Cat Glossary — Essential Terms for Care & Breeding

When reading about cat care and breeding, you may encounter many specialized terms. Here is a glossary of important cat-related terminology organized into four categories: Health & Medical, Breeding, Behavior & Instincts, and Diet & Nutrition.

Health & Medical Terms

• 3-way combination vaccine: The basic vaccine preventing feline herpesvirus, calicivirus, and panleukopenia
• 5-way combination vaccine: The 3-way plus feline leukemia virus and chlamydia. Recommended for outdoor cats
• FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus): So-called "feline AIDS." Transmitted through bite wounds via saliva. FIV-positive cats can live long lives with proper management
• FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus): Causes immunosuppression, anemia, and lymphoma. Transmitted via saliva and nasal discharge
• FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis): A highly fatal disease caused by mutation of feline enteric coronavirus. Presents as wet type or dry type
• CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease): Age-related decline in kidney function. One of the most common diseases in senior cats
• FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease): An umbrella term for cystitis, urolithiasis, and urethral obstruction. Male cats are more prone to obstruction due to narrower urethras
• Hyperthyroidism: A common endocrine disorder in senior cats. Thyroid hormone overproduction causing weight loss despite increased appetite
• Microchip: An identification IC chip. Mandatory for commercial pet sellers since June 2022 in Japan
• Neutering (males): Surgical removal of the testicles. Prevents spraying behavior and testicular tumors
• Spaying (females): Surgical removal of ovaries and uterus. Significantly reduces risk of pyometra and mammary tumors
• Wood's lamp examination: A UV light test to detect dermatophyte fungi. Useful during quarantine of new cats
• BUN/Creatinine: Blood test markers evaluating kidney function. Elevated values indicate reduced kidney function
• SDMA: A newer blood test marker that detects kidney disease earlier than traditional tests

Breeding Terms

• TICA (The International Cat Association): The world's largest cat registry
• CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association): The world's oldest cat registry
• Cattery: A breeder's facility for cat breeding. The TICA/CFA-registered cattery name appears on pedigree certificates
• Pedigree: An official document recording 3–5 generations of ancestry, breed, and color information
• Champion (CH): A title awarded to cats achieving specified results at cat shows
• Grand Champion (GC): A higher title than Champion, earned by accumulating more points
• Breed standard: Criteria defining ideal body type, coat quality, eye color, and temperament for each breed
• Calling (estrus): When a female cat vocalizes loudly seeking a mate. Indoor cats may go into heat regardless of season
• Mating: Breeding between male and female cats. Cats are induced ovulators (ovulation is triggered by mating)
• Gestation period: Approximately 63–65 days in cats
• Kitten: A young cat. Shown in the Kitten class at TICA and other competitions
• Outcross: Mating between genetically distant cats to maintain genetic diversity
• Genetic testing: Screening for hereditary conditions such as PKD (polycystic kidney disease) and HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy)

Behavior & Instinct Terms

• Grooming: Self-cleaning by licking the body. Serves hygiene, temperature regulation, and stress relief
• Flehmen response: A distinctive open-mouthed, lip-curling expression when detecting pheromones via the vomeronasal (Jacobson's) organ
• Marking: Rubbing the face on objects (facial marking) or spraying urine to claim territory
• Spraying: Unneutered males standing and directing urine onto vertical surfaces. Usually resolves with neutering
• Kneading: Alternately pressing the front paws, a behavior carried over from stimulating the mother's milk as a kitten
• Purring: A throat vibration expressing contentment, comfort, and affection. May also occur when in pain
• Chattering: Clicking the teeth while watching birds or insects through a window. An expression of hunting instinct
• Socialization period: The critical period (2–7 weeks of age) for accustoming kittens to people and other animals to develop friendly temperament
• Nighttime zoomies (vacuum activity): Sudden bursts of running at night, driven by crepuscular rhythms and hunting instinct
• Allorubbing: Cats rubbing against each other to exchange scent, a sign of social bonding
• Silent meow: Opening the mouth with no audible sound (ultrahigh frequency vocalization). An expression of affection or request

Diet & Nutrition Terms

• Complete and balanced food: Food providing all necessary nutrients with water alone, meeting AAFCO standards
• Complementary food: Food not meeting complete nutrition standards; used as a topper or treat
• Prescription diet: Food with adjusted nutrient composition for managing specific diseases. Used under veterinary guidance
• Taurine: An essential amino acid for cats that cannot be synthesized in their bodies. Deficiency can cause blindness and heart disease
• Grain-free: Food without grains. Cats are obligate carnivores and may have difficulty digesting grains
• Wet food: Food with 75%+ moisture. Effective for preventing urinary tract issues in cats that drink little water
• Dry food (kibble): Food with less than 10% moisture. Helps with plaque removal. Good shelf stability
• BCS (Body Condition Score): A 1–9 scale evaluating body condition. 4–5 is ideal
• Home-cooked diet: Owner-prepared meals. Since cats are obligate carnivores, supplementing essential nutrients like taurine is critical
• Renal care food: Prescription food restricting phosphorus, sodium, and protein for kidney disease management

Find Cats on Bri-Choku

Understanding terminology helps you communicate more effectively with breeders. The Bri-Choku cat category features many breeders who share pedigree information, genetic test results, and vaccination records. You can also ask breeders directly about any unfamiliar terms.