Adolescent

A term used in showing for a cat between 9 and 15 months of age.

Alley cat

A term used for a non-pedigree cat.

Animal Shelter

An organisation that takes care of strays, unwanted and homeless pets either permanently, or with a view to rehome them.

Bi-colour

A coat of white and one other colour.

Blaze

The marking in the centre of a cat's forehead.

Booster

A vaccine injection to maintain or 'boost' the immunisation against disease provided by a previous injection

Breeches

The long hair found on the upper section of the hind legs.

Breed

Cats with similar ancestry and who share similar characteristics.

Canine (teeth)

The four pointed teeth at the front of the mouth, two on the top and two on the bottom.

Catnip

Harmless herb which is appealing to cats.

Conformation

Body size, type and shape.

Crossbreeding

Mating cats of two different breeds.

Declawing

Surgical procedure to to remove a cat's claws.

Down Hair

The undercoat of short, softer hair.

Entire

A non-neutered cat

Feral

Wild living cats, descendents of domesticated cats.

Flanks

The side of a cat's body.

Frills

Long hair between the front legs, coming from the chest.

Gloves

Paw markings and variations.

Guard Hairs

The outercoat of longer, bristly hair.

Haw

Another name for the third eylid.

Hocks

The cat equivalent of an ankle joint, found on the hind legs.

Hybrid

A breed of cat produced with the cross-breeding of two others.

Incisors

Teeth inbetween the canine teeth. There are six on each jaw

Junior

A show term for cats aged between 15 months and 24 months.

Litter

Any number of kittens born to a queen during labour.

Variety of materials used to line a 'litter tray' into which cats urinate and deficate.

Mackerel Tabby

A pattern of coat with stripes similar to those of a mackerel. Stripes extend down the spine and flanks.

Mask

Dark regions of a cat's face.

Mitted

White markings on the front and hind paws.

Moggie/Moggy

Term used for a non-pedigree cat.

Neutered

A cat that has been castrated or spayed.

Nocturnal

Being active at night.

Non-pedigree

A cat whos parents are unregistered, or not known.

Odd-eyed

A cat with different coloured eyes.

Odd-eyed

A cat with different coloured eyes.

Quarantine

Boarding kennels where cats are kept for a specific amount of time after travel to foreign countries, to ensure they are free from infection.

Ringed

Circular coloured rings around the tail.

Ruff

The long hair around the neck.

Self

A term for a coat of single colour. Referred to as 'solid' in America.

Senior

A show term for cats over 2 years of age.

Shaded

A gradual change of colour across the body.

Solid

An American term for a coat of single colour. Referred to as 'self' in Britain.

Tabby

A common colour variation which is either spotted, striped or blotchy in appearance.

Tortoiseshell

Usually a black and orange patchy coat pattern, but extends to other colours also.

Undercoat

Down hairs on a cat's coat.

Veteran

A show term for a cat over seven years old.

Weaned

A cat having moved from milk to solid food.

Zoonoses

A disease or infection that can be passed from an animal to a human.