History Ragdoll cats were first bred by Ann Baker in the 1960s. The ancestors of the Ragdoll cat were almost exclusively strays. Ann mated one of her adopted white long-haired females with her other adopted cats, and the offspring of this female had an unusually quiet disposition, with some hanging loosely on her arm like ragdolls when she held them. After screening for coat colour and other external features, she invented the Muppet breed. Physiological characteristics Ragdoll cats are large, lethargic and have medium length fur. Male cats can weigh up to 7-10kg and female cats...

History Persian cats are named after the country in which they originated - Persia - but there is also archaeological research that pushes the historical origins of this breed of cat back to over 1600 BC. Persian cats were the first breed to appear at cat shows. The Persian cat has been one of man's favourite cat breeds for as long as records have been kept. Queen Victoria, who started the Victorian era, is said to have had two blue-eyed Persian cats. The size and personality of Persian cats define their regal temperament. Physiological characteristics Persian...

History The Exotic Shorthair is actually the result of "inadvertence". The breeders of the American Shorthair mated the American Shorthair with a Persian cat, intending to get a silver coat and green eyes, but the result was not quite what they had hoped for. But the new breed looked so cute that the breeders suggested they become a new breed called "sterling" (meaning silver). They look like Persians, but with a short, dense coat. At first only the silver colour was accepted at the event, but later all other colours were recognised and the name was...