So, to work. Set out below is a table of all the mainstream cat breeds in alphabetical order with their rarity ranked and based on the above criteria.
Date for compilation of figures: March 2008 but the fringe breeds referred to above were updated 27th July 2010.
| Rarity rank | |
| 0.25 (one quarter of one point) | = most common |
| 10 | = rarest |
| The rare cats are highlighted and linked to more information and pictures. | |
| Cat breed | Rarity rank | Popularity As per this website’s poll – as at 2008 | YouTube Number of videos | Pictures Number of pictures | Breeders Number of breeders – limited to the CatChannel Website |
| Abyssinian | 2 |  | 292 | | |
| Ashera (not a breed) | 6 | | 17 | | |
| American Bobtail | 5 | | 16 | | |
| American Curl | 5 | | 61 | | |
| American Ringtail | 9 | | 1 | | |
| American Shorthair | 1 | | 211 | | |
| American Wirehair | 8 | | 0 | | |
| Balinese | 3 | | 58 | | |
| Bambino | 8 | | N/A1 | | |
| Bengal | 0.25 | | 2,800 | | |
| Birman | 3 | | 351 | | |
| Bombay | 3 | | 74 | | |
| Brit. Shorthair | 1 | | 617 | | |
| Burmese | 3 | | 330 | | |
| Burmilla | 9 | N/A3 | 16 | | |
| Calif. Spangled | 9 | | 0 | | |
| Chausie | 6 | | 4 | | |
| Chartreux | 5 | | 72 | | |
| Cornish Rex | 4 | | 266 | | |
| Cymric | 8 | | 1 | | |
| Devon Rex | 4 | | 290 | | |
| Don Sphynx | 6 | | 20 | | |
| Egyptian Mau | 3 | | 76 | | |
| Elf cat | 10 | N/A2 | N/A1 | 0 | |
| Exotic Shorthair | 2 | | 165 | | |
| German Rex | 10 | N/A3 | 0 | | 0 |
| Havana Brown | 7 | | 9 | | |
| Himalayan | 2 | | 588 | | |
| Jap. Bobtail | 6 | | 27 | | |
| Javanese | 8 | | 5 | | |
| Kinkalow | 10 | | 0 | | |
| Korat | 7 | | 43 | | |
| Kurilian Bobtail | 9 | | 12 | | |
| Lambkin | 9 | | 1 | | |
| LaPerm | 8 | | 1 | | |
| Maine Coon | 0.5 | | 1,180 | | |
| Manx | 5 | | 273 | | |
| Minskin | 10 | | 0 | | |
| Munchkin | 4 | | 346 | | |
| Napoleon | 9 | | N/A1 | | |
| Nebelung | 7 | | 26 | | |
| Norwegian Forest | 1 | | 275 | | |
| Ocicat | 2 | | 227 | | |
| Ojos Azules | 10 | | 1 | | |
| Oriental Shorthair | 5 | | 78 | | |
| Persian | 0.5 | | 2,770 | | |
| Peterbald | 7 | | 44 | | |
| Pixie-bob | 7 | | 27 | | |
| Ragdoll | 0.5 | | 1490 | | |
| RagaMuffiin | 6 | | 38 | | |
| Russian Blue | 4 | | 569 | | |
| Safari | 8 | | N/A1 | | |
| Savannah | 3 | | 605 | | |
| Scottish Fold | 3 | | 376 | | |
| Selkirk Rex | 3 | | 35 | | |
| Serengeti | 9 | | 15 | | |
| Serval | 5 | | 513 | | |
| Seychellois | N/A3 | ||||
| Skookum | 9 | | 0 | | |
| Sokoke | 10 | | 0 | | |
| Siamese | 0.5 | | 3,510 | | |
| Siberian | 4 | | 459 | | |
| Singapura | 8 | | 14 | | |
| Snowshoe | 6 | | 71 | | |
| Somali | 6 | | 95 | | |
| Sphynx | 3 | | 730 | | |
| Tiffany | 10 | N/A3 | N/A1 | | |
| Tonkinese | 5 | | 131 | | |
| Toyger | 7 | | 19 | | |
| Turkish Angora | 6 | | 76 | | |
| Turkish Van | 6 | | 83 | | |
1. Where the name of the cat breed (or cat group) is a term that could refer to something other than a cat breed to a degree where the search
for the number of YouTube videos becomes misleading this is stated as N/A (not applicable).
2. The Elf cat a brand new breed was listed on this site too late to be included in the popularity poll.
3. These breeds are not included in this site’s popularity poll. No reason other than timing and there are a number of breeds that are on the fringes.
I have a Tennessee Rex a new breed in development with Tica. It features the new to cat fancy satin coat mutation. The satin coat is as it sounds shiny like silk or satin and soft like a cashmere sweater.
so is that why most rare breeds of cats can be not cheap at all to purchase one? my first cat was a maine coon cat but i didn’t have to pay to much money for her because i adopted her from a humane society
Rare cat breeds are actually normally no more expensive than the more common breeds. Some are rare because they are not popular so very few are bred by breeders. If they are not popular that forces the price down.
I hope you are well Darlene. Nice to hear from you.
We live in Dallas tx Behind us is a large creek and park and gold course we often see the outline of a cat that looks to be 25-30 lbs we have small dogs for comparison. It has the enlarge ears like a savanagh cat or singapore cat. Should we catch it or call animal control. It stared down a skunk last week
Personally I wouldn’t call animal control because if the cat is doing no harm it may end up being killed. Large Savannah cats (F1-F2) are rare so probably not that. Could be a large tabby cat. He/she may be an outdoor cat roaming widely. Personally, I’d watch and wait. No harm done. I don’t see any danger. Large domestic cats and even small wild cats aren’t a danger to people. It is the opposite.
I’d be carefully about catching it because someone might own the cat. Technically it could be theft to catch a cat and take it away.
But of course each person has their own way of dealing with things. My style is to live and let live unless you have to take action.
Thanks for asking.
It has super large ears in the moonlight the silhouette is beautiful. We don’t feel threatened. But if its rare wanted to make sure its preserved safely. But I have never seen a cat as big or have those directional tall ears.
Natasha, could you capture a picture?
If this cat seems relatively harmless, PLEASE don’t call animal control. That would mean certain death.
Hello, have you heard of two cats that have mated and given different breeds, that is a havana brown and a bombay black cat , gave birth to a ,……….. Persian, racoon, bombay, korat,and a munckin
A raccoon is not a cat! Sometimes two breeds have produced a new breed. An example is the Burmilla. However, I am sorry but the cats you refer to are incorrect.