Dragon Li Cats

A stamp from china with a draGon li cat printed on it

History

The Dragon Li is also known as the Li Hua, or simply the Chinese Cat. They are thought to be descended from the wild Chinese mountain wildcat, becoming domesticated by settling in human settlements and helping out around the house by hunting rodents. This happened so long ago that there is a great deal of uncertainty in the cat's exact history, but the Dragon Li has probably been kept by people for several centuries, and even features in ancient Chinese folklore.

In spite of this long history, the breed has only recently been purposely bred. It was recognized as an experimental breed in 2003, and was first exhibited that year, in Beijing. In 2010 the Cat Fanciers Association accepted the breed for showing. It remains uncommon internationally.

Behaviour

The Dragon Li is very playful and inquisitive. They will greet you at the door, and are always curious to find out what you are doing. They maintain a certain aloofness, though, in spite of their curiosity, and have been described as friendly and loyal rather than affectionate.

Dragon Lis, then, are not good lap cats. They prefer their human interactions to involve a bit more action, and lots of play will keep them happy. They are chilled out, and get on well with other pets, particularly dogs. They need access to the outdoors, too, as they require lots of space to stretch their legs and explore.