by Michael
Black and White Cat of no breed — photo copyright Helmi Flick
People quite often ask, “what breed is my cat”. It might sound strange but it is possible to answer the question now, with a reasonable degree of success, without seeing the cat or reading a description of the cat in question. I say this for the following reasons (of course, please leave a comment if you disagree and tell me why).
Almost all cats in the world are mixed breed cats. Although, even that is a misdescription as the parents of most cats are not part of a recognizable breed so these often beautiful cats should be called random bred cats or freeborn cats.
This means almost all cats are not a breed of cat. There are very few cats that are part of a cat breed in the East (Asia etc.). Nearly all cat breeds are in the West because they are a Western invention. It all started in England, UK, in the late 1800s. Cat breeds are a human invention for the amusement of humans. Nature did not create cat breeds. Nature created cat species. All 400 million domestic, feral, stray cats on the planet are a single subspecies of the North African wildcat. From a scientific point of view all cats, breed or otherwise are the same subspecies.
In the West, for a cat to be part of a breed, it needs to be purebred and registered with a cat association. I am not sure of the percentages of purebred cats and it doesn’t matter really. There are many more purebred cats in the United States than in any other country but even in the USA the percentage is relatively low, perhaps 10-15% of the total.
A definition of purebred cat might be:
A cat whose ancestry is formally registered is called a purebred cat, or a pedigreed cat. A purebred cat is one whose ancestry contains only individuals of the same breed. A pedigreed cat is one whose ancestry is recorded, but may have ancestors of different breeds.
That statistic alone would support the answer, “your cat is a moggie or not a cat breed”, to the question, “what breed is my cat”. But one can be more certain than that.
Almost all people who keep and live with purebred cats (cats that are part of a specific and identifiable cat breed) do so deliberately. They would have selected the cat either from a breeder or even a rescue center as purebred cat rescue does, surprisingly, exist.
These people will, therefore, know the answer to the question, “what breed is my cat?” That leaves a very small number of people who may have rescued a purebred cat or a cat that looks purebred and there is no documentation to confirm the status of the cat as purebred.
These people might want to find out the type of cat breed, which, without documentation as to the purebred nature of the cat (parentage of all the same breed) and pedigree (documentation as to the parents for a period of three years) will have to guess by a visual check against, for example, the photographs on this website.
Even then, there is no evidence that the cat in question will be a specific cat breed. These cats would, therefore, have to be called moggies or domestic cats. Most often they will be shorthaired cats and therefore a DSH (domestic shorthair), a cat of no defined breed.
Of the remainder, the vast majority, the cats will also be moggies, DSH cats with the occasional longhair or more often a semi-longhair.
So, the answer to the question is, “your cat is a domestic cat of no fixed breed and a random breed cat or moggie”. That in no way diminishes the status of the cat or it shouldn’t. All cats are born and remain equal in the eyes of all people who keep cats. It that is not the case for a certain person, I would personally doubt the person’s suitability to keep cats.
Random bred cats can be as glamorous as any purebred pedigree cat. They are shown at cat shows as Household Pets. They photograph beautifully, see Helmi’s photographs on this page. They all have middle range cat body types and cat head shapes. And the fact that they are more numerous than purebred cats indicates their popularity.
Also the random nature of breeding ensures a healthier genetic makeup, which usually results in a healthier cat with a longer life.
Update 28th July 2012. Leslie Lyons, of Lyons’ Feline Genetics Laboratory at the University of California, has devised a DNA test that will cost you a mere £76 – GBP (but I think you will find that the test best applies to USA cats). The test will check if your cat has purebred blood! It will probably work best for cats that are moggies but are one removed from purebred meaning that one of his parents was a purebred cat. I guess the test will also tell you what breed your cat is related to. Of course in a strict cat fancy sense that does not make your cat part of a cat breed but it will be nice to know and it provides a better answer than mine above! The test would seem to only apply to 29 core cat breeds. There are lots more let me add. So this test is not that comprehensive. Still nice all the same. You provide a cheek swab sent by mail. There is a 15 day turn around time for the result. I don’t have an address unfortunately so I will leave you to Google the laboratory. Good luck…Michael
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| Mar 31, 2012 | Breed of my cat? NEW My cat adopted my family about 2 years ago. She is very talkative and is very active. She has bright green eyes and many different fur colors. Here are some pictures to help: http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/IceCreamPig/179073_176649779045966_100001028367498_449616_2902687_n.jpg IF you know, or have any clues, please message me at br******@ya***.com. Thank |
| Mar 02, 2012 | Bagheera NEW My cat is black with a small white patch on his chest. I am not sure what breed he is and i would love to Know. |
| Feb 17, 2012 | what breed is my cat? NEW hi i picked up a kitten from the road in india.couldnt help notice his cute little voice.. till day cannot figure his breed,he looks like a regular domestic breed,but i have seen many of the tabby/striped cats, cutlet looks different. what was striking was his tail habits are like a mau,where they are always perpendicular to the body and rattle it,and the diff tones he has like a mau all the chortle n singing. he is fawn colored,striped,amber eyed,tail is slightly furrier than the body but not much. pl help me! i guess he could have origins of the mau and a bengal in him. how do i identify him? at my doctor’s, i saw a photo of an angora and the resemblance of the face was uncanny but cutlet is not so furry…. so confused |
| Jan 13, 2012 | What breed is my cat Isis? NEW Hi! I was curoius as to what breed my beutiful cat Isis is. Isis is a shorthaired cat, white with large black spotchle all over. She is of medium size and her eyes are greenish yellow. She has triangular ears and a long tail. Her legs are long and lean and she has a pointed face. Thanks for reading!! 🙂 |
| Sep 24, 2011 | What breed is my cat? Can anyone help me tell what breed my cat is? He he is all white on the lower half of his body, but is a brownish orange on top with a ringed tail and capped head. On the brownish orange he has light orange spots that look like that of a Bengal and stripes mixed in. Overall, he has an exotic look… Any ideas??? |
| Sep 17, 2011 | what breed is my cat?? when she was little she had big ears but now they are normal sized she has black stripes like a tiger… her fur color is black with different tones of grey ANS: Hi Candy…your cat sounds like a mixed breed (random bred) grey tabby cat. Tabby cats are popular and commonly found. “Tabby” refers to the type of coat and is not a cat breed. Thanks for asking…Michael |
| Sep 13, 2011 | fandoo blog I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don?t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog, I will keep visiting this blog very often. |
| Jun 19, 2011 | My baby boy Bullet … !! Ive got a lovely black and what cat and he’s beautiful he has a busheey tail but where to tail sarts it very bushy what is he … i think hes a cross ???? |
| Jun 14, 2011 | my cat bella my cat is dark grey with black small spots, but mostly stripes. she has big green eyes, her tail is as long as her body, but shes a little smaller than most adult cats, but shes done growing. she has medium to long length hair, and very fuzzy underneath. she also has longs tuffs of hair in her ears. what kind(s) is she? |
| Jun 01, 2011 | Dusty My Cat What Breed Dusty has black fur and gray stripes and a whit chin golden eyes.If you wolud be kind enough to tell me what breed he is from. |
| May 30, 2011 | What breed is my kitty I have quite a uniqe cat. She is pure white with medium to long fur. she has a sharp face and large eyes one blue and one green. she has a long fluffy tail and medium length legs. she is quick and sharp and loves to play specially with a laser. she loves to be into everything and is very strong willed. she will always stand up for herself and i never worry when there’s a dog around as she hisses in it’s face and bat’s it face with her paws. please help me |
| May 16, 2011 | answer to Emma (Kelso, Scotland) your cat is called the American Short hair. i can easily tell cause my cat Tiger, looks exactly like that and he’s a American Shorthair!i found it out on “cats 101”! so if you know what my cat is please tell me lie i did to you. My other name on here is Chester (My cats name) |
| May 16, 2011 | What breed is my cat!? my cat is two, three years old. We bottle feed him (i know it sounds strange) he is a big silver, white, and black cat about 9.6 pounds (hes a big cat!) and he loves attention, but if you call him a big baby he bites and claws you, he has a triangular face, green eyes, and he can sleep beside you all night. |
| May 14, 2011 | What is she? My cat is Lotty. She is a black cat with small white spots on her chest, lower stomach, and between her legs and body. Her eyes are greener near the pupil and its hazel on the outer part of her eyes. She is thin and tall. I have a older cat and Lotty is taller then her! She has a loud voice and sometimes its annoying when she is in heat. She is almost like a monkey because she jumps high and loves to play with those toys that have strings at the end of a stick. She runs very fast and her paws are small, but pointy-like so if she walk on you it hurts. I got her from a shelter so she is probably a mix but I think she has Oriental in her but i’m not sure. Hopefully you can tell me. |
| Mar 21, 2011 | thanks xxxxxxx – this was spam |
| Feb 13, 2011 | what breed are my cats i dont know what cat breed my cat is i think my cat is an egyptian mau because they both have poches in their stomach but they dont have green eyes they have like a hazel color and they have a orange/yellow color fur their mother was the same color idk about their father though |
| Feb 07, 2011 | What breed is my cat? What breed is my cat? I found her when she was three weeks old in the street I’ve kept her since. She’s 9 months old and she’s small probably 3 pounds all black and has medium length hair that is really sleek and shiny. She also has large yellow eyes, and in the sunlight she has weird leopard prints. |
| Feb 01, 2011 | my cats I have two cats and i wanted to know what breed they are?? This is Daisy |
| Jan 22, 2011 | Bombay? Hey guys, can someone tell me what breed my cat is? Here’s a picture of him: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y107/ImperiaFFXI/DSCF1141.jpg He has a few white hair on his chest, and his tummy, and has a wide nose. I got him at a pet shop, he’s probably a mixed breed, but he has lots of Bombay physical traits. Correct me if I’m wrong. |
| Jan 21, 2011 | What breed is my cat? What breed is my cat? My cat is a beige tannish color. His brother and sister were balck and white. I am not sure what breed he is, or what breed his parents were. Thansk 4 reading. 🙂 |
| Jan 21, 2011 | What breed is my cat? What breed is my cat? My cat is a beige tannish color. His brother and sister were balck and white. I am not sure what breed he is, or what breed his parents were. Thansk 4 reading. 🙂 |
| Jan 21, 2011 | What breed is my cat? What breed is my cat? My cat is a beige tannish color. His brother and sister were balck and white. I am not sure what breed he is, or what breed his parents were. Thansk 4 reading. 🙂 |
| Jan 06, 2011 | Re.What Breed Is My Cat? from what i read there are advancement in dogs mix breed dna testing kit. y cant the same technology be applied in cats? im sure if TICA and CFA would assist in dna profiling for each breed the same technology can be applied to our feline companion. |
| Dec 21, 2010 | Could Spud have part Bengal or Ocicat in her? Now I know my cats are definately moggies which in America is called the American Shorthair. I know that Porker our male is what is considered a Tuxedo cat but I was wondering is his younger sister part Bengal or Ocicat in some percentage. I think my cats are great and wouldn’t want any other cats I am just curious that’s all.  |
| Dec 20, 2010 | what breed is my cat ? my cat has black & white fur with green eyes but I can’t get her breed.So if you have the answer please answer! |
| Dec 20, 2010 | what breed is my cat ? my cat has black & white fur with green eyes but I can’t get her breed.So if you have the answer please answer! |
| Dec 05, 2010 | What is Zooey?! she’s got an intriguing personality, and her brothers and sisters were all siamese… but she was the only one that looked like this! http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc125/Br00talBailee/Zooey/ |
| Dec 03, 2010 | What breed is my cat, Hazel? I’ve been dying to know what breed my cat, Hazel, is.  Also, when she got spayed (Which was yesterday, She just turned 7 months) I could see that on her skin are dots of different colors. She also has the extra fur coming off from under her legs like Egyptian Mau’s have. |
| Nov 18, 2010 | Brown mackerel tabby cat Hi Emma, your cat looks like a mixed breed or random bred mackerel (stripped) tabby cat. The pattern is great, very pronounced. He is not a purebred cat in my opinion. But he is a fine cat nonetheless. Thanks for asking.  |
| Nov 18, 2010 | Cherry. The Boss! Cherry has always had her own way since we got her from a litter of kittens on the street. I would love to know what kind of breed she may be.I love her to bits and love when she chases the laser pen light around the room, and moans when she wants fed. She is a dream pet! |
| Nov 18, 2010 | Response to last comment Please see your comment for my response. Thanks…Michael |
| Nov 16, 2010 | what breed are these kittens i am going to ship in one of these Siberian kittens all the way from London to Middle East could anyone confirm if they are purebred and which gender of the cat would be suitable for me a guy. http://picasaweb.google.com/ lifesgr84hal/UntitledAlbum#5540071544861878914 ANSWER: Your cat looks like a pointed Persian – a Himalayan in the USA. But you say they are Siberian kittens? You can’t tell if they are purebred or not without paperwork – pedigree. Either breed is fine for a guy but the Persian is more gentle and passive so more suitable probably for a women and indoor living.
Note: you should have embedded the photo (at 400 px) in this comment. You can do that with Picasaweb! |
| Oct 25, 2010 | My cat is?? I bought my cat for only 20 bucks from a kennel with no history about him..but i feel like he is not just any ole cat!Hes all black with VERY little white under his front arm..almost un noticeable..but its his build that is odd..he is VERY looong and tall..long legs..looong tail..and HUGGGGE teeth..People say he looks like a mini jaguar..and lime green eyes!great personalty and very protective of his home and mommy 🙂 and always brings me presents to our porch(moles,birds,lizzards anything)a great hunter..ring any bells?please and thankyou…Preston |
| Oct 21, 2010 | Is my cat a mixed or turkish angora? I adopted this beauty in a vet clinic recently. I loved him and named him Prince. Now i am just a little curious cause the owner of the clinic told me Prince is a pure turkish angora, from a pure white father and a black masked white belly mother. But at the same time, they got no certificate to prove that and the staffs in the clinic told me he is a mixed of persian and turkish angora. Please enlighten me 🙂 |
| Sep 12, 2010 | What breed is my cat He is medium grey with a very very light grey stomach with the tabby M but he has a really bushy tail like a squirrel. He is a rescued cat I will try to post pictures later. |
| Aug 05, 2010 | chartreux? what kind of cat is my baby orson? |
| Jul 20, 2010 | Not sure what she is? This little one showed up on my mother in laws door step, no tags, or color or chip in her. So After a l;ong time My Husband and I took her in. She looks like a torties shell coloring. Im trying to put a pic or a few pics on here for you to help. What made us question her origens is that Aj does’nt usualy bleed or get a kind of welts on his arms after playing with most cats. Usually the scratches dont leave a mark yet this morning he was playing with sahara a.k.a. Babygirl his arm swelled up from the scratches. The only time thats happend is when he was playing with my aunts cat that we knew was full main Coon. So was wondering if babygirl maybe part main coon or if ther is another type of cat that has claws like a coon? |
| Jul 20, 2010 | Not sure what she is? This little one showed up on my mother in laws door step, no tags, or color or chip in her. So After a l;ong time My Husband and I took her in. She looks like a torties shell coloring. Im trying to put a pic or a few pics on here for you to help. What made us question her origens is that Aj does’nt usualy bleed or get a kind of welts on his arms after playing with most cats. Usually the scratches dont leave a mark yet this morning he was playing with sahara a.k.a. Babygirl his arm swelled up from the scratches. The only time thats happend is when he was playing with my aunts cat that we knew was full main Coon. So was wondering if babygirl maybe part main coon or if ther is another type of cat that has claws like a coon? |
| Jul 15, 2010 | Regal and Snotty as Well Hi You have a great site. Congratulations and keep ut the good work. I do not have a photo right now, but our cat is also black with a white patch like the top photo on your site, but if I may say so, and with no disrespect to the caT on your website, ours is more aristocratic, regal if you like. With its shiny black short hair coat it walks, actually slides, over any surface, like a black panther. And even if it is laying on the floor it looks down on you as though you are the most stupid person in the world. He always looks you straight in the face with his yellowish eyes with a look that says: “You might think you own this house, but I am in charge here.” What kind of cat could this be? Pease tell me what you think. Note: It is not a Siamese. |
| May 26, 2010 | My sisters I have two lovley cat girls that looks totally opposite eachother. Polly is shorthaired glossy black with a white spot in her chest. She has the body build of a brittish shorthair but her head is not as round. Her eyes are yellow with a hint of orange. Sessan is a semi-longhair, calico cream and blue with a lot of white. She has the build of the norwegian forest. Her eyes are yellow with a hint of green. Their mother was a beautifull half-siames lady and whenever Polly wants something you defenitivly hear it! I love my ladies that seems to on occation forget that they are over ten years old and will act like kittens racing around my apartment in winter and around the yard in summer. Thank you for a lovley cat site! |
| May 21, 2010 | What kind of breed does Luna resemble? Shes not a very photogenic feline so I apologize for lack of decent detail, also her being a black cat, it’s hard to get good lighting on her. But heres what I can say about Luna. She definitely has a very thick triple coat (jet black putter coat and dark dark brown undercoat) that my very allergic girlfriend does not seem to react at all to. So that alone really seems to point to a Siberian to me. Luckily she CONSTANTLY grooms herself which is kind of nice for us because she does an extremely good job. And no hairballs thank god lol. From nose to tail shes probably about 15-17 in long or so and 8-10 lbs. Shes very laid back and not an active cat at all even when Piggy tries her hardest to play. So that’s about it, any other questions – just let me know….THANKS! Josh |
| May 05, 2010 | Mogie’s rule With all animals, including people, purebreeds tend to be inferior in many aspects to mixes due to hybridisation which generally results in improvements in vigour over both parents. Many pure breeds have genetic issues due to excessive inbreeding (and failure to cull out defectives.) One example is the Royal families in Europe, who, by inbreeding, managed to reinforce things like haemophilia. Another thing that happens is that when a particular breed becomes very popular, animal breeding mills tend to generate a lot of animals which are purebred, but not selectively. This results in some structural and some behaviour problems. Some lines of German Shepherds were bred for aggression in the mistaken idea that it was a good thing in a watch dog–which it isn’t. My first dog had papers as a purebred cocker spaniel, but she looked like a beagle–causing the vets much amusement. (Just as well, my sister, who picked her out, wanted a shorthair and a pure cocker would not have filled the bill.) |
| Feb 17, 2010 | could he be a NFC? Lewis is he a NFC?? Could our kitten be a Norwegian Forest Cat?? Can you help me out and tell me what you think?? ANSWER: The short answer is “yes”, he could as blue is acceptable under the CFA breed standard and Lewis is a lovely little blue coated boy. But as you are asking this question it is highly likely that he is not purebred as you would normally have papers to prove pedigree and that his parents and their parents were purebred. So, it may be that Lewis has som NFC in him but not pure 100%. Sorry.
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| Feb 15, 2010 | please help
ANSWER:….Hi RebeccaThanks for asking. In my opinion your cats are mixed or random bred cats and not purebred cats. They are what cat fancy people call DSHs – domestic shorthairs.Most cats are DSHs and they are all as good as purebred and sometimes better. Even if they were purebred you would need papers to prove it. You cats look fantastic and well loved. That is all we can ask. I prefer mixed breed cats myself and most people probably think the same.
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| Dec 29, 2009 | My cat is a mix, And she’s only two types of cats… She is Double layered, 5″ when laying down 12″ Sitting up 6.75″ Sitting down. 1.5″ Fur length. M On forehead Black, Grey, White and some brown stripes on top of head and a spot on her front left leg. Round eye with a > at the top right. (Curved) Green – Yellow eye. |
| Dec 27, 2009 | Response to last comment Hi, gorgeous long haired cat, sweet face. As your cat is a random bred cat with no documented history of breeding we just don’t know. But there could well be some Maine Coon in her genetic makeup. There are quite a lot of “Maine Coon Mix” cats advertised, I notice, on Perfinder (or there were) giving us the clue as to how purebred Maine Coon cats can become a mixed breed cat quite easily if the purebred is left unneutered and then mates with a random bred cat (a moggie). Thanks for visiting. |
| Dec 27, 2009 | Help, pretty please?
I love my cat to death, I’m just curious of her ancestors, and where she gets her lovely traits from 🙂 I’m sure she’s a mix of some sort (probably including a Maine Coon). I would just like some opinions, please. Thanks! |
| Sep 13, 2009 | what kind of cat (breed example tabby) is this cat ? What kind of breed is my cat:  Answer: this is a mixed breed tabby and white cat. The tabby part is blue (grey). See cat coats tabby and white. |
| Aug 23, 2009 | Response to last comment The cat you found is probably a mixed breed and not purebred so it is not a breed of cat. But and this is important it is no less valuable a cat and not in any way a lesser cat. |
| Aug 22, 2009 | 🙁 so i can’t figure out what type of cat my stray i found is? well fine…. 🙁 |
| Dec 19, 2008 | Moggie From what you say, my cat is a moggie and I am proud of her. |
Please search using the search box at the top of the site. You are bound to find what you are looking for.
We rescued 4 kittens and were told they may be Maine coons. Now we’re told they look like Turkish vans. They weigh from 16 to 20 pounds. Love to play in water. Love attention and grooming but are not lap cats.
They are absolutely gorgeous and Turkish Vans. They are absolutely classic Turkish Vans. They look purebred by which I mean bred by a cat breeder but you’ll need a pedigree to prove that (written documentation showing family tree). That said they look superb.
The inverted V head markings and general appearance tell us they are ‘Vans’.
https://pictures-of-cats.org/turkish-van-cat.html
Also see:
https://pictures-of-cats.org/the-real-turkish-van-cat.html
Thanks Susan.
Don’t forget Turkish Angoras also like the water
I forgot to say that his tail is very fluffy…like a fox tail.
Hi Marissa. He looks like a traditional Balinese – a long haired Siamese. He looks tremendous.
You can see a small photo of a traditional Balinese towards the bottom of the following page (just click on the link):
https://pictures-of-cats.org/balinese-cat.html
Thank you for your response! It is nice to know his breed. His brother’s coloring was identical but he had a more flat face/nose. Do you think that indicates that they are a mix of breeds or is it just a variance in the Balinese breed? Thanks again!
Marissa, the thing is this. He has the appearance of a Trad Balinese but strictly speaking, in the West, you can’t say he is a Balinese without papers. Both are technically mixed breed (random bred) cats but clearly they carry genes that are the same as those in purebred cats. This is quite a complicated area because in Thailand (formerly Siam) there are cats like yours all over the place which in the West would not not called Siamese but random bred cats. Like yours they are random bred Siamese or Balinese cats rather than purebreds (on the basis that your cat is not purebred – he just might be for all I know). But without a pedigree we don’t know. Hope this ramble helps.
It does help! I appreciate the information. For me, it is not important to have a purebred cat. It is more that I am curious what his genetic background could be because I really like his personality and temperament. He seems to fit the Balinese description well, so I thank you for providing that information. That is very helpful!
My kitty was found with his almost identical looking brother on the side of a highway. I am wondering what kind of cat he could be. My guess has been Ragdoll/Siamese. He has a very quiet meow but is vocal and he’s very affectionate and a lap cat.
Thanks for showing us your traditional Balinese cat (based on appearance).
I have been teaching my babies from kittens to not eat of anyone but me and everyone said I couldn’t do it but I have with my black cat he won’t eat from anyone but me only thing is I can’t leave him for too long of he won’t eat but he goes everywhere with me anyway I will upload a picture of him round my neck live a scarf when I get my phone back anyway till next time thank you for your time and consideration
Just want to warn cat lovers if anyone lives in East London UK look out for your fur babies because there is a crazy person poisoning cats and throwing them in bins RIP all of those already lost their lives. Try keep your cats in at nights it’s so sad they can’t be as free
Thanks Ashleigh. I think you are referring to the Croydon cat killer. He travels around the London area a bit too.
The only way to get a pure bred is to have insesuous cats. to breed family members now that’s wrong in any form my cats are beautiful and all mothers of fur babies will agree with the only people who want pure breads are people who don’t care about the cats just the money or status they think comes with it but most pure breads have lots of health problems due to inbreeding. When a female cat is in heat she only knows she has to mate she don’t know what it means or nor does she care it’s something that has to be done and they will do it with any male cat that comes along its not for pleasure only humans great apes and dolphins have sex for pleasure so come on guys just love your cats and don’t worry about things that are out of our control
Thanks Ashleigh for sharing your thoughts. I agree with you.
I still think it’s nice that so many people love cats
I’m curious about what breed of cat I have, I am wanting to get a new kitten of the same breed. She is a gray calico, talkitive when hungry, cuddles mostly for just warmth. Medium-shorthair. Green eyes. If you think u may be able to help pleas email me at id************@ya**.com
Good luck Erin. I would seem that you have a beautiful random bred cat with a dilute or grey calico coat. That is my guess. She may be a pedigree purebred cat but you’d probably know if she was. Take care.
oh and its black
my cat is fluffy has feathered ears its a lap cat purrs really
loudly and meows when its alone. what kind of breed is it
Hi Donna, from the information that you have provided it is not possible to tell what breed of cat you live with although it is more than likely that your cat is a longhaired random bred cat – i.e. not a breed of cat but I am guessing. Take care.
I have two cats that are sisters. Both have an arrow shape design on the backs of their necks. Very distinctive. Both have had litters and all kittens had the arrow markings. Even the black kittens had a shadow of an arrow. Any idea what breed these cats are in.
Hi Dodie thanks for asking. You are referring to the markings on your cats’ coats. The type of cat coat does not provide information about the breed of cat because different cat breeds have the same sort of coat. The coat is an umbrella appearance characteristic covering all breeds.
Without a picture, I’ll hazard a guess: your cats are tabby cats. Possibly mackerel tabbies. But there may be other factors which change that assessment. If you have a picture you might want to try and upload it.
You are actually wrong just like a Chantilly Tiffany has no undercoat and it only is allowed to be in the color of dark chocolate and it’s a semi-longhair coat
Sounds like you have found/discovered a new breed of cat
I Have Two Cats Of The Same Breed Brother And Sister, The Boy Is Very Playfull And Loves Outdoors He Is Tan With a white belly white paws and some white on his face my cats arnt to fluffy. The girl is shy but really cuddly she is gray with small tan like markings.
Thanks for sharing Nicole. Your cats sound lovely.
Sounds like you found a new breed of cat .yay good for you!!!!!
This is Stowie. She’s the only female of my 6 cats. She’s a tortie tabby pattern, but I’m not sure of her breeding. I think she’s an American Short Hair moggie. She was found with Hitch when they were kittens. I rescued her and Hitch when they were a year old and they will be 6 in May.
Stowie again. She’s not as talkative as her brother Hitch, but when she wants attention she demands it. She and Hitch also take turns babysitting Lucky to keep him out of trouble. Parker is the one who grooms Lucky within an inch of his life, and Dino is the one who is always playing tag with Lucky.
Frost your cats are very beautiful and look so happy, thanks for sharing your lovely photos 🙂
Thank you so much. Yes they are all happy very friendly cats. They all love attention they get.
This is the newest kitten. Lucky. I think he’s part Bombay due to his build. His foster momma thinks he’s part Oriental due to how sharp his features were when he was smaller.
Here he is about to pounce a stuffed tiger toy. Both his eyes are yellow gold. The camera made his eye look green due to the flash.
This is Hitch. He’s a smokey black tabby. That much I do know. He’s the one we believe to be a long tailed Manx cross, since he’s very talkative, clingy, and demanding all at once.
Another pic of Hitch.
Here are pictures of Dino. I think he’s part Maine Coon. I don’t think he’s a pure bred, but I got him from a rescue group like I did with Parker. Actually I got them both at the same time.
Another pic of Dino.
I’m trying to figure out what other breeds my other 5 cats are. You identified Parker as a bobtailed Turkish Van a few months ago.
Here’s the first one. Blitzen = Blitz for short.
Just because the size of his paws and his shape I’m thinking he has some Norwegian Forrest Cat mixed with short hair in him. His fur is rather course. He has a very loud purr and meow. He’s friendly and out going. He’ll be 13 in May.
Another picture of Blitzy.
Hi Frost. Thanks for uploading some many correctly sized photos 😉 . It certainly helps. I am impressed by your well-loved cats. I’ll respond more fully later if I may. I am a bit pushed for time right now.
Not a problem. I look forward to hearing what you say my cats are. I know they aren’t purebred cats with maybe the exception of Parker. If you have any questions about their personalities I’d be happy to answer them.
Can you tell me what my cat might be or at least if he has a little flame point Balinese somewhere down his line? My parent found him as a tiny kitten under a bush a couple of years back. He’s great. He’s playful, intelligent, has a soft meow, talks a lot and is a purr machine. Thank you.
Here is another photo
Kitten
Hi,
I can’t be sure but I think he has Birman in him, same face and coat colour and white feet too, but the coat does not seem long enough for a purebred Birman, when you reach down to stroke him does he fall over onto his side? Both my Birmans did this, almost in one motion from standing to laying down?
Birman
Same Birman
Great photo and an impressive cat. Red (flame) pointed?
Hi Nicole, I’ll probably respond more fully later but my feeling is that he is a flame pointed traditional Siamese mix (his coat is a little long to be purebred Siamese). He is lynx pointed in fact. You could say he is red lynx pointed Siamese but someone else might like to comment on that.
A lovely cat. Genuinely flame (red) pointed and therefore Siamese. But not purebred because not registered. He has a traditional appearance (the old-style Siamese appearance).
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Michael thank you for your quick response. I was wondering if there was Siamese in him. I had one vet tell me he was a Himalayan mix because of the coat length but I just couldn’t see it in the face. My husband calls him “the longest kitty ever” since he always sleeps stretched out and flat and since his body and tail seem unusually long compared to our domestic short-haired tabbies. Thank you again and I would look forward to any additional comments.
Nicole
His coat is too short for a Himmie. It is closer to a Siamese. In fact the Siamese of Thailand (Siam) don’t have the super-sleek coats of purebred Siamese so your cat’s coat is truer to what exists on the streets of Siam.
There are pointed random bred cats in the USA and UK etc. too but they are fairly rare in my opinion. An important point is this: the Siamese cat in Siam, now Thailand, is random bred just like your cat. They don’t have purebred cats as we do in the West. There are some purebred Siamese there but you’ll see Siamese street cats. So your cat is like the sort of cat you’ll see in Thailand today and in the past. Most are seal point however. Your cat is, in one way, more true to the roots of Siamese cats.
Hi I’m Robin, this is my cat Smokie..does anyone recognize what kind of cat he is? He has a few white hairs under his neck. Thank for any comments. Just curious. ..
Hi Robin, Your pic didn’t upload. It may be too large. As the article states it is almost certain that your cat is a random bred cat. The main reason why I can say that is because if you had a purebred cat you’d know about it. That said sometimes people do adopt purebred-mix cats or even purebred from shelters but it is unusual. Thanks for popping by the website.
What breed is this cat?
Hi Sherilea. Beautiful cat because of the gorgeous coat which looks like a black smoke (the top part of the hair strands are dark and the bottom part is light). But the cat is almost certainly a random bred cat meaning not a member of a cat breed. Thanks for sharing.
I have my cat which he is orange and white but with no stripes whatsoever.
The vet (his doctor) said the first time she saw him that he is an old purebred egyptian cat.
Very uncommon now and days.
What breed is my cat?
Hi, thanks for showing us your orange and white cat. I have had a good look at your photo and he seems to be a solid orange (red) and white random bred cat meaning not part of a cat breed. He does have an interesting and nice coat but I don’t understand what your vet means that he is an old Egyptian cat.
For the record there are no formal cat breeds in Egypt. They don’t have a cat fancy there and purebred cats are not registered as pedigree cats but they do have feral Egyptian Maus which are spotted tabby street cats – the feral cat version of the purebred Egyptian Mau.
Please let me know what breed is my cat. He/She just appeared on my doorsteps , i don’t even know the gender :). or the age. The eyes were of different colours. One black and the left is yellow. Has wide paws.
Hello Olivia. Thank you for visiting and asking. Your cat is a mackerel tabby cat. You can find out the sex of your cat by reading this page. I hope it helps you. Your cat is not a breed of cat but the random bred cat. That does not mean that he or she is less of a cat, quite the contrary because random bred cats are generally more healthy and live longer lives than pedigree cats which you may know already. When we say a cat is a “tabby cat” we are referring to the type of coat and not a cat breed. Thanks once again for visiting and showing us your superb tabby.
His left eye seems to be slightly closed. We may have an infection but I can’t tell for sure.
Hi Michael. This is the picture of Pookie. It’s not the best one I have of him, but it is the only one that shows the silver coat around his neck…His silver, winter coat had not grown in yet on his shoulders or underbelly…I resized his picture. Hope it works.
This is my sweet Pookie. He is a domestic medium/long hair, depending on the season. Rescued from the Humane Society, his picture from the on-line adoption page just haunted me, until I went and got him. He looks huge, but when we have him shaved into a lion-cut for the summer, he really is quite small. He has shorter than average legs, a rounded face, and large, rounded, golden eyes. He has all the usual traits of a DLH, ear tufts, toe tufts, fluffy tail & a full ruff. But what I find different, from my other two DLH cats, is his extra layer of silver fur,that appears in the winter, around his neck and shoulders, and under belly, and the fact that his age and stature do not prevent him from being the Alfa cat of my home..What distinction do you think he has in his ancestry? Thank you for having this page.I find it very interesting, and agree, that most cats are of mixed breed. A true cat lover, Sharon Duffy
Hi Sharon. Thanks for sharing. Could you re-upload your photo but make it smaller? It was too large to upload. Sorry for that. You can do it online and find out how by clicking on the link below the comment box.
I get the impression that your much loved cat Pookie has some interesting genes inside him. He may have some purebred cat in him. He seems to have a very fancy coat. The characteristics you describe indicate Maine Coon (the ruff, toe tufts, plumed tail). Ear tufts are common with longer haired cats.
The Maine Coon is a medium longhaired American barn cat – a moggie at heart converted to a pedigree cat. The blood of the Maine Coon ancestors going back 400 years are everywhere in the US.
The Persian is more manufactured. I’d love to see a picture.
Rescued this little girl from going to the pound. But she has some beautiful features and I was wondering if she is a certain breed. She has long toes, ear tufts, stripes on body but spots on belly. She’s not very big either.
Hi Kellie, thanks for visiting. She is a very high quality mackerel tabby and white random bred cat. You see cats like this sometimes but normally the stripes are less distinct and broken up into spots and stripes. The quality of the pattern is high which makes her exceptional and it the reason why you asked whether she was a breed of cat.
Thank you for your reply. And now I can quit searching hundreds of sites to figure this out…lol. Your the best!
My pleasure and you have a special looking cat. There aren’t many mackerel tabby coats as attractive and as well defined as that.
Such a beautiful kitten. He has very lovely Lynx tips as well……
You are lucky. Mind you I find the most beautiful cat to be the most unloved cat.
Can you tell me the likely breed of my cat? I’m sure he’s mixed. He is very large in size, but really not that fat. He is pretty lazy, sometimes playful when he wants to be, he purrs very loudly and he is VERY vocal. He hates when large amounts of people come to the house and doesn’t really like people except me. He loves me. Sometimes he will snuggle with me but usually he chills out by himself. He loves boxes. He puts up with other animals but really doesn’t like them too much. He is very smart and gets what he wants because he knows how to get it. His coat is a medium length. He is rather territorial.
Hi Hadleigh. You have described the perfect domestic cat. He is a random bred orange (red) tabby cat. They are popular and tend to be be boss cats. He is not a cat from a breed of cats. Don’t let that upset you because cat breeds are a human invention and totally artificial. Your boy is genuine and as nature intended.
Thanks for visiting and asking.