How to Identify a Li Hua Cat

Co-authored by Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD

Last Updated: May 15, 2019 References

The Li Hua is a highly reputable breed from China, where it is also known as Li Hua Mao and Dragon Li. It is one of the oldest breeds of domestic cats in China. It is a beautiful cat with a wide, diamond shaped head, large almond shaped eyes and a short tabby coat. It is also strong and agile. You may see it jump, run and use its agility to catch mice and rats. With a loyal, intelligent and loving temperament, you will find it very suitable for families, children and people with other pets.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Observing Physical Characteristics

1
See if it is smiling. This breed looks like it is smiling all the time because it has a distinctive black mark on the upper corners of its mouth. Regardless of whether it is actually smiling, the black marks make it look like it is happy and content.^{[2]
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2
Take a look at the wide, diamond shaped head. You will notice that the space between the ears is wide while the head grows narrower towards the chin, giving the head a diamond shape. This relatively large head sits atop a seemingly small but very strong neck. The face is round and it has nice long whiskers.^{[3]
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- The ears are round and have a unique tipping. They are medium sized.^{[4]
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3
Gaze into the almond shaped eyes. The big, beautiful eyes of this breed come in green, which is preferred by breeders, as well as yellow and brown.^{[5]
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4
Look at the flecked hairs on a short golden-brown coat. This breed has a beautiful golden-brown coat, with flecked hairs that are black at the root, light golden in the middle and brown at the top. You may notice a lighter coloration on the stomach and darker stripes on its tabby coat.^{[6]
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- The lower belly has a leopard pattern and a brownish yellow color.^{[7]
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5
Take note of the black rings on the tail and the legs. This breed looks like it is wearing bracelets, since it has black rings encircling its legs and tail.^{[8]
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6
Watch the strong tail with a black tip. The strength of this breed is very evident in the tail, which is strong and muscular. It looks like it could be used for hunting. Typically, it is striped and has a black spot on the end.^{[9]
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- The tail is medium length.^{[10]
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7
Check out the large and sturdy physique. This breed has a large and sturdy body. The strength of its stance and physique may remind you of its wild origins.^{[11]
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- It will reach a height of ten to fourteen inches.^{[12]
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- It may attain a weight of between nine and twelve pounds.^{[13]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Noticing Mental, Athletic and Personality Traits

1
Observe the active and social temperament of this cat. This breed is very active and playful, with a tendency to invent games and a passion for hunting. It is also very social and, in particular, really enjoys interacting with other cats, children and family members. Above all else, this is a very loyal cat.
- This cat likes to greet people at the door.^{[14]
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- If you give this cat the option of sitting on your lap or playing a game, it will choose the game.^{[15]
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- This breed gets along with other pets, including dogs.^{[16]
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2
See if it is a family caretaker. This breed likes to take on the role of family caretaker. It shows a lot of care and responsibility towards both children and other cats in the house. If you properly introduce this breed to dogs, it will usually get along fine with them.^{[17]
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3
Observe the memory and analytic ability of this breed. This breed is well regarded for its mind, including a strong memory and analytic skills. As such, you should make sure it has something to keep its mind occupied, such as puzzle toys or games. You may even be able to train this cat to perform routine tasks, such as bringing you the morning newspaper.^{[18]
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- They have a wonderful ability to learn new tricks, which is a testament to their strong minds.^{[19]
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4
Watch them hunt. The Li Hua cat is highly renowned for its hunting abilities, which include hunting rats and mice. This breed uses its agility, sharp claws and sturdy neck to hunt rats. It can also catch mice with great dependability.^{[20]
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5
Observe the agility and athletic prowess of this breed. The agility and athleticism of this breed are highly regarded. If you see them jump high in the air with ease, you may have a Li Hua cat. According to the breed standard, this cat can jump so high that it is able to make two turns before landing.^{[21]
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- Due to their athletic ability, this breed needs space to run and stretch its legs.^{[22]
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  Research source} Make sure your home is large enough for a Li Hua cat to roam, and play with it daily using cat toys.