that bird.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: They are very pretty and I don't know, almost feminine.
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: So what would you, I know you said it's not really your area of expertise, but how long could an average pet owner expect a Persian to live?
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Dr. Kathryn Primm: What would be the average lifespan?
00:17:18.504 --> 00:17:20.324
Teresa Kreiger: I would say about 15 years.
00:17:21.324 --> 00:17:23.144
Teresa Kreiger: Yeah, 12 to 15 years, yeah.
00:17:23.384 --> 00:17:28.004
Dr. Kathryn Primm: And you kind of briefly touched on grooming about wiping their face and that kind of thing.
00:17:28.024 --> 00:17:32.964
Dr. Kathryn Primm: But as far as the coat care, sort of the same as the other large breed cats.
00:17:33.684 --> 00:17:34.104
Teresa Kreiger: Right.
00:17:34.144 --> 00:17:40.984
Teresa Kreiger: And you know, the other thing is to any of these long hair breeds can have different textures of coat.
00:17:41.604 --> 00:17:49.884
Teresa Kreiger: I'm looking at the picture that I used for the Persian, and it has a very fun coat that's like cotton, so it can knot up early.
00:17:50.224 --> 00:17:56.864
Teresa Kreiger: Some other Persians in other colors can have a silkier coat that doesn't tangle up so much.
00:17:57.184 --> 00:18:06.264
Teresa Kreiger: But again, a good combing, a couple of times a week with the comb will go a long way to keeping the bats at bay.
00:18:06.484 --> 00:18:08.564
Teresa Kreiger: And Persians like being groomed.
00:18:08.584 --> 00:18:11.064
Teresa Kreiger: They like getting all that dead hair out.
00:18:11.924 --> 00:18:21.164
Teresa Kreiger: Also take a cotton pad, cosmetic pad, and a little eye wash solution on the pad and wipe their eyes off frequently.
00:18:21.504 --> 00:18:27.144
Teresa Kreiger: Because they're a Gracia phallic, that flat face, they can be prone to tearing.
00:18:27.164 --> 00:18:33.544
Teresa Kreiger: So it's good to keep all the nose and the eye ducts free of any kind of debris.
00:18:33.964 --> 00:18:40.084
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So do you think that they would be considered compatible with other pets and children fairly friendly?
00:18:40.104 --> 00:18:41.544
Teresa Kreiger: I think so.
00:18:41.564 --> 00:18:43.764
Teresa Kreiger: I absolutely think so.
00:18:44.344 --> 00:18:54.064
Teresa Kreiger: And again, depending on how everyone's integrated, I know that I had my Persian with the crew of Russian blues and she fit right in.
00:18:54.604 --> 00:18:56.464
Teresa Kreiger: Hey, you want to guess what number four is?
00:18:57.004 --> 00:18:59.444
Teresa Kreiger: And this segues into number three.
00:18:59.464 --> 00:19:00.144
Teresa Kreiger: There's a link.
00:19:00.544 --> 00:19:01.984
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Oh gosh, I don't know.
00:19:02.004 --> 00:19:05.204
Teresa Kreiger: The exotic, it's the short hair Persian.
00:19:05.224 --> 00:19:06.224
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Oh yeah, yeah.
00:19:07.124 --> 00:19:26.004
Teresa Kreiger: Exactly the same body, but if someone is intimidated by all that long hair, we have the exotic, which has a dense, dense plush coat, very thick, but it's short, exactly the same sweet face, the same compact body, just in short hair.
00:19:26.464 --> 00:19:27.164
Dr. Kathryn Primm: I love it.
00:19:27.164 --> 00:19:27.684
Teresa Kreiger: I love it.
00:19:27.704 --> 00:19:43.744
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So would you say that if one of my listeners out there is like, oh, I would love to have a cat like that, would you not agree that creating a relationship with a breeder where you could find out the specific temperament and health of their cats?
00:19:43.764 --> 00:19:46.904
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Don't you think a breeder would be able to answer questions about that?
00:19:47.144 --> 00:19:48.064
Teresa Kreiger: Absolutely.
00:19:48.084 --> 00:19:49.844
Teresa Kreiger: In fact, they would love to.
00:19:50.424 --> 00:19:56.784
Teresa Kreiger: The more questions you can ask a breeder about the cat, the more informed you become.
00:19:56.824 --> 00:20:01.284
Teresa Kreiger: And that gets your relationship with that breeder off on the right start.
00:20:01.304 --> 00:20:06.264
Teresa Kreiger: We love it when potential buyers ask us lots of questions.
00:20:06.284 --> 00:20:16.764
Teresa Kreiger: It shows that you're interested in the cat, you've done your research, and you're serious about finding the right breed and the right cat for you and your household.
00:20:17.184 --> 00:20:21.644
Dr. Kathryn Primm: I love communicating with the breeder, also making sure you have a veterinarian.
00:20:21.644 --> 00:20:24.924
Dr. Kathryn Primm: I know that you, as a responsible cat owner, would agree.
00:20:25.004 --> 00:20:31.724
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Okay, so you kind of mentioned and sort of dangled the carrot for me about some rare breeds.
00:20:31.744 --> 00:20:32.804
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Can you talk about those?
00:20:33.384 --> 00:20:40.244
Teresa Kreiger: Yes, and unfortunately, there are a couple of breeds that we simply don't see enough of anymore.
00:20:40.684 --> 00:20:47.584
Teresa Kreiger: Probably the rarest, in this case, the least number registered is the Turkish Van.
00:20:47.984 --> 00:20:50.644
Teresa Kreiger: Yes, it is originally from Turkey.
00:20:51.064 --> 00:20:57.724
Teresa Kreiger: It is a large, long-haired cat, and it did originate in the Lake Van region of Turkey.
00:20:58.524 --> 00:21:00.444
Teresa Kreiger: They're right in the Middle East.
00:21:00.464 --> 00:21:08.344
Teresa Kreiger: We have records of these cats going back a number of years, and they're considered a national treasure in Turkey.
00:21:08.704 --> 00:21:17.064
Teresa Kreiger: They're unique in that they're white cats, and the color is only on the head, the tail, and maybe one spot on the body.
00:21:17.084 --> 00:21:24.564
Teresa Kreiger: And there just simply are not that many breeders of this wonderful breed around anymore.
00:21:25.164 --> 00:21:30.904
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So this is a white, long-haired cat that has spots in specific parts of their body.
00:21:30.924 --> 00:21:31.624
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Is that what I'm understanding?
00:21:31.984 --> 00:21:34.784
Teresa Kreiger: In fact, they gave their name to the pattern.
00:21:34.804 --> 00:21:36.744
Teresa Kreiger: We call it the van pattern.
00:21:37.464 --> 00:21:43.424
Teresa Kreiger: So yes, they can have color only on the head, the tails, and one body spot.
00:21:43.764 --> 00:21:47.024
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So I've never seen a Turkish fan, actually, in my practice.
00:21:47.044 --> 00:21:48.424
Teresa Kreiger: You probably haven't.
00:21:48.804 --> 00:21:50.044
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Yeah, so I never have.
00:21:50.064 --> 00:21:53.124
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So what type of, are they friendly?
00:21:53.184 --> 00:21:54.404
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Are they outgoing?
00:21:54.424 --> 00:21:55.924
Dr. Kathryn Primm: What would you characterize in them?
00:21:56.004 --> 00:21:58.744
Teresa Kreiger: I would say they're friendly to their owners.
00:21:58.764 --> 00:22:00.424
Teresa Kreiger: They're a bit reserved.
00:22:00.764 --> 00:22:04.724
Teresa Kreiger: They're a large cat, again, with the long hair.
00:22:05.044 --> 00:22:09.324
Teresa Kreiger: I happen to like them an awful lot, and used to see a lot of them.
00:22:09.344 --> 00:22:11.904
Teresa Kreiger: So I was familiar with handling them.
00:22:12.424 --> 00:22:17.624
Teresa Kreiger: They're a little more sensitive to their surroundings than some of our other breeds.
00:22:18.244 --> 00:22:24.244
Teresa Kreiger: But if you ever have the chance to see one, and I hope you do, I think you'll be fascinated by them.
00:22:24.664 --> 00:22:26.184
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Well, I'm already fascinated.
00:22:26.204 --> 00:22:28.264
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So I want to see one.
00:22:28.464 --> 00:22:32.904
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Do they seem to get along well with pets and people in a home?
00:22:33.564 --> 00:22:35.464
Teresa Kreiger: People in the home, yes.
00:22:35.584 --> 00:22:39.964
Teresa Kreiger: I don't have any experience with them with other cats.
00:22:40.804 --> 00:22:44.824
Teresa Kreiger: And again, I would think they're a bit more reserved.
00:22:45.784 --> 00:22:52.764
Teresa Kreiger: And again, careful, careful introductions of the right cat with the right Turkish fan.
00:22:53.324 --> 00:22:54.624
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Very, very helpful.
00:22:55.484 --> 00:23:00.144
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Okay, so you have one other breed that I actually have never heard of.
00:23:00.484 --> 00:23:03.884
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So I'm very excited for you to tell your other rare breed.
00:23:04.544 --> 00:23:18.844
Teresa Kreiger: Imagine a short haired cat that was large and robust with a rounded head and round eyes, and its coat felt like, and looked like a soft Brillo pad.
00:23:19.284 --> 00:23:21.864
Teresa Kreiger: You would have the American wire hair.
00:23:22.424 --> 00:23:29.524
Teresa Kreiger: It's a spontaneous mutation, mother nature, in one letter said, oh, let's try something different with this one.
00:23:30.024 --> 00:23:35.804
Teresa Kreiger: And from that particular cat, we got the wire hair breed.
00:23:35.824 --> 00:23:49.604
Teresa Kreiger: They were out-crossed with the American short hair and look very similar, which is why I said the robust head, rounded head, rounded ears, and the large eyes, big, big robust body.
00:23:50.644 --> 00:23:57.024
Teresa Kreiger: The American wire hair also has higher cheekbones and slightly slanted eyes.
00:23:57.484 --> 00:24:05.404
Teresa Kreiger: But beyond that, they look very similar, and their temperaments are similar to the laid-back temperament of the American short hair.
00:24:05.984 --> 00:24:20.984
Teresa Kreiger: Their coat, though, is a fragile coat in that it breaks somewhat easily, but you really, when I feel a good wire hair, it's all I can do to keep from running my fingers through it again and again and again.
00:24:21.004 --> 00:24:22.864
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Oh, it sounds beautiful.
00:24:22.864 --> 00:24:25.684
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So how many of them, they're rare.
00:24:25.704 --> 00:24:27.324
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So how many of them are out there, do you think?
00:24:27.664 --> 00:24:28.624
Teresa Kreiger: Not that many.
00:24:28.644 --> 00:24:31.224
Teresa Kreiger: As I said, it's our second least registered breed.
00:24:31.484 --> 00:24:38.004
Teresa Kreiger: Think when we looked to do a feature, there's only three or four breeders in the US right now.
00:24:38.024 --> 00:24:40.184
Teresa Kreiger: And it's unfortunate.
00:24:40.184 --> 00:24:42.784
Teresa Kreiger: It's been, they're a neat, neat breed.
00:24:43.644 --> 00:24:46.564
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Yeah, that is unfortunate, because now I really want to go pet one.
00:24:48.044 --> 00:24:49.264
Dr. Kathryn Primm: They sound great.
00:24:49.804 --> 00:24:57.664
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Okay, well, thank you so much for introducing us to popular and common breeds and the ones that are not so common.
00:24:58.004 --> 00:25:00.244
Dr. Kathryn Primm: I'm just very fascinated by that.
00:25:00.684 --> 00:25:02.024
Teresa Kreiger: My pleasure, Dr.
00:25:02.044 --> 00:25:02.544
Teresa Kreiger: Kat.
00:25:02.544 --> 00:25:12.064
Teresa Kreiger: I hope that your listeners enjoy this and maybe go out to their local cat show and see a couple of these up close and in the fur.
00:25:12.484 --> 00:25:13.884
Dr. Kathryn Primm: I really want them to.
00:25:14.024 --> 00:25:15.544
Dr. Kathryn Primm: I kind of really want to.
00:25:15.564 --> 00:25:22.564
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So yeah, all of my listeners go out to some cat shows and meet these interesting, interesting cats.
00:25:22.584 --> 00:25:31.464
Dr. Kathryn Primm: And then tell me, tell me what you saw because I haven't seen an American wire hair or a Turkish van and I take care of a lot of cats.
00:25:31.804 --> 00:25:33.224
Dr. Kathryn Primm: So thanks for your time.
00:25:33.424 --> 00:25:34.124
Teresa Kreiger: You're welcome.
00:25:34.144 --> 00:25:39.964
Teresa Kreiger: Your listeners can find the CFA show schedule again at cfa.org.
00:25:40.504 --> 00:25:41.084
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Perfect.
00:25:41.244 --> 00:25:44.864
Dr. Kathryn Primm: I've gotten so used to saying perfect.
00:25:44.864 --> 00:25:46.264
Dr. Kathryn Primm: I say it all the time.
00:25:46.344 --> 00:25:50.964
Dr. Kathryn Primm: Well, thanks to our amazing producer, Mark Winter.
00:25:50.984 --> 00:25:56.224
Dr. Kathryn Primm: And here we go again, listeners, go out and have a purrfect day.
00:25:57.004 --> 00:26:02.964
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