How to Identify Cat Breeds: From Ear Tufts to Fluffy Tails
By knowing the breed of your companion, you'll be better equipped to take care of it properly.
Why Identifying a Cat's Breed Is Important
Each cat breed is unique in its own way, with special features and habits. If you are a cat owner or want to own a cat, you should definitely be able to distinguish between breeds. By knowing the breed of your pet, you'll be better equipped to take care of your feline companion for many years.
Visual Cues to Determine a Cat's Breed
A cat's breed can be recognized by analyzing these three categories:
- Facial features
- Color and texture of the coat
- Body shape and size
The main difference between cat breeds is the variation of color and texture of the coat. This is also the easiest to spot.
Learn how to identify cat breeds.
Charlie Deets
How to Identify Your Pet's Lineage
Using the following sections and corresponding shorthair/longhair breed graphs, you'll be equipped with everything you need to find your pet's lineage.
- The History of Cat Domestication
- Family Classification
- Ancestry of Different Breeds
- Longhair Cats
- Shorthair Cats
- Common House Cats
Comparing the variables included, such as family classification and ancestry factoids, you can feel confident that you are providing the best life for your current or soon-to-be pet.
Buying a Bengal cat will cost you between $400 and $10,000!
Vinaya
Commercial Breeding
Commercial cat breeding is very difficult because mating can be controlled only when the male and the Queen (breeding female) are confined. Cats are genetically rigid, therefore there are few opportunities for commercial breeders. Data regarding characteristics and features inherited by breeding is scarce, as there has been little scientific breeding performed.
The Two Main Categories of Cats
Most cat breeds can be grouped into two different categories:
- Longhair
- Shorthair
Based on the color of the coat, both longhair and shorthairs have different breed subcategories. Some colors and patterns can be genetically linked with the sex or condition of the cat. These visual traits are also used to identify potential birth defects and genetic quirks in cats.
A white cat with mixed-colored eyes is most likely to be deaf on the blue-eyed side.
Dids
The History of Cat Breeding and Domestication
Domestication and religious cat cults evolved in ancient Egypt. In the 5th and 6th Pharaoh dynasties (2465–2150 BCE), cats were proclaimed as sacred animals; however, Egyptians did not begin to domesticate cats until 1500 BCE.
Civilizations That Owned Domesticated Cats
- China: Religious art from the 5th century BCE depicts domesticated cats.
- Greece: In the 1st century BCE, they appeared in plays for comic effect.
- India: Sanskrit texts written around the 1st century BCE mention domestic cats.
- Japan: They were considered guardians in the 7th century CE.
- Britain: Cat protection laws existed in 936 CE.
Cats were domesticated because they were sacred animals that were very useful in protecting granaries and crops from rodents. These days, this purpose is no longer as relevant for most, so owning cats is mainly for companionship and show.
The Abyssinian can be recognized by its "ticked" tabby coat.
Classification of Cat Family
- Family Felidae: There are 37 species in 18 genera belonging to 3 subfamilies; found worldwide, excluding Antarctica. They evolved in the Late Eocene Era— about 37 million years ago.
- Subfamily Felinae: There are 29 species found worldwide; excluding Antarctica. They evolved about 10 million years ago.
- Genus Felis (Small Cats): There are six old species, including the wildcat and domestic cat; found worldwide. They evolved in the Pliocene Era—about 5.3 to 3.6 million years ago.
People believe that Russian blue cats originate from northern Russia, hence their name.
The Ancestry of Different Cat Breeds
About 40 distinct cat breeds have been recognized. Ancestry of some of these breeds goes back to the time of antiquity. The ancestry of individual cat breeds can be traced to cat mummies, as well as ancient statues and drawings available in different cultures.
The Origins of Well-Known Breeds
- The Tabby and Abyssinian are the descendants of the sacred Egyptian cat. The present-day tabby and Abyssinian look similar to the cat mummies, statues, and drawings in Egypt.
- The Persian, whose exact origin is unknown (with Iran being the best guess), is believed to be a mixed-breed cat.
- The tailless Manx, the hairless Sphynx, and the curly-coated Devon Rex all have mutant genes. The ancestors of all Egyptian cats come from Africa.
- The Siamese cat is believed to have Asian ancestry, even though no living species of Asian cats have been found.
- The history of the Japanese Bobtail goes back more than 1,000 years. This cat breed, which was very common in medieval Japan, is quite rare these days.
Male Sealpoint Himalayan Cat
Longhair Cats
Longhair cats are distinguished by their long, flowing coat. Their coat colors can be solid or bicolored, in addition to various patterns.
Solid Coats
- White
- Black
- Red
- Blue
- Cream
Patterned Coats
- White with black streaks
- Silver and black
- Tabby
- Calico
- Silver blotches
- Blue-gray and cream
- Blue-cream
- Tortoiseshell
- Cream, red, and black
Longhair cats need to be combed often to prevent knots and hairballs.
Jimme Deknatel
Longhair Breeds
| Name | Origin | Features | Specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
Balinese | U.S. | Long, slender body; sapphire-blue eyes | Siamese mutant, sways tail when walking |
Birman | Burma | Bushy tail, white paws, deep blue eyes | Known as sacred cat of Burma |
Cymric | Canada | Stout, heavy chest, no tail | Also called longhair Manx |
Himalayan, or Colorpoint Longhair | U.S./Europe | Short, full tail, sapphire-blue eyes | Siamese and Persian cross |
Javanese | U.S. | Long and flexible body, silky coat | Balinese and Colourpoint Shorthair cross |
Maine Coon | U.S. | Large and well-muscled, hairy coat | Oldest American breed |
Norwegian Forest | Norway | Full-bodied, muscular, double coat | Featured prominently in Nordic fables |
Persian | Iran | Sturdy, massive head | Having many variations, one of the oldest and most popular breed |
Ragdoll | U.S. | Heavy and powerful, blue eyes | Resembles a limp rag doll, relaxes muscles when picked up |
Somali | U.S. | Flexible and muscular, full brush tail, green or golden eyes | Distinguished as a longhair Abyssinian |
Turkish Angora | Turkey | Long, feathery tail; large, pointed ears | One of the first longhair cats in introduced in Europe |
Shorthair Cats
Shorthair breeds consist of British Shorthair, American Shorthair, Bombay (pitch-black colored) Bengal (gray-white stripes), Manx (tailless), Sphynx (hairless), etc. A shorthair cat has a round head, round eyes, ears rounded at the tips, a sturdy build, and strong-boned legs.
The coats of shorthair cats are often similar to those of longhair breeds. However, the most common coat colors include those found in tabbies:
- Brown
- Silver
- Blue
- Red
A plus of owning a shorthair cat is that less maintenance and grooming is required to keep your pet clean.
Matiinu Ramadhan
Shorthair Breeds
| Name | Origin | Features | Specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
Abyssinian | Egypt | Majestic, flexible body; long, slender legs | Sacred cat of Egypt |
American Shorthair | U.S. | Big, muscular body; thick, dense fur | Natural hunter |
American Wirehair | U.S. | Varies in sizes, from medium to large; curly coat | Rare outside U.S. |
Bengal | U.S. | Spotted coat; forelimbs bigger than hind limbs | Cross between Asian leopard cat and American Shorthair tabby |
Bombay | U.S. | Resembles black panther | Cross between Burmese and black American Shorthair |
British shorthair | England | Short, muscular, short legs, thick tail | Oldest natural English breed |
Burmese | Burma | Medium-size; shiny, thick coat | Related to Siamese |
Chartreux | France | Full-bodied; blue-gray | One of the oldest natural breeds |
Cornish Rex | England | Short, curly hair; large ears | Named after the Rex rabbit |
Devon Rex | England | Slightly rough coat than Cornish Rex; pixie face | Nicknamed "poodle cat" |
Egyptian Mau | Egypt | Graceful, distinct spot pattern, banded tail | Mau is Egyptian word for cat |
Japanese Bobtail | Japan | Triangular head, large ears, rabbit like tail | Symbol of good luck |
Korat | Thailand | Silver-blue coat, heart-shaped face | Native name is "Si-Sawat," symbol of good luck |
Ocicat | U.S. | Cream colored coat with dark or light brown spots | Cross between Abyssinian and Siamese |
Oriental Shorthair | U.S./U.K. | Long, flexible body; vibrant green eyes | Specialized with numerous colors unique to the breed |
Russian Blue | Russia | Muscular, fine-boned, double coat; blue in color with the streaks of silver | Symbol of good luck |
Scottish Fold | Scotland | Short, round, well-padded body; folded ears | May be born crippled due to genetic vulnerability |
Siamese | Thailand | Thin, long body; sapphire-blue eyes | Intelligent, unpredictable behavior |
Sphynx | Canada | Hairless, large ears | Rare outside North America |
Tonkinese | U.S. | Medium-sized, blue-green eyes | Cross between Siamese and Burmese |
Manx | Isle of Man | Tailless or with stump; double coat | If two tailless gene cats are breed, there might be stillbirths or skeletal defects |
Common House Cats
To help you with your identification journey, I have outlined the specifications and characteristics of three of the most easily recognized house cats that you may encounter:
- Siamese
- Persian
- Tabby
Siamese cats are very vocal, so if you choose to own one, be prepared for noise!
Leah Kelley
The Siamese
The Siamese cat is small and agile. It is regarded as the most intelligent house cat. It is affectionate and loyal, but can be destructive sometimes. The Siamese cat is highly vocal.
Breed Origins
Even though Siamese cats are named after Siam (the old name of Thailand), its origin as a breed is unknown. The Siamese cat is a popular breed of cats. They have been domesticated in Thailand and some parts of Asia for a long time; however, they did not reach Europe until the late 19th century.