Friendly and attentive, this fine-boned cat is playful and energetic and has an attractive ticked coat. Named after its native home (now Sri Lanka), the Ceylon was imported to Italy in the early 1980s, where the breed was developed. It is now found worldwide and, if not as widely known as other breeds, has achieved …
This affectionate cat has a beautiful coat and a steady temperament that makes it an excellent pet for anyone. The first pedigree cat to be developed in Australia, this breed was created from crosses between Burmese, Abyssinian, and Australian domestic shorthair cats. Formerly known as the Spotted Mist, it comes in a range of attractive …
A loyal and loving pet, this slinky, graceful cat is curious, full of energy, and needs space to play and explore. There are various accounts of the Abyssinian’s history, including the attractive but highly improbable story that it descends from the sacred cats of ancient Egypt. A more plausible version suggests that its forerunners might …
A desert cat that is well adapted to home life, this breed is active and curious and retains its natural hunting instincts. A breed native to the Arabian Peninsula, this cat was a desert dweller that migrated to city streets when human populations encroached on its habitat. In 2004, breeding programs to develop the Arabian …
This strikingly patterned cat, with an alert expression and royal bearing, is the only naturally spotted domestic breed. This cat bears a certain resemblance to the long-bodied, spotted cats seen in the tomb paintings of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, but it cannot claim direct descent. The modern Egyptian Mau was developed by Natalie Troubetzkoy, a Russian …
A newcomer on the pedigree cat scene, this rare and enigmatic cat is active, friendly, and easy to maintain. First discovered in New Mexico in 1984, the Ojos Azules (the name means “blue eyes” in Spanish) is one of the rarest cats in the world. The stunning eye color is particularly unusual in that it …
This little-known breed is affectionate and easygoing with people, especially if socialized from an early age. The history of the Turkish Shorthair is uncertain, but this cat occurs naturally in various regions of Turkey and has probably existed there for a considerable time. Also known as the Anatolian or Anatoli and the Anadolu Kedisi in …
The mingled colors in this cat’s coat give the breed an unusual marbled appearance. In a tortoiseshell (tortie), two coat colors are softly blended. There are many variations, but the most common is black mixed with red—the first tortie color to be developed in British Shorthairs. Blue-cream tortoiseshell, in which black is replaced by blue …
This delicately colored cat with a sparkle to its coat is loving and enjoys being around children and other pets. In a tipped cat a pale undercoat is overlaid with what appears to be a light dusting of color. This effect is produced by the ends of the top hairs being colored to about one-eighth …
One of the largest breeds of cat, this British favorite has been developed in a variety of attractive colors. Although the British Shorthair is the most even tempered of cats, this variation is a reminder of its wild tabby-patterned ancestors. Brown tabbies were among the first British Shorthairs to appear in cat shows in the …