Pantherette Breed Standard

HEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Total of area 35)
SHAPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 5 points
EARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 points
EYES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 5 points
CHIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 points
MUZZLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . ..5 points
NOSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 points
PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 5 points
NECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 points

BODY . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .(Total of area 35)
TORSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 points
LEGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 points
FEET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 points
TAIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 points
BONING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 points
MUSCULATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 points

COAT/COLOR . . . . . . . . (Total of area 30)
TEXTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 points
COLOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 points

HEAD

SHAPE: Broad modified wedge with rounded contours. Longer than it is wide. Medium in proportion to body. The skull behind the ears makes a gentle curve and flows into the neck. Allowance to be made for jowls in adult males. Overall look of the head should appear strong and as distinct from the domestic cat as possible.

EARS: Small-Medium, relatively short, with wide base and rounded tips. Set as much on side as top of head, following the contour of the face in the frontal view.

EYES: Oval, almost round, medium in size. Set wide apart, back into face, and on slight bias toward base of ear. The more richness and depth of color the better.

CHIN: Strong chin, aligns with tip of nose in profile

MUZZLE: Full, square, and broad, with large prominent whisker pads and high pronounced cheekbones. Slight muzzle break at the whisker pads.

NOSE: Large and wide; slightly puffed nose leather.

PROFILE: Curve of the forehead should flow into the bridge of the nose with little or no break. Bridge of nose extends above the eyes; the line of the bridge extends to the nose tip, making a very slight, to nearly straight, concave curve.

NECK: substantial, muscular; in proportion to the head and body.

BODY

TORSO: Long and substantial, not oriental or foreign. Medium to large, slightly arched back, with belly pouch preferred. Consideration should be given to allow for smaller size, in balanced proportion, of females.

LEGS: Strong muscular, Medium in length, slightly longer in the back than in the front.

FEET: Large, round, with prominent knuckles, with five toes on front feet and four toes on back feet.

TAIL: Medium-long in length, thick, slightly tapered at end with rounded tip. Low set and carriage.

BONING: Sturdy, firm; never delicate.

MUSCULATURE: Very muscular, especially in the males, one of the most distinguishing features. Allowance to be made for the generally slighter musculature of the females.

COAT

LENGTH: Short to medium. Allowance for slightly longer coat in kittens.

TEXTURE: Dense and luxurious, close-lying, unusually soft and silky to the touch.

COLORS:
Black Tabby: The mature specimen should be Black with a high sheen. Kitten coats may display pattern and rusty tones, but should darken and become more sleek and black with age. Nose leather and paw pads: black with brown undertones allowed.
Smoke Tabby: The mature specimen should be Black with a high sheen having a silver under coat, this allows the pattern to show through. Kitten coats may display more pattern and rusty tones, but should darken and become more sleek and black with age. Nose leather and paw pads: black with brown undertones allowed.

EYE COLOR: May be gold, copper, green, or bronze with more richness and depth of color the better.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The goal of the Pantherette breeding program is to create a domestic cat which has physical features distinctive to a miniature Black Panther, with a loving, dependable temperament of the domestic cat. Keeping this goal in mind, judges shall give special merit to those characteristics in the appearance of the Pantherette which resemble in appearance the wild Black Panther that are distinct from those found in domestic cat breeds.
     A Pantherette is an athletic cat, alert to its surroundings; a friendly, curious, confident cat with strength, agility, balance and grace. It is a medium to large cat which exhibits a very muscular and solid build. Females are generally smaller than males and exhibit proportionately similar qualities. Its wide nose with prominent whisker pads and oval, almost round eyes in a medium size strong head enhance the wild appearance and look of a Black Panther. The coat area is one of the most distinguishing features of the
Pantherette cat. The short, dense black coat, with a high sheen, has a uniquely soft and silky feel. A thick, low-set, medium-long length tail adds balance to the cat.

ALLOWANCES: Smaller size, in balanced proportion, of females. Slightly longer coat, visible pattern, and rusty tones in kittens coat. Jowls in adult males.

WITHHOLD ALL AWARDS: Paw pads not all of the same color. kinked or abnormal tail. Incorrect number of toes. Improper bite. Tufted ears. Any distinct locket on the neck, chest, abdomen or any other area.

ALLOWABLE OUTCROSS: None.

-----
Temperament: must be unchallenging; any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but may not threaten to harm. Evidence of intent to deceive the judge by artificial means, cats with all or part of their tail missing, totally blind cats, cats having more or less than five toes on each front foot and four on each back foot (unless proved to be the result of an injury or as authorized by a Board approved standard), and, at the discretion of the judge, tail faults
(visible or invisible) and/or crossed eyes shall be disqualified from championship competition. See Show Rules, for comprehensive rules governing penalties/disqualifications applying to all breeds.