If your cat was a combination of, say, two purebreds with papers (which would be a bad idea anyway, there's no point in having purebreds if you're going to mix them!) then hypothetically, they could. A cat whose father was a purebred Turkish Van might like to swim (or not) or a cat whose mother was a Siamese might have a higher chance of being very vocal.

But if your cat is a domestic cat (domestic shorthair or domestic longhair) then that IS it's breed. Domestic cats probably descended from cats the pilgrims brought over, so the traits you see would absolutely be true to the breed.

I hope this answers your question!

Years of cat rescue and owning multiple cats.

Some. Traits that are genetically dominant will be expressed while but genetic flaws or health problems inherent in many breeds are canceled out. It also depends on which breeds your cat is mixed with and the specific pluses/minuses within that breed as well as individual differences. Personally, I find that mixed breeds/mutts are healthier and more even tempered.

Cat owner for life

Well, I've had three cats now that were 1/4 or 1//2 Siamese . I can tell you they all were very intelligent, all lived at least 19 years, and all liked to talk. Those three things I'm sure were inherited from their Siamese parent.

Maybe. You can't predict anything about a mix. It may even have some traits not typical of either parent's breed.