Siamese
Breed of slender, short-haired domestic cat that originated in Thailand (Siam). The Siamese has a pale fawn or gray body with dark points on the ears, face, legs, and tail. The points may be dark brown (seal point), blue-gray (blue point), milk-chocolate brown (chocolate point), pinkish gray (lilac point), or reddish orange (red point). The head is wedge-shaped. The blue eyes are slanted and may be crossed, though crossed eyes and kinked tail are discouraged by breeders of show animals. Siamese are considered highly intelligent and are very vocal, with a distinctive yowling mew.
Turkish Angora
Breed of longhaired domestic cat that probably arose from a domesticated cat of Tatars who migrated to Turkey, where it is now regarded as a national treasure. It has a long body, fine bones, a pointed face, and a silky, medium-length coat. White is the most popular color, but it may be any of several solid colors or any pattern of two or more colors.
Tonkinese
Medium-sized cat breed distinguished by points as with Siamese and Burmese breeds. They are lively, friendly, often talkative cats, with gregarious personalities. But they are happy apartment cats if they have some exercise opportunity. They are commonly referred to as 'Tonks'. As with many cat breeds, the exact history of the Tonkinese varies to some degree depending on the historian.
Somali
The Somali is a long-haired Abyssinian. The breed appeared in the 1950s from Abyssinian breeding programs when a number of Abyssinian kittens were born with bottle-brush tails and long fluffy coats. Abyssinians and Somalis share the same personality (active, intelligent, playful, and curious) and appearance. The only difference between them is the fur length and therefore the amount of grooming required. Unlike most long-haired cats, Somalis shed very little excess hair. Their coat is generally shed en masse, or "blown", once or twice a year, rather than constantly shedding like a Persian or other long-haired cat.
Singapura
The Singapura is one of the smallest breeds of cats, noted for its large eyes and ears, brown ticked coat and blunt tail. Reportedly established from three "drain cats" imported from Singapore in the 1970s, it was later revealed that the cats were originally sent to Singapore from the US before they were exported back to the US. Investigations by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) concluded no wrongdoing and the Singapura kept its status as a natural breed.
Siberian
The Siberian is a domestic cat breed that has been present in Russia for centuries. The full name of the cat is the 'Siberian Forest Cat' although sometimes referred to as the 'Siberian' or the 'Siberian Cat'. The cat is an ancient breed that is now believed to be ancestral to all modern long-haired cats. The cat has similarities with the Norwegian Forest Cat, to which it is no doubt closely related. It is a natural breed and the national cat of Russia
Russian Blue
The Russian Blue is a cat breed that has a silver-blue coat. These cats are known to be highly intelligent and playful but tend to be timid around strangers. They also develop close bonds with their human companions and are highly sought after due to their personalities and unique coat.
Ragdoll
The Ragdoll is a cat breed with blue eyes and a distinct color point coat. It is a large and muscular semi-longhair cat with a soft and silky coat. Developed by American breeder Ann Baker, it is best known for its docile and placid temperament and affectionate nature. The name "Ragdoll" is derived from the tendency of individuals from the original breeding stock to go limp and relaxed when picked up.
Cheetoh
The Cheetoh cat breed is derived from crossings between specific Bengal cat and Ocicat bloodlines.The Cheetoh cat incorporates the distinctive spotted coat characteristics from both the Ocicat and the Bengal breeds notably that of harnessing the pronounced spotting from the Bengal breed and the taller longer legged stature from the Ocicat breed. The goal of the Cheetoh breeding program was to create a very intelligent cat that is considerably larger with and extraordinary wild look without adding more wild blood. Its main distinguishing characteristics, apart from its spots and sleek, plush, velvety coat, are its low shouldered "wildcat" walk. Males grow to around 15-22 lbs. Females are slightly smaller & seldom reach more than 15 lbs. They are currently bred in six color varieties - the Black/Brown Spotted Sienna, the Black/Brown Spotted Gold, the Black Spotted Smoke, the Black Spotted Silver, the Lynx Pointed Gold Spotted.
Oriental
The Oriental Shorthair is a breed of cat. This cat combines the Siamese body with a diversity of colorings and patterns.
Manx
The Manx (Manx: Kayt Manninagh or Stubbin) is a breed of cat with a naturally occurring mutation of the spine. This mutation shortens the tail, resulting in a range of tail lengths from normal to tail-less. Many Manx have a small "stub" of a tail, but Manx cats are best known as being entirely tail-less; this is the distinguishing characteristic of the breed and a cat body type genetic mutation. The Manx are said to be skilled hunters, known to take down larger prey even when they are young. They are often sought by farmers with rodent problems.
Korat
Korats are a slate blue-grey shorthair domestic cat with a small to medium build and a low percentage of body fat. Their bodies are semi-cobby, and surprisingly heavy for their size. They are intelligent, playful, active cats and form strong bonds with people. Among Korats' distinguishing characteristics are their heart-shaped heads and large green eyes. They are one of a few breeds where individuals have only one color (some are yellow-green, rather than blue-grey).
Havana Brown
The Havana Brown, also known as the Swiss Mountain cat, is a breed of cat well known and shown in England in the 1890s. Similar to the oriental shorthair, full color cats, also known as non-blue eyed Siamese, were known to interbreed with the pointed cats of Siam.
Egyptian Mau
Egyptian Maus are a small-medium sized short-haired cat breed. They are the only naturally spotted breed of domesticated cat. The spots on an Egyptian Mau are not only on the coat; a shaved Mau has spots on its skin. The spotted Mau is an ancient breed from natural stock; its look has not changed significantly as is evidenced by artwork over 3000 years old. Unlike other spotted cats such as the Ocicat or Bengal cat, the Egyptian Mau is a natural breed. Other breeds are created from domestic breed outcross or, in the case of the Bengal cat, domestic outcrosses with wildcats. The Mau is significantly smaller than these other breeds.
Bombay
The term Bombay cat is used to refer to two different breeds of cat.
British Bombay
The British Bombay cat 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 copper to greenish eyes. The close-lying, sleek and glossy black coat should be colored to the roots, with little or no paling. The Bombay is a shorthair breed of domestic cat, closely related to the Burmese.
American Bombay
The American breed called Bombay was bred in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky, when Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery deliberately bred an American Shorthair with a Burmese for the purpose of creating a domesticated cat that resembled a "miniature black panther". These cats have copper or golden eyes, and a jet-black coat. Occasionally, a Bombay kitten may be born sable colored, because of its relation to the Burmese.
British Bombay
The British Bombay cat 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 copper to greenish eyes. The close-lying, sleek and glossy black coat should be colored to the roots, with little or no paling. The Bombay is a shorthair breed of domestic cat, closely related to the Burmese.
American Bombay
The American breed called Bombay was bred in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky, when Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery deliberately bred an American Shorthair with a Burmese for the purpose of creating a domesticated cat that resembled a "miniature black panther". These cats have copper or golden eyes, and a jet-black coat. Occasionally, a Bombay kitten may be born sable colored, because of its relation to the Burmese.
Birman
The Birman is a domestic cat breed. Also called the "Sacred Cat of Burma," it is not to be confused with the Burmese, which is a separate and dissimilar breed. The Birman has medium-long hair, a pale colored body and darker points with deep blue eyes. Even though the cat is pointed, the paws have white gloves.
Balinese
The Balinese is an oriental cat with long hair and Siamese-style markings, "points". It is a Siamese with a medium-length silky coat, plumed tail albeit less "fluffy" than the Himalayan.
American Bobtail
The American Bobtail is a relatively new and uncommon breed of cat which has appeared since 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. The cat is not related to the Japanese Bobtail despite the similar name and physical type —the breeding programs are entirely unrelated and the mutation causing the bobbed tail is different because the mutation causing the American Bobtail's tail is dominant, whereas the Japanese Bobtail tail mutation is recessive.
Abyssinian
The Abyssinian is a breed of domesticated cat with a distinctive ticked coat. There are many stories about its origins, often revolving around Egypt, but the actual origins are uncertain. The Abyssinian has become one of the most popular breeds of shorthair cat in the USA.
Turkish Van
The Turkish Van, or simply just Van, is a recognized cat breed that was created from the cats native to the Lake Van area. The cats of this type are named in Turkish Van Kedisi (although it is used to refer solely to the all-white form), in Armenian vana katu),] and in Kurdish. Originally called in the West the Turkish Cat, the name was changed in 1979 in the U.S. (1985 in the U.K.) to Turkish Vanto better distance the breed from the Turkish Angora cat which had its origins around Ankara, in central Turkey. Traditionally, in the cat fancy, Turkish Vans are recognized as patterned cats with color restricted to the head and tail with the body of the cat being white. However, in Turkey, the cat is recognized in an all-white form as well as the form with red patterning and a "fox tail", and with blue eyes, amber eyes, or one eye of each color.
Snow Shoe
The Snowshoe is a rare and relatively new breed of cat originating in the United States of America. Snowshoes were first produced in Philadelphia when a breeder's Siamese cat gave birth to three kittens with the pattern. The breeder, Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty, began to promote the cat and began a breeding program dedicated to them. When Hinds-Daugherty left the program, Vikki Olander began working with the cats and recruited new breeders, as well as worked towards full recognition within cat associations. Despite having existed for 45 years, Snowshoes are rare due to the difficulty of reproducing the correct coat markings. The marks are based on recessive genes for color points and on the co-dominant but variably-expressed piebald pattern gene, making it difficult to predict the appearance of offspring.
Scotish Fold
The Scottish Fold is a breed of cat with a natural dominant-gene mutation that makes its ear cartilage contain a fold, causing the ears to bend forward and down towards the front of their head, which gives the cat what is often described as an "owl-like" appearance.
Maine coon
The Maine Coon is a breed of domestic cat with a distinctive physical appearance. It is one of the oldest natural breeds in North American specifically native to the state of Maine, where it is the official State Cat.
Japanese Bobtail
The Japanese Bobtail is a breed of cat with an unusual 'bobbed' tail more closely resembling the tail of a rabbit than that of an ordinary feline. The short tail is a cat body type genetic mutation caused by the expression of a recessive gene. Thus, so long as both parents are bobtails, all kittens born to a litter will have bobtails as well.
Savannah
The Savannah is a hybrid domestic cat breed. It is a cross between a Serval and a domestic cat
Munchkin
The Munchkin is a cat breed created by a naturally occurring genetic mutation that results in cats with abnormally short legs. However, the shortness of their legs does not seem to interfere with their running and leaping abilities. The gene responsible has been compared to the one that give Welsh Corgis, Basset Hounds and Dachshunds their short stature; however, Munchkins do not suffer from the many spinal problems that are typically associated with those canine breeds as cats' spines are physically different from dogs'. The spine of a Munchkin cat is usually indistinguishable from that of other cats.
Norwegian Forest Cat
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a breed of domestic cat native to Northern Europe, and adapted to a very cold climate. In Norway they are known as the skogkatt/skaukatt which means forest cat ("skog" and "skau" being alternate words for "forest" in different Norwegian dialects), or more formally as the Norsk Skogkatt (Norwegian Forest Cat).
Pixie-Bob
The Pixie-Bob is a breed of housecat. The breed was claimed by breed founder Carol Ann Brewer to be a progeny of naturally occurring bobcat hybrids; however, later DNA testing failed to detect Bobcat marker genes, and these cats are considered wholly domestic for the purposes of ownership, cat fancy registration, import and export.
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 . 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.
Sphynx
The Sphynx (also known as Canadian Hairless ) is a rare breed of cat known for its lack of a coat. The contemporary breed of Sphynx (known also as the Canadian Sphynx, distinct from the Russian Sphynx breeds - Peterbald, Don Sphynx) started in 1966, in Roncesvalles, Toronto when a hairless kitten named Prune was born. The kitten was mated with its mother (backcrossing), which produced one more naked kitten. Together with a few naked kittens found later it became the primogenitor of the breed. The first sphynx breeders faced a number of problems: The genetic pool was very limited; breeders had rather vague ideas about sphynx genetics, and many kittens died. The naked male Epidermis born in 1975 to short-haired mother provided new material to sphynx fanciers and new genes for further breed development. In the early stages of the breed crosses with devon-rex were used, but later this crossing was frowned upon because it caused health problems. Now the Canadian Sphynx is a breed with a sound genetic pool. Outcrossing is still permitted using guidelines set down in the "standards" from each Feline Association around the globe.