BREED

COAT LENGTH

DESCRIPTION

Abyssinian

Short

A sleekly graceful cat, with a short, ticked coat somewhat similar to a wild rabbit's coat.

American curl

Semi-long

A new breed, with ears that curve gently upward,
a semi-long coat, and medium-large, walnut-shaped eyes.

American shorthair

Short

North America's native, shorthaired cat. It is a sturdy cat with a strong, square muzzle, and comes in a wide range of colors.

American wirehair

Short

Similar to the American shorthair, except for its fur, which is frizzy, wiry, and crimped. Its whiskers are curly and may project at odd angles.

Balinese

Semi-long

A longhaired version of the Siamese. It has a medium-long, fine, silky, close-lying coat.

Bengal

Short

A large, golden-brown, spotted cat that resembles a small leopard. The Bengal was developed by interbreeding the domestic cat with the Asian leopard cat.

Birman

Semi-long

A cat of mystery and legend, often referred to as the Sacred Cat of Burma. It has deep blue eyes and a color-pointed coat with four pure white feet.

Bombay

Short

A medium-sized, muscular cat with a pleasingly rounded head, noted for its shiny, jet-black coat and its large, brilliant copper eyes.

British shorthair

Short

Native to Great Britain. It is strong, massive, and hardy, and has a round head, round eyes, and a short, dense, thick coat.

Burmese

Short

A compact, strong cat with a round head and large, round, gold eyes. Its short, satin-like coat comes in the solid colors sable, champagne, blue, and platinum.

Chartreux

Short

An ancient French breed of cat. It has a strong, supple body and a sweet, smiling face. Its short, dense coat can be any shade of blue.

Colorpoint shorthair

Short

A Siamese that is a color other than seal point, blue point, chocolate point or lilac point (in cat associations that restrict the Siamese to these colors).

Cornish rex

Short

Has a short, wavy coat, very large ears, and a long, slender body with a tucked-up tummy like a greyhound.

Devon rex

Short

Has a pixie face, large ears, and a soft, wavy coat.

Egyptian mau

Short

The only naturally occurring breed of spotted cat. It has almond-shaped, gooseberry-green eyes, and a short, spotted coat.

Exotic shorthair

Short

A shorthaired version of the Persian. Its coat is short, soft, and plush.

Havana brown

Short

A medium-sized cat with vivid green eyes and a short, lustrous, rich brown coat.

Japanese bobtail

Short

The native cat of Japan. It has a long, elegant body with a short pom-pom tail, and comes in most colors. The "mi-ke" pattern—white with red and black patches—is the most popular color because it is thought to bring good luck.

Javanese

Semi-long

A Balinese that is a color other than seal point, blue point, chocolate point, or lilac point (in cat associations that restrict the Balinese to those colors).

Korat

Short

Native to Thailand, where it is generally considered a "good luck" cat. It has a heart-shaped face with large, round eyes, and its coat is a solid, silvery blue.

Maine coon cat

Long

North America's native longhaired cat. It is a large, good-natured cat with a shaggy coat that rarely needs grooming.

Manx

Short

A tailless cat that originated on the Isle of Man. It has a short, firm, round body; its hind legs are longer than its front legs.

Nebelung

Long

A longhaired version of the Russian blue.

Norwegian forest cat

Long

Norway native, it is a medium to large cat with a long weatherproof coat, a triangular head with tufted ears, large, almond-shaped eyes, and a plumed tail.

Ocicat

Short

A large, spotted breed originally created by interbreeding Abyssinians, Siamese, and American shorthairs.

Oriental

Short

A non-pointed version of the Siamese. It has green eyes and comes in any color except pointed.

Persian

Long

A short, sturdy cat with massive boning, a very long, thick coat, an extremely short muzzle, small ears, and large, round eyes.

Ragdoll

Semi-long

A large, heavy breed whose name comes from its temperament, which is sweet and unusually relaxed. Ragdolls come in various colors, including pointed (Siamese) patterns with or without white "mitts" on the feet.

Russian blue

Short

A graceful cat with large ears and green eyes. Its short, double coat is solid blue with silver-tipped guard hairs.

Scottish fold

Short

A sturdy cat with folded ears and a sweet, sad expression. Its soft, dense coat comes in most patterns and colors.

Selkirk rex

Short

A large, muscular cat with a curly coat.

Siamese

Short

A svelte cat with blue eyes and the distinctive Siamese coloration: a creamy white body with deeper color on the paws, ears, nose, and tail.

Singapura

Short

A small, stocky cat native to Singapore. It has large, almond-shaped eyes and a short, brown, ticked coat similar to a wild rabbit's coat.

Somali

Semi-long

A longhaired version of the Abyssinian; it has a semi-long coat and a bushy tail.

Sphynx

Short

A nearly hairless cat with very large ears and a pixie face. The skin looks wrinkled and feels like soft, warm suede.

Tonkinese

Short

A breed originally produced by interbreeding Siamese and Burmese. Its paws, tails, ears, and nose are deeply colored, and its body color is slightly lighter. It has blue-green eyes and a fine, glossy coat. It comes in the colors natural mink, champagne mink, blue mink, and platinum mink.

Turkish angora

Semi-long

A long, lean cat with a wedge-shaped head, oval eyes, and an elegant, flowing, silky coat and plumed tail.

Turkish van

Semi-long

An ancient breed native to mountainous regions of eastern Turkey near Lake Van. It is a predominantly white cat, with one or two spots of color allowed on the head, tail, and body. Turkish Vans are known for their fascination with water.