There is some variation as to which genes are expressed in any individual, but unlike dragonmice, which are a cross between mice and a particular mouse-sized species of dragon, cat-dragons descend from full-sized dragons (don’t ask how; maybe by magic; this is obviously fantasy) and can have any random combination of genes. Which means that those which inherit dragon size can only be successfully born to female dragons, and female cats tend to have those which are cat-sized and in general have more cat characteristics. Before speciation fully evolved there must have been some painful, messy mistakes involving female cats or cat-sized caddraeigiau and large kits, but you don’t want to contemplate that.
The creatures are especially beautiful, with deep black fur or scales highlighted from underneath with bright red, giving them a crimson glow, sort of like a red velvet cake. (In fact recent breeders have bred some down to mostly cat characteristics, producing the Red Velvet cat, a surefire hit at cat shows; they don’t always make very good family pets, tho’.)
In the wild they eat dragonmice and roasted fish (which they roast themselves with their breath). Because they can fly, they also hunt birds on the wing, killing and roasting them at the same time. (You know a caddraig is around if you see a fried robin drop out of the sky.) Those close enough to human habitation to steal milk or have humans willing to feed them like caramelized milk.
They're not as wary of humans as some dragons, especially if mother is a pet or semiferal cat. They cause some trouble in cities, getting into garbage bins and sometimes trying to roast food scraps in plastic packages, which melts and makes a gooey mess.
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