Among the 41 breeds of domestic cat in this selection, Jack Byard introduces us to long-haired, short-haired and curly-coated types; pets with a vast array of colours, patterns and personalities. Each breed is covered with a full-page photograph, facing which is Jack's emphatic description - leaving the reader wishing they could have one of each! Jack also unravels some of the history of the breeds and their connections to each other. While some of these are modern creations, others have a long history during which they helped control rodents or even became revered as gods. Each breed has its own fascinating story to tell. Jack's Byard's fondness for cats, for their playfulness, intelligence and companionship, shines through on every page of this introduction to the domestic feline world. Breeds included are: Abyssinian * Balinese * Bengal * Birman * Bombay * British Longhair * British Shorthair * Burmese * Burmilla * Calico * Chartreux * Chausie * Chinchilla * Cornish Rex * Egyptian Mau * Exotic Shorthair * Havana * Khao Manee * Korat * LaPerm * Maine Coon * Manx * Norwegian Forest * Ocicat * Oriental Longhair * Persian * Pixie-Bob * RagaMuffin * Ragdoll * Russian Blue * Savannah * Scottish Fold * Selkirk Rex * Siamese * Siberian * Singapura * Snowshoe * Somali * Sphynx * Tonkinese * Turkish Angora. Know Your Cats is the eighteenth book in the popular 'Know Your .' series, and the eleventh from Jack Byard who seized retirement as the opportunity to write about animals for novice enthusiasts.

Jack lives in Bradford with his wife Elaine.