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Originally Posted by comyncats
Think this one through. If I were to breed a litter of exotics which I didn't register and for which I didn't issue pedigrees, would they cease to be exotics? No, I suggest! But they certainly couldn't be proven to be legit pedigree cats, because of the absence of the required paperwork.
So, what I'm suggesting is that perhaps we might refer to 'pedigree' and 'non-pedigree'.
Oh, dear - where did I put my flak jacket??????????????? (Jay - be gentle with me!)
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Dear Lesley,
Ok now that I am home and able to think “straight”, I like to reply you post about the controversial issue. Don’t worry, Lesley, I will be veryyyyy gentle with you because I know your intention and I know you know cats very well (way more than me), unlike some people who either don’t know or would love to use your suggestion to abuse the “whole meaning”.
The suggested term at the end of the day will go back to sincerity and intention.
Scenario 1 – Lesley the Comyncats, sold her baby Exotic to Peter without a paper. By bloodline, Peter’s new baby is an Exotic.
Scenario 2 – A backyard breeder mixed a female Ragdoll (CFA registered pedigree) to a Male DSLH and, fortunately, one of the kittens follows the mother’s at 95% of Ragdoll’s resemblance. The BYB then, advertised the kitten with label “RAGDOLL”. The same Peter in scenario 1 bought the “Ragdoll” and of course without a paper.
Peter moved to Malaysia and he met Jay. He said “Hey, I have an Exotic and a Ragdoll”. See how easy Peter bullshits Jay?
Jay, not as easy to be conned by Peter, examines the cats’ features and HELL YES, they do look like an Exotic and Ragdoll. If Jay agrees to call the cats with the pedigree names, it means we are talking about the different Jay. Jay wants the proof.
My dear Lesley, I am sure you get my point by now. Resemblance can cheat us all. By granting people to use the “term”, we are in a way encouraging BYB and irresponsible people to cheat people more.
Take Peter’s case as an example. If he enters this forum and read your “suggestion”, he would be happy to post his “Mixed Ragdoll” and label the kitten as “Non-Pedigree Ragdoll” with remarks, Lesley says it is OK. The fact is, the look-alike Ragdoll’s father is a DSLH.
See my dear, being so lenient can cause a disaster. The “Persian” controversy started because we Malaysian at once upon a time were so damn lenient. To curb all these is by creating the awareness to people that there are many domestic cats that look like Pure Breds. And to tell the difference is to ask for the identifications and if we do this for many more years to come, someday, Malaysians will learn that:-
1) Attempt cheating will not work here
2) Mixed cats are Domestics
3) Without a proof, don’t simply make a statement.
4) This is part of educations in life … the valuable education.
A bit research.. probably right and probably not so accurate – How Longhairs got Persian titles in the first place.
Malaysia (Malaya) was under British colonial for many years. Those days, the “madams” and “Sirs” used to have expensive Pets especially Persian cats.
Most Malaysians (not all) at that time were:-
1) Malays – Farmers or British men’s drivers or maids
2) Chinese – Working in Tin mines / open businesses
3) Indian – Working in Rubber Plantations
The fact was, most Malaysians at that time were uneducated or attended British school in Primary levels only except royalties and few Rich families.
They have seen these longhair cats (mostly Persians) in the big mansions and they were amazed because they knew they couldn’t afford to buy or to have them. The word “Persian” was synonym to them referring to Longhair cats belongs to the “Madams” and “Sirs”. To them, all longhairs are “Persian” because that is what being told to them. The fact is, actually these Madams and Sirs found it as not important to explain the breed to the low education people. They don’t see any points explaining in lengthy that some of their cats are Mixed Persians with others.
From time to time until the end of British era, all these Persians have mixed with “Kampung Cats” but because the Madams and the Sirs at once said “Longhair cats are Persians and they are EXPENSIVE”, the so called “tacit knowledge” have been passed on to generations – and unfortunately until TODAY!.
My dear loving grandmom (late) until the last of her days in life still refers “Longhair Cats” as Persian. She was a Singaporean and her father used to work with British Madams and Sirs. When I asked her why she called the longhairs as Persian, she told me all these stories about Persians and the Madams and Sirs. She heard the “term” from her mother; her mother heard it from her mother and on and on.
These misunderstandings have been passed on for generations, the moment a baby was born, their parents will say longhair cats are Persians and that’s why every time new users came in this forum, they will say PERSIAN, that is basically the only name for cat’s breed that they knew other than kampung cats. Did you notice that?
I know this because I too at once upon a time thought all longhairs were Persian. I learnt my mistake well and I tend to tell other fellow Malaysians that.. “Stop laaa… we are no longer living in British era”. Not to forget, some people didn’t hear it from their parents or grand parents but from friends who heard it from their parents!
So, the bottom line is, I have to disagree with your proposal, simply because I don’t wish to confuse more people and in the same time, I do not want BYBs and irresponsible cat owners to take the advantage to misuse the term and continue conning people.
“No proof.. no talk” – The infamous Malaysia’s English. <- This one wasn’t passed on by the Madams and Sirs.
Am I not gentle enough to you, honey
?