List of cat breeds
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The following list of cats breeds includes only domestic cat breeds and domestic × wild hybrids. The list includes established breeds recognized by various cat registries, new and experimental breeds, landraces being established as standardized breeds, distinct domestic populations not being actively developed and lapsed (extinct) breeds.
As of 2019, The International Cat Association (TICA) recognizes 71 standardized breeds,[1] the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) recognizes 44,[2] and Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) recognizes 43.[3]
Inconsistency in breed classification and naming among registries means that an individual animal may be considered different breeds by different registries (though not necessarily eligible for registry in them all, depending on its exact ancestry). For example, TICA's Himalayan is considered a colorpoint variety of the Persian by CFA, while the Javanese (or Colorpoint Longhair) is a color variation of the Balinese in TICA and CFA; both breeds are merged (along with the Colorpoint Shorthair) into a single "mega-breed", the Colourpoint, by the World Cat Federation (WCF), who have repurposed the name "Javanese" for the Oriental Longhair. Also, "Colo[u]rpoint Longhair" refers to different breeds in other registries. There are many examples of nomenclatural overlap and differences of this sort. Furthermore, many geographical and cultural names for cat breeds are fanciful selections made by Western breeders to be exotic sounding and bear no relationship to the actual origin of the breeds;[4] the Balinese, Javanese, and Himalayan are all examples of this trend.
The domestic short-haired and domestic long-haired cat types are not breeds, but terms used (with various spellings) in the cat fancy to describe mongrel cats of a general type, by coat length, that do not belong to a particular breed. Some registries permit them to be pedigreed and they have been used as foundation stock in the establishment of some breeds. They should not be confused with standardized breeds with similar names, such as British Shorthair and Oriental Longhair.
Breed | Country | Origin | Body Type | Coat Length | Pattern | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abyssinian | Ethiopia | Natural | Oriental | Short | Ticked | |
Aegean | Greece | Natural | Semi-long | Bicolored or tricolored | ||
American Curl | United States | Mutation | Short/long | All | ||
American Bobtail | United States | Mutation | Short/long | All | ||
American Shorthair | United States | Natural | Short | All but colorpoint | ||
American Wirehair | United States | Mutation | Rex | All but colorpoint | ||
Aphrodite Giant | Cyprus | Natural | Lean and muscular | All | All but cinammon and chocolate | |
Arabian Mau | Arabian Peninsula | Natural | Short | |||
Australian Mist | Australia | Crossbreed: Abyssinian and Burmese | Moderate | Short | Spotted or tabby | |
Asian | Developed in the United Kingdom (foundation stock from Asia) | Short | Evenly solid | |||
Asian Semi-longhair | United Kingdom | Crossbreed: Burmese and long-haired cats | Semi-long | Evenly solid | ||
Balinese | Developed in the United States (foundation stock from Thailand) | Oriental | Long | Colorpoint | ||
Bambino | United States | Crossbreed: Munchkin and Sphynx | Dwarf | Hairless or downy | ||
Bengal | Developed in the United States (foundation stock from Asia) | Hybrid: Abyssinian and Egyptian Mau × leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) | Short | Spotted, marbled, or rosetted | ||
Birman | Developed in France (foundation stock from Burma, etc.) | Crossbreed: original Birman (near extinction) with Persian and Siamese | Semi-long | Colorpoint with white feet | ||
Bombay | Developed in the United States (some foundation stock from Burma and Thailand) | Crossbreed: American Shorthair and Burmese | Moderate | Short | Solid black | |
Brazilian Shorthair | Brazil | Natural | Short | All | ||
British Semi-longhair | United Kingdom | Cobby | Medium | All | ||
British Shorthair | United Kingdom | Natural | Cobby | Short | All | |
British Longhair | United Kingdom | Cobby | Long | All | ||
Burmese | Burma | Natural | Short | Solid | ||
Burmilla | United Kingdom | Crossbreed: Burmese and Chinchilla Persian | Short/long | Solid, in Shaded Silver and Silver Tipped patterns | ||
California Spangled | United States | Crossbreed: Abyssinian, American Shorthair and British Shorthair | Short | Spotted | ||
Chantilly-Tiffany | United States | Solid, ticked, spotted and blotched tabby | ||||
Chartreux | France | Natural | Cobby | Short | Solid blue | |
Chausie | France | Hybrid: Abyssinian× jungle cat (Felis chaus) | Short | Ticked | ||
Colorpoint Shorthair |
Short | Colorpoint | ||||
Cornish Rex | United Kingdom (England) | Mutation | Rex | All | ||
Cymric or Manx Longhair; Longhaired Manx[a] |
United Kingdom (Isle of Man), and Canada | Mutation, from original Manx | Long | All but colorpoint | ||
Cyprus | Cyprus | Natural | Lean and muscular | All | All but colorpoint and mink | |
Devon Rex | United Kingdom (England) | Mutation | Oriental | Rex | All | |
Donskoy or Don Sphynx |
Russia | Hairless | ||||
Dragon Li or Chinese Li Hua |
China | Natural | Short | Striped tabby | ||
Dwelf | Crossbreed: American Curl, Munchkin and Sphinx | Dwarf | Hairless | |||
Egyptian Mau | Egypt | Natural | Short | Spotted | ||
European Shorthair | Finland and Sweden | Natural | Short | All but chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, amber, ticked, or colorpoint | ||
Exotic Shorthair | United States | Crossbreed: American Shorthair and Persian | Cobby | Short | All | |
Foldex[5] | Canada | Crossbreed: Exotic Shorthair and Scottish Fold | Cobby | Short | All | |
German Rex | East Germany | Mutation | Rex | All | ||
Havana Brown | United Kingdom | Crossbreed: Siamese and black short-haired cats | Short | Solid brown | ||
Highlander | United States | Crossbreed/hybrid: Desert Lynx and Jungle Curl | Moderate | Short/long | All | |
Himalayan or Colorpoint Persian[b] |
United States and United Kingdom | Crossbreed: Persian and Siamese | Cobby | Long | Colorpoint | |
Japanese Bobtail | Japan | Natural, mutation | Moderate | Short/long | All but colorpoint and ticked | |
Javanese or Colorpoint Longhair[c] |
Developed in the United States and Canada (foundation stock from Southeast Asia) | Crossbreed: Balinese, with some Colorpoint Shorthair, Oriental Longhair and Siamese | Oriental | Long | Colorpoint | |
Karelian Bobtail | Western Russia | Natural, mutation | ||||
Khao Manee | Thailand | Natural | Short | Solid white | ||
Korat | Thailand | Natural | Short | Solid blue | ||
Korean Bobtail | Korea | Natural, mutation | Short/long | Colorprint | ||
Korn Ja | Thailand | Natural | Short/hairless | Solid | ||
Kurilian Bobtail or Kuril Islands Bobtail |
Eastern Russia and Japan | Natural, mutation | Semi-cobby | Short/long | All but colorpoint | |
LaPerm | United States | Mutation | Moderate | Rex | All | |
Lykoi | United States | Mutation | Partly hairless | Ticked | ||
Maine Coon | United States | Natural | Large | Long | All but colorpoint and ticked | |
Manx | United Kingdom (Isle of Man) | Natural, mutation | Short/long | All but colorpoint | ||
Mekong Bobtail | Russia | Mutation | Short | Colorpoint | ||
Minskin | United States | Crossbreed: Munchkin and Sphynx | Dwarf; semi-cobby | Short/hairless | All | |
Munchkin | United States | Mutation | Dwarf | Short/long | All | |
Nebelung | United States | Semi-long | Solid blue | |||
Napoleon | Short/long | Varied | ||||
Norwegian Forest Cat | Norway | Natural | Long | Traditional, sepia, or mink | ||
Ocicat | United States | Crossbreed: Abyssinian, American Shorthair and Siamese | Short | Spotted | ||
Ojos Azules | United States | All | ||||
Oregon Rex | United States | Mutation | Rex | |||
Oriental Bicolor | Developed in the United States and United Kingdom, later in Continental Europe; foundation stock ultimately from Thailand | Oriental | Bicolor | |||
Oriental Shorthair[d] | Developed in the United States and later the United Kingdom; foundation stock ultimately from Thailand | Crossbreed: European Shorthair and Siamese | Oriental | Short | All but colorpoint | |
Oriental Longhair[d] or Foreign Longhair; Mandarin; British Angora (obsolete) |
Developed in the United Kingdom and United States; foundation stock ultimately from Thailand | Oriental | Semi-long | All but colorpoint | ||
Persian (modern) | Developed in the United States and Europe (foundation stock from Greater Iran) | Mutation, from the traditional Persian | Cobby | Long | All | |
Persian (traditional) | Greater Iran | Natural, but some crossing with Turkish Angora | Cobby | Long | All | |
Peterbald | Russia | Crossbreed: Donskoy, Oriental Shorthair and Siamese; early: Balinese and Javanese | Oriental | Hairless/flocked, velour, brush, or straight coat | All | |
Pixie-bob | United States | Mutation (falsely claimed to be a bobcat hybrid early on) | Short | Spotted | ||
Raas | Indonesia | Natural | Short | |||
Ragamuffin, or Liebling (obsolete) |
United States | Crossbreed: Ragdoll with limited out-crossing to Himalayan, Persian, other long-haired cats | Cobby | Long | All | |
Ragdoll | United States | Mutation (behavioral) in a crossbreed, presumed Persian or Turkish Angora and Birman or Burmese | Cobby | Long | Colorpoint, mitted, or bicolor | |
Russian Blue | Russia | Natural | Short | Solid blue | ||
Russian White, Black, and Tabby | Developed in Australia (foundation stock from Russia) | Crossbreeds: Russian Blue and short-haired cats from Siberia (Russia) | Short | Solid white, solid black and tabby | ||
Sam Sawet | Thailand | Natural | Short | Solid | ||
Savannah | United States | Hybrid: Domestic cat × serval (Leptailurus serval)[6] | Large | Short | Spotted | |
Scottish Fold | United Kingdom (Scotland) | Mutation | Cobby | Short/long | All | |
Selkirk Rex | United States | Mutation, crossbreed: American Shorthair, Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair and British Shorthair | Rex (Short/long) | All | ||
Serengeti | United States | Crossbreed/hybrid: Bengal and Oriental Shorthair | Short | Spotted | ||
Serrade Petit | France | Natural | Short | |||
Siamese (modern) |
Developed in the United States and Europe (foundation stock from Thailand) | Mutation, from traditional Siamese (now known as Thai) | Oriental | Short | Colorpoint | |
Siberian or Siberian Forest Cat; Neva Masquerade (colorpoint variety) |
Russia | Natural | Semi-cobby | Semi-long | All | |
Singapura | United States | Crossbreed: Burmese and Abyssinian | Short | Ticked | ||
Snowshoe | United States | Crossbreed: American Shorthair and Siamese | Short | Colorpoint with white feet | ||
Sokoke | Kenya | Natural | Short | Ticked tabby | ||
Somali | Somalia | Mutation | Long | Ticked | ||
Sphynx | Canada | Mutation | Oriental | Hairless | All | |
Suphalak | Thailand | Natural | Short | Solid | ||
Thai or Traditional, Classic, or Old-style Siamese; Wichien Maat[e] |
Thailand | Natural | Moderate | Short | Colorpoint | |
Thai Lilac | Thailand | Natural | Short | Solid lilac | ||
Tonkinese | Canada | Crossbreed: Burmese and Siamese | Short | Colorpoint, mink, or solid | ||
Toyger | United States | Crossbreed/hybrid: Bengal and short-haired cats | Moderate | Short | Striped | |
Turkish Angora | Turkey | Natural | Semi-long | All but colorpoint | ||
Turkish Van | Developed in the United Kingdom (foundation stock from Turkey) | Natural | Semi-long | Van pattern | ||
Ukrainian Levkoy | Ukraine | Hairless | ||||
Wila Krungthep | Thailand | Natural | Short | Solid | ||
York Chocolate | United States (New York) | Natural | Long | Solid brown |
See alsoEdit
- Felidae – the entire cat family
- Felinae – the subfamily of all smaller cat species
- Lists of domestic animal breeds
- Wildcat – the ancestor of the domestic cat
Notes and referencesEdit
- ^ The Cymric is often classed as a long-haired variety of the Manx rather than a separate breed, e.g., as the "Semi-longhair Manx Variant" in the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF)
- ^ Some registries, such as the CFA and the TICA, may classify the Himalayan as a colorpoint variety of the Persian. Others may make it a long-haired subbreed of the Siamese. The WCF has combined the Himalayan, the Colourpoint Shorthair and the Javanese/Colorpoint Longhair into a single breed, the Colorpoint
- ^ "Colorpoint Longhair" has multiple meanings and "Javanese" has been used for at least one other breed; the WCF uses the "Javanese" name for the Oriental Longhair (not colorpointed). The WCF has also merged the colorpointed Javanese/Colorpoint Longhair, the Himalayan and the Colourpoint Shorthair of other registries into a single breed, the Colourpoint. In the CFA, the TICA and some other registries, the Javanese/Colorpoint Longhair has merged back into the Balinese as a division
- ^ a b In some registries, including the CFA, the Oriental Shorthair and Oriental Longhair are a single breed, the Oriental, with two divisions
- ^ Thai is a recently established new name for the original, rounder-faced, thicker-bodied Siamese
- ^ The International Cat Association - TICA Breed Standards
- ^ Cat Fanciers' Association - CFA Breed Standards
- ^ Fédération InternationFéline - FIFe Breed Standards
- ^ Somerville, Louisa (2007). The Ultimate Guide to Cat Breeds. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books. p. 44. ISBN 9780785822646.
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the use of this name in the cat world, although it is always used to describe cats of distinctly Oriental type. It has been adopted simply because of the tradition which has grown up for using the names of countries and islands from south-eastern Asian for other Oriental breeds, such as the Siamese and Balinese.
- ^ "The Foldex". showcatsonline.com. Retrieved 2015-06-06.
- ^ http://f3savannahcat.com/
External linksEdit
- "All Cat Breeds List". www.catbreedslist.com.
- Sarah Hartwell. "Cat Breeds, Types, Variants and Hybrids". messybeast.com.
- Sarah Hartwell. "The Validity of 'Breeds'". messybeast.com.
- Jos Jakes. "The Popular Cat Breeds". thecatsite.net.
- Pet Med. "The Popular Cat Breeds". petmd.com.
- Pet Finder. "The Popular Cat Breeds". petfinder.com.
- My cat Guide. "Guide to cat Breeds". Mycatguide.com.