Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: neilep on 19/09/2007 23:10:22

Title: Why do dogs come in many sizes but domestic cats are all the same size?
Post by: neilep on 19/09/2007 23:10:22
Dear K9 and Feline luffers ( I'm a cat man myself .....and sheep !)

Here are some cats:


* ~Cat-Breeds-Posters.jpg (33.55 kB . 283x425 - viewed 61432 times)

...and here are not some cats!


* Dog-Breeds-Posters.jpg (40.5 kB . 284x425 - viewed 384990 times)

Notice how pretty much alike the cats are but pretty much NON alike the dogs are ?

Why's that then ?...why are there so many varieties of domestic dogs than there are cats ?....big dogs, little dogs, all different shapes and sizes !!

Do ewe know ?..cos I don't !!..but..if ewe tell me..I will then know !!...and that will be nice !!
Title: Re: Why do dogs come in many sizes but domestic cats are all the same size?
Post by: rosy on 20/09/2007 00:10:32
I think for one thing more energy has gone into (in-)breeding dogs (for work, hunting, herding, guarding, or looks, all those revolting little rat like lap "dogs") down the years, whereas cats are rather harder to breed reliably being notoriously inclined to wander off, and anyway, all people generally wanted a cat for until not long ago was as a good mouser, which doesn't generally go with size or colour.
Title: Re: Why do dogs come in many sizes but domestic cats are all the same size?
Post by: dkv on 20/09/2007 00:28:17
These are small differences.
These differences can be understood as  different personalities.
Where as cats can not be understood in terms personality and are difficult to domesticate may be they are all largely the same.
Self Centered .
Title: Re: Why do dogs come in many sizes but domestic cats are all the same size?
Post by: WylieE on 20/09/2007 00:48:07
Like Rosy said, its just a matter of time and the selection for dog breeds has been going on for much longer.  As cat breeding has become more popular we are starting to see different sizes, shapes, and colors of cat breeds also.  There are some size differences between cat breeds- a Singapura (ha ha) averages at about 5-8 pounds, while a Main Coon can be 25- 30 pounds. 

There are even some breeds that are selected for their personalities. 
Title: Re: Why do dogs come in many sizes but domestic cats are all the same size?
Post by: another_someone on 20/09/2007 00:59:56
One thing I had heard in the past was that it was because dogs had more chromosomes, but I am not absolutely certain this makes sense:

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/genetics/medgen/chromo/species.html
Quote
Common NameGenus and SpeciesDiploid Chromosome
Number
BuffaloBison bison60
CatFelis catus38
CattleBos taurus, B. indicus60
DogCanis familiaris78
DonkeyE. asinus62
GoatCapra hircus60
HorseEquus caballus64
HumanHomo sapiens46
PigSus scrofa38
SheepOvis aries54

If the number of chromoes was the issue, then I would expect far more veriety in cattle breeds, and horse breeds (although there is some difference between horse breeds - between a Shetland Pony standing at around 10 hands, and a Andalusian Horse standing at 16 hands, but still not close to the differences between dogs).
Title: Re: Why do dogs come in many sizes but domestic cats are all the same size?
Post by: another_someone on 20/09/2007 01:05:05
Quote from: WylieE on 20/09/2007 00:48:07
Like Rosy said, its just a matter of time and the selection for dog breeds has been going on for much longer. 

Not sure that this is the only reason.

I believe there are a greater number of breeds of wild dogs that can successfully interbreed than there are breeds of wild cats (so much so that there has been much debate on this forum in the past (and no conclusion that could be substantiated unambiguously from anything we could find out there) as to how many types of dogs or distinct species or just different breeds).
Title: Re: Why do dogs come in many sizes but domestic cats are all the same size?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 20/09/2007 07:38:27
George - a miniature Fallabella at <6hh (<24") compared to a Shire, Percheron, Suffolk Punch, Belgian, or Clydesdale draught horse (which can all top 20hh, or 6'8" at the withers, and weigh in at up to 1.5 tons) is about the same as a Chihuahua compared to a Great Dane.
Title: Re: Why do dogs come in many sizes but domestic cats are all the same size?
Post by: Monox D. I-Fly on 05/11/2018 09:14:22
Quote from: WylieE on 20/09/2007 00:48:07
Like Rosy said, its just a matter of time and the selection for dog breeds has been going on for much longer.  As cat breeding has become more popular we are starting to see different sizes, shapes, and colors of cat breeds also.  There are some size differences between cat breeds- a Singapura (ha ha) averages at about 5-8 pounds, while a Main Coon can be 25- 30 pounds.
There's a cat breed named Singapura? Which one is it? In my native language "Singapura" is how we say "Singapore". Does that breed look like a Merlion?