Dogs have around 200-360 recognized breeds, while cats only have 45-73 recognized breeds. Why is there such a huge difference?
Dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities — from Chihuahuas to Great Danes — with extreme differences in their appearance and behavior. Meanwhile, even exotic cat breeds like the F1 Savannah still resemble each other. Does anyone know why there are so many more dog breeds than cat breeds?
Dogs have historically been bred for specific purposes like herding, hunting, and guarding. Cats, on the other hand, weren’t bred for jobs outside of companionship and pest control. That’s probably why there’s more variety in dog breeds.
@Kitt
Dogs were bred for practical reasons, like work, while cats were just left to fend for themselves or bred for aesthetics. Plus, with dogs, irresponsible breeding led to the creation of even more types of breeds.
@Yan
There’s nothing wrong with preserving a breed, even if they don’t have the same purpose they used to. A lot of dog breeds are bred for companionship now, just like cats.
Cats have been hunters forever, and many people still need them for pest control, especially in cities. But most dogs today are just pets. Sure, there are still working dogs, but the majority are just companions now.
@Luca
Cats are awesome, I have six of them! But dogs were bred for more specific tasks historically. That’s why they’ve evolved into so many different breeds. Nowadays, even if dogs are mostly pets, their variety reflects their history of doing different jobs.
@Kitt
Cats are primarily pest control, and that doesn’t require much variety. Dogs, on the other hand, have been bred for countless specific tasks, like herding, hunting, guarding, and even police work. That led to a much greater range of breeds, with each one specialized for a very specific job.
Cats probably domesticated themselves much later than dogs, which gave us less time to breed different traits into them. Plus, dogs have been bred to the point where many breeds have health problems due to genetic issues, while cats were mostly left alone.
@Paris
Selective breeding has definitely caused health issues in both cats and dogs, but especially in breeds like the Scottish Fold, which is known for its folded ears but is also prone to severe health problems.
@Kim
I adopted a Scottish Fold, and while he’s adorable, he has tons of health issues, from bad hips to constant ear infections. I love him, but I won’t be getting another purebred cat.
Del said: @Kim
I adopted a Scottish Fold, and while he’s adorable, he has tons of health issues, from bad hips to constant ear infections. I love him, but I won’t be getting another purebred cat.
It’s sad how some breeds are bred purely for aesthetics, even if it harms the animal’s health. Mixed-breed cats tend to live longer and healthier lives compared to some of these purebred cats.
Dogs were bred for specific tasks like herding or guarding livestock. Cats, however, have mainly been bred for companionship or pest control, which doesn’t require much variety.
Dogs have been domesticated for much longer and have been selectively bred for various purposes. Meanwhile, house cats are still genetically very similar to wildcats, which is why there’s less variety in their breeds.
Dogs have been bred for many different jobs, from guarding to hunting. Cats, on the other hand, are mostly pest control and companions, which didn’t require the same level of selective breeding.
Dogs are more trainable and have historically been used for a wider range of tasks, which led to more breeds. Cats, on the other hand, haven’t been bred for many different jobs, which is why there’s less variety.