There are different types of cats and cat breeds, just as you would find different types of dog breeds. Some of the different types of cats in the world are discussed in this article.
Cats have lived with humans for the past 10,000 years. You can find proof of cats existing along humans even in ancient Egypt. They were considered to be sacred beings and guardians of the after-world. Cats are associated with many myths and legends. Some say that the presence of a cat signifies evil in the surroundings. They are supposed to have nine lives. It is even said that they can see the dead, and are therefore always associated with ghosts.
Once you bring home a cat, you tend to become its slave. A cat won’t shower you with affection like dogs, but when they do give you some of the precious attention, your happiness will know no bounds. There are many different types of cats in the world. Some are domesticated and a few choose to remain wild.
As man took fancy to these slender-looking felines, different types of house breeds came into existence. These varying types were a result of hybridization, selective breeding, and country-specific characteristics. There are about 70 different types of cat breeds. Of these, only 40 can be termed as recognized. Cat pedigrees are divided into two major categories, long-haired cats and short-haired cats. Different cats have different types of color patterns, coat patterns, head shape, ear folds, bobbed tails, length of hair, and a few are hairless and tailless too.
For example, Calico cats or the tortoise-shell and white cats are basically tri-colored. They have different coloration patterns and are therefore not considered as cat breeds. The Manx, American Shorthair, British Shorthair, Persian, Siamese, and Turkish Van are cats that are considered to have calico coloration. In a similar fashion, tabbies are felines having a particular dot, stripe, or swirling patter. Most of them have a distinct ‘M’ pattern on their forehead. Tabby cat refers to a coat pattern and not breed. The tuxedo cat is a feline with a bicolor coat pattern like the Turkish Van.
Shorthair Cat Breeds With Pictures
Burmese
Bombay Cat
American Shorthair
British Shorthair
Abyssinian Cat
Burmilla Cat
Chartreux Cats
Havana Brown
Korat
Ocicat
Russian Blue Cat
Singapura
Siamese Cat
Snowshoe
Other types of cats in the shorthair group include the following.
- Brazilian Shorthair
- Dragon Li (or Li Hua Mau)
- Egyptian Mau
- European Shorthair
- Exotic Cat
- Sokoke
- Tonkinese
- Ukrainian Levkoy
Longhair Cat Breeds With Pictures
Aegean Cat
Chantilly/Tiffany cat
Birman
British Longhair
Balinese
Maine Coon
Norwegian Forest Cat
Oriental Longhair
Persian Cats
Ragdoll Cats (and Ragamuffin )
Somali
Turkish Van Cats (and Van Kedisi)
Turkish Angora Cats
Other different types of house cats in the longhair group include the Nebelung and Siberian cats.
Hybrid Cat Breeds With Pictures
Bengal Cat Breed
Cornish Rex
Devon Rex
There are many other hybrid cat breeds that include the following.
- American Bobtail
- American Curl
- American Ringtail
- American Polydactyl
- American Wirehair
- Cymric
- Don Sphynx
- German Rex
- Japanese Bobtail
- Kuril Bobtail
- LaPerm
- Munchkin Cats
- Ojos Azules
- Peterbald
- Pixie-bob
- Savannah cat breed
- Selkirk Rex
- Scottish Fold
- Sphynx
- Urals Rex
Siamese Cat Breeds
Siamese cats are a very popular breed in the world. Not only that, they are also the oldest breed of domestic cats around. They are said to have originated in Southeast Asia. This is one of the different types of cat breeds that is said to have descended from the sacred temples of cats in Siam (Thailand). They were the native breeds of the then Siam and are therefore known as Siamese cats. There are basically three different types of Siamese cats. Let us have a look at these different types.
The Traditional Siamese
The traditional Siamese cats are the first ones that were exported from Siam to Europe. They have round faces and a more muscular, heavy, and rounded body type. They are very intelligent and loyal, with a talkative personality.
The Classic Siamese
These are big-boned cats with a slightly elongated and slimmer body type. They are also called the old style Siamese cats that were popular from the 50s to the 70s. They have a more triangular face, but not as wedge-shaped as the Modern Siamese cats.
The Modern Siamese Cat
The modern Siamese cats are fine-boned as compared to the others. They have longer, thinner necks, tails, and bodies. They have a sharp, triangular face with a longer muzzle and straight nose. They are show cats and have a very elegant personality.
There are many breeds that have been derived from the Siamese cats. The following is a list of these breeds.
- Balinese Cat
- Burmese Cat
- Bombalese
- Blue Point
- Colorpoint Shorthair
- Himalayan Cats
- Javanese
- Ocicat
- Oriental Shorthair
- Oriental Longhair
- Snowshoe
- Thai Cat
- Tonkinese
Wild Cat Breeds
There are different types of wild cats. The minute you mention a wild cat, one pictures a fearsome predator and a majestic looking feline. Most of the different types of wild cats are pushed to extinction or are in the endangered animals list. This is because of the apathetic outlook of man, who for his selfish needs, is killing these creatures. Extensive farming, encroachment of human population on forest land, poaching for skin, and illegal trading has all resulted in bringing them to the brink of extinction.
- Amur Leopard
- African Golden Cat
- Asian Golden Cat
- African Golden Cat
- Asian Lion
- African Lion
- Bay Cat
- Bengal Tiger
- Black-footed Cat
- Bobcat
- Canadian Lynx Cats
- Caracal
- Cheetah
- King Cheetah
- Chinese Desert Cat
- Clouded Leopard
- Cougar/ Mountain Lion/Puma
- Desert Cat
- Fishing Cat
- Flat-headed Cat
- Geoffroy’s Cat
- Indian Lions
- Iriomote cat
- Jaguars
- Jagarundi
- Jungle Cat
- Kodkod
- Leopard Cat
- Leopard-spotted Cat (Tiger Cat)
- Leopards
- Marbled Cat
- Margay
- Mountain Cat
- Ocelot
- Pallas’s cat
- Pampas Cat
- Panther
- Rusty-spotted Cat Sand Cat
- Serval
- Siberian Tiger
- Snow Leopard
- Spanish Lynx
- Tigers
- Tshushima cat
- White Bengal Tiger
- White Lions
These were some of the different types of cat breeds found in the world. Cats belong to the family Felidae. You must have understood that they can be small enough to fit in your lap, or as large as the tiger surveying his territory in the wild. It is a well-known fact that lions are said to be the king of the jungle. As the Felidae family belongs to a royal background, you can understand the reason behind the gracious, aristocratic look of your cat.