5 historical cat breeds from all over Asia
From the Siamese to the Turkish Angora, there is no shortage of interesting cat origin stories from the continent of Asia.
From beautiful, pampered cats that once roamed the halls of imperial palaces, to fiercely independent survivalist cats, Asia has been the place of origin for many a cat breed.
Some of these breeds are quite famous – household names, in fact – that even a person who has never owned a cat in their life may know about them.
There are also others that are far more obscure and you will be hard-pressed to find these elusive felines outside their country of origin.
With cats coming from all four corners of the continent, their backstories are often colourful and date back to many centuries ago.
Here are some purr-fectly entertaining tales – and tails.
1. Siamese
As to be expected from its name, the Siamese cat does indeed originate from the kingdom of Siam, better known today as Thailand.
Their natural beauty unsurprisingly made them a favourite of the royal household of Siam, and they often lived luxurious lives in royal residences or palaces.
It was believed by some superstitious people that the souls of a deceased family member would live on in the body of a Siamese cat.
Though no one can say when the first Siamese appeared, they are featured in a royal manuscript dating back to the 14th century.
Thailand happens to be the country of origin for several other cat breeds aside from the Siamese, and these breeds are often treated as national treasures of sorts.
2. Japanese Bobtail
Smart and sweet, these cats have made their presence known in Japan since the 6th century, with Shinto temples depicting them in woodcuts and paintings.
It is largely believed that these cats are a naturally occurring breed, meaning they were not bred into existence by humans.
They were highly valued by silk manufacturing families, as their rodent control capabilities proved helpful in protecting their businesses from infestation.
According to a legend, a sleeping Japanese Bobtail’s tail caught on fire, and it then burnt down the capital while running around in panic.
As a preventative measure, the Japanese emperor ordered that all cats were to have their tails cut short, which explains the breed’s stumpy tails.
3. Dragon Li
A particularly old cat breed, this Chinese cat is not often seen in any place other than its native country.
In China, it is called the Li Hua Mao, which directly translates to “Fox Flower Cat”, probably due to its fox-like head and spots arranged in a seemingly floral pattern.
It is believed that the Dragon Li is descended from wild mountain cats which, through time, self-domesticated into their present form.
They are excellent hunters through and through, enjoying time outdoors hunting prey while still staying loyal to their families.
While not officially designated as such, the Dragon Li is often perceived to be the national cat of China.
4. Persian
While the first records of their existence can be traced back to the 1600s, nothing can be said for certain about the Persian cat’s history before that.
As their name may suggest, it is believed that the Persian cat first landed on its feet in Persia, a land now known as Iran.
Their striking beauty caught the attention of European visitors, and an Italian noble happened to smuggle them into Europe in the 17th century.
When Queen Victoria of Britain took a liking to them, their popularity exploded as a consequence, with the breed being afforded something of a celebrity status.
Selective breeding has resulted in the Persian cat appearing in two forms; namely show and traditional, with the latter bearing more resemblance to the earliest Persian cats.
5. Turkish Angora
Highly treasured in their homeland of Turkey, they appear to be delicate creatures and are infamously bossy even when affectionate.
The Turkish Angora is a naturally occurring breed that first appeared sometime in Ottoman Turkey during the 15th century.
They may have been around for much longer though, since according to some tales, one blessed Turkish Angora happened to belong to the Prophet Muhammad himself.
It was said that when the tired feline fell asleep on his sleeve, the Prophet chose to cut off his sleeve instead of waking it up.
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During the 19th century, Angoras were nearly bred out of existence and in response, the Ankara Zoo set up a breeding programme to preserve Turkey’s treasured cats.