Considering our long and successful relationship with the domestic feline, the phenomenon of the purebred cat is a surprisingly recent one. Cats have graced us with their presence since the time of the ancient Egyptians, possibly much earlier. But it took the rise in popularity of cat shows in late 19th century England to kick-start the selective coupling of the domestic cat into separate breeds. All but a few domestic cat breeds are less than 100 years old, and most of them appeared on the scene far more recently. Compare this to the dog world, where rudimentary selective breeding started several thousand years ago.
