List of cat breeds

The following list of cat breeds includes only domestic cat breeds and domestic and 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 2023, The International Cat Association (TICA) recognizes 73 standardized breeds,[1] the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) recognizes 45,[2] the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) recognizes 50,[3] the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) recognizes 45,[4] and the World Cat Federation (WCF) recognizes 69.[5]

Inconsistency in a breed's 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 the CFA, while the Javanese (or Colorpoint Longhair) is a color variation of the Balinese in both the TICA and the 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;[6] 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" or "bicolor" cats by coat length, ones that do not belong to a particular breed. Some registries such as the Cat Fanciers' Association allow for domestic short hairs and domestic long hairs to be registered for the purpose of outcrossing.[7] They should not be confused with standardized breeds with similar names, such as the British Shorthair and Oriental Longhair.

Breeds

Breed Location of origin Type Body type Coat type and length Coat pattern Image
Abyssinian[8] Unspecified, but somewhere in Afro-Asia, likely Ethiopia[9]NaturalSemi-foreign ShortTicked tabby
Aegean GreeceNaturalModerate Semi-longMulti-color
American Bobtail[10] United States[11]Mutation of shortened tailCobby Semi-longAll
American Curl[12] United States[11]MutationSemi-foreign Semi-longAll
American Ringtail United States[11]MutationForeign Semi-longAll
American Shorthair United States[11]NaturalCobby ShortAll
American Wirehair United States[11]MutationNormal RexAll
Aphrodite Giant CyprusNaturalLean and muscularAllAll
Arabian Mau Arabian PeninsulaNaturalModerate and muscular ShortAll
Asian United KingdomCrossbreed between the Burmese and Chinchilla Persians Moderate ShortAll without white and without siamese pointing
Asian Semi-longhair United KingdomCrossbreed between the Burmese and Chinchilla PersiansModerate Semi-longAll without white and without siamese pointing
Australian Mist Australia[13]Crossbreed between the Abyssinian, Burmese, and Australian short-haired cats[13]ModerateShortSpotted or marbled
Balinese Developed in United States;[11]
foundation stock from Thailand
Mutation of the Siamese Semi-foreignLongColorpoint
Bambino United States[13]Crossbreed between the Munchkin and Sphynx[13]DwarfShortBlack + white hairless
Bengal Developed in United States,[13]
but created in Asia
Hybrid of the Abyssinian and Egyptian Mau × leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)Large ShortSpotted, marbled, or rosetted
Birman Developed in France;
foundation stock from Burma (Myanmar)[11]
The original Birman was crossed with the Siamese and the Persian to create the Birman of today.Cobby Semi-longMitted colorpoint
Bombay United States and Burma (Myanmar)Crossbreed between the Black American Shorthair and Sable BurmeseCobbyShortSolid black
Brazilian Shorthair BrazilNaturalNormal ShortAll
British Longhair United Kingdom (England)[11]Natural CobbySemi-longAll
British Shorthair United Kingdom (England)[11]NaturalCobbyShortAll[14]
Burmese Burma (Myanmar)[11]NaturalSemi-foreign or semi-cobby ShortSolid and Tortoiseshell[15]
Burmilla United Kingdom (England)[11]Crossbreed between the Burmese and the Chinchilla PersianSemi-cobby ShortSolid with Shaded Silver and Silver Tipped patterns
California Spangled United States[11]Crossbreed between the Abyssinian, American Shorthair and British ShorthairModerateShortSpotted tabby
Chantilly-Tiffany United StatesNaturalCobbyLongSolid, classic tabby, spotted tabby and ticked tabby
Chartreux France[11]NaturalMuscular; cobbyShortVarying shades of blue
Chausie United StatesHybrid of the Abyssinian × jungle cat (Felis chaus)NormalShortSolid black, black grizzled tabby and black ticked tabby
Colorpoint Shorthair United Kingdom (England)Crossbreed between the Abyssinian, Siamese and short-haired cats Foreign ShortColorpoint
Cornish Rex Cornwall, England,

United Kingdom

MutationForeign RexAll
Cymric, Manx Longhair or Long-haired Manx[lower-alpha 1] Isle of Man, United States, and Canada [lower-alpha 2][11]Mutation of the Manx (shortened tail)Semi-cobby LongAll
Cyprus CyprusNaturalLean and muscularAllAll
Devon Rex Buckfastleigh, Devon, England, United KingdomMutationSemi-foreignRexAll
Donskoy or
Don Sphynx
RussiaMutation Semi-foreign HairlessSolid
Dragon Li or
Chinese Li Hua
ChinaNaturalNormal ShortTicked tabby
Dwelf United StatesCrossbreed between the American Curl, Munchkin and SphynxDwarfHairlessAll
Egyptian Mau Egypt[11]NaturalModerate and muscularShortSpotted tabby
European Shorthair Continental Europe[11]NaturalModerateShortAll
Exotic Shorthair United States[11]Crossbreed between the American Shorthair and PersianCobbyShortAll
Foldex[16] CanadaCrossbreed between the Exotic Shorthair and Scottish FoldCobbyShortAll
German Rex Germany[11]MutationSemi-foreign RexAll
Havana Brown United Kingdom (England);
foundation stock from Thailand
Crossbreed between the Siamese and black short-haired catsSemi-foreign ShortSolid brown
Highlander United StatesCrossbreed between the Desert Lynx and Jungle CurlModerateShort/longAll
Himalayan or
Colorpoint Persian[lower-alpha 3]
United States and United Kingdom[11]Crossbreed between the Persian and SiameseCobbyLongColorpoint
Japanese Bobtail Japan[lower-alpha 4][11]Mutation of shortened tailModerateShort/longAll
Javanese or
Colorpoint Longhair[lower-alpha 5]
Developed in United States[11] and Canada;
foundation stock from Southeast Asia
Crossbreed between the Balinese (with some Colorpoint Shorthair), Oriental Longhair and SiameseOrientalLongColorpoint
Kanaani Israel[13]Hybrid of short-haired cats ×  African wildcat (Felis lybica)Semi-foreign ShortSolid black, chocolate spotted tabby or cinnamon spotted tabby
Khao Manee Thailand[13]NaturalModerate ShortSolid white
Kinkalow United StatesCrossbreed between the Munchkin and American CurlDwarf ShortAll
Korat Thailand[11]NaturalSemi-foreign or semi-cobby and muscular ShortSolid blue
Korean Bobtail KoreaNatural, mutation of shortened tailModerate Short/longAll
Korn Ja or Konja
ThailandNaturalSmall ShortSolid black
Kurilian Bobtail or
Kuril Islands Bobtail
Kuril Islands, North Pacific[13]Natural, mutation of shortened tailSemi-cobbyShort/long[13]All
Lambkin United States[11]Crossbreed between the Munchkin and Selkirk RexDwarfRexAll
LaPerm United States[11]MutationModerateRexAll
Lykoi United StatesMutationModerate Sparse hairedBlack roan
Maine Coon United States[11]Natural, crossbreedLargeSemi-long/longAll excluding chocolate and colourpoint
Manx Isle of Man[11]Mutation of shortened tailModerateShort/longAll
Mekong Bobtail Developed in Russia;
foundation stock ultimately from Southeast Asia[13]
Mutation of shortened tailModerate ShortColorpoint
Minskin United States[13]Crossbreed between the Munchkin, Burmese, Devon Rex, and SphynxDwarfHairlessAll
Minuet United StatesCrossbreed between the Persian and MunchkinDwarfShort/longAll
Munchkin United States[11]Mutation of dwarf catDwarfShort/longAll
Nebelung United States[13]Natural, mutationForeign Semi-longSolid blue
Neva Masquerade (colorpoint Siberian)[lower-alpha 6] Russia[13]Crossbreed between the Siberian and a colorpoint cat[18]Cobby[13]Long[13]Colorpoint
Norwegian Forest Cat Norway[11]NaturalCobby LongChocolate or orange and white bicolor
Ocicat United States[11]Crossbreed between the Abyssinian, American Shorthair and SiameseLarge ShortSpotted tabby
Ojos Azules
(extinct)
United States[11]Crossbreed Moderate Short All
Oriental Bicolor Developed in United States and United Kingdom, later in Continental Europe;
foundation stock ultimately from Thailand
Color variety of the Oriental Shorthair OrientalShort Bicolor
Oriental Longhair[lower-alpha 7] Developed in United States and United Kingdom;
foundation stock ultimately from Thailand[11]
Crossbreed between the Oriental Shorthair and long-haired cats OrientalSemi-longAll; if colorpoint is considered to be a separate breed, it is called the Javanese
Oriental Shorthair[lower-alpha 7] Developed in United States and United Kingdom;
foundation stock ultimately from Thailand[11]
Crossbreed between the European Shorthair and SiameseOrientalShortAll
Persian (modern) Developed in United States and Europe;
foundation stock from Greater Iran[11]
Mutation of the Traditional PersianCobbyLongAll but colorpoint
Persian (traditional) Greater Iran[11]Natural, but some crossbreeding with the Turkish AngoraCobbyLongAll but colorpoint
Peterbald RussiaCrossbreed between the Donskoy, Oriental Shorthair and Siamese;
before this, it was between the Balinese and Javanese
OrientalHairless, velour, brush, or straight coatAll
Pixie-bob United States[11]Mutation (falsely claimed to be a hybrid of the domestic cat and the bobcat (Lynx rufus) early on)Medium ShortSpotted tabby
Ragamuffin or
Liebling (obsolete)
United StatesCrossbreed between the Ragdoll with limited out-crossing to the Himalayan, the Persian, and other long-haired catsCobbyLongAll
Ragdoll United States[11]Behavioral mutation in a crossbreed, presumed to be between the Persian or Turkish Angora and the Birman or BurmeseCobbyLongColorpoint, mitted, or bicolor
Raas Raas Island, IndonesiaNaturalModerateShortSolid blue, solid cinnamon, or cinnamon colorpoint
Russian Blue Russia[11]NaturalModerate, Oriental ShortSolid blue
Russian White, Russian Black and Russian Tabby Developed in Australia;
foundation stock from Russia
Crossbreeds between the Russian Blue and short-haired cats from Siberia, RussiaModerate ShortSolid white, solid black and tabby
Sam Sawet ThailandColor variety of the ThaiModerateShortSolid
Savannah United States[13]Hybrid of the domestic cat x serval (Leptailurus serval)[19]LargeShortSpotted
Scottish Fold United Kingdom (Scotland)[11]Mutation of the bones and cartilage of the earsCobbyShort/longAll
Selkirk Rex United States in 1988[11]Mutation/crossbreed between the American Shorthair, Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair and British ShorthairLarge and cobbyShort/long (longhair, sometimes in early generations, can appear to be semi-long)All
Serengeti United StatesCrossbreed/hybrid between the Bengal and Oriental ShorthairOrientalShortSpotted
Siamese (modern)

(for traditional, see Thai)

Developed in United States and Europe;
foundation stock from Thailand[11]
Mutation of the ThaiOrientalShortColorpoint
Siberian or
Siberian Forest Cat

(for colorpoint, see Neva Masquerade)

Siberian Tundra, Russia.NaturalCobby[13]Long[13]All; except chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, and fawn[17]
Singapura Developed in United States;
foundation stock from Singapore[11]
Possibly a mutation of a crossbreed (excluding the Munchkin), solving why they are so smallSmallShortTicked tabby
Snowshoe United States[11]Crossbreed between the American Shorthair and SiameseModerateShortMitted colorpoint
Sokoke Kenya[13]NaturalModerateShortTicked tabby
Somali United States, CanadaMutationCobbyLongTicked tabby
Sphynx Canada, Europe[11]MutationOrientalHairlessAll
Suphalak ThailandNaturalModerate ShortSolid reddish-brown
Thai or
Traditional, Classic, or Old-style Siamese;
Wichien Maat[lower-alpha 8]
Developed in Europe;[13]
foundation stock from Thailand[11]
NaturalModerateShortColorpoint
Thai Lilac, Thai Blue Point and Thai Lilac Point ThailandColor varieties of the KoratModerateShortSolid lilac and colorpoint (blue point and lilac point only)
Tonkinese Canada, United States[11]Crossbreed between the Burmese and SiameseOriental ShortColorpoint, mink, or solid
Toybob RussiaMutationDwarfShortAll
Toyger United States[13]Crossbreed/hybrid between the Bengal and short-haired catsModerateShortMackerel tabby
Turkish Angora Turkey[11]NaturalSemi-cobby Semi-longAll
Turkish Van[lower-alpha 9] Developed in United Kingdom;
foundation stock from Turkey[13]
NaturalSemi-cobby Semi-longVan pattern
Turkish Vankedisi
(white variety of Turkish Van)[lower-alpha 9]
Developed in United Kingdom;
foundation stock from Turkey[13]
NaturalSvelte LongSolid white
Ukrainian Levkoy UkraineCrossbreed between the Donskoy and Scottish Fold Moderate HairlessSolid gray
York Chocolate New York, United StatesNaturalModerate LongSolid chocolate, solid lilac and solid taupe or any of these colors with white

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. 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 GCCF.
  2. There may be some dispute to the exact origins of the Cymric. The specific dominant autosomal gene (M) that causes the short tail of the Cymric was found in the cats living on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea; however, the breed itself was developed by a Canadian breeder named Blair Wright and an American breeder named Leslie Falteisek in the 1960s from the Isle of Man population.
  3. Some registries, such as CFA and TICA, classify the Himalayan as a colorpoint variety of the Persian. Others classify it as a long-haired sub-breed of the Siamese. WCF has combined the Himalayan, the Colorpoint Shorthair and the Javanese/Colorpoint Longhair into a single breed, the Colourpoint.
  4. Due to artifacts and prints dating from as early as the 11th century found in many Eastern countries, there is some likelihood these cats may have originated in China, then were brought to Japan. However, the first known importation of Japanese Bobtails was from Japan in the 1960s.
  5. "Colorpoint Longhair" has multiple meanings and "Javanese" has been used for at least one other breed; WCF uses the "Javanese" name for the Oriental Longhair (not colorpointed). WCF has also merged the colorpointed Javanese/Colorpoint Longhair, the Himalayan and the Colorpoint Shorthair of other registries into a single breed, the Colourpoint. In CFA and TICA, and some other registries, the Javanese/Colorpoint Longhair has been merged back into the Balinese as a breed division.
  6. The Neva Masquerade is classified as a separate breed in several (inter)national registries, such as FIFe.[17] However, other registries classify the Neva Masquerade as a natural colorpoint variety of the Siberian cat.
  7. In some registries, including the CFA, the Oriental Shorthair and Oriental Longhair are a single breed, the Oriental, with two divisions (shorthair and longhair).
  8. Thai is a recently established new name for the original, rounder-faced, thicker-bodied Siamese.
  9. The Turkish Van breed, and especially its "Turkish Vankedisi" variant, are often confused with the Van cat (Van kedisi in Turkish), a landrace (not breed) of cats native to the Lake Van region of Turkey. The Turkish Van and recent "Vankedisi" coat pattern have no known connection to cats from this region, but they are often confused due to the name similarity and incorrect claims sometimes made by breeders.

References

  1. "Browse All Breeds". TICA.org. The International Cat Association. 31 July 2018. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  2. "CFA Breeds". CFA.org. Cat Fanciers' Association. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  3. "FIFe List of Breeds". FIFeWeb.org. Fédération Internationale Féline. Archived from the original on 19 February 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  4. "Analysis of Breeds Registered". GCCFCats.org. Governing Council of the Cat Fancy. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. "WCF Breeds Recognized". WCF.info. World Cat Federation. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  6. 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 Asia for other Oriental breeds, such as the Siamese and Balinese.
  7. "Registration Certificate". Catalog.CFA.org. Cat Fanciers' Association. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  8. "Abyssinian at a Glance". TICA.org. The International Cat Association. 13 April 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  9. "Abyssinian Profile", Catz Inc., accessed 4 October 2009
  10. "The American Bobtail Breed". 13 April 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  11. Paragon, Bernard-Marie; Vaissaire, Jean-Pierre; et al. (2005) [2001, 2003]. The Royal Canin Cat Encyclopedia. Paris: Royal Canin / Aniwa Publishing. This is a four-volume work, but all entries are alphabetical by breed, so volume and page number citations are superfluous.
  12. "The American Curl Breed". 28 January 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  13. Baggaley, Ann; Goddard, Jolyon; John, Katie (2014). The Cat Cncyclopedia: The Definitive Visual Guide (1st American ed.). London: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 978-1-4654-1959-0. OCLC 859882932.
  14. "British shorthair breed standard" (PDF). GCCFCats.org. Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.
  15. "Burmese breed introduction". TICA.org. The International Cat Association. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  16. "The Foldex". showcatsonline.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  17. "Breed standards Category 2 - Siberian and Neva Masquerade" (PDF). FIFeWeb.org. Fédération Internationale Féline. 1 January 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  18. World Cat Congress (2017). The Royal Canin Cat Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Royal Canin. This is a revised one-volume edition, and was only available through RC retailers.
  19. "Savannah Breed". TICA.org. The International Cat Association. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
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