Rarer Cat Breeds Profile - January

4 min read

Deviation Actions

CatCraze's avatar
Published:
6.9K Views

Group Rules & Guidelines | Best of CatCraze | Feline Info Links | Rarer Breeds Profiles | Cat Articles



:star: Rarer Cat Breeds Profile – January :star:



:: California Spangled ::





General Description:

The California Spangled is a breed of domestic cat that was bred to resemble spotted wild cats, like the ocelot and leopard. They were originally bred in the 1980s and were only ever a rare breed, and usually expensive, priced between US$800 and $2,500.The popularity of two other spotted cats breeds, the Ocicat and the Bengal, overshadowed their development.
Inspired by the poaching death of a leopard, the anthropologist Louis Leakey motivated Paul Arnold Casey, Jr. of California to breed a domestic cat resembling a small leopard in order to emphasize how important it was to preserve the leopard.
California Spangled cats are a crossbreed of many strains, including the Abyssinian, American Shorthair and British Shorthair. Despite their wild appearance, they are completely domestic.

History

Originally bred by Paul Arnold Casey, Jr., a Hollywood scriptwriter, playwright, and author, after his return from Tanzania while working with Louis Leakey in the 1970s. Casey's novel, "Open The Coffin" chronicles his journey in Africa and subsequent breeding that led to the California Spangle.
This animal was ideally bred to resemble a leopard, thus giving the impression of a "House-Leopard". One of many motivations for this breed was that people would not want to wear the same type of fur that resembled their pet.
The Spangle was introduced to the general public on the cover of the iconic Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog in 1986.



Appearance:
This cat gives the initial impression of being a miniature leopard. It has a long, lean, somewhat muscular body and a low slung walk, along with spots. The most desired shape of spots on the cats is round, yet somewhat blockish. Triangular, oval, or square spots are acceptable also. The Spangle's coat may be any of the following colors: bronze, gold, blue, brown, charcoal, red, black, silver, or white.They have conspicuous cheekbones and light, large whisker pads. Spangles may look wild, but are purely domestic and adore playing and interacting with their people.



Personality:

California Spangled Cats are said to be affectionate, social, curious, and extremely devoted to their owners. They are big on eye contact and being in on the action, they love to perch on places that are at your shoulder or eye level so that they can see exactly what is going on. These kitties are known for their well-honed intelligence, athletic abilities, high energy level, and accidental acrobatics. California Spangled Cats love to pounce and have very sharp hunting skills, they also enjoy games that involve a large participation part by their owner.



California Spangled’s Breed Standard

@ wikipedia.org  

:bulletgreen: Where to find a California Spangled:

Currently, there are virtually no breeders out there anymore and can be difficult to locate one if this breed still exists, even in the US being as rare as they are. It has been said that this breed might have just been a fade at the time of origin. It is recommended to attend cat shows that might help shed light on their whereabouts and if you're interested in obtaining one for yourself.

==================================================================================

Previous Rare Breeds:



2012:


March: Khao Manee
April: Singapura
May: American Wirehair
June: Serengeti
July: Peterbald
August: Kurilian Bobtail
September: Sokoke
October: LaPerm
November: Ocicat
December: Highlander

2011:


August: Selkirk Rex
July: Siberian Forest Cat
June: Toyger
May: Nebelung
© 2013 - 2024 CatCraze
Comments1
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
TeaPhotography's avatar
:wow: This is excellent!
This is the first one you've done that I didn't know about, and I just love it!
You always do a great job, and I learn so much MORE each time,
but this is a brand new one for me!
:boogie: