What have I got? Curious

[RamblinRosie]

I've always had bog-standard moggies, but 18 months ago I asked a local cat rescue for an 18-24 month old B&W male that was good with other cats (I've a tiny 4 year old female, Missy who's only 2.4kg.)

They suggested I looked at a cat being fostered nearby, so I went... Turned out to be a 9 years old male, fostered for over a year, his male mate had recently died. Not at all what I wanted, but I had a basket in the car, but he needed a home, and was cute and friendly. What could I do?

I've had cats for over 35 years but this is the most intelligent I've ever encountered, he's 4.4kg, rabbit fur, very vocal, bossy/manipulative as hell. When he thinks I've overslept he either pats my face or licks my nose.
Quite adorable! Oh, and his name is now Muffin.

He's clearly not a standard mog, but I'd love to know what he is.

(3 months later, a lovely, dead stupid stray 2 yr old B&W huge mog, 6.4kg, moved in, so we're back to normality).

I've put up pics of the others, simply 'cos I think they are gorgeous.

Almost impossible to tell - females on heat not being known for their discrimination - but it rather sounds as if he might have some Siamese or Oriental in him.

I'm with Cozie thinking he's probably got some oriental of some kind in there - highly intelligent, vocal, lovely fur, all the traits

No idea, but that face! He is your new feline overlord

Just to add.

While my brain hurts at even the thought of a thread on gene-related colouring, there was a poster a few years back whose cat had a litter of half-Siamese. They were definitely half-Siamese because Mum - who she'd taken in - was a full and pedigreed Siamese herself. (Although clearly a hussy.)

Not one of the kittens had any points. They were all black or tabby. You just never know.

You aren't in the South West are you? My rescue cat came from a 60 cat hoarding situation and every rescue in the area was full of identical black blobs earlier in the year. Mine is also freakishly intelligent and acts in a very dog like fashion. No idea what his genetics might be, other than possibly bear cub based on size and shape!

No idea but the B&W one is gorgeous .

All you need is one very active tom.........

Thanks Cosie I thought possibly Maine Coon/ Forest Cat, based on furry feet , ear tips and ruff.

Weeds
I'm in Reading, he was one of three, they apparently kept the youngest.

Allergic Yes he's fiercely intelligent, he has my DH utterly cowed.

Flora He's an adorable,but thick mog, like a teenager, he tries to bounce the others, but he's too obvious. They ignore him.

He is gorgeous but looks like a long haired moggy to me. All of the traits you've mentioned, from ear tufts to intelligence and being highly bonded are just as easily found in moggies as pedigrees.

I've had a good selection of moggies (as in, an unusual amount) and they can be just as interesting as pedigrees. Honestly, I find the history and diversity of moggies more fascinating. There's no such thing as 'just' a moggy

As MsMims says he is almost certainly a moggy. That's the great thing about moggies, they are so diverse. He
may have picked up traits from a whole range of breeds that are mixed into his lineage somewhere along the line. I have a Maine Coon from a rescue (who I suspect is at least part moggy herself), she's a lovely cat and some of the features you describe in your boy sound familiar but aren't unique to the breed. I'd say your cat is just far too small and dainty to be either a fully grown male MC or NFC although he might have some weegie or Maine Coon mixed in there somewhere. I wouldn't describe my Cat as fiercely intelligent and bossy either. She's food motivated and quick to learn tricks, walks on a leash etc but she acts in quite a dog-like way. He looks like a lovely cat though. You say he is vocal, what does his "voice" sound like? My Maine Coon has a pathetically tiny meow that she barely uses and from what I can gather it's a breed trait. She does make an odd sort of pigeony coo and trill a lot. It's a sound I've never come across in any of my cats before. It's quite endearing actually.