Dragon Li

Dragon Li
Dragon Li
Other names	Li Hua Mau
Domestic cat (Felis catus)

The Dragon Li, also called Chinese Li Hua, China Li Hua, Li Hua, Li Hua Mau, Li Hua Mao (in Pinyin) and 貍花貓 (in Chinese character), or simply Li Mao (Chinese character: 貍貓) is a Chinese breed of domestic cat originating from nascent Chinese folklore and dynastic culture. The natural breed, based on a native landrace, is recognized as a formal breed by the US-based Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) and China's Cat Aficionado Association (CAA).

The Dragon Li displays a unique golden brown, broken mackerel (also known as broken striped) tabby pattern, distinctive ear tipping, large round almond shaped luminescent yellow/green eyes, and a strong full bodied stature reminiscent of its wild nature. The Dragon Li is valued for its unmistakable intelligence, an uncanny cognizance in relation to its surroundings, and its ability to interact perspicuously with humans.

The eponymous Dragon Li is thought to be a natural self-domesticating breed by way of the wild cat subspecies, Chinese mountain cat (Felis silvestris bieti). While this theory is still somewhat controversial, it has also not been scientifically disproven, and is therefore widely accepted as the origin of this breed within established breeding sources in China. The Chinese character interpretation is based on a legendary description rather than a fully accurate contemporary portrayal of the Dragon Li, and as a result, the breed has been confused with that of the wild fox by the Chinese. For this reason the literal translated characters for Li Hua Mao read as 貍 as in fox(狐貍), 花 for flower pattern, and 貓 for cat. This Chinese character description was and is based on what was believed to be the best interpretation before modern western feline terminology became the standard, i.e. a 'flower pattern' versus a tabby pattern.

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