By Kaylie-Ann Flannigan
Staff Writer

It is fairly easy to identify different breeds of dog by color and size, but what about cats?
There are 55 different and distinct breeds of cats: from the ancient Egyptian Abyssinian to the American Bobtail.

They vary from large to small, long haired to short haired. A female cat of any breed is referred to as a “queen” as a male is a “tom”.

According to catchannel.com, Bengal cats are very high-energy. They have minimal grooming needs. They usually have tabby markings, seal lynx point, or spotting.

They are seen as confident, alert, curious, intelligent and friendly. Bengals are “big talkers”.
These are different than munchkin or midget cats. The munchkin cat has been gaining internet attention; its body is 40 percent longer than its legs are tall.

Recently there was a Buzzfeed article about a munchkin cat named Yoda doing many things like running around and cuddling.

The Scottish Fold originated from Scotland. Its defining characteristic is its “folded” ears. They can be long haired or short haired and exhibits different patterns. They are incredibly kind and loving.

Both the Scottish Fold and the Bengal are among the 17 cat breeds considered to be “highly intelligent,” (although cattime.com wanted to stress that if there is a breed not on the list, it does not necessarily mean the cat is not intelligent.)

The most intelligent cat is the Savannah which actually has a dog-like personality and is capable of playing fetch with its owners and is extremely active.

Cat breeds can also be distinguished by shedding and hair length. The Bengal is actually one of the few furry cats that actually sheds the least out of all breeds.

Although many breeds are distinguishable, there is still a large number of mixed-breed cats in the world. Tarder Sauce, or more popularly known as Grumpy Cat is a mixed-breed feline. Her mother is a calico and her father’s breed is unknown. Grumpy Cat’s face is seen as “grumpy” because of feline dwarfism and an underbite.

Her owner says that she is not actually grumpy at all, and is a very playful cat. She has recently won a lifetime achievement award from Friskies.

Another famous feline is Lil Bub. She is a dwarf cat born with genetic mutations that freezes her at kitten size for life. She has no teeth and a short jaw, which causes her tongue to hang out.

Lil Bub has appeared on “Good Morning America,” “The View,” “The Today Show,” and even an episode of “Workaholics.”

She even has her own YouTube channel.

Feline breeds continue to be diverse even in pop culture. It is not extremely important to know different types unless you are showing them or breeding them.

However it is still crucial to understand variety within the cat realm, as well as appreciate differences within breeds and the species as a whole.