Fractured Cats Trivia Quiz

Answer: Abyssinian

This haughty little miaow is thought to have originated either in Ethiopia or Egypt, but the cat as we would recognise it today was bred further in Great Britain. How confusing for her. She wouldn't know whether to sail down the Nile, build a pyramid, or curtsey. Wherever it came from, the Abyssinian is built a little like a model.

She is slender and fine-boned, with large, expressive eyes, long legs, small paws and a long tapering tail. Miss Abby is said to be a highly intelligent girl, with an extremely playful nature, but if she fails to get the attention from her owner that she needs, she can go into fits of depression.

It's the artistic temperament, you see.

Answer: American Bobtail

The American Bobtail cat was developed in the late 1960s and has an ancestry mix of tabby, wild bobcat, Siamese and Manx. That explains his comparatively short tail - but we don't like to mention that family failing. Bob has a no-nonsense look about him and tends to remind one of an overweight pugilist or a nightclub bouncer.

His body is stocky, his chest is broad, he has big feet, and, to make matters worse, that tail sometimes has bumps in it. He really does look like he's done a round or two in the ring. Yes, most definitely a pugilist - but a very lovable one.

Answer: Balinese

This little pussy is just so pretty. She has long hair, beautiful blue eyes and Siamese point colouring. Bred in the United States, Miss Lovely is playful, a bit nosey, extremely vocal (in other words, she nags), has the most elegant plumed tail you could ever wish for, and is said to be the most intelligent of the long-haired moggies. Brains and beauty in the one alluring package, what more could you want? The biggest mystery about Miss Lovely is why she's earned the 'Bali' part of her name.

Her ancestry is Thai as she is prone to reminding us a little indignantly.

She was given that name however because her manner of bearing reminded her original breeder of the grace of Balinese dancers.

Answer: Brazilian Shorthair

The Brazilian shorthair was the first cat of distinction from Brazil to gain international recognition. Paulo has a trim and elegant style and one expects him to break into a samba at any moment, as he is very agile on his tootsies. He isn't a very tall cat and has a sleek, elongated body, with a long tapering tail. That's what he uses to beckon the ladies onto the dance floor. Paulo's ancestry is straight off the streets of Brazil.

He developed on the wrong side of the blanket, it's sadly feared, a fact that has caused a great deal of opposition from the owners of other cat breeds of noble lineage. ("I should think so, my dears! He's little short of a gigolo!")

Answer: Burmese

The regal looking Burmese originated from a cross between an American Siamese and another cat known as Wong Mau that was imported into the States from Burma. This exotic little princess once only came in sable ("Most appropriate - mink would also be acceptable") but is now available in other colours as well.

There are two distinct breeds of Madame. These are the upper class British Burmese and the colonial American Burmese - bluebloods of course. You couldn't expect anything else with such an exotic background.

The British is slender, with long legs, and a longer muzzle and perhaps could be likened to Princess Diana. The American Burmese, on the other hand, is stockier, with a broader head and a flattened muzzle, and perhaps could be said to look like President Taft - but without the bathtub. Both breeds, to the horror of "aristocats" everywhere, are known to occasionally display canine characteristics and will quite often play fetch and tag. ("My dears, the very idea! Perhaps another sardine sandwich? They'll be burying bones next. Oh, the disgrace, the disgrace. My whiskers are all a-quiver!").

Answer: Ragamuffin

This lovely, fluffy cat is noted for its friendly nature, thick fur, broad chest and, unlike most cats, its thick belly hair. Bit of a problem feeding kittens one should imagine. They'd be spitting out fur everywhere. In addition, it has hind quarters that are as broad as its shoulders (sounds like me) and a beautiful thick ruffle of fur around its neck that makes it appear as though it's wearing a luxurious stole. The founding mother of this breed was a non-pedigree cat called Josephine who had the ability to produce very friendly kittens. Josephine was eventually bred with several pedigree cats to produce the original ragdoll cat, and from there the ragamuffin descended.

Another interesting feature about the little ragamuffin is that it has a tendency to go limp when handled. This is a little disconcerting the first time you hold one, but other than that, it has a truly lovely nature. This includes greeting family members at the door whenever they return home, and then faithfully following them from room to room. It will also yowl to them now and then as if having a conversation. (Yowl? Yowl! How dare you! That was an aria from Tosca!")

Answer: Himalayan

The Himalayan is just so adorable, it's hard to imagine a prettier cat to be found anywhere else on the face of the earth. Derived from a Persian/Siamese cross, these little powder puffs are noted for their thick and lustrous hair, their point coloration and their blue eyes.

They're beautiful. Comically so, their round bodies and short legs, combined with their balls of fluff, makes it hard for them to jump very high, but then why should they do anything so strenuous? They can have their adoring admirers do that for them instead.

There are two types of the Himalayan, one with more of the peke-face and the other with the doll face features. Both are equally as lovely, though I must admit a preference for the doll face. Edmund and Hillary have a gentle and sweet nature, they're devoted to their owners, and they purr like little engines when being patted or groomed.

Answer: Javanese

Developed in the United States, the Javanese is an oriental-classed pussy, with longish hair. She isn't classed as oriental because of any association with Java or Indonesia, but because of the tradition at the time of her breeding of naming cats after various countries. Miss South Pacific is noted for her intelligence, her playful nature, the fact that she never shuts up at times, her ability at mouse hunting ("How degrading, my dears, she chases ... I can hardly bear to say the word ... mice!"), and her occasional propensity to be cross-eyed.

This is an unfortunate affliction in a cat that, for some peculiar reason, strikes me as rather comical.

Answer: Norwegian Forest

The beautiful fluffy Norwegian forest is a Northern European breed that bears a striking resemblance to the American Maine coon. Olaf is a strong little fellow with longish legs and the most adorable bushy tail in the world. Coming from the mountainous regions of the world, he is, of course, very good at climbing.

It is believed that the early Vikings took ancestors of Olaf with them on their many voyagers, an honour, one feels, they wouldn't have totally enjoyed. Normally a quiet cat, Olaf can become rather noisy at times, especially if he has to share the same house as a dog.

Answer: Persian

Persians are adorable, even if they do look like someone has sat on their faces. Originating in Persia - where else - they were introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 1600s. Once extremely popular in Britain and France, this cat of choice has declined in favour in those two countries ("It's all politics, my dears") but is still the most popular feline in the United States, and has been so there for many years. Shah is noted for his thick and lustrous coat, his placid nature ("Only when he isn't being assassinated of course"), his affectionate nature ("Several wives in the harem - it's simply scandalous!"), his vocalisation and his fussiness with food.

He needs grooming thoroughly every day to keep that coat looking at its best. If this is not feasible, the alternative is shaving ("Wh - WHAT did you say??!"), a most ridiculous suggestion indeed.