Cats can be big or small, and, noisy or quiet, and, thus, all have their personalities. People who are surrounded by this number of types of cats have a question, how many breeds of cats are there? Today there are over 70 breeds of cats and every one of them has its features in such indicators as the appearance and temper. Breeds may also differ with the cat association, whether from The International Cat Association (TICA) or Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), both of which have their own standard list.
In this article will focus on describing main breeds of cats, explaining what is special and loved about each one.
Top Cat Breeds in the United States
There exists many cat breeds in the United States that are recognized for their temper, looks and how well they can adjust. Now, below is the list of the famous cat breeds in the USA based on their characteristics, from friendly, lap-cuddle type to energized climbing explorers.
1. Maine Coon America’s Gentle Giant
- Type of Cat – Long-haired
- Traits – For the most part, Coons are really large especially if belong to the Maine Coon breed; they have tufted ears and bushy tails due to the fact that they are known as the ‘gentle giants’.
- Personality – Loving, smart, and great with children, which certainly explains why this breed is on the list of United States’ favorites.
2. American Shorthair The King of All The Domestic Cats
- Type of Cat – Short-haired
- Traits – An American Shorthair has a moderate size, well muscular build and is bred in many different colors and patterns.
- Personality – They are socialized and very friendly; they do well around kids, and other animals respond the same to your furry friends.
3. Ragdoll The Apology For A Lazy Cat
- Type of Cat – Long-haired
- Traits – Having soft silky coat they are large cats with blue eye color and have a mature temper.
- Personality – Loyal, friendly and very touch-orientated, Ragdolls accompany their people about the home and like to be carried.
How Many Cat Breeds Are There? A Look at Officially Recognized Breeds
Up to date there are over seventy known breeds of cats. TICA and the CFA, for example, have different breed standards of cats and different lists. The precise number, however, depends on how an association chooses to recognize people. The breeds featured here are some of the well – known breeds across the globe.
4. Sphynx The Hairless Cat
- Type of Cat – Hairless
- Traits – Because the surface of the skin is bare and develops deep wrinkles, big round ears, the Sphinx is the most individual of the cats.
- Personality – The Sphynx is playful, a social and love-attention animal and is also a talkative cat.
5. Siamese The Vocal Beauty
- Type of Cat – Short-haired
- Traits – Siamese cat has smooth coats, rather large, almond-shaped eyes, and has the color-point coat.
- Personality – They are intelligent, and mostly vocal, and very affectionate, and can be very in touch with their owners.
Features And Characteristics of Different Breeds of cats
Cats can be classified in many types and Award has its own characteristics for each of the breeds. Hopefully, you will find the following information curious and interesting as it presents some other known and unique breeds of cats noted internationally.
6. Bengal The Wild-Looking Cat
- Type of Cat – Short-haired
- Traits – Cats bear some resemblance to leopards, free-form fur characters of black speckles on an orange background and muscular structures are characteristic of such animals.
- Personality – Moderately energized and rather unpredictable, Bengals are smart and definitely love to play.
7. Abyssinian The Energetic Explorer
- Type of Cat – Short-haired
- Traits – Abyssinians have a “ticked,” pattern that separates it from other cats ; they have a wild appearance.
- Personality – Amiable, friendly, and smart, these Abyssinians love Tree Climaching and they are big hankers.
8. A Cat with Folded Ears, Scottish Fold
- Type of Cat – Short-haired
- Traits – Divided by the cute drooping ears it’s called ‘Scottish fold’, they look round like owls.
- Personality – Friendly, gentle and sweet, Scottish Folds are great with children, younger people and require companionship.
How to Choose Between Different Types of Cats
When you take time to search for various cat breeds, then you must think on the lifestyle pattern and the kind of the cat you would choose from all different cat breeds. If you have the freedom to choose, here’s a guide on selecting from many different types of cats.
- Activity Level – Bengals and Abyssinians are very playful and would require a lot of stimulation while Ragdoll are totally vey calm and will require no stimulation at all.
- Coat Type and Grooming – The two breeds of cat discussed here have a long coat and as such will require more grooming than a breed such as the American Shorthair.
- Temperament – Hypoallergenic felines such as the Siamese and Sphynx are more vocal as well as affectionate than other breeds such as Maine Coons and British Shorthairs that are famously calm and often less vocal.
Rare and Exotic Cat Breeds
However, there more the other well-known breeds of cats, there are these breeds of cats that are rare but special in their own way, Here are a few worth mentioning.
9. Savannah The Hybrid That Likes to Rock & Roll
- Type of Cat – Cross between domestic cat and specially selected African serval breeder doe (serval)
- Traits – With muscular bodies, big ears and long legs, all of which help them resemble the wild, they’ve got a hint of pioneering in them.
- Personality – They are often more active as well as smarter and can even be more challenging to manage this is because they need experienced people to handle them.
10. Turkish Van The Swimming Cat
- Type of Cat – Semi-long-haired
- Traits – Loving water, Turkish Vans have a specific coat type, which more often than not represents white color with color on the head and the tail.
- Personality – The Turkish Van is a tender and friendly cat that is both performant and loves to swim and climb; besides, they are smart animals.
Why Do Cat Breeds Matter?
Knowledge about the several forms of cats is useful to those who would want to adopt a pet cat of their own kind. This applies to everything, including how much exercise they need on a daily basis and how often they should be groomed, so you must make certain that you are choosing a cat that will be well suited to your home.
Conclusion Accepting Cat’s Diversification of Breeds
The number of cat breeds has continuously grown and cat owners get to choose from so many cats which look differently, have different character and temperament. When you are in a mood for having a friendly, calm cat like the Ragdoll or are interested in exotic, wild looking cats like the Bengals or are looking for playful and strange looking cats like the Sphynx, there is definitely a breed for everyone.
When reading the information, it will be useful to know how many cat breeds exist to understand that there are many of different types of these animals, and knowing the types of cats they will have to select the certain breed which would preferably suit them.
Therefore, no matter if you have traditional popular cats, such as American Shorthair or want to get unusual and rather individual Sphynx, spend time to read about each breed character and requirements.