One In Brazilian: Jean Grey
Jean Grey, a beautiful Brazilian Shorthair, lived just across the path from The White Cat's house.
Jean Grey quickly made an impression on me by being so friendly. When I'd walk by, she'd delicately charge out from her sheltered patio or from beneath some shrubbery to greet me with a flurry of meows.
On dark evenings I would hear her before I would see her: Jean Grey's keen kitty night vision enabled her to somehow recognize me from surprisingly far away! Most greetings were invariably followed by my gently massaging the back of her neck, something she loved. I've read that cats associate having the backs of their necks rubbed with the times when their mothers would pick them up by the scruff of their necks to move them to safety. Doing so—then and now—releases endorphin hormones that help the kitten (or cat) relax. Try it sometime with your fave feline!
The first thing I realized the first time I touched Jean Grey was that her fur was amazingly soft and silky—more so than that of any other cat in my experience. When I asked one of the children who lived near Jean Grey what kind of cat she was, she replied "Tabby," but there had to be more to it. When she also told me Jean Grey's owner had brought her mother to Canada from Brazil, I knew I had a clue to solving the mystery.
A quick internet search for "Brazilian cat" brought up numerous mentions of the Brazilian Shorthair, a relatively new breed only officially recognized by the World Cat Federation in 1998.
In the early years of the 16th century, the first ship-borne waves of Portuguese emigrants to Brazil brought their cats along with them. While today's American Shorthair cats originated from northern European farm cats (and further back, European wildcats), Brazilian Shorthairs are descended from the wild cats of the Iberian Peninsula.
Upon arriving in Brazil, the colonists' cats began adapting to local climatic conditions, with many of these adaptations being genetically passed on to their offspring.
Centuries of gradual acclimatization have given today's Brazilian Shorthair its defining features: large, pointed ears; a muscular and agile body; and a very short, silky, and glossy coat with no undercoat.
Owners of Brazilian Shorthair cats report that their pets are very loving and express affection almost to the point of being clingy.
"It needs an owner who can give it a lot of attention, love, and involvement in household life," according to Wotcat.com, who also state that "These cats bond with anyone and everyone, and wilt without having their affections reciprocated. They have been known to seek out friendlier owners if not shown enough affection. These cats are very relaxed and easygoing animals in general, and are great with children."
All of the above characteristics were exhibited in abundance by Jean Grey, who perfectly fit the mold of a typical Brazilian Shorthair cat.
UPDATE: It is with great sadness and the heaviest of hearts that we must report Jean Grey went missing in early September of 2015. We miss her terribly; in the short time we had the privilege of knowing her, Jean Grey brought us much joy and always expressed unconditional love and affection.