Cat breed

A cat breed is a recognized population of domestic cats with inherited traits and a defined ancestry, usually maintained through selective breeding and pedigree records.

Domestic cat: A small carnivorous mammal domesticated from the African wildcat and kept as a companion or working animal. All cat breeds belong to this domesticated species.
Cat fancy: The organized hobby and industry surrounding the breeding, showing, and appreciation of cats. Breed recognition is central to organized cat breeding and exhibitions.
Landrace: A locally adapted population shaped by long-term environmental pressures and informal selection. Landraces arise through local history rather than formal breed standards.
Inherited disease: A disorder caused by genetic variants passed from parents to offspring. Some breed-specific traits are linked to inherited disorders.
Selective breeding: The controlled reproduction of organisms to increase the frequency of chosen inherited traits. Breeders shape distinctive traits by choosing which cats reproduce.
Cat show: An event where cats are judged against standards set for breeds or other competition classes. Judges compare pedigreed cats with their breed standards.
Mixed-breed cat: A domestic cat whose ancestry combines multiple breeds or is not documented as one recognized breed. Most cats are not registered members of a single pedigree breed.
Genetic diversity: The variety of genetic differences among individuals in a population. Closed breeding populations can lose diversity and become more vulnerable to disease.
Pedigree: A documented record of an animal’s ancestry across generations. Pedigrees trace the ancestry used to define and maintain a breed.
The International Cat Association: An international organization that registers cats and sanctions cat shows. It maintains breed registrations and publishes standards for recognized breeds.

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