Cat Breeds - What Cat Should I Buy

Whoever decides to buy a cat has a great variety of breeds to choose from. Maine Coon, British Shorthair, Ragdoll, or Scottish Fold are merely some examples. Cat breeds can differ greatly from one another because each breed has been selected for certain characteristics. Cats such as the Sphynx, do not shed, because they have absolutely no fur. They represent the choice for people who have fur allergies. Nevertheless, some people dislike their baldness and are looking for breeds that have short or long hair. The Norwegian or the Persian Cats have beautiful long fur. The Ragdoll is preferred by people who want a cat who has a calm and floppy temperament.

Initially, there was only one breed of cat, called the African Wildcat. Several breeds emerged from this cat over time. The first actual breed of cat only emerged about 150 years ago and is therefore very recent. This is because, in the case of dogs, breeding extended over many centuries, not just over one century, like in the case of cats. Anyway, so far, just a little more than 40 breeds of cats have emerged. By "actual breeding of cats" we understand that certain body traits or essential characteristics are consciously promoted by the breeder.

We have nowadays many different cat breeds, that not merely look very different in terms of hair length, eye and hair color, and size, but they also have different other characteristics. Some examples will be mentioned below.

Now let's analyze each cat breed and see how they differ, which characteristics they have and this will make it easier to decide which of these breeds is better for adoption. You should take into consideration the temperament of the breed, the presence or lack of hair, whether somebody in your family has hair allergies or other conditions, and other elements, to decide which cats would be a better choice for your family.

The Ragdoll cat is the most cuddly breed. Its name comes from the fact that you can handle this cat like a rag doll, it obeys entirely to the will of its owner.

The wildest cat is the Savannah cat, probably because the Serval is among its ancestors. This is also a kind of wild little cat.

Carthusian cats are bred in Great Britain, and they are also called British Shorthair Blue Cats. They have grey-blue hair and their eyes look golden.

The longest-haired cat breed is the Persian cat. Its hair can be even 15 cm long in certain areas of the body. The shortest-haired cat is the Siamese cat, the fur of which is only a few millimeters short.

The largest pedigree cat in the world is the Maine Coon, which in many cases can reach up to one meter in length. The smallest is the Singapura cat, it never grows bigger than a young kitten.

Now let's talk about the shape of the cat's hair. There are also cats that have curls instead of straight hair. These are called Rex cats (in Latin rex means king). Depending on their country of origin, there are several types, namely, German Rex, Devon Rex or Selkirk Rex.

Some cats are connected to religion. In addition to the Egyptian cat, which was considered a goddess, there are two breeds of cats related to religion nowadays. First, it is the Holy Burma. This cat is said to have saved the life of the Dalai Lama. The second cat with a religious background is the Turkish Angora cat. Its location is special because it used to be Muhammad's favorite cat in the past. This is why its breeding was prohibited for a long period of time and only allowed at the Ankara Zoo. And the word Angora comes therefore from the city of Ankara.