PLEASE SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE TO SEE INFORMATION ON THE BREEDS ABYSSINIAN TO HIMALAYAN WITH A LINK TO LOTS MORE. THE LINKS TO THE REMAINING BREEDS ARE SHOWN BELOW. BY CLICKING THIS LINK YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SEE DIFFERENT CAT BODY TYPES OF THE BREEDS.
Abyssinian
- Place of Origin: Ethiopia from India
- Date of origin: 1860s
- Ancestry: Indian cats?
- Weight: 9-16 lbs
- Temperament: Active
- Body type: Foreign
- Colors: Ruddy, red, blue, fawn (CFA)
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Low
- Energy: High
- Talker: Low
- Popularity: 4th
- Inherited health: reports of gum, teeth, kidney and eye disorders. Also: psychogenic alopecia, patellar luxation, lysosomal storage disease.
Ashera (not strictly a breed)
- Place of Origin: America
- Date of origin: 1986
- Ancestry: Savannah cat
- Weight: 20-27 lbs (male)
- Temperament: Active
- Body type: Foreign
- Colors: Tabby
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Low
- Energy: High
- Talker: Low
- Health: no known genetic health issues.
American Bobtail
- Place of Origin: America
- Date of origin: 1960
- Ancestry: Household cat
- Weight:7-11 lbs
- Temperament: Affable
- Body type: Powerful build
- Colors: All types
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Average
- Health: possible skeletal defects.
American Curl
- Place of Origin: America
- Date of origin: 1981
- Ancestry: Household cat
- Weight: 3-5 kg (7-11 lbs)
- Temperament: Balanced
- Body type: Semi-foreign
- Colors: All types
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Yes
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Average to low
- Health: Susceptible to ear problems.
American Ringtail
- Place of Origin: America
- Date of origin: 1998
- Ancestry: Random bred cat
- Weight: 6-12lbs
- Temperament: Friendly
- Body type: Moderate
- Colors: All types
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Yes
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Average
- Health: no known genetic health issues.
American Shorthair
- Place of Origin: America
- Date of origin: 1904
- Ancestry: Household cat
- Weight: Average
- Temperament: Easy going
- Body type: Semi-cobby
- Colors: Wide range
- Grooming: Average
- Lap cat: High
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Low
- Popularity: 7th
- Health: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (heart disease).
American Wirehair
- Place of Origin: America
- Date of origin: 1966
- Ancestry: Household cat
- Weight: 8-15 lbs
- Temperament: Busy
- Body type: Average
- Colors: Wide range
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: High
- Energy: Average
- Talker: High
- Health: Same as American SH.
Australian Mist
- Place of Origin: Australia
- Date of origin: 1966
- Ancestry: Hybrid
- Weight: 6-12lbs
- Temperament: Pleasant
- Body type: Moderate
- Colors: Wide range
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: High
- Health: No known genetic health issues.
Balinese
- Place of Origin: America
- Date of origin: 1920s
- Ancestry: Siamese
- Weight: 6-12lbs
- Temperament: Vocal
- Body type: Slender
- Colors: Pointed
- Grooming: Easy/average
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: High
- Health:as part of the Siamese family there are some inherited health issues [link – new window]
Bengal
- Place of Origin: America
- Date of origin: 1963
- Ancestry: Leopard cat, random bred cat, Indian street cat, Egyptian Mau.
- Weight: 12-22lbs
- Temperament: Active
- Body type: Substantial
- Colors: Tabby
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: Average
- Health: HCM (heart problems) and Bengal Nose (crusty nose)
Birman
- Place of Origin: Myanmar
- Date of origin: 1911
- Ancestry: Temple cats?
- Weight: 10-18 lbs
- Temperament: Reserved
- Body type: Cobby
- Colors: Pointed + white paws. Long hair.
- Grooming: Average+
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Low
- Health: reported: blood, nervous system and kidney disorders but check. Hip dysplasia also.
Bombay
- Place of Origin: USA
- Date of origin: 1953
- Ancestry: Hybrid
- Weight: 6-11 lbs
- Temperament: Friendly
- Body type: Semi-cobby
- Colors: Black
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Yes
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Average
- Health: Skull defects associated with American Burmese.
British Shorthair
- Place of Origin: England
- Date of origin: 1880s
- Ancestry: Moggies
- Weight: 9-18 lbs
- Temperament: Genial
- Body type: Semi-cobby
- Colors: Wide range
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Low
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Low
- Health: Skull defects associated with American Burmese.
Burmese
- Place of Origin: Myanmar (Burma)
- Date of origin: 1930s
- Ancestry: Temple cats plus Siamese hybrid
- Weight: 8-14 lbs
- Temperament: Relaxed
- Body type: Cobby
- Colors: Pointed, sable, champagne, blue, platinum.
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: High
- Energy: High
- Talker: High
- Health: American Burmese: Skull defects. Heart, eye and respiratory disorders. Diabetes.
Burmilla
- Place of Origin: USA
- Date of origin: 1981
- Ancestry: Hybrid
- Weight: 9-15 lbs
- Temperament: Engaging
- Body type: Foreign
- Colors: Shaded and tipped
- Grooming: Average
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: Low
- Health: kidney disorders associated with Persian breeding.
California Spangled
- Place of Origin: USA
- Date of origin: 1971
- Ancestry: Domestic cat hybrid, several breeds
- Weight: 9-18 lbs
- Temperament: Active
- Body type: Substantial
- Colors: Spotted tabby, snow leopard.
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: Average
- Health: No known issues.
Chartreux
- Place of Origin: France
- Date of origin: Pre-18th century
- Ancestry: Moggies
- Weight: 7-17 lbs
- Temperament: Calm
- Body type: Semi-cobby
- Colors: Blue
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: Low
- Health: Reported knee disorders
Chausie
- Place of Origin: USA
- Date of origin: 1960s
- Ancestry: Jungle cat (m) x domestic cat (f)
- Weight: 12-18 lbs
- Temperament: Alpha
- Body type: Semi-cobby
- Colors: Ticked tabby shorthair
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: Average
- Health: Unknown.
Cornish Rex
- Place of Origin: Cornwall, England, UK
- Date of origin: 1950
- Ancestry: Farm cat
- Weight: 6-10 lbs
- Temperament: Acrobatic!
- Body type: Oriental
- Colors: Wide range and wavy fur
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: Low
- Health: not much to report. Possible hypothyroidism & hypotrichosis.
Cymric
- Place of Origin: North America
- Date of origin: 1960s
- Ancestry: Manx cat
- Weight: 8-12 lbs
- Temperament: Balanced
- Body type: Cobby
- Colors: Wide range, long haired
- Grooming: Average
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Average
- Health: Non reported.
Devon Rex
- Place of Origin: Devon, England, UK
- Date of origin: 1960
- Ancestry: Moggie
- Weight: 6-9 lbs
- Temperament: Clown
- Body type: Semi-foreign
- Colors: Wide range, wavy fur
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: High
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Low
- Health: A number of diseases inc. joint, blood, skin and muscular disorders and heart disease (HCM)
Don Sphynx
- Place of Origin: Russia
- Date of origin: 1987
- Ancestry: Moggie genetic mutation
- Weight: 7-11 lbs
- Temperament: Athletic
- Body type: Semi-foreign
- Colors: N/A
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: Average
- Health: Unknown
Dwarf cats
- Place of Origin: USA
- Date of origin: 1983
- Ancestry: Moggie genetic mutation
- Weight: 5-9 lbs
- Temperament: Sweet
- Body type: Semi-cobby
- Colors: All
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Low
- Energy: High
- Talker: Low
- Health: Lordosis, Pectus Exacvatum and flat chest kitten.
Egyptian Mau
- Place of Origin: Egypt/Italy
- Date of origin: 1950s
- Ancestry: Egyptian feral cats
- Weight: 5-11 lbs
- Temperament: Intelligent
- Body type: Semi-foreign
- Colors: Spotted, silvers, smoke, solid colors
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: Average
- Energy: High
- Talker: Average
- Health: reported heart and respiratory disorders.
Exotic Shorthair
- Place of Origin: USA
- Date of origin: 1960s
- Ancestry: Persian,Brit SH, American SH, Burmese, Russian Blue.
- Weight: 7-14 lbs
- Temperament: Docile
- Body type: Cobby
- Colors: All
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: High
- Energy: Low
- Talker: Average
- Health: Respiratory, jaw (misalignment) and eye problems.
Havana Brown
- Place of Origin: USA/UK
- Date of origin: 1950s
- Ancestry: Siamese, black moggie, Russian Blue
- Weight: 6-10 lbs
- Temperament: Sociable
- Body type: Semi-cobby
- Colors: Chocolate, lilac
- Grooming: Easy
- Lap cat: High
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Low
- Health: Nothing reported.
Himalayan
- Place of Origin: UK/USA
- Date of origin: 1950s
- Ancestry: Persian, Siamese
- Weight: 8-15 lbs
- Temperament: Docile
- Body type: Cobby
- Colors: Pointed
- Grooming: Difficult
- Lap cat: High
- Energy: Average
- Talker: Low
- Health: PKD (kidney disease), jaw, eye and breathing problems. Gum disease.
Go to the next page – cat breeds J-P for more pictures of cat breeds.
Go to the last page – cat breeds R-T for more pictures of cat breeds.
Photo credits for pictures of cat breeds: Except as set out below, all pictures are copyright Helmi Flick, a renown professional photographer who makes her living from cat photography. Please don’t violate her copyright. Thank you.
- Ashera GD: Photo copyright Life Style Pets Inc. The Ashera and Ashera GD is an F1 Savannah cat. The information relates to Savannah cats.
- American Ringtail: Photo copyright Joseph Halbleib.
- Australian Mist: Photo copyright Animal Eyes Photography.
- Burmilla: Photo copyright skoop (Flickr).
- California Spangled: Photo copyright Flamingice007sg
- Don Sphynx: Photo copyright Gunnel Hedberg
- Dwarf cats: Munchkin – Munchkinlane Milton P. Hershey – Photo is protected by copyright.
- These are the best pictures of cat breeds on the internet. You will not see better pictures of cat breeds because nearly all these pictures of cat breeds are by the celebrated professional photographer Helmi Flick. I wish to thank Helmi for her contribution.
Note: there were about 70 comments but I have deleted them (Feb 2015) to allow this page to load as fast as possible. Any questions on cat breeds in the comments have been answered. If anyone wants to ask questions about their cat please search for “what breed is my cat’ and leave a comment or email me. My contact details are in the menu heading the site. Thanks.
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