But this isn’t always possible. Cat genetics being what they are, we often find clusters of traits together in mixed breeds, to the point where I see, over and over again, “types” of mixed breed cats. One of my favorite such types I call “the softball headed cat.”
Past the kitten stage, they are easy to spot; they have a big round head like a softball.
The Shorthairs, Maine Coon or Siberian, Bobtail or Manx, Chartreux, or Folds are all possible ancestors of a softball headed cat.
When we see that head, we usually know what we’re getting: a stocky, cobby, body, a mellow disposition, an easygoing personality, and an energy level that can explode into action, but is not driven to be that way most of the time. There’s also calm, deep, affection and a dry sense of humor.
Many cat breeds are recessive types; we need two breed ancestors to get a purebred which displays those traits. So these types, and the personality they are known for, can lurk in mixed breeds which might not have the physical characteristics, but can certainly have the mental ones. From this blend can spring the different variations which make each cat unique.
I have a softball headed cat right now; our Reverend Jim.
He’s stoic, slow to get ruffled by events, deeply affectionate, and creates little ways to signal he’s ready for hugging and petting. His biggest signal is simply showing up, but it’s up to us to notice that.
In a movie, softball headed cats are the gruff general with a heart of gold, the quiet mechanic who is the only one to figure out how to fix the engines, or the sensible cook who offers wisdom at the exactly right time.
They are usually Betas, but can spring from Gamma stock which gets diluted, as in Persian mixes. They can even have some Alpha cat traits; Chip was a cream tabby built like The Thing from the Fantastic Four, but had a keen intelligence and experimental interest. He would simply spend days plotting while also lying around… because he was a softball headed cat.
As always, the joy is in the mix.
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There’s more to choosing a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CHOOSING A CAT.
