Assuming your vocal cat is a Siamese isn’t enough. You need paperwork to back it up.

By Bev Caldwell

Cats were kept as companions and prized as vermin-catchers in Ancient Egypt, the Middle East, India, China, and much later, in Europe. In North America, random-bred or “shelter” cats are believed to be descendants of cats introduced by early settlers from Europe. In the late 1800s, the concept of individual breeds was born out of people’s pride in their feline companions.

Cat lovers held exhibitions to display their cats; standards were developed to guide breeders in what their breed should look like, and pedigrees were created as a means of tracking a cat’s ancestry. Today, breeder members of the various cat registries determine the breed standards based on many characteristics,…

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