The number of recognized show breeds that have defined, inherited characteristics has increased dramatically since the late 1950s as cats have become more popular home companions. The 30 to 40 distinctive breeds can be grouped into two general categories: the long-haired Persian and the domestic shorthair.
Almost everyone recognizes the words Siamese, Manx, and Persian as the names for certain breeds of cats. Until about a century ago, however, these terms had little meaning. Domestic cats bred freely as they spread through various parts of the world. As a result, cats of almost infinite varieties of sizes, shapes, and colors came into being. Some cat owners liked the qualities of certain strains and wanted to perpetuate them. They interbred the cats with the desired qualities, and, when these qualities continued to appear in generation after generation of cats (that is, when they bred true or pure), a new breed was established.
Cat breeders today follow essentially the same pattern. They consider a strain that breeds true for four generations a purebred, and proof of this true breeding is necessary before a new breed becomes accepted. Full-color illustrations show the breeds most widely accepted in the United States. Cat fanciers in other parts of the world may recognize different breeds. Cat Fanciers’ Association recognizes 39 pedigreed breeds for showing in the Championship Class, 1 breed in the Provisional Class, and 1 breed as Miscellaneous (effective with the 2006-2007 show season).
The breed profiles below present a brief look at each breed’s history, characteristics and personality. The historical breed articles give an indepth and detailed look at the history of a breed.
Abyssinian
American Bobtail
American Curl
American Shorthair
American Wirehair
Balinese
Birman
Bombay
British Shorthair
Burmese
Chartreux
Colorpoint Shorthair
Cornish Rex
Devon Rex
Egyptian Mau
European Burmese
Exotic
Havana Brown
Japanese Bobtail
Javanese
Korat
LaPerm
Maine Coon
Manx
Norwegian Forest Cat
Ocicat
Oriental
Persian
RagaMuffin
Ragdoll
Russian Blue
Scottish Fold
Selkirk Rex
Siamese
Siberian
Singapura
Somali
Sphynx
Tonkinese
Turkish Angora
Turkish Van
