1. Choosing your perfect type of cat By Fantastic Furries
2. British shorthair The British Shorthair is the pedigreed
version of the traditional British domestic cat, with a
distinctively chunky body, plush coat and broad face. The most
familiar colour variant is the "British Blue", a solid blue-gray
with copper eyes, but the breed has also been developed in a wide
range of other colours and patterns, including tabby and
colorpoint. It is one of the most ancient cat breeds known,
probably originating from Egyptian domestic cats imported into
Britain by the invading Romans in the first century AD. In modern
times it remains the most popular pedigreed breed in its native
country, as registered by the UK's Governing Council of the Cat
Fancy (GCCF).
3. American curl The American Curl is a breed of cat
characterized by its unusual ears, which curl back from the face
toward the center of the back of the skull. An American Curl's ears
should be handled carefully because rough handling may damage the
cartilage in the ear. The breed originated in Lakewood, California,
as the result of a spontaneous mutation. In June 1981, two stray
kittens were found and taken in by the Ruga family. The kittens
were both longhaired, one black and the other black and white. The
family named them Shulamith and Panda respectively, but Panda
disappeared several weeks later, making Shulamith the foundation
female of the American Curl breed.
4. American wire-hair The American Wirehair is a breed of
domestic cat originating in upstate New York. As of 2003, though
the breed is well-known, it is ranked as the most rare of the 41
Cat Fanciers' Association breeds, with only 22 registered, down
from 39 in 2002. The Wirehair has an even, balanced temperament
which is essentially identical to that of its American Shorthair
relative. Wirehairs are equally content to play or fall asleep in
their owners' laps. They have been described as cute and somewhat
humorous. They are gentle and quiet, but also playful and active.
They have quiet voices. American Wirehairs generally prefer to stay
indoors.
5. American Bobtail The American Bobtail is an uncommon breed
of domestic cat which was developed in the late 1960s. It is most
notable for its stubby "bobbed" tail about one-third to one-half
the length of a normal cat's tail. This is the result of a cat body
type genetic mutation affecting the tail development, similar to
that of a Manx cat. The breed is not related to the Japanese
Bobtail despite the similar name and physical typethe breeding
programs are entirely unrelated, and the genetic mutation causing
the bobbed tail are known to be different because the mutation
causing the American Bobtail's tail is dominant, whereas the
Japanese Bobtail tail mutation is recessive. American Bobtails are
a very sturdy breed, with both short- and long-haired coats. Their
coat is shaggy rather than dense or fluffy. They can have any
colour of eyes and coat, with a strong emphasis on the "wild" tabby
appearance in show animals.
6. American shorthair The American Shorthair (ASH) is a breed
of domestic cat believed to be descended from European cats brought
to North America by early settlers to protect valuable cargo from
mice and rats. According to the Cat Fancier's Association, in 2012,
it was the seventh most popular breed of cat in the United States.
American Shorthairs are intelligent cats who are interested in
their surroundings. They will watch birds, other animals and any
outside activity from a window perch. These cats are calm, yet
playful and some enjoy sitting in laps. They get along with
children, so they make good family pets. Even though they are
social cats, they are still independent. These cats continue to use
their hunting skills to catch insects or pests that come into the
house.
7. balinese The Balinese is a long-haired breed of domestic cat
with Siamese-style point coloration and sapphire-blue eyes. The
Balinese is also known as the purebred long-haired Siamese, since
it originated as a natural mutation of that breed, and hence is
essentially the same cat with a medium-length silky coat and a
distinctively plumed tail. As is the case with their short-haired
counterparts, a genetic distinction is made between traditional or
"old-style" and modern body types. In the American standard, colour
variants derived from the Colourpoint Shorthair are further
considered a separate breed, known as the Javanese. There is no
particular connection between these cats and the Indonesian islands
of Bali and Java, from which they derive their names. Like their
Siamese ancestors, Balinese are sociable, vocal, playful and
inquisitive, and considered among the most intelligent of all
long-haired breeds.
8. The Bengal is a hybrid breed of domestic cat. Bengals result
from crossing a domestic feline with an Asian leopard cat. The name
"Bengal cat" was derived from the taxonomic name of the Asian
leopard cat (P. b. bengalensis). They have a "wild" appearance with
large spots, rosettes, and a light/white belly, and a body
structure reminiscent of the ALC, but once separated by at least
four generations from the original crossing possess a gentle
domestic cat temperament. bengal
9. burmese The Burmese RTGS: Thong Daeng, meaning copper
colour) is a breed of domestic cat. Most modern Burmese are
descendants of one female cat called Wong Mau, which was brought
from Burma to America in 1930 and bred with American Siamese. From
there, unusually among pedigreed domestic cats, American and
British breeders developed distinctly different Burmese breed
standards. Most modern cat registries do not formally recognize the
two as separate breeds, but those that do refer to the British type
as the European Burmese. Originally, all Burmese cats were dark
brown (sable), but are now available in a wide variety of colours;
formal recognition of these also varies by standard. Both versions
of the breed are known for their uniquely social and playful
temperament and persistent vocalisation.
10. bombay Bombay are a type of shorthaired cats developed by
breeding sable Burmese and black American Shorthair cats to produce
a cat of mostly Burmese type, but with a sleek, tight black coat.
Bombay is the name given to black cats of the Asian group. It is a
cat of Burmese type with a black coat, toes, nose, and yellow eyes.
The close-lying, sleek and glossy black coat should be coloured to
the roots, with little or no paling. The Bombay is a shorthair
breed of domestic cat, closely related to the Burmese. The Bombay
cat has a medium body build that is muscular. Their weight should
be six to ten pounds (~2.54.5 kg) with males typically being
heavier than females. If healthy, the Bombay can live approximately
15 to 20 years.
11. British shorthair The British Shorthair is the pedigreed
version of the traditional British domestic cat, with a
distinctively chunky body, plush coat and broad face. The most
familiar colour variant is the "British Blue", a solid blue-gray
with copper eyes, but the breed has also been developed in a wide
range of other colours and patterns, including tabby and
colorpoint. It is one of the most ancient cat breeds known,
probably originating from Egyptian domestic cats imported into
Britain by the invading Romans in the first century AD. In modern
times it remains the most popular pedigreed breed in its native
country, as registered by the UK's Governing Council of the Cat
Fancy (GCCF).
12. burman The Birman, also called the "Sacred Cat of Burma",
is a domestic cat breed. The Birman is a long-haired, colorpointed
cat distinguished by a silky coat, deep blue eyes and contrasting
white "gloves" on each paw. The Birman's fur is medium-long and
should have a silky texture. Unlike a Persian or Himalayan, they
have no undercoat, and are thus much less prone to matting. Coat
colour is always pointed, save for the contrasting pure white,
symmetrical "gloves" on each paw that are the trademark of the
breed. The white must involve all toes and in front must stop at
the articulation or at the transition of toes to metacarpals. These
gloves should extend noticeably further up the back of the leg
(referred to as the "laces"), finishing with an inverted V extended
1/2 to 3/4 up the hock. Any other spot of white on the points is
considered a serious fault. The base body colour is white to cream,
with a wash of color that corresponds to the points but is much
paler.
13. Norwegian forest The Norwegian Forest cat (Norwegian: Norsk
skogkatt or Norsk skaukatt) is a breed of domestic cat native to
Northern Europe. This natural breed is adapted to a very cold
climate, with top coat of glossy, long, water-shedding hairs, and a
woolly undercoat for insulation. Although this is uncertain, the
breed's ancestors may have been a landrace of short-haired cats
brought to Norway by the Vikings around 1000 AD, who may also have
brought with them long-haired cats, like those ancestral to the
modern Siberian and Turkish Angora breeds. During World War II, the
breed became nearly extinct until efforts by the Norwegian Forest
Cat Club helped the breed by creating an official breeding program.
It was registered as a breed with the European Fdration
Internationale Fline in the 1970s, when a local cat fancier,
Carl-Fredrik Nordane, took notice of the breed and made efforts to
register it. Currently, the Norwegian Forest breed is very popular
in Norway, Sweden, Iceland and France.