Cat Breed Guide: How Many Cat Breeds are There?

Cats are among the top known domestic animals. It is believed that human beings have domesticated these awesome home animals for over 2000 years.

Some say that there are only a few dozen of them, but with cross-breeding there are more than 100. The profiles below explore some of the breeds together with their unique traits. You can also get more information here https://www.holistapet.com/cat-breed-guide/.

Cat Breed Guide: How Many Cat Breeds are There?

Aegean

The breed is among the domestic cats that are native to Greece. Aegean are not prone to genetic diseases since they develop through natural selection and not by selected interbreeding. This is probably why the native Greek love them. The breed is also quite social, loves water and is easily adaptable.

Balinese

The Balinese cats are almost the same to the popularly known Siamese breed. Don’t let the name confuse you, the breed isn’t native to Bali nor is it from any part of Indonesia as people tend to think.

They originally come from the US. This is where Siamese cats, that had recessive longhair genes, were practically bred to get the same cats but with long hair. For those suffering from allergies, this might be the best pet to keep. Also, they are known to be extremely intelligent and shows affection to their owners.

Burmese

The Burmese functions very well on companionship with other pets and humans as well.

She often enjoys conversation, she’s energetic, playful, and curious. As she grows, the burmese loves to learn new tricks and interactive toys.

This cat loves to receive attention from humans, thus she can follow someone around, try to sit on people’s lap or even snuggle next to people in their bed. They also tend to have an outgoing, dog-like behaviour can sometimes surprise your guests.

Abyssinian

This is one of the most intensely inquisitive and intelligent breeds you can find. They love to investigate and will leave no stone unturned and intensively explored. They are also known as “Aby-grabbys” because their tendency to challenge and sometimes take anything that captures their attention.

These cats can sometimes be quite playful thus they enjoy climbing and jumping on things. You therefore should keep more toys around to keep the cat busy. Puzzle toys that can challenge the cat’s intelligence level can also come in handy.

British Shorthair

These cats are among the friendliest you can find. She doesn’t like being carried around but enjoys affection. Out of curiosity, this breed will always follow its owner around. As mentioned before, they don’t appreciate being carried around hence they aren’t considered as lap pets. However, they enjoy snuggling with people.

American Bobtail

The American Bobtail is an athletic breed that looks like a bobtailed wildcat, has many dog-like tendencies and are also highly intelligent pets.

Despite her wild appearance, they are devoted companions that can blend in perfectly with families. These cats are easygoing and quite social, they usually are more friendly with children and other house pets. They also enjoy playing games like hide-and-seek, and finds joy when walking with people on a leash.

 American Curl

The American Curl has distinctive curled ears that form an arc, giving her an alert, perky expression. In addition to their ears, Curls are known for their silky, flat coat which can be long or short.

With unique ears that curl back, and an inquisitive expression reminiscent of happy surprise, the American Curl brings a smile to everyone who meets her.

Exotic Shorthair

This gentle and calm breed was bred to create a smaller, shorthaired breed of the popularly known Persian breed. She has a fluffy fur which is a bit dense, a broad oval face and large eyes that are round. The breed is quite friendly and can get along well when placed around other animals or children. These cats are quite easy-going and affectionate thus making them a good option when you are looking for a pet.

Ocicat

This is the only spotted domestic cat breed that is selectively bred just to produce cats that looks like those in the wild. The breed is often muscular and athletic thus it can be easily trained to walk using a leash and play fetch. The cat also enjoys companionship and don’t like it when they are left alone for longer periods.

 Bengal

This breed is popularly known compared to the others. It’s often large in size, thus can easily be identified by its wild appearance, a slender body, elegant body structure, and a rosette pattern for the fur. Just like with most cats, this breed is also quite playful and active. They love jumping and climbing. On most occasions, they will be in need of social interaction and are known to be minimal shedders. Different people like them for their elegant appearance. They have inspired another program for a new breed. The breed is referred to as Cheetoh.

Cheetoh

Cheetohs are a cross between the Bengal breed and Ocicat breed. They were bred to produce a new breed. This is done by bringing together defined characteristics of their spotted fur coat.

Siamese

This breed is quite tolerant, amiable, and calm. They can be quite needy sometimes and adore their owners. Their unique appearance has led to the development of more breeds, like the Ocicat.

The breed is also quite intelligent and can be trained easily to play the fetch game. These cats are known to be excellent jumpers and can be finicky when it’s feeding time.

Others include Munchkin, Norwegian Forest, Nebelung, Russian White, Russian Blue, Raggamuffin, Ragdoll, Pixie Bob, Safari, Siberian Forest, Serrade Petit, Singapura, Somali, Tonkinese.