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 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 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 the British Shorthair and Oriental Longhair.

Breeds

Breed Location of origin Type Body type Coat type and length Coat pattern Image
Abyssinian[7] Unspecified, but somewhere in Afro-Asia, likely Ethiopia[8]NaturalSemi-foreign ShortTicked tabbyAbyssinian
Aegean GreeceNaturalModerate Semi-longMulti-colorAegean
American Bobtail[9] United States[10]Mutation of shortened tailCobby Semi-longAllAmerican Bobtail
American Curl[11] United States[10]MutationSemi-foreign Semi-longAllAmerican Curl
American Ringtail United States[10]MutationForeign Semi-longAllAmerican Ringtail
American Shorthair United States[10]NaturalCobby ShortAllAmerican Shorthair
American Wirehair United States[10]MutationNormal RexAllAmerican Wirehair
Aphrodite Giant CyprusNaturalLean and muscularAllAllAphrodite Giant
Arabian Mau Arabian PeninsulaNaturalModerate and muscular ShortAll Arabian Mau
Asian United KingdomCrossbreed between the Burmese and Chinchilla Persians Moderate ShortAll without white and without siamese pointingAsian
Asian Semi-longhair United KingdomCrossbreed between the Burmese and Chinchilla PersiansModerate Semi-longAll without white and without siamese pointingAsian Semi-longhair
Australian Mist Australia[12]Crossbreed between the Abyssinian, Burmese, and Australian short-haired cats[12]ModerateShortSpotted or marbledAustralian Mist
Balinese Developed in United States;[10]
foundation stock from Thailand
Mutation of the Siamese Semi-foreignLongColorpointBalinese
Bambino United States[12]Crossbreed between the Munchkin and Sphynx[12]DwarfShortBlack + white hairless
Bengal Developed in United States,[12]
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)[10]
The original Birman was crossed with the Siamese and the Persian to create the Birman of today.Cobby Semi-longMitted colorpointBirman
Bombay United States and Burma (Myanmar)Crossbreed between the Black American Shorthair and Sable BurmeseCobbyShortSolid blackBombay
Brazilian Shorthair BrazilNaturalNormal ShortAllBrazilian Shorthair
British Longhair United Kingdom (England)[10]Natural CobbySemi-longAllBritish Semi-longhair
British Shorthair United Kingdom (England)[10]NaturalCobbyShortAll[13]British Shorthair
Burmese Burma (Myanmar)[10]NaturalSemi-foreign or semi-cobby ShortSolid and Tortoiseshell[14]Burmese
Burmilla United Kingdom (England)[10]Crossbreed between the Burmese and the Chinchilla PersianSemi-cobby ShortSolid with Shaded Silver and Silver Tipped patternsBurmilla
California Spangled United States[10]Crossbreed between the Abyssinian, American Shorthair and British ShorthairModerateShortSpotted tabbyCalifornia Spangled
Chantilly-Tiffany United StatesNaturalCobbyLongSolid, classic tabby, spotted tabby and ticked tabbyChantilly-Tiffany
Chartreux France[10]NaturalMuscular; cobbyShortVarying shades of blueChartreux
Chausie United StatesHybrid of the Abyssinian × jungle cat (Felis chaus)NormalShortSolid black, black grizzled tabby and black ticked tabbyChausie
Colorpoint Shorthair United Kingdom (England)Crossbreed between the Abyssinian, Siamese and short-haired cats Foreign ShortColorpointColorpoint Shorthair
Cornish Rex Cornwall, England,

United Kingdom

MutationForeign RexAllCornish Rex
Cymric, Manx Longhair or Long-haired Manx[lower-alpha 1] Isle of Man, United States, and Canada [lower-alpha 2][10]Mutation of the Manx (shortened tail)Semi-cobby LongAllCymric
Cyprus CyprusNaturalLean and muscularAllAllCyprus
Devon Rex Buckfastleigh, Devon, England, United KingdomMutationSemi-foreignRexAllDevon Rex
Donskoy or
Don Sphynx
RussiaMutation Semi-foreign HairlessSolidDonskoy or Don Sphynx
Dragon Li or
Chinese Li Hua
ChinaNaturalNormal ShortTicked tabbyDragon Li or Chinese Li Hua
Dwelf United StatesCrossbreed between the American Curl, Munchkin and SphynxDwarfHairlessAll
Egyptian Mau Egypt[10]NaturalModerate and muscularShortSpotted tabbyEgyptian Mau
European Shorthair Continental Europe[10]NaturalModerateShortAllEuropean Shorthair
Exotic Shorthair United States[10]Crossbreed between the American Shorthair and PersianCobbyShortAll Exotic Shorthair
Foldex[15] CanadaCrossbreed between the Exotic Shorthair and Scottish FoldCobbyShortAllFoldex
German Rex Germany[10]MutationSemi-foreign RexAllGerman Rex
Havana Brown United Kingdom (England);
foundation stock from Thailand
Crossbreed between the Siamese and black short-haired catsSemi-foreign ShortSolid brownHavana Brown
Highlander United StatesCrossbreed between the Desert Lynx and Jungle CurlModerateShort/longAllHighlander
Himalayan or
Colorpoint Persian[lower-alpha 3]
United States and United Kingdom[10]Crossbreed between the Persian and SiameseCobbyLongColorpointHimalayan or Colorpoint Persian
Japanese Bobtail Japan[lower-alpha 4][10]Mutation of shortened tailModerateShort/longAllJapanese Bobtail
Javanese or
Colorpoint Longhair[lower-alpha 5]
Developed in United States[10] and Canada;
foundation stock from Southeast Asia
Crossbreed between the Balinese (with some Colorpoint Shorthair), Oriental Longhair and SiameseOrientalLongColorpointJavanese or Colorpoint Longhair
Kanaani Israel[12]Hybrid of short-haired cats ×  African wildcat (Felis lybica)Semi-foreign ShortSolid black, chocolate spotted tabby or cinnamon spotted tabby
Khao Manee Thailand[12]NaturalModerate ShortSolid whiteKhao Manee
Kinkalow United StatesCrossbreed between the Munchkin and American CurlDwarf ShortAllKinkalow
Korat Thailand[10]NaturalSemi-foreign or semi-cobby and muscular ShortSolid blueKorat
Korean Bobtail KoreaNatural, mutation of shortened tailModerate Short/longAll
Korn Ja ThailandNaturalSmall ShortSolid black
Kurilian Bobtail or
Kuril Islands Bobtail
Kuril Islands, North Pacific[12]Natural, mutation of shortened tailSemi-cobbyShort/long[12]AllKurilian Bobtail or Kuril Islands Bobtail
Lambkin United States[10]Crossbreed between the Munchkin and Selkirk RexDwarfRexAll
LaPerm United States[10]MutationModerateRexAllLaPerm
Lykoi United StatesMutationModerate Sparse hairedBlack roanLykoi
Maine Coon United States[10]Natural, crossbreedLargeSemi-long/longAll excluding chocolate and colourpointMaine Coon
Manx Isle of Man[10]Mutation of shortened tailModerateShort/longAllManx
Mekong Bobtail Developed in Russia;
foundation stock ultimately from Southeast Asia[12]
Mutation of shortened tailModerate ShortColorpointMekong Bobtail
Minskin United States[12]Crossbreed between the Munchkin, Burmese, Devon Rex, and SphynxDwarfHairlessAllMinskin
Minuet United StatesCrossbreed between the Persian and MunchkinDwarfShort/longAllMinuet
Munchkin United States[10]Mutation of dwarf catDwarfShort/longAllMunchkin
Nebelung United States[12]Natural, mutationForeign Semi-longSolid blueNebelung
Neva Masquerade (colorpoint Siberian)[lower-alpha 6] Russia[12]Crossbreed between the Siberian and a colorpoint cat[16]Cobby[12]Long[12]ColorpointNeva Masquerade
Norwegian Forest Cat Norway[10]NaturalCobby LongChocolate or orange and white bicolorNorwegian Forest Cat
Ocicat United States[10]Crossbreed between the Abyssinian, American Shorthair and SiameseLarge ShortSpotted tabbyOcicat
Ojos Azules
(extinct)
United States[10]Crossbreed Moderate Short AllOjos Azules
Oregon Rex
(extinct)
United StatesMutationRex
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 BicolorOriental Bicolor
Oriental Longhair[lower-alpha 7] Developed in United States and United Kingdom;
foundation stock ultimately from Thailand[10]
Crossbreed between the Oriental Shorthair and long-haired cats OrientalSemi-longAll; if colorpoint is considered to be a separate breed, it is called the JavaneseOriental Longhair
Oriental Shorthair[lower-alpha 7] Developed in United States and United Kingdom;
foundation stock ultimately from Thailand[10]
Crossbreed between the European Shorthair and SiameseOrientalShortAllOriental Shorthair
Persian (modern) Developed in United States and Europe;
foundation stock from Greater Iran[10]
Mutation of the Traditional PersianCobbyLongAll but colorpointPersian, modern
Persian (traditional) Greater Iran[10]Natural, but some crossbreeding with the Turkish AngoraCobbyLongAll but colorpointTraditional Persian
Peterbald RussiaCrossbreed between the Donskoy, Oriental Shorthair and Siamese;
before this, it was between the Balinese and Javanese
OrientalHairless, velour, brush, or straight coatAllPeterbald
Pixie-bob United States[10]Mutation (falsely claimed to be a hybrid of the domestic cat and the bobcat (Lynx rufus) early on)Medium ShortSpotted tabbyPixie-bob
Ragamuffin or
Liebling (obsolete)
United StatesCrossbreed between the Ragdoll with limited out-crossing to the Himalayan, the Persian, and other long-haired catsCobbyLongAllRagamuffin
Ragdoll United States[10]Behavioral mutation in a crossbreed, presumed to be between the Persian or Turkish Angora and the Birman or BurmeseCobbyLongColorpoint, mitted, or bicolorRagdoll
Raas Raas Island, IndonesiaNaturalModerateShortSolid blue, solid cinnamon, or cinnamon colorpointRaas
Russian Blue Russia[10]NaturalModerate, Oriental ShortSolid blueRussian 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[12]Hybrid of the domestic cat x serval (Leptailurus serval)[17]LargeShortSpottedSavannah
Scottish Fold United Kingdom (Scotland)[10]Mutation of the bones and cartilage of the earsCobbyShort/longAllLilac-coated Scottish Fold
Selkirk Rex United States in 1988[10]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)AllSelkirk Rex
Serengeti United StatesCrossbreed/hybrid between the Bengal and Oriental ShorthairOrientalShortSpottedSerengeti
Serrade Petit FranceNaturalSemi-cobbyShortSolid tan, solid orange and solid whiteSerrade petit
Siamese (modern)

(for traditional, see Thai below)

Developed in United States and Europe;
foundation stock from Thailand[10]
Mutation of the ThaiOrientalShortColorpointSiamese
Siberian or
Siberian Forest Cat

(for colorpoint, see Neva Masquerade)

Russia, Ukraine[10]NaturalCobby[12]Long[12]All; except chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, and fawn[18]Siberian
Singapura Developed in United States;
foundation stock from Singapore[10]
Possibly a mutation of a crossbreed (excluding the Munchkin), solving why they are so smallSmallShortTicked tabbySingapura
Snowshoe United States[10]Crossbreed between the American Shorthair and SiameseModerateShortMitted colorpointSnowshoe
Sokoke Kenya[12]NaturalModerateShortTicked tabbySokoke
Somali United States, CanadaMutationCobbyLongTicked tabbySomali
Sphynx Canada, Europe[10]MutationOrientalHairlessAllSphynx
Suphalak ThailandNaturalModerate ShortSolid reddish-brownSuphalak
Thai or
Traditional, Classic, or Old-style Siamese;
Wichien Maat[lower-alpha 8]
Developed in Europe;[12]
foundation stock from Thailand[10]
NaturalModerateShortColorpointThai
Thai Lilac, Thai Blue Point and Thai Lilac Point ThailandColor varieties of the KoratModerateShortSolid lilac and colorpoint (blue point and lilac point only)Thai Lilac
Tonkinese Canada, United States[10]Crossbreed between the Burmese and SiameseOriental ShortColorpoint, mink, or solidTonkinese
Toybob RussiaMutationDwarfShortAll
Toyger United States[12]Crossbreed/hybrid between the Bengal and short-haired catsModerateShortMackerel tabbyToyger
Turkish Angora Turkey[10]NaturalSemi-cobby Semi-longAllTurkish Angora
Turkish Van Developed in United Kingdom;
foundation stock from Lake Van, Turkey[12]
NaturalSemi-cobby Semi-longVan patternTurkish Van
Turkish Vankedisi
(white variety of Turkish Van)
Lake Van, Turkey[12]NaturalSvelte LongSolid whiteVan cat
Ukrainian Levkoy UkraineCrossbreed between the Donskoy and Scottish Fold Moderate HairlessSolid gray Ukrainian Levkoy
York Chocolate New York, United StatesNaturalModerate LongSolid chocolate, solid lilac and solid taupe or any of these colors with whiteYork Chocolate

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 the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (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 the CFA and the TICA, classify the Himalayan as a colorpoint variety of the Persian. Others classify it as a long-haired sub-breed of the Siamese. The 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; 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 Colorpoint Shorthair of other registries into a single breed, the Colourpoint. In the CFA, the 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 FIFé. 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.

References

Citations

  1. "Browse All Breeds". 31 July 2018. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  2. "CFA Breeds". Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  3. "Fife list of breeds". fife. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  4. "analysis of breeds registered". gccf. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. "wcf breeds recognized". wcf. 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. "Abyssinian at a Glance". 13 April 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  8. "Abyssinian Profile", Catz Inc., accessed 4 October 2009
  9. "The American Bobtail Breed". 13 April 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  10. "The Royal Canin Cat Encyclopedia", Aniwa Publishing: Paris, 2005.
  11. "The American Curl Breed". 28 January 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  12. 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.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  13. "British shorthair breed standard" (PDF). GCCF.
  14. "Burmese breed introduction TICA". TICA. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  15. "The Foldex". showcatsonline.com. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  16. World Cat Congress (2017). The Royal Canin Cat Encyclopedia. France: Royal Canin.
  17. "Breed standards Category 2 - Siberian and Neva Masquerade" (PDF). Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe). 1 January 2023.

General references

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