Cat lovers often get wrong to detect the cat breed. Even most cat owners judge a cat breed based on the shapes, sizes, fur color, and patterns. For example, Tortoiseshell, calico, and tabby are known as individual cat breeds to the cat owner, but these are not pure breeds. There are many disagreements about the number of pure cat breeds worldwide. But authentically, how many breeds of cat are there?
According to the TICA (The International Cat Association), about 73 pure cat breeds. Also, know that CFA (Cat Fanciers Association) approved 45 breeds as pure. And FIF (Federation International Feline) has recognized 48 breeds as pure breeds.
Among these three associations, the opinion of TICA becomes most acceptable to all cat experts. So, we have described a short core note on 73 cat breeds globally. Let’s dive into this guide.
The History of Cat Breeds
The cat breed originated about eight thousand years ago as per the national geography. They were seen killing rats in the grain field at the very beginning. They began to be close to the people for their magical appearance and friendly demeanor. And gradually, they have become ideal domestic animals.
And then some cat fanciers started breeding between several cats to get the attractive appearance and unique traits. For example, Egyptian Mau and Maine coon cats come from different wild situations, but they turn into complete domestic cats with time change by breeding.
How many breeds of cat are there?
The number of cat breeds in the world depends largely on your search sources. The answer to this question is controversial. Several organizations have accepted some cat breeds as pure breeds. So, the number of cat breeds is varied according to different organizations.
The Encyclopedia Britannica has said that there are only fifteen recognized cat breeds globally. But the international cat association has said that there have up to 73 recognized breeds that TICA has already accepted.
Accepted cat breed lists that approved by TICA
The list of 73 cats was accepted by the international cat association (TICA). You will find the detailed biography of each cat from this list.
- Abyssinian Breed
- American Bobtail Breed
- American Bobtail shorthair breed
- American curl breed
- American curl longhair breed
- American shorthair breed
- American wirehair breed
- Australian Mist breed
- Balinese breed
- Bengal Breed
- Bengal longhair breed
- Birmans cat breed
- Bombay cat breed
- British Longhair breed
- British shorthair breed
- Burmese breed
- Burmilla breed
- Burmilla Longhair Breed
- Chartreux cat breed
- Chausie cat breed
- Cornish Rex breed
- Cymric cat breed
- Devon Rex breed
- Donskoy breed
- Egyptian Mau breed
- Exotic Shorthair breed
- Havana breed
- Himalayan cat Breed
- Japanese Bobtail breed
- Japanese Bobtail longhair
- Khaomanee breed
- Korat Breed
- Kurilian Bobtail Breed
- Kurilian Bobtail longhair Breed
- LaPerm breed
- LaPerm shorthair breed
- Lykoi Breed
- Maine Coons breed
- Maine Coon Polydactyl breed
- Manx cat breed
- Minuet breed
- Minuet longhair breed
- Munchkins breed
- Munchkin longhair breed
- Nebelung breed
- Norwegian Forest cat breed
- Ocicat Breed
- Oriental Longhair breed
- Oriental Shorthair breed
- Persian Breed
- Peterbald Cat breed
- Pixiebob breed
- Pixie bob longhair breed
- Ragdolls breed
- Russian Blue breed
- Savannah breed
- Scottish Fold breed
- Scottish fold longhair breed
- Scottish straight breed
- Scottish Straight Longhair Breed
- Selkirk Rex breed
- Selkirk Rex Longhair Breed
- Siamese cat breed
- Siberian cat breed
- Singapura cat breed
- Snowshoe cat breed
- Somali cat breed
- Sphynx cat breed
- Thai cat breed
- Tonkinese breed
- Toyger breed
- Turkish Angora breed
- Turkish van breed
Apart from the championship breeds from TICA, there have two non-championship breeds. These are commonly known as household cats and kittens. Even though TICA does not approve these species as the specific cat breed, they can attend several competitions of TICA. Moreover, these cats can earn points and gain the award. Here is the list of non-championship cat breeds.
- Household pets
- Household kittens
The newest cat breeds to be recognized list
The breeder applied these breeds for recognition as pure breeds, but they have not yet been accepted till now. Maybe this procedure will be lengthy to identify and determine as a pure breed cat. But new cat breeds are acceptable to the international cat organization.
- Highlander
- Serengeti
- Aphrodite
- Cheetah Cat
- Minskin
- Tennessee Rex
- Napoleon Cat
Are New Cat Breeds Ever Accepted?
The number of registered cats does not change easily. Several international cat organizations recognize that a cat breed depends on some rules and criteria. If a new species emerges after all those criteria, it will be recognized. However, it is a matter of much verification, selection, and time.
What Are the Most Popular Cat Breeds?
The Maine coon, Persian, and Ragdoll are popular worldwide. These breeds are recognized and well-known to cat lovers. The popularity of this variety is almost the same throughout the year. For example, the Ragdoll was the most popular cat in 2020. And the Maine coon and Persian exist in second and third positions.
How Can I Tell What Breed My Cat Is?
Every cat exists with some individual traits. Although there may be many similarities among several cat breeds except purebred, you must find some unique features. Here are some specific factors that may define a cat breed. You can follow these to recognize that your cat comes from which breed?
- Size of your cat.
- Fur patterns and colors.
- Hair type.
- Face shape.
- Tail length.
- Behavior.
Final verdict:
Except for some popular breeds like Maine coon, Persian, and Ragdoll, most cat breeds are not well recognized universally. However, many cat breeds are now enlisted to be recognized as pure breeds. They will be qualified based on specific considerations. If you adopt a cat and want to know the breed, then search for the specific traits that your cat has? This is a complete guide on existing and upcoming cat breeds worldwide.
