Did you know that many cats we prize today had a really rough time?
Some even do nowadays, and I bet the last breed on this list will surprise you the most!
Let's see some incredibly famous cat breeds that almost went extinct!
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Birman
These gorgeous blue-eyed cats are indeed popular but used to be even more famous in the past!
Medium-sized with a long coat that's surprisingly easy to care for, Birmans are prized family
pets.
They're super docile, friendly, and adaptable.
However, things haven't always been so easy for them!
This whole breed started off from a single pair of cats, and just when things started
to go well, World War 2 came!
These cats' numbers dropped tremendously, down to a single pair again!
Luckily, the people who really loved this breed managed to resurrect it!
British Shorthair
An even more surprising breed is the highly popular British Shorthair.
For starters, these cats have struggled to be appreciated in their home country.
Why?
Well, they looked really similar to the street cats living in England.
But after some time, people started to appreciate them as pets!
Sadly, their numbers were also decimated during the war!
There were so few British cats left that breeders needed to cross them with Persians.
This unintended but crucial step started to take a toll on their original look.
Fortunately, the outcrossing stopped in time to preserve the British Shorthair stocky appearance!
However, British Shorthairs are nowadays smaller than they used to be.
Norwegian Forest
Often mistaken by Maine Coons, these cats were initially prized as mousers and house
cats.
As time went by, people started to appreciate them as companions.
Frankly, it's no surprise, as these cats are brilliant, active, and loyal.
However, this breed was also devastated by the horrors of World War 2!
Their appearance was almost lost, as the remaining Norwegian Forest cats interbred with regular
cats.
Fortunately, Wegies were saved by some dedicated breeders.
Thus, this fascinating and sturdy breed continued to exist!
Scottish Fold
Ok, this breed's history is different from the ones I already discussed.
First of all, the history of Scottish Fold begins in the 1960s, in Scotland, long after
the war ended.
Scottish Folds descend from a farm cat named Susie, who happened to have folded ears.
They were quickly developed into a breed.
At first, Scottish Folds were highly appreciated for their unique look.
But it wasn't long until they were excluded from Britain's most famous cat association.
The reason is that Scottish Folds are prone to serious health issues.
You can learn all about it in my videos about them.
After this breed was banned, its popularity dropped significantly, and its future became
uncertain.
Fast forward a couple of years, and these unique cats were imported into the United
States.
That's where they gained recognition and were developed into the breed we all know today.
Chartreux
Ok, you may not have heard of this breed, but Chartreux is actually one of the world's
oldest cat breeds!
Even if there's a cute story about some french monks breeding them, they most likely come
from the Near East.
Still, they've been in France for centuries, and they're considered native to France.
That being said, they survived through some really dark times.
At first, Chartreux cats lived on the streets and were used for their pest control abilities.
Nothing too bad, right?
Sadly, their plush coats made them vulnerable, and they were hunted down for their pelts.
Let's just say people didn't treat them nicely!
How they survived through this is unimaginable, but they somewhat made it!
In the 1930s, the efforts to develop this breed had some great results, but then...we
all know what happened!
These cats almost went extinct, and the remaining individuals were bred with other blue cats,
like British Shorthair.
This led to Europe's most prominent cat association combining these breeds into a single one!
As you can imagine, Chartreux's looks would have been forever lost if breeders complied!
But they didn't, and in just 7 years, they managed to restore this breed's original look
and status!
Russian Blue
This is yet another breed that was almost wiped out from existence by… you guessed
it, World War 2!
The few remaining survivors were bred with other blue cats, which unfortunately altered
their looks.
They were crossed with British Shorthairs and Siamese cats, which are both significantly
different from Russian Blues.
After several unsuccessful attempts to resurrect the Russian Blue, breeders finally managed
to make real progress.
Additionally, this breed was imported to the United States, which helped tremendously.
Nowadays, the Russian Blue is prized for its slender and muscular look and its intelligence
and independence.
Turkish Angora
This breed is very well known, even if it's pretty rare!
In the past, Turkish Angoras used to be super popular.
These cats come from Ankara, which was previously called Angora, hence their name.
So what led to their numbers being depleted?
Well, Turkish Angoras competed for attention with other fluffy cats, such as Persians.
The standard back then didn't differentiate between longhaired breeds.
This led people to cross these cats together, regardless of their type.
In time, people preferred the stockier Persian at the expense of the Angora.
By the 1900s, Turkish Angoras basically vanished, except in their native land.
Luckily, the Turkish government started a program to preserve this wonderful breed that's
often odd-eyed.
But still, Angoras are pretty rare nowadays.
Maine Coon
Now you probably don't believe me, and I completely understand!
After all, Maine Coons are amongst the most popular breeds in the world.
However, not very long ago, these cats almost disappeared.
In fact, they were even declared extinct by all major cat associations!
But how did this happen?
Well, Maine Coons come from the United States.
As such, they weren't affected by World War 2, which mostly took place in Europe.
And they were highly cherished in the 1900s!
These large and hardy cats were prized at first for their mouse control abilities.
After that, they were appreciated for their loyalty and affectionate nature.
However, things changed after the arrival of other breeds in the US.
Maine Coons lost their popularity due to people preferring Persians instead!
Oh no, not Persians again!
These fellows really hate competition!
Anyway, their numbers depleted so much that they were declared extinct by cat associations.
But obviously, they weren't entirely gone!
Some dedicated breeders joined their efforts and managed to resurrect this breed.
This is awesome, as Maine Coons make perfect family pets!
And there you go, the story of how we almost lost the world's largest cat breed!
Today, Maine Coons are becoming more and more popular due to their large frames and ...Tik-Tok!
Joking aside, what breed on this list surprised you the most?
Tell me in the comments!
I really hoped you enjoyed this video!
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Thanks for watching, and see you in my next video!