The following cat list contains all the different cat breeds. Cats vary so much between breeds, it's sometimes difficult to believe they are the same species! If you have difficulty in choosing a cat breed, go through our cat list to read more about each of the different cat breeds and take a look at their pictures. Different cat breeds not only vary in looks, but also in temperament, personality and each breed has their own special history.
Selkirk Rex

Meet the poodle of the cat world - the Selkirk Rex. The Selkirk Rex is a breed of cat with exceptionally curly hair. The origins of the Selkirk Rex can be traced back to Miss DePesto, a curly house cat from a cat shelter. Jeri Newman bred Miss DePesto to a black Persian named PhotoFinish of Deekay and their offspring produced more curly haired kittens (3 out of 6 of the kittens had curly hair). This meant that the curly gene is dominant in the Selkirk Rex.
The Selkirk Rex can be found in the long and shorthair variety. The most common (and accepted for cat shows) outcrosses for Selkirk Rex are British Shorthair, Persians and Exotic Shorthair cats. By birth it is possible to tell which kittens will have a curled coat by their curly whiskers. Only one of the parents needs to have a curly coat for curly Selkirk Rex kittens. The tightest curls usually occur under the stomach and around the neck and head with looser curls along the back. Curly whiskers on kittens can be brittle. The body type of the Selkirk Rex is big boned and heavy with broader shoulders and a rounded head.
Siamese: The Legendary Family Cat

The Siamese is one of the distinct ancient breed of cat famous for its many grand legends. The Siamese cats were known for their voice which can be compared to a human baby cry and were told to be the sacred guard of Buddhist temple in ancient times thus, only priest and hierarchy possessed this breed.
Though the first Siamese cats were said to have crossed-eyes and twisted tails, these were completely banished through careful breeding as early as 1880s. The Traditional Siamese cats that descended from Siam (Thailand) were generally characterized by muscular body, apple or round head, sparkling blue eyes and remarkable point and body color contrast.
The Siamese cats that participate in cat shows have different attributes from Traditional Siamese cats. The Modern Siamese cats have slender body line, graciously curved triangular head, blue almond eyes, long neck and flaring ears.

One of the outstanding attribute of the Siamese breed is their color. Seal points variety means the Siamese cat has almost black color on face, tail and paws with pale tan body. Chocolate points have brown color on extremities with creamy body, Blue points has slate bluish edges with white-blue body. Lilac points have a white body with pinkish gray edges. However, these points are not seen in the Siamese kittens as they are pure white by birth. The point color is generally developed after a year.
Two of the most notable characteristics of the Siamese cats aside from their intelligence is their inquisitive character and affectionate outlook. They love to be petted. These make them a good choice for a family pet. They are very tolerant even in children and know how to hide their claws when playing with people. The Siamese cats especially the traditional breed require very little grooming and do not shed coat excessively. They are typically healthy and can live averagely for 20 years!Siberian

Photo of Siberian cat taken from Wikipedia. This is Vaselyok Fillimor, a Quadruple Grand Champion in TICA.
The Siberian cat is a common Russian breed, and it has appeared in some paintings depicting scenes of Russian life over the past few centuries. Some stories say that they even took the place of dogs as watchers in Russian Orthodox monasteries. The earliest descriptions in the Anglo-American world can be traced back to 1871 when it was first described in an English guide to cats. Siberian cats, however, have been imported into the United States only after 1990. Since the numbers available are limited, demand for Siberian kittens is quite strong.
The Siberian cat can come in many colors, but it has some common physical features. Among other things, Siberian cats possess strong hindquarters which give them a good degree of agility. This enables them to get around obstacles with ease and makes them ideal for people who are ordinarily dog lovers. They weigh between 15 to 20 pounds if male, and between 10 to 15 pounds for females. They have pointy yet rounded ears and small eyes relative to the size of their bodies. They also have large stomachs as well. They have medium long fur, and often appear striped. The fur varies according to the season; it is thicker in the winter and thinner in the summer.
It is said that Siberian cats are hypoallergenic, meaning that they are suitable for people who have allergies to cat fur. However, the scientific evidence for this has not yet definitively been established, and breeders’ reports could be interpreted as at best being anecdotal. A breeders’ association recommends that caution should still be exercised, however they assert as well that Siberian cats have worked with many allergy sufferers, if not all.
Siberian cats are low maintenance cats, meaning that they can groom themselves, but brushing may help reduce hairballs. A Siberian cat can live long if owners take care of them properly. They can also learn tricks, very much like dogs, and are great problem-solvers. This makes them popular with children. The chief obstacle to owning a Siberian cat, however, is its rarity. As interest grows in this cat, mainly because of the features described above, it is hard to meet demand for Siberian kittens. A typical Siberian litter may yield up to five of them.
The strength and power of Siberians may be attested to in a story from early 2003. In central Oregon, Rachel Tucker entered a sled pulled by 200 Siberian cats as a publicity stunt in a competition there. No one but her expected her team to win, but the Siberian cats pulled through and finished the race in 22 hours. This was one hour ahead of the nearest dog sled. She claimed that the outcome was due to rigorous forest training and the Siberian cats’ innate physical strength and abilities.
The strength and power of Siberians may be attested to in a story from early 2003. In central Oregon, Rachel Tucker entered a sled pulled by 200 Siberian cats as a publicity stunt in a competition there. No one but her expected her team to win, but the Siberian cats pulled through and finished the race in 22 hours. This was one hour ahead of the nearest dog sled. She claimed that the outcome was due to rigorous forest training and the Siberian cats’ innate physical strength and abilities.
A related variety of Siberian longhaired cats are the Neva Masquerade, which is often described as being the colorpoint version of the Siberian. It is still being disputed whether it is a separate breed, but most registries for the moment classify it as a subcategory of the Siberian breed in general. As for the Siberian itself, it has become accepted into the major cat breed registries, and a Siberian has won the TICA Grand Championship four times.Singapura cat breed

Known also as the Drain Cat or Kucinta (meaning beloved), Singapura cats obviously hail from Singapore. The first three Singapura cats to be imported into the US for breeding arrived in the early 1970s, and since then, a careful program of breeding has ensued. One minor point of dispute in the early days of the breed in the US was whether the Singapura cats were really Singaporean; the controversy has since been resolved after at least one Singapura cat was flown in from a Singaporean pound. Singapura cats are among the rarest breeds, mainly because their breeders have insisted on ensuring that Singapura breed naturally. However, Singapura cats have won grand championships in many cat shows since the late 1980s.
Singapura cats are well known for having much smaller heads, highlighting their large eyes and ears. They have relatively smaller legs, yet prove to be quite agile and active. One feature to watch out for is the striping on the upper legs, which is said to distinguish the breed. Singapura kittens are quite smaller than others on average, and it takes between 15 to 24 months for a kitten to mature somewhat. Males weigh on average between six to eight pounds and females from between five to six pounds.
Coloration is a very important factor in distinguishing Singapura cats. They are generally ivory-colored cats, often with ticks of sepia brown. This unique coloration is attributed to the unique nature of this cat as being from Southeast Asia, and thus sharing features common to cats from the region, most notably Burmese and Siamese cats. Some Singapura are solid-colored, and this also proved another point of discussion among breeders of the cat as well. Breeders resolved this controversy by creating another group of breeders devoted mainly to this variant of the Singapura.
The Singapura is known to be a very friendly cat, but very persuasive in a low-key way. Singapura cats are comfortable around people, and even into old age they can continue to follow people around the house. They are inquisitive, intelligent, and can be perceived as sympathetic. One writer has suggested, in a tribute to the cat’s persistence, that a Singapura can be trained, but not before it trains the owner. And very much like the culture from which this cat emerged, Singapura cats are not known to be argumentative creatures.
The Singapura’s natural habitat has mostly been cleaned up by the Singaporean government, but the Singapore government has declared this breed to be a national treasure. Statues can be found along the banks of the Singapore River, and a promotional campaign the government staged made use of two cats which, in an example of coals to Newcastle, were actually flown in from the US!
Snowshoe

Snowshoe cats were first bred in the 1960s as a result of cross-breeding between a Siamese cat and an American short-hair. The first breeder, Dorothy Daughtery of Philadelphia, PA, produced three Snowshoe kittens and passed them on to another cat breeder. It is one of the rarest cat breeds in the world, and yet no two Snowshoe cats are exactly alike. Snowshoe kittens do not normally show the breed’s features until about one to three weeks, and are always born white. Some distinct features, which of course vary from cat to cat, include white markings on the face, chest, and feet.
The chest marking is a large V-shaped one. These distinct markings are what gives the Snowshoe breed their name. Snowshoe cats have large, triangular eyes, and pointed ears. They typically have a smooth coat, with short to medium length hair. Snowshoe cats generally appear in color points commonly associated with Siamese cats, namely lilac, blue, chocolate, or seal. They can have varying eye colors. Purebred Snowshoe cats, however, are always blue-eyed. Males are larger than females, weighing up to 12 pounds. A typical Snowshoe cat can live up to 12 years.
Snowshoe cats are considered by their owners to be lively yet laidback, combining not only the physical features of their original breeds but also their personalities as well. They are generally comfortable around people and are fond of physical affection from their owners. Snowshoe cats are known for their power and strength, but are less likely to look like runners than as weight lifters.Sokoke

The Sokoke cat is a breed that originated in Africa and has mostly been bred in Western Europe. Originally known as the Khadzonzos, these cats originate in the Sokoke-Arabuke forests of Kenya, where a Kenyan farmer named Jeni Fraser found them. The Kenyan farmer, according to the account, found five Sokoke kittens in the forest, with stripes reminiscent of a tabby cat. In fact, its origins are a matter of some discussion. Some see Sokoke cats as part of another genus altogether, others see it as a cross-breed between a wild African and a domesticated European cat, and still others as a key to discovering the origins of the so-called tabby pattern in most domesticated cats.
The Sokoke breed was first imported into Denmark, in the 1980s, and records have been carefully kept. It was there where they acquired their present name, in honor of the place where they were found. In 1990, Gloria Moeldrop, the woman who first imported and bred Sokoke cats, imported more of them to strengthen the gene pool. The European registry for cats recognized this breed in 1993, and so far, is not quite common in the United States.
Sokoke cats have long, thin bodies with long front legs and shorter hind legs. These bodies are known to resemble ocelots a bit. They have relatively thinner layers of hair compared to other cats. Sokoke cats can mature in about 18 to 24 months. The striking brown stripes, referred to as a "blotched" tabby pattern,have given Sokoke cats a name among the Giriama tribe: Katzonzo, meaning, "looks like tree bark."
The Giriama tribe once ate Sokoke cats in preference to their domestic livestock, and nowadays, younger Giriama are not quite so familiar with the breed, mainly because, one breeder speculated, they may be embarassed with the breed's past associations. Older Giriama would still remember the Sokoke, then known as the Katzonzo, as being sweet to eat, and they can distinguish between three wild and one domestic varieties of this cat.
Sokoke cats are generally low-maintenance, meaning that they are easy to groom and maintain. In fact, their founding breeders in Denmark claim that they are so domesticated that families would not have problems keeping them as pets. They are active and lively creatures, much as they might have been in the wild. They are also known to be very communicative, and female Sokoke cats are known to be quite noisy when in heat. While not being lap cats, they are willing to sit in owners' laps if signalled to do so.
In the wild, they mostly live among the trees in the forest and are very good swimmers. Thus, it is no surprise that Sokoke cats have a strong affinity for, and fascination with, water in such domestic settings as sinks and toilets. The Sokoke breed is, like most African wild cats, almost extinct. Thus, breeders urge that those who take on Sokoke cats should see them as a commitment to breed them carefully--in fact, as a breeder says, "When you get a Sokoke, you get more than a cat.
You get a challenging hobby."In fact, the Sokoke cat is important for genetic reasons, as they possess certain genes absent from most domestic cats. The European cat registry has thus taken special interest in ensuring that not only this breed, but the rare genetic mix it has, remains alive.Somali

Somali cats were the inadvertent result of Abyssinian cat breeding back in the 1950s, when it was found that some kittens were born with bottle-brush tails and much longer, fluffly coats than regular Abyssinian cats. These irregular Abyssinians were at first neutered and given away as pets, but some unneutered cats made their way to interested parties and thus the Somali breed was first bred in earnest in the late 1960s. However, this particular irregularity is not unknown to America, where this breed started; a long-haired Abyssinian showed up in an Australian cat show in 1964.
The Somali cat is thus known by the nickname fox cat because of its tail’s resemblance to that of a fox, not to mention that some of this breed’s colors happen to be common to those of foxes. A typical Somali cat, as mentioned, has long fluffy fur, but unlike other long-haired cats such as the Persian, for example, they shed their hair about once or twice a year rather than shedding constantly. Due to the length of their hair, Somali cats do require a lot of brushing to help groom them.
In addition, Somali cats have other distinct fox-like features, such as full ruff and breeches, a long black stripe down their tails, and large ears. They can also appear ticked, and a show-bred Somali often has just one tabby marking, which is an M-like shape on the face area. They come in four recognized colors, namely ruddy, red, blue, or fawn. In Europe, they are also recognized in shades of silver. Typically, three to four Somali kittens are born in every litter, and it takes them about two years to fully mature.
Somali cats are very social creatures. They are playful, active, and amiable, and are inquisitive creatures. Somali cats can manage to open cabinets and other secret places and hide there. Some report that their activity takes place in daily bursts, when they end up running around the house and playing with toys. Their dexterity and agility could sometimes be likened to that of monkeys. Thus, it is recommended that owners should give Somali cats room to explore. It is recommended also that Somali cats be able to play with other cats as well. Somali cats are quiet communicators, with soft, high pitched purrs.
Two major genetic health defects have been found with Somali cats, which could be a cause of some concern. These could mostly have been a consequence of inbreeding. The first is that some Somali cats tend to lose their adult teeth, thus making them unable to eat properly and vulnerable to the fatal hepatic lipidosis. Breeders report that they have been able to breed out this particular defect. More recently, it has also been reported that some Somali cats may have auto-immune hemolytic anemia, which is more commonly found among dogs than cats. So far, breeders have not yet found a way to breed that one out.
Sphynx

Genetically speaking, a Sphynx is related to a Devonshire Rex in that they share a common gene that ensures their lack of fur. There was a time when the two breeds were cross-bred, but such cross-breeding is now prohibited by most associations because it led to dental or nervous problems. Nowadays, the only outbreeds that are permitted are the American and Domestic Shorthair breeds.
Sphynx cats, however, are not totally hairless. They may have a thin layer of down on their bodies, and light hair on their noses, tails, and toes. The texture has been likened to a peach, a chamois cloth, or a water bottle. They have tall, thin legs and large bellies, and a fully-developed Sphynx tends to resemble a cat who is totally full. Like most other breeds, males tend to be larger than females. Sphynx cats can come in many colors, the color being dependent on both the few hairs they have and the pigmentation of the skin.
A frequently asked query is whether they do get cold. The answer is that, yes, they do, but their natural instincts have been sharpened enough such that they can easily look for and stay with sources of heat, particularly humans, other cats, or even dogs. The Sphynx is known to be friendly and acquisitive, and can do tricks to impress their owners. Sphynx cats are natural performers, hence they tend to do well at cat shows. They are physically active and are comfortable around people.
Sphynx cats require more bathing than is usual with other cats, since they lack the hair needed to absorb body oils. It is easy, however, to dry a Sphynx, precisely because of this lack. Some owners, however, are known to bathe them more than is necessary. Because of this lack of hair, research has been undertaken as to whether Sphynx cats could be considered hypoallergenic.
At the moment, some people who have allergies to cat hair can live with some kinds of Sphynx cats. Others, however, still could not, and it is wise to check if people with allergies will tolerate having a relatively hairless cat. Other hairless breeds, such as the Don Sphynx and the Peterbald, have also arisen as a consequence of similar natural mutations as the Sphynx itself.
Tonkinese

The Tonkinese breed is supposedly named because, like the Burmese and Siamese cats, their genetic heritage is in Southeast Asia. Tonkin is an old name for one part of what is now Vietnam. However, the name is actually a variant on its original name, "Tonkanese," used by Canadian breeders as a reference to the island in the musical South Pacific where discrimination against half-breeds does not exist. The origins of this breed are, like many others, shrouded in mystery. While it is indeed a recent cross between the Burmese and Siamese breeds, cats resembling the Tonkinese breed have said to have appeared in the 1800s. These were the so-called Chocolate Burmese cats of that era. One account says that the first Tonkinese cat existed in the 1930s and was cross-bred with a Siamese one. Tonkinese cats are commonly called "Tonks."
Tonkinese cats are known to be muscular cats, thus appearing heavier than they actually are. They are distinguished by their oval-shaped paws and a wedge-shaped head, resembling a Siamese cat. Tonkinese cats appear in three major color patterns, namely mink, solid, and pointed. Mink Tonkinese cats are the ones often seen in shows. Much like the Siamese cat, Tonkinese cats grow darker in color as they age. Typically, depending on whether the cats come from so-called closed-book or hybrid litters, there can be up to six Tonkinese kittens in a litter.
Of course, closed-book litters, as a result of inbreeding can have much less kittens, and can be much smaller. (A closed-book litter refers to that originating from a cat registered with a closed-book cat registry.) Cross-breeding Tonkinese cats of similar or different characteristics will likely bring out different combinations of mink, solid, and pointed kittens. Tonkinese cats are unusually intelligent and inquisitive (very much like another Burmese mutation, the Singapura), and are affectionate around people. They are playful but not hyperactive.
It is suggested that Tonkinese cats should be kept active while their owners are not around, preferably leaving them with toys or even other cats. They are not fond of living alone without attention, and if Tonkinese cats are left outside, they can get lost or stolen. Like some other breeds of cat such as the Siberian, they are good for "dog people" who are otherwise not used to cats. As Tonkinese cats are Siamese cross-breeds, common health issues with Siamese can arise. Tonkinese kittens are particularly prone to colds, for example, but it is not dangerous. They are also prone to gingivitis, thus requiring that their teeth be brushed. Tonkinese cats like being brushed, and some owners recommend it as a good way of bonding between owner and cat.
Toyger

A relatively young breed, the Toyger cat is a cross between a Bengal cat and other domestic cats. It was first developed in the 1980s by Judy Sugden, by crossing in particular a Domestic Shorthair and a Bengal cat. In the few generations since this cross-breed, the breeding has produced a creature that resembles a toy tiger (hence its name). However, breeders are working to ensure that Toyger cats do look more like their counterparts in the wild, bred for a specific audience. One breeder, on another website, touts the Toyger as a "cat for the computer age," meant for city-bred people who want a taste of the wild jungle with Toyger pets.
Such grandiose claims aside, the Toyger was only registered in the early 1990s and is still working up the ranks of cat registry associations. A few breeders in the United States and one in the UK have been working hard to develop them. They are hoping in some cases, for example, to get some of the unique markings commonly connected with tigers. Toyger cats obviously possess some features in common with real tigers, most notably the round marks on their faces and the tigers’ typical stripes.
They have long, thin, and striped tails and pointy to rounded ears. (One goal is of course to make them more like tigers’ ears, which are quite rounded in themselves.) Most of their stripes, though, are considered in cat breeding jargon to be mackarel tabby stripes, but the breeders would prefer a more random striped pattern quite unlike those of tabby cats. The ideal coloring for Toyger cats would be something very close to the tiger’s orange and black stripes, with no spotting on their coat. They would also have the tigers’ white bellies and most of the rounded marks on their faces.
Toyger kittens do not manifest most of the features of the breed until much later, that is, their orange stripes are not quite as orange. Toyger cats are active yet laid back. They are easily trained to do tricks and are wonderful with children. As this is a breed in progress, their relations with other cats are said to be a mixed bag, with some lines being more tolerant of other cats, and others not quite so tolerant. Generally, Toygers, being domesticated cats, are friendly toward humans.
Breeders involved in the process of creating Toygers promise that their goal would be to create a real toy tiger on a leash, as active as the real thing but perhaps not quite as aggressive. Their claim of creating a cat for the computer age is bolstered by the possibilities offered by digital imaging, where one Toyger breeding group even makes very confident projections three years into the future as to how Toygers should look.
Turkish Angora

It should come as no surprise to readers that Turkish Angora cats are not known as Turkish Angora cats in their native Turkey. They are known as Ankara cats, or Ankara Kedisi. However, the history of this breed is one of the more fascinating, as it spans centuries where, at one point, it almost vanished. Almost.
Turkish Angoras have been mentioned in European records dating back to the 14th century, appearing mainly as a consequence of the Crusades. However, it was not until the 15th century when they were being bred in earnest, mainly to the point of extinction. The reason was that the Turkish Angora was being cross-bred with Persian cats to improve their coat.
In 1917, in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, a project was undertaken to preserve what was considered to be a national treasure: the pure white-coated Turkish Angora. The Ankara Zoo took on the task of carefully breeding and preserving Turkish Angora cats, and it was thanks to them that the breed managed to survive. The first Americans to see the breed, thought to be previously extinct, were soldiers who visited the zoo in 1962. It was not until 1963 when American breeders first imported the Turkish Angora, from pure white cats unrelated to those produced in the Ankara Zoo project.
One registry has made it clear that a real Turkish Angora would not be registered as such unless it is clearly shown that it is indeed Turkish. Fortunately for breeders and owners alike, the far more rigorous requirement that it should also be pure white as those in the Ankara Zoo had been dropped in 1978.
Turkish Angora cats are known mainly for their long coats, a fact which during their "extinction" has led them to be subsumed under the general Longhair breed category. They are also known for having one amber and one blue eye, although other combinations have been found. And since the 1978 ruling, Turkish Angora cats have appeared in a variety of colors other than white, but certain colors, such as cinnamon, indicate some outbreeding and could be a ground for disqualification in cat shows. They also have pointy ears and sharp noses. Like Dalmatian dogs, a fair number of Turkish Angora cats are deaf.
Turkish Angoras are known to be the most intelligent of cats, curious and playful, and are therefore in need of some distraction from toys, for instance. Female mothers of Turkish Angora kittens are very protective and caring, and all cats in this breed love to show off. They are agile and active creatures, as they are muscular in appearance. It is said that Turkish Angora cats are the original longhair cat.
However, the most prominent "angora" cats, which appear often on the laps of villains in James Bond movies, are not really Turkish Angora at all, but rather Persian. (At the time, it was very difficult to get Turkish Angora cats out of Turkey.) They are related to the Turkish Van, another longhaired cat, since both descended from the same line of domestic cat that entered Turkey many centuries ago from Africa, where most domestic cats originate.Turkish Van

Related (but from a different part of Turkey) to the more famous Turkish Angora, the Turkish Van is said to strongly resemble a breed that is native to a wide swath of Central Asia, covering parts of the former Soviet Union, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. The name Van is quite common in that part of the country, giving its name even to a lake, so it is not a surprise that a cat endemic to this part of the world is so named. Descriptions of a cat resembling the Turkish Van have been found even in antiquity, showing that the Turkish Van has been around for many centuries.
However, when it was first imported into Britain in 1955, the Turkish Van breed was known as plain Turkish. It was with the introduction of the Turkish Angora breed some years later that the Turkish Van breed acquired its present name. What sets apart a Turkish Van is its color pattern: white everywhere but in its head and tail. It is considered by many to possess the piebald gene, thus leading to this unique coloration. Its coat is single layered, and also waterproof, and in its native country has gained a reputation for being a "swimming cat."
Turkish Van cats are quite large, with males weighing up to 20 pounds and females weighing up to 10 pounds. They are very good jumpers because of their paw and muscle structure. Turkish Van kittens mature into adults for a much longer time than other cats, the process taking between three to five years.
Playful and easy learners, Turkish Van cats are so fascinated with water that, far from the lakes and rivers of Central Asia, they do manage to find themselves playing with water sources in most homes, such as sinks, toilets, and tubs. They are very active creatures, fond of running, so it is wise to give these cats room to go around, preferably an open space free from obstacles. They can fetch things easily, and one owner reports that a Turkish Van carried a stuffed toy larger than the cat itself! Unlike the Turkish Ankara, Turkish Van cats do not have a predisposition to deafness correlated to their eye color.
The Turkish authorities have also bred the Turkish Van in the same Ankara program as that being undertaken for the Turkish Ankara. However, the first Ankara Van cats exported to England were found not in a zoo but in their natural environment. The two Ankara Van kittens found by tourists Laura Lushington and Sonia Halliday were, of course, caught swimming. As the two were part of a tour organized by the Turkish Republic's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Pat Turner wrote in the Cat World magazine that this is "one of the few cat breeds in the world that came about as a result of a Ministry of Culture and Tourism."
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