Complete List of the Different Breed of Cats

Making the decision to adopt a cat or kitten is a significant one and figuring out which breed of cat is ideal for you can be much more difficult. There are many things to take into account, such as the cat’s size, gender, and coat length.

There are actually between 40 to 70 distinct cat breeds, though the exact number varies on who you ask. The International Cat Association (TICA) recognizes 71 cat breeds, compared to the 42 pedigree breeds recognized by the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association).

These cat organizations, like dog organizations like the American Kennel Club, strictly define a breed’s qualities and arrange competitions for cats who exhibit the best examples of these attributes, and 48 by the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) as of 2019.

Breeds might have hair that is long, short, or nonexistent. Others have rounder, floppy, or barely perceptible ears, while some have enormous, triangular ears. Others are brilliantly striped or completely white, while some have spots that resemble leopards. Their temperaments, dispositions, and likes and dislikes might also differ greatly.

If you don’t know the breed of your cat, it’s most likely a Domestic Shorthair (or Longhair). According to estimates, domestic longhair or domestic shorthair cats make up 95% of all cats in the United States (not to be confused with the American Shorthair, which is a distinct breed).

The most popular cat “breed” in the United States has no established pedigree. It’s a word used to describe the wide range of sizes, colors, and personalities of the almond-eyed, pointy-eared cat that we are most accustomed to.

Cat owners might choose to concentrate on their pet’s breed history and distinguishing traits, much like dog owners do. Or, like dog owners, they can accept the “mutt” cats that make up the majority of the feline population in America. We can all agree that cats are attractive regardless of their ancestry.

An individual animal may be regarded by several registries as belonging to numerous breeds due to inconsistency in breed categorization and naming (though not necessarily eligible for registry in them all, depending on its exact ancestry).

For instance, the Javanese (or Colorpoint Longhair) in both the TICA and the CFA is a color variation of the Balinese, while the Himalayan in the TICA is considered a colorpoint variety of the Persian by the CFA; both breeds have been combined (along with the Colorpoint Shorthair) into a single “mega-breed,” the Colourpoint, by the World Cat Federation (WCF), who have transformed the name “Javanese”

Domestic short-haired and domestic long-haired cats are not breeds; rather, they are phrases used in the cat fancy to describe “mongrel” those cats without a specific breed, by the length of their coats.

They have served as founding stock for the creation of various breeds and are allowed to be pedigreed by some registries. These dogs shouldn’t be confused with standardized breeds of the same name, like the British Shorthair and Oriental Longhair.

Domestic short-haired cats come in a variety of colors and frequently “revert to type” after a few generations, expressing their coats as tabby cats. This might be any color or color scheme.

Additionally, they display a wide range of morphological traits, which leads to the tendency for domestic short-haired cats to have diverse body shapes and sizes depending on the gene pools they draw from.

Due to their wide gene pools, cats that haven’t undergone selective breeding are considerably less likely to develop the genetic disorders for which purebred cats must undergo thorough screening.

Freely reproducing domestic short-haired cats create different landraces over a wide geographic range, and as a result, they have served as the foundation for numerous recent formal breeds, including the European Shorthair (Celtic Shorthair) and American Shorthair.

Read Also: Understanding Cats

Different Breeds of Cats

The list of all cat breeds below features domestic and domestic-wild hybrids. The list covers well-known breeds that are listed on several cat registries, as well as new and experimental breeds, landraces that are developing into standardized breeds, separate domestic populations that are not actively being cultivated, and lapsed (extinct) breeds.

▪ Abyssinian

▪ Aegean

▪ American Bobtail

▪ American Curl

▪ American Ringtail

▪ American shorthair

▪ American Wirehair

▪ Aphrodite Giant

▪ Arabian Mau

▪ Asian

▪ Maine Coon

▪ Asian Semi-longhair

▪ Australian Mist

▪ Balinese

▪ Bambino

▪ Bengal

▪ Birman

▪ Bombay

▪ Brazilian Shorthair

▪ British Longhair

▪ British Shorthair

▪ Burmese

▪ Burmilla

▪ Califonia Spangled

▪ Chartreux

▪ Chausie

▪ Colorpoint Shorthair

▪ Cornish Rex

▪ Cymric, Manx longhair

▪ Cyprus

▪ Devon Rex

▪ Donskoy or Don sphynx

▪ Dragon Li or Chinese Li Hau

▪ Dwelf

▪ Egyptian Mau

▪ European Shorthair

▪ Exotic Shorthair

▪ Foldex

▪ German Rex

▪ Havana Brown

▪ Highlander

▪ Himalayan

▪ Japanese Bobtail

▪ Javanese

▪ Khao Manee

▪ Kinkalow

▪ Korat

▪ Korean Bobtail

▪ Korn Ja

▪ Kurilian Bobtail or Kuril Islands Bobtail

▪ Lambkin

▪LaPerm

▪ Lykoi

▪ Manx

▪ Mekong Bobtail

▪ Minskin

▪ Minuet

▪ Munchkin

▪ Nebelung

▪ Norwegian Forest Cat

▪ Ocicat

▪ Ojos Azules

▪ Oregon Rex

▪ Oriental Bicolor

▪ Oriental Longhair

▪ Oriental Shorthair

▪ Persian or Modern

▪ Persian or Traditional

▪ Peterbald

▪ Pixie-Bob

▪ Ragamuffin or Liebling

▪Ragdoll

▪ Rass

▪ Russian Blue

▪ Russian white, Russian black, and Russian Tabby

▪ Sam Sawant

▪ Savannah breed

▪ Scottish Fold

▪ Selkirk Rex

▪ Serengeti

▪Serrade Petit

▪ Siamese (Modern)

▪ Siberian or Forest Cat, Neva Masquerade

▪ Singapura

▪ Snowshoe

▪ Sokoke breed

▪ Somall

▪ Sphynx

▪ Suphalak

▪ Thai or Traditional Classic

▪ Thai Lilac, Thai Bluepoint, and Thai Lilac point

▪ Tonkinese

▪ Toybob

▪ Toyger

▪ Turkish Angora

▪ Turkish Vankedisi

▪ Ukrainian Levkoy

▪ York Chocolate

Read Also: Siamese Cats: All You Need to Know About Them

The following cat breeds are more popular;

(1) Persian: Persian cats can be very affectionate, gregarious, and friendly. They adore cuddling with their favorite people, and many of them are very easygoing and laid back. This cat certainly anticipates your return from work so you can give them some attention.

(2) Exotic Shorthair: Calm lap-lovers who enjoy attention and fuss. Not the most active breed, but one that is perfect for a cat owner that enjoys cuddling their pet!

(3) Abyssinian: Happy to see you when you get home, and sociable around guests and other cats will routinely visit you during the day to check on you and will make reassuring meows.

(4) Burmese: They are incredibly affectionate and enjoy cuddling up on the couch with their favorite people.

(5) Maine Coons: They are friendly and self-assured without being overly demanding (unlike some other breeds enjoy having conversations and have a variety of meows.

(6) Sphynx: Of all breeds, the sphynx is the friendliest and most dependent on people.

You might believe that getting a sociable mixed-breed cat is a lottery but the truth is that most cats will become amiable and cuddly if you treat them well and give them lots of love.

Read Also: 6 Reasons why Cats are Good Pets