Cat Breeds

The five most popular cat breeds in the USA are the Persian, Maine Coon, Siamese, Exotic and Abyssinian. Every year when the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association) names it's Top Five Cats for the year, these five rotate regularly. One year Persian is number 1, the next year it could be number 2 and the Exotic steals first spot. For now these five are judged on a number of criteria. When it comes to activity level, there's nothing quite like an Abyssinian. On the other hand, no breed can top the Persian at being mellow. Whew...when it come to vocalizing, the Siamese wins hands down.

If you are a cat lover who primarily looks at cat breeds for their personality, then you may only have one breed of cat living in your home. But if you are like some purebred cat owners, with eclectic tastes in temperament, you may be thinking of surrounding yourself with a variety of feline personalities or may have already done so. While you enjoy having all kinds of cat breeds in your home, do these cats enjoy being around each other? This is an important question for potential multi-cat owners to ponder.

Although I will start off with the most popular breeds, ( Persian, Maine Coon, Siamese, Abyssinian, Exotic, Scottish Fold, Burmese, Birman, Ocicat, Norwegian Forest Cat) additional different cat breeds and types of cats will be added over time and of the domestic breeds these will be: American Curl, Balinese, British Shorthair, California Spangled, Chartreux, Colorpoint Shorthair, Cornish Rex, Cymric, Devon Rex, Donskoy, Egyptian Mau, German Rex, Japanese Bobtail, Javanese, Khao Manee, Korat, Manx, Muchkin, Oriental Shorthair, Peterbald, Ragdoll, Ragamuffin, Russion Blue, Selkirk Rex, Siberian, Singapura, Sokoke, Snowshoe, Somali, Sphynx, Thai, Tonkinese, Turkish Angora, Turkish Van. Hybrid breeds Bengal, Chausie, Cheetoh, Savannah, Serengeti cat. Wherever possible I will have cat pictures of the different cat breeds. If a photo is unavailable at the time of writing on a particular breed, the cat pics will be added later.

Persians are extremely docile and laid-back. They are the "couch potato of cat breeds". Those who live with Persians say these furry felines enjoy lying around the house and are generally non-aggressive and easy-going. There is a good reason for the Persian's calm personality. Bred for its long and luxurious coat, the Persian needs a quiet temperament in order to tolerate the vast amount of grooming that goes into maintaining all that hair. When perfectly groomed, a fully coated Persian adds elegance to any surrounding.

This member of cat breeds, the Persian, is a medium-to large-size cat with a heavy skeletal structure. The show quality example is expected to five an overall impression of softened roundness. The head should be massive, broad and well rounded. Facial features include large, round eyes, a short, snub nose, and a sweet, open expression. The ears are short and round tipped, and positioned far apart. And of course, one of the most important features of cat breeds, that wonderful long coat.

Persians are bred in so many colors and patterns that they are broken into groups called divisions. These include: solid color (blue, black, red, cream); silver/golden (chinchilla, shaded silvers, goldens); shaded/smoke (black, blue, with a brilliant white undercoat); tabby (silver, brown, blue, red, cream); parti-color (tortoiseshell and blue -cream); bi-color (any color or pattern with white); and Himalayan (color at the points).

The Persian is quiet, gentle and sweet in temperament. It isn't a cat that leaps onto tables or ruins furniture, but it is curious and interested in its surroundings. It rarely misses a photo opportunity and often poses for the camera. While not a talker, its large, round doleful eyes express its needs and wishes.

Maine Coons are another of the cat breeds known for their easy-going and even-tempered personality. However, while Maine Coons are calm, quiet cats, those who live with them say the breed can adapt easily to a more active lifestyle when necessary. The breed can be a calm cat that you can enjoy holding while reading or watching TV but they can also be happy clowns who can make you laugh, or become concerned nurse maids when you're under the weather.

The Maine Coon is very intelligent and they are always planning their moves, and are excellent at relaying what they want. It takes a great deal to anger a Maine Coon. They will often leave if pestered and will give several warnings before they strike.

The Maine Coon's history goes back to when Europeans first began exploring North America. To protect the food on the ships from rodents, the voyagers often brought along cats. When the ships arrived in the New World, the cats were often left to fend for themselves. These cats became the basis for the development of the Maine Coon, as well as the American Shorthair. Many traits associated with the Maine Coon are the result of "survival of the fittest." The Maine Coon is the working cat of cat breeds ...solid, rugged and able to endure a harsh climate. It has a massive, broad chest and a long, rectangular body that is carried on a substantial bone structure. The tail is long and well "feathered." Males can weigh up to 20 pounds while females usually mature in the 12-15 pound range.

The head is medium in width and length with a squared muzzle. Facial features include high cheek bones, a firm chin and a medium-long nose which in profile, shows a slight concavity. The ears are large, wide at the base and set high and well apart on the head. Tufts of hair curl out to the sides of the head. The eyes are large and expressive. The heavy, shaggy coat falls smoothly and is not easily matted or entangled. Maine Coons come in every conceivable color and pattern except points.

Gentle giants of the cat world, Maine Coons get along with other small animals and with children. They are dignified in carriage and adept at avoiding vases and plants ...which, given their size, is a blessing. They are loving companions and protective of their humans. Certainly one of the cat breeds that makes a good house cat.

Of the cat breeds, the Siamese is famous for its active and vocal personality, as well as its intelligence. Siamese cats demand a lot of their owners' attention, and in general, enjoy being an only cat. Multi-cat owners will attest to the fact that Siamese want the owner to focus on them and not other housemates. Color can also be a factor in Siamese personality according to some breeders. Seal Points tend to be quite outgoing with owners and with guests in the home. Blue Points are very person-oriented...kind to others but "connected" with one person. Chocolate Points are somewhat distanced from other cats but highly affectionate with their people while Lilac Points go through life with rose-colored glasses on.

The Siamese is the most widely recognized of cat breeds that are pedigreed. But many do not realize that a cat they think is a Siamese may indeed be a mixed breed or an entirely different breed. This is because the gene that causes the Himalayan or Siamese pattern is widespread in the domesticated gene pool. the Siamese gene is in the albino series. This gene's nature is to cause color and pattern to migrate to the periphery of the cat's body, that is, to "the points." The Siamese gene has been shown to cause any color and any pattern to establish at the points, but the only colors the CFA recognizes for registration and competition are the chocolate, seal, blue and lilac points.

The Siamese is bred to have a long, lithe, well-muscled body. The head is expected to be long and triangular with beautiful, deep blue, almond-shaped eyes. The tail should be long and tapering, and the skeletal structure should be refined. The contrast between the point color and the body color should be marked. The ears are expected to be quite large and should continue the long, flat lines that outline the shape of the head. They are sweet and affectionate and enjoy "chatting" with their owners.

The Abyssinian is unlike the more mellow cat breeds. They have a lot of energy, can be mischievous, and often demand plenty of attention from their owners. Abyssinians are active, curious people-cats. They are also very loving, yet tend to be dominant over other animals in the household. The Abyssinian is a distinctively marked, busy, agenda-driven cat that will entertain you by the hour. It is inquisitive, affectionate and will enjoy just about any game. The first pairs of cats said to be of Abyssinian origin were brought to England in the 1800's.

The regal Abyssinian is medium in size with a lithe, graceful body and firm muscular development. Reflecting a warm abundance of color, the coat pattern is called agouti and is caused by the ticked tabby gene. Each hair is banded with darker to lighter colors, which gives a colorful opalescent quality re-mindful of many feral cats. The coat is silky to the touch , yet resilient and long enough to accommodate all the bands of color.

The head is a modified wedge without any flat planes. Facial features include almond-shaped eyes, a gently tapering muzzle, and vestigial tabby markings that give the Abyssinian it's alert, mischievous expression. The ears are large and alert, cupped well at the base and tilting forward. The Abyssinian stands high on its tiptoes and is animated and energized. In North America, Abyssinians are currently available in colors of ruddy (orange-brown), red (sorrel or cinnamon), blue and fawn.

These cats are quick and industrious, and often able to dodge pursuit. If you are looking for a lap cat, consider another of the cat breeds...but if you are an active person this cat might be right for you.

The round-faced Exotic is similar to the Persian when it comes to temperament. Another of the cat breeds with an easy-going personality...and not too active although they are a bit more active than Persians. Exotics are calm, affectionate and good natured like the Persians and they do tend to have a higher activity level.

The Exotic is a Persian hybrid that is bred to look like a Persian cat, with one important variation; instead of having a long, flowing coat, the Exotic's coat is short, plush, dense and much easier to care for. It has the nickname, the "lazy-person's Persian." Early breedings were done between Persians and domestic shorthairs. At one point, Burmese and Russian Blues (two other shorthaired cat breeds) were used, but no longer. The Exotic is shown and judged in the longhair classes because its conformation is to be exactly that of the Persian. It is a medium-to large size cat with a heavy skeletal structure. The show quality example is, like the Persian, expected to give a rounded, softened impression.

Another of the cat breeds where the head should be massive and broad and very round. Large, round, expressive eyes, a short, snub nose, and a sweet open expression should also be present. The ears, short and round tipped, are positioned far apart so that the sense of roundness is maintained. The coat is one of the breed's most important features and should be short and "full of life". As with the Persian, the Exotic is available in several colors and patterns. The colors and patterns that are found in the solid color, silver/golden, shaded/smoke, tabby, parti-color, bi-color and Himalayan groupings of the Persian are also found in the Exotic breed.

The Exotic is more animated than its Persian cousin. It is affectionate, easy to groom and easy to get along with. While the Exotic makes a nice lap cat, it also enjoys the sport of the chase.

The Oriental

When it comes to cat breeds, imagine the Siamese cat without points, that is, all in one color or one pattern. That is the Oriental. The body shape, head features and the skeletal structure all resemble the Siamese. the body is sleek, long and well muscled with a long tapering tail. The head is long and angular with large, flaring ears and almond-shaped eyes. As for its skeletal structure, the Oriental is an elegant cat with long slender legs.

The Oriental was developed as a hybrid breed from the Siamese and several other breeds to enjoy all the color and pattern possibilities known to exist in the domesticated cat gene pool. With more than 300 colors and patterns possible, the Oriental is truly a designer-gene cat. Moreover, it comes in two coat lengths; short hair and long hair. The Oriental is available in many solid colors; tabby patterns and color including mackerel, classic, patched, spotted and ticked tabby; parti-colors; and bicolors. Orientals are busy cats that tend to get into and onto everything. But when their energy is spent, they are happy to share your lap and nuzzle.

One of the most unusual histories of cat breeds is the Scottish Fold breed. In 1961, William Ross spotted the first folded ear cat at a farm in Scotland's Tayside Region. Ross asked the owners if he could have a kitten. So, it was Susie, a white barn cat with folded ears that was the foundation cat for the Scottish Fold breed. The folded ears gave a look that's been compared to a "pixie" or a "teddy bear".

Scottish Folds come in two types: folded ear and straight (normal) ear. The folded ear is caused by an incomplete dominant gene and is the result of a spontaneous mutation. Scottish fold kittens are all born with straight ears, but at three to four weeks of age, their ears fold...or do not. At this time only folded ear cats of Scottish lineage are permitted in the show ring. However, kittens with straight ears are valuable in breeding programs.

Since its introduction to North America, the Scottish Fold has developed a look all its own. It is a medium cat with a very rounded, well-padded body and a short, dense, resilient coat. With its huge, round wide-spaced eyes, these cats have an expression that is open and trusting ...and they have dispositions to match.

The Scottish Fold can potentially come in any and all colors and patterns possible, except those showing the presence of the Siamese gene. The Fold is also available in a longhair or shorthair variety. They are healthy and hardy cats with quiet voices. They enjoy human companionship and will adapt to almost any home situation. The Scottish fold is not demanding, just give them a clean place to live, proper nutrition and lots of love and your have a friend for life.

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