Kinked Tail

[lutece]

I wonder if shelters and vets use "[whatever breed] mixes" as a sort of shorthand, knowing it's not necessarily accurate but finding it easier than trying to explain genetics (or even just "colorpoint") to people. Of course when everybody does that -- particularly professionals, like vets -- terms begin to lose their original meaning and broaden, which seems to have happened with terms like, say , "Siamese mix."

People often use these terms because they believe that if a cat has a specific appearance, such as colorpoint, solid blue, or large tabby longhair, it probably has recent ancestry from the breed most closely associated with that appearance.

Most people are not aware of how color genetics works. Frequently people think that the colors of the parents will be visibly combined on the offspring in some way. For example, you'll find people saying that a lynx point cat is "half Siamese and half tabby," (and therefore a "Siamese mix") even though colorpoint is recessive and must be carried on both sides. Likewise some people think that a blue tabby cat is "half Russian Blue and half tabby" or a blue and white bicolor cat is "half Russian Blue" or a blue cat that doesn't have green eyes "must be part Russian Blue" even though the dilute gene (responsible for the blue color) is recessive and must be carried by both parents.

Vets do not receive special training on cat breeds, breed identification, or cat color genetics.

 

[lutece]

I know I sound like a cranky old lady... I feel that way after coming home from a cat show. At every show, lots of people show me their beautiful blue shelter cats on their phones, and I have to explain that the cat is most likely not a Chartreux or "Chartreux mix," even though their veterinarian, rescue person, pet sitter, friend, and/or Google Lens told them so.

 

[lisahe]

I know I sound like a cranky old lady... I feel that way after coming home from a cat show. At every show, lots of people show me their beautiful blue shelter cats on their phones, and I have to explain that the cat is most likely not a Chartreux or "Chartreux mix," even though their veterinarian, rescue person, pet sitter, friend, and/or Google Lens told them so.

No, lutece, you don't sound like a cranky old lady at all! It's hard to hear specialized terminology used incorrectly. Of course it's also hard for people who don't have specialized knowledge (as you do about cats) to know how to use terminology properly. They repeat what they've heard used incorrectly without realizing they're perpetuating incorrect usage. I'm clearly an offender myself.

I get cranky about terms related to my work, too. For better or worse, since I'm a translator, I often have to step back (and calm down!) because it's natural for language to both change and be used in ways that dictionaries don't cover. (I recently saw an online argument/debate about "could care less" and "couldn't care less," which are essentially synonyms these days. That's the sort of thing that gets under my skin!)

Now, to return (if only tangentially!) to the OP's question: What is the best nontechnical way to describe cats like ours that a layperson (or even vet) generally calls "Siamese mixes"? People ask what kind of cats we have but I think "colorpoint" is hard to understand. Maybe it's best to just use a phrase about what the colorpoint gene does?

 

[lutece]

Judging from your profile picture, you appear to have a lynx point domestic shorthair, and a seal point and white domestic shorthair? If people ask what kind of cats you have, you can take it as a wonderful opportunity to explain to them about how almost all cats are not any specific "kind" but instead are simply domestic cats of various colors, patterns and hair lengths

 

[Azazel]

But but but... my cat also has crossed eyes and a Siamese frame and she talks and talks on and on and on!!!


Honestly it doesn’t matter to me what breed my cat is. She is special to me no matter what.

 

[lisahe]

Judging from your profile picture, you appear to have a lynx point domestic shorthair, and a seal point and white domestic shorthair? If people ask what kind of cats you have, you can take it as a wonderful opportunity to explain to them about how almost all cats are not any specific "kind" but instead are simply domestic cats of various colors, patterns and hair lengths

Oh, that's perfect, thank you! "Domestic shorthair" is very familiar and brings everything down to earth. Edwina does have snowshoe-like white paws but I'm not sure most people are familiar with that anyway.

But but but... my cat also has crossed eyes and a Siamese frame and she talks and talks on and on and on!!!

I think your cat and our Ireland are like lost twins -- Ireland's eyes are very crossed and she's gotten very chatty. (I seem to recall that they like some of the same foods, too!)

 

[Azazel]

I think your cat and our Ireland are like lost twins -- Ireland's eyes are very crossed and she's gotten very chatty. (I seem to recall that they like some of the same foods, too!)

Haha yes, I think they’re both food obsessed in general? Is Ireland also a sweetheart? My girl never gets mad at me no matter how much I annoy her.

 

[lisahe]

Haha yes, I think they’re both food obsessed in general? Is Ireland also a sweetheart? My girl never gets mad at me no matter how much I annoy her.

Ireland's not food-obsessed like Edwina, though Ireland's been eating very well since we, uh, relieved her constipation a few months back. Yesterday she was an eating demon!

Both cats are total sweethearts in their own ways. Edwina likes to roll around being cute (she's developed this form of entertainment very well!) but it's Ireland who's especially intuitive. She really knows when someone's having a bad day and needs a little extra care. She's also a fantastic little lap cat -- she's very compact!

 

[Azazel]

Ireland's not food-obsessed like Edwina, though Ireland's been eating very well since we, uh, relieved her constipation a few months back. Yesterday she was an eating demon!

Both cats are total sweethearts in their own ways. Edwina likes to roll around being cute (she's developed this form of entertainment very well!) but it's Ireland who's especially intuitive. She really knows when someone's having a bad day and needs a little extra care. She's also a fantastic little lap cat -- she's very compact!

Your cats sound wonderful and share traits with each of my cats!

 

[lisahe]

Your cats sound wonderful and share traits with each of my cats!

They are wonderful and they work with me, too! Here's Ireland helping out today by sitting on my papers. (Her eyes even look pretty good here!)

 

[Azazel]

She’s gorgeous!!

 

[lisahe]

She’s gorgeous!!

She is a very pretty cat -- as is yours! She's leggy and lean, which I think you said your lynx point is as well.