Balinese cat

	Breed:	Balinese
	Country of Origin:	America
	Coat Length:	Medium
	Age Expectancy:	About 12yrs
	Weight/Height Range:	Between 2.5-5kgs
	Shedding:	Intermediate
	Energy Level:	High

Characteristics:

The graceful Balinese is a medium-sized cat with a long, tubular body. The head is a long triangle and the ears are set so they appear to continue the triangle. The deep blue, slanted eyes and the darker colour on the extremities, tail, ears, and face of the cat give the Balinese his own special look. The hair on the Balinese is not really long but is medium in length. Their coat colours come in chocolate, cream and red.

The Balinese temperament is similar to that of the Siamese but some owners think the Balinese is quieter possibly because of the influence of the longhair gene.

However, it is likely that the Balinese will be something of an extrovert and will demand attention from its human companions. They are playful and can be taught to retrieve. They are extremely vocal and almost seem to talk to their owners. They are immensely loyal and don’t always suffer rivals for their owner’s attention lightly.

They need to be part of the family and to have nearly constant company and they are possibly not an ideal cat to have if you are out to work all day. This can be overcome by having two cats! They are quite content to be indoor cats.

The Balinese does require regular grooming to keep their lovely coats in good condition and free from knots and tangles. A brush and comb will be required. It is best to start as a young kitten even before the full coat is established so that the cat is used to being groomed as some cats do object.

LaPerms cat

	Breed:	LaPerms
	Country of Origin:	America
	Coat Length:	Medium
	Age Expectancy:	13-15yrs
	Weight/Height Range:	4-7kg
	Shedding:	Intermediate
	Energy Level:	High

Characteristics:

The La Perm cat's curly or wavy coat is its most identifiable feature. Unlike other Rex breeds, the La Perm's coat may be medium to long, creating a very beautiful cat, soft to the touch, with a coat that floats with a breath of air. La Perms are available in many different coat colours.

La Perm cats have a lovable personality; they thrive on human contact, and are a perfect lap cats. They are inquisitive and active, and very intelligent, but will drop whatever they are doing to sit on your lap when invited.
The La Perm is a truly captivating cat, delighting everyone who sees one.

La Perms does not require much grooming although they do appreciate the attention that comes with it.

Maine Coon cat

	Breed:	Maine Coon
	Country of Origin:	America
	Coat Length:	Medium
	Age Expectancy:	9-15yrs
	Weight/Height Range:	4-8kg
	Shedding:	Intermediate
	Energy Level:	Medium

Characteristics:

Maine Coons are one of the largest breeds of domestic cat. The body is solid and muscular, which is necessary for supporting their own weight and the chest is broad.

Maine Coons possess a rectangular body shape and are slow to physically mature; their full potential size is normally not reached until they are three to five years old, while other cats take about only one year.

The Maine Coon is a longhaired, or medium-haired, cat. The coat is soft and silky, although texture may vary with coat colour. The length is shorter on the head and shoulders and longer on the stomach and flanks with some cats having a lion-like ruff around their neck.

Minimal grooming is required for the breed, compared to other long-haired breeds, as their coat is mostly self-maintaining due to a light-density undercoat. The coat is subject to seasonal variation, with the fur being thicker in the winter and thinner during the summer.

Maine Coons can have any colours that other cats have. Colours indicating hybridization, such as chocolate, lavender, the Siamese pointed patterns or the "ticked" patterns, are unaccepted by breed standards.

The most common colour seen in the breed is brown tabby. All eye colours are accepted under breed standards, with the exception of the occurrence of blue-colours or odd-eyes in cats possessing coat colours other than white.

Norwegian Forest cat

	Breed:	Norwegian Forest
	Country of Origin:	Scandinavia
	Coat Length:	Medium
	Age Expectancy:	10-12yrs
	Weight/Height Range:	6-10kg
	Shedding:	Intermediate
	Energy Level:	Medium

Characteristics:

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a large but elegant breed with a semi longhair coat. The breed is slow developing and may not be mature until four years of age similar to that of the Maine Coon.

The head is triangular with a strong chin. The profile is long and straight with no break in the line. The eyes are large and may be any colour regardless of the colour of the coat. The ears are set high on the head and are broad based tapering to the tip. The outside edge of the ear follows the line of the head down to the chin. The ears have tufts and long hair flowing out of the ears.

The body is long, muscular and strongly built with solid bone structure. The hind legs are longer than the front legs. There are tufts of hair between the toes. The tail is long and bushy and should reach the shoulders if not the neck when brought along the side of the cat.

A smooth semi-long glossy coat covers the woolly undercoat, which is water-repellent. The coat is significantly shorter in the summer than in winter. The cat may be any colour except Chocolate, Lilac or Siamese pattern and may have any amount of white markings on the paws, chest, belly or face.

Norwegian Forest Cats love people and thrive on human company. They do not like to be left alone for any length of time and are very demanding of affection.

They are used to an outdoor life and are well adapted to roam outside but they can be very happy as indoor cats provided they have plenty of room to move about. They are very intelligent and can be very rewarding companions, as they are extremely friendly and playful.

The Norwegian Forest Cat does look after its coat very well itself but additional grooming will be required especially if the cat is to be shown. If introduced to a brush and comb as a kitten the cat will come to enjoy regular grooming as part of the relationship between cat and owner.

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