Types of cats

The Abyssinian is an ancient breed of cat of uncertain origin, from either Egypt or Ethiopia. It is slim, lithe, and has a distinctive flecked (ticked) brown coat, large ears, and a long tail. They are active, intelligent, curious cats. They make good pets, but need constant attention or they get bored and unhappy. They are excellent hunters, so this needs to be taken into consideration if you live near a wildlife reserve and want an Abyssinian as a pet.

A black panther is simply a leopard that is very dark. If you look closely, you can still see the spots.

British shorthairs are cats with thick fur and very rounded features. They are big, heavy and stocky. They come in a variety of colors but the blue colour in the picture is the most popular. They are easygoing and make good indoor cats.

A caracal is a slender, muscular, medium-sized wild cat with long legs and a short tail. It is from areas of Africa, west and south Asia. Caracals usually live alone. Female caracals are very territorial, but males will roam over a very large area. Caracals are closely related to servals.

The cheetah is the only cat that cannot climb trees. The cheetah also can run much faster than any other kind of cat. Cheetahs eat mainly small antelopes and the young of larger animals like baby zebras and baby wildebeast. The cheetah is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds between 112 and 120 km/h (70 and 75 mph) in short bursts covering distances up to 460 metres (1,500 feet), and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 110 km/h (68 mph) in three seconds, faster than most supercars.