What breed is Penelope?

[penelopekitty]

So I know she is probably just a mutt but she is just so pretty. My Penelope is about a year old and I have had her since she was 8 weeks old. I got her from a shelter so I didn't get any information about parents or siblings. She is long, tall and lean. She has a weird coat. She has short to medium hair across her body but a very fluffy tail, neck and chest. Her fur across her back has a normal length but the guard hairs are much longer and very sparse. She also has LONG whiskers. She is a tortoiseshell but not a very bright one. She is very smart and has learned a few tricks. She is affection but mischievous and is always trying to sneak out of the house when I'm not looking. Penelope is very vocal and we even have "conversations". Like I said, she is most likely just a mutt. I just can't believe this beautiful cat isn't at least a mix. I know is rare, to find a purebred at a shelter but my friend adopted two cats and had them DNA tested. One was a Nebelung and the other was a Snowshoe. I love her either way.

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• penelopekitty
• Jul 24, 2013

Penelope today.

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• penelopekitty
• Jul 24, 2013

Penelope as a kitten.

 

[catspaw66]

Penelope is a Domestic Longhair. AKA moggie, mutt cat, etc. That said, she is a gorgeous tortie and looks like she is very soft.

I really find it hard to believe that your friend got two "purebred" cats. They may have had some of the indicated genes in them, but still, with no pedigree papers from a reputable breeder, they are just moggies, too.

 

[maewkaew]

 Oh my , Penelope is a striking Tortie!

  The big round eyes  and what looks like rather heavy boning remind me a bit of Persians.  possibly might have some of that in her ancestry along with probably a lot of random-bred  moggy  --  but it really is hard to tell .  

 I too would find it very surprising if  your friend happened to adopt two rare breeds,   especially two breeds very often incorrectly identified.  

There are so many more pointed and white Domestic Shorthairs than there are pedigree Snowshoes ,  but at least they may be a similar sort of mix ,  though probably usually it's a lot more DSH from Western ancestry and less Siamese.  

And there are so many more Blue Domestic Longhairs who probably have no Russian Blue ancestry , than there are Nebelungs.  There are hardly any of those around.   Most of what I hear about the breed is  from people thinking they have found one.  

   This is not to say the cats are less beautiful or deserving of love.    but I  can't help but be skeptical about the breed.   I'm not saying its impossible.   There was a cat someone posted on here that I myself suggested may be a Snowshoe.

   There's not really   a reliable DNA test for cat breed.   Even if your friend actually shelled out the $200  to UC Davis's VGL,   I would be very skeptical about the reliability and I dont think they even make the claim it is a definitive test for breed. ( don't see how it could be when the breeds CAME from the moggies!)    In any case Nebelung and Snowshoe were not among the 29 reference breeds they compare the sample to.  

 and I would not trust  some other companies selling such tests