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| Middle Eastern cats probably originated from cats that were bred and pampered in the temples of Egypt. The longhair cats brought to London from the Middle East in the seventeenth century were the first longhair cats seen in Europe and were highly prized (as indeed, they still are today). Although the Middle East is thought of as having a warm climate there are very cold nights in its mountainous regions so it could be that a long coat was an advantage for cats living in such conditions. It could also have been partly perpetuated by humans who favoured the unusual appearance. | |||
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