Cat Breeds

Natural Turkish breed from the Lake Van region. A semi-long white coat with color restricted to the head and tail, plus a near-unique love of water. A protected national treasure in its homeland and a rarity in the United States.

Breed developed in Canada in the 1960s by crossing Siamese and Burmese. Intermediate mink pattern, signature aquamarine eyes, sociable and talkative temperament. A balanced blend of its two founding breeds.

The semi-long-haired version of the Abyssinian, born from a natural recessive mutation. Same lean athletic body, same ticked coat, same high energy and sociable temperament, but with semi-long fur and a plumed fox-like tail.

A natural Kenyan breed from the protected Arabuko-Sokoke coastal forest. Distinctive marbled tabby pattern, lean athletic body, and a sociable but independent temperament. One of the rarest breeds in the entire cat fancy.

An American breed born by accident in 1960s Philadelphia, crossing the Siamese with the American Shorthair. Short colorpoint coat, four white-mittened paws, blue eyes, and a balanced, talkative temperament that splits the difference between its founders.

A natural Russian breed from the Siberian taiga, documented for centuries. Sturdy body, a triple-layered semi-long coat built for extreme cold, and a balanced, sociable temperament. One of the breeds linked to lower-than-average Fel d 1 output, the protein behind cat allergies.

A Singaporean breed recognized in the 1970s. A tiny, delicate body (4-6.5 lb), a short warm-brown ticked coat, and big expressive eyes. Widely considered the smallest cat in the pedigreed registry.

A young American breed (1987) with a curly coat caused by a mutation distinct from the Cornish and Devon Rex. Sturdy cobby body like a British Shorthair, signature sheep-wool fur, and a calm, patient temperament.

An American hybrid breed developed in 1986 by crossing an African serval with a domestic cat. Long legs, a golden spotted coat, and athletic energy unlike any other house cat. Early generations (F1-F4) carry real legal restrictions across much of the United States.

American breed split off from the Ragdoll in the 1990s. Same sweet, handle-anything temperament and big semi-long-haired body, but with a wide-open palette of colors and patterns instead of pointed mitted markings only.

American breed developed in 1985, supposedly from crosses between domestic cats and coastal bobcats (no confirmed genetic evidence). Sturdy body, short bobtail, spotted tabby coat, and extra toes in some individuals (polydactyly).

Russian breed created in 1994 by crossing the hairless Don Sphynx with the Oriental Shorthair. Slender Oriental body, bare or peach-fuzz skin, and an outgoing, demanding personality that bonds hard with its people.

A Siamese without the colorpoint pattern, engineered through 20th-century selective breeding. Same sleek oriental body, same opinionated voice and people-glued temperament, but a uniform coat available in any color or pattern (over 300 accepted combinations).

A rare American breed developed in the 1980s, the Nebelung is essentially a semi-long-haired Russian Blue. Same plush silver-blue coat, same emerald eyes, same quiet and reserved temperament, just with longer fur. The name means 'creature of the mist' in German.

An American breed that began with a single bald kitten in a 1982 farm litter. Soft curls that spiral from the very base of the hair, a genetic mutation unlike any other rex cat, and an affectionate, endlessly curious personality.

The semi-long-haired version of the Scottish Fold. Same folded ears, same calm temperament, and the same inherited osteochondrodysplasia that makes the breed one of the most debated in the cat world.

The semi-long-haired version of the Manx, born from the same natural recessive mutation. Same cobby body, same absent or stubby tail, same Manx syndrome. Counted as its own breed by some registries and a variety by others.

An English breed engineered in the 1950s by crossing chocolate-point Siamese with solid black domestic cats. Even mahogany-brown coat, vivid green eyes, and a slender oriental frame. One of the rarest pedigreed cats in North America.

A hybrid breed developed in the 1980s by crossing the African jungle cat (Felis chaus) with the domestic cat. Muscular body, long legs, and a wild look. Early generations carry real legal and care restrictions.

A natural French breed with a uniform blue-gray coat, a robust cobby body, and a trapezoidal head whose upturned mouth gives it a permanent smile. Quiet, soft-spoken, and steeped in monastic legend.

A thousand-year-old natural breed from Japan with a distinctive short pom-pom tail (1 to 5 in). Slender body, short or semi-long coat, and an outgoing, musically vocal temperament. The direct inspiration for the Maneki-neko good-luck figurine.

British breed descended from the common English domestic cat and refined since the 19th century. Compact cobby body, round head, and a short dense double coat with a plush feel. Calm, patient, and reserved, it's one of the most recognizable cats in the registry.

A natural Nordic breed with a sturdy frame, a very dense double coat that sheds water, and an unusually balanced temperament. One of the cat registry's lowest-burden breeds for inherited disease.

A Scottish breed famous for ears that fold forward. Calm, sociable temperament, but with a documented hereditary cartilage disease that has led several countries to restrict or ban its breeding.

Canadian breed developed from a natural mutation in 1966. Apparently naked (actually covered in a fine peach-fuzz layer), extroverted, and demanding. One of the most skin-care-intensive cats in the registry.

American breed developed in 1960s California. Large body, silky semi-long coat, deep blue eyes, and a placid temperament that makes it one of the most sociable cats in the registry.

The semi-long-haired version of the British Shorthair, born when a recessive Persian gene surfaced during the postwar rebuilding of the breed. Same cobby body, same dense double coat, same quiet, reserved temperament.

British breed that emerged in 1981 from an accidental mating between a Chinchilla Persian and a Lilac Burmese. Short coat with a distinctive silver shading or tipping, gooseberry-green eyes rimmed in black, and a balanced, sociable temperament.

An American breed created in the 1950s by crossing the Burmese with the black American Shorthair. Glossy jet-black coat, gold or copper eyes, and a muscular medium-sized body wrapped around a sociable, playful temperament.

A semi-long-haired version of the Siamese that arose from a natural recessive mutation. Same slender body, same colorpoint pattern, same blue eyes, and the same talkative, attention-hungry temperament. The name evokes the grace of traditional Balinese dancers.

A British breed group developed in the 1980s by crossing the Burmese with the Chinchilla Persian. Muscular Burmese-type body, short coat in a wide range of patterns and colors, and a balanced, sociable temperament.

A breed descended from a single chocolate-colored cat brought to San Francisco in 1930. Short satin coat, large golden eyes, compact muscular body, and one of the most people-dependent temperaments in the feline registry.

A semi-longhaired colorpoint breed of Burmese-French origin, instantly recognized by four pure-white gloved paws and deep sapphire eyes. Calm, sociable, and easygoing. Not to be confused with the Burmese, an entirely separate breed.

An American breed with dramatically short legs caused by a dominant mutation. Sociable, playful, and affectionate, but burdened by a genuine ethical debate over whether the defining genetic condition should be bred at all.

British island breed with an absent or very short tail caused by a dominant mutation. Round body, longer hind legs, and one of the oldest formally registered cat breeds. It also carries a documented inherited spinal disorder known as Manx syndrome.

American breed developed in the 1960s by crossing Siamese, Abyssinian, and American Shorthair. The look of a miniature ocelot (hence the name) with no wild blood at all. Sociable, athletic, and one of the most trainable cats around.

A natural Thai breed with a uniform silver-blue coat, brilliant green eyes in adults, and a heart-shaped head. Documented in Thai manuscripts since the 14th century and treated as a living good-luck charm.

Born from a single spontaneous mutation on a New York farm in 1966, the American Wirehair is the rarest breed in CFA records. Medium-sized, mellow, and nearly self-grooming: each crimped hair is its own genetic curiosity.

One of CFA's five founding breeds, registered since 1906. Descended from working cats that crossed the Atlantic with early settlers. Medium-large, short-coated, and one of the most balanced temperaments in the registry.

One of the oldest recognized cat breeds in the US. Short ticked coat, lean athletic build, relentlessly curious temperament. Recorded in CFA since 1906; likely Southeast Asian in origin despite its African name.

An English breed born from a natural 1950 mutation. Slim, muscular body, short curly coat with no guard hairs, and an outgoing, playful character. To the touch it feels like velvet.

English breed discovered in 1959 in Devon. A short, curly coat distinct from the Cornish Rex (a different mutation), an elfin head with enormous low-set ears, and one of the most playful, people-oriented temperaments in the cat fancy.

A natural Egyptian breed with a spotted coat found in no other domestic cat by descent alone. Clocked at up to 30 mph, with gooseberry-green eyes, a muscular athletic build, and a loyal, intelligent temperament.

A natural breed from northern Russia. Short, dense double coat in a uniform blue-gray, emerald-green eyes, and a reserved but deeply loyal temperament. One of the cat breeds most associated with the idea of a hypoallergenic cat, with caveats.

Natural Turkish breed documented since the 16th century. Silky semi-long coat with no dense undercoat, a slender elegant body, and almond eyes. Protected as a Turkish national treasure by the Ankara Zoo, and not to be confused with the generic modern Angora of other registries.

The Cheetoh is a deliberate Bengal x Ocicat cross developed in 2003. Leopard pattern, large frame, sociable temperament. TICA experimental breed status: not recognized by CFA. What buyers need to know before committing.

Created by crossing the Asian Leopard Cat with domestic cats, the Bengal is a striking, athletic, highly active breed. Beautiful but demanding: more energetic, vocal, and destructive when bored than most owners predict from the photos.

One of the oldest documented cat breeds, the Siamese is talkative, intensely bonded to its person, and not the cat for someone wanting an aloof companion. Two body styles, recognizable health profile, and a personality that polarizes.

An ancient breed from old Persia. Long dense coat, round flat face in the modern show variety, calm temperament. One of the cat breeds with the highest documented load of hereditary disease.

Natural breed from the northeastern United States. Massive body, semi-long water-resistant coat, and the sociable temperament that made it one of the most popular domestic cats in the world.