How do you distinguish a British Shorthair from a Chartreux? And a Maine Coon from a Norwegian Forest? Unlike dog breeds, where size is a very important distinguishing feature, in domestic cats, with the exception of a few cases, size is not an instantly perceptible determining factor. The vast range of recognized colors and the difference in coat length, only complicate matters further. As you leaf through this book, you will learn to recognize the traits, the nuances that differentiate breeds, enabling you to recognize them at first glance. And to help you to do this, this book features striking original pictures by Fabio Petroni, a professional photographer specialized in still life photography and a great animal lover. Thanks to his professional skills as a photographer and his emotional proximity to the subjects portrayed, the true essence of cats emerges with effectiveness, accuracy and the right degree of sensitivity. Detailed fact sheets examine more than 40 of the most well-known breeds, giving an in-depth description of the breed standards recognized by the most important international cat associations, and they are complemented by splendid illustrations of the finest specimens on the international cat scene.