Domestic Cat Breeds
The Abyssinian is said to have originated from the breeding of an Egyptian kitten and an English tabby. The Egyptian kitten, Zula is believed to be the ancestor of all Abyssinians in Europe, the Americas and Australia; however it is likely that as many...
The Turkish Angora is an ancient, naturally occurring breed of cat which originated in the Ankara region of central Turkey. It was one of the cats inter-bred to improve the coat on the Persian. Its coat is silky and mostly white; it is a medium-long c...
The Turkish Van is a rare breed of cat from Turkey's Lake Van region. The coat on a Turkish Van is semi-longhaired, with only one hair type instead of the usual three. This makes their coat feel soft like cashmere or rabbit fur. The cats have a coat th...
The Siberian cat is very strong and powerful. Siberians have strong hindquarters which enable them to jump quite high. They weigh between 10 and 20 pounds, and even though they attain the same weight as breeds such as the Maine Coon and the Norwegian F...
The Ragamuffin is a medium-longhaired cat which is very similar to a Ragdoll. They are heavy, muscular cats that do not reach maturity until they are around 4 years old. When fully grown, the females of this breed weigh 10 to 15 pounds and the males 15...
The Ragdoll is a breed of semi-longhaired cat. They have short legs, a sturdy body weighing 10 to 20 pounds and a thick coat with Siamese style points. They were bred in the 1960s in California mainly for their looks and temperament. Ann Baker bred her...
The Persian cat is one of the oldest breeds of cat, and it is also one of the most common. Documentation of the breed dates back to the 1500s. Although many people can name very few if any cat breeds, most can name the Persian. Oftentimes in a show hal...
The Oriental Longhair is a cat of many names. It was originally the product of the mating of a Sorrel Abyssinian and a Siamese Seal Point. This mating was done in attempts to introduce a gene believed to produce white cats. The British Angora, as it on...
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a breed of domestic cat native to Norway. The breed is very old, and occurred as a natural adaptation to the cold climate of the region. It is a sturdy cat with a heavy coat, equipped to survive harsh winters. The Norweg...
The Nebelung cat is a medium-haired cat breed, and resembles the Russian Blue but has a medium-long coat, and was produced for the first time in 1986. It is a separate breed from the Russian Blue although it is occasionally called the long-haired Russi...
The Maine Coon, known for its intelligence and playful nature is one of the oldest natural breeds of cat in North America. As one of the largest breeds of domestic cat, it is often called the "gentle giant". The North American Maine Coon originated...
The Javanese is a highly intelligent breed of cat which strongly resembles the Balinese with its long silky coat. The points of the Javanese differ from the Balinese "“ they often have Lynx, Flame or Tortie points. It is a highly intelligent, soc...
The Himalayan is a breed of cat with blue eyes and extremely long, fluffy fur. They are also called Colorpoint Longhair or Colorpoint Persians, as they were bread from Siamese (for their markings or points) and Persians (for their coat length, stocky b...
The Chantilly/Tiffany is a feline with a semi-foreign body style and a full semi-long coat. The coat is silky, soft and smooth, and because there is no undercoat, grooming is made simpler. Somewhat a late bloomer, the Chantilly/Tiffany is slow to matur...
The British Longhair cat is a semi-longhair version of British Shorthair. In the U.S. it is also referred to as the Lowlander. Apart from its fur, the British Longhair is identical to the British Shorthair. This breed came about because the origina...
Birmans have been bred as companions for many generations, and, as such, are very loving. They frequently take a genuine, affectionate interest in what their owners do. Legend Many years ago, before the birth of Buddha, the Khmer people of Burma...
The Balinese breed is known for its long hair and Siamese style markings. Their medium-length silky coat and plumed tail do not require significant amounts of grooming. They are not nearly as "talkative" as Siamese cats, but are still extremely intelli...
