Breed Encyclopedia
Cat Breeds A–Z
Browse all 68 cat breeds in the What Cat? encyclopedia. Click any breed for temperament, grooming, health, and lifestyle information — then take the free quiz to find your perfect match.
Find your breed with the free quiz →Abyssinian
Athletic, ticked-coat cats with boundless curiosity.
Aegean
Easygoing Greek island cats that genuinely enjoy water.
American Bobtail
Wild-looking, dog-like cats with a distinctive short tail.
American Curl
Distinctive curled-back ears and a kitten-like spirit for life.
American Shorthair
The all-American working cat — hardy, friendly, and easy to live with.
American Wirehair
A unique wiry coat on an otherwise classic American cat.
Australian Mist
Warm-natured Australian breed bred specifically for indoor family life.
Balinese
Long-haired Siamese — same chatty, devoted spirit, longer coat.
Bengal
Wild-looking, athletic cats that act like miniature leopards.
Birman
Sacred-cat-of-Burma legend, with white-gloved paws and blue eyes.
Bombay
A solid black "miniature panther" with a sociable, dog-like nature.
British Longhair
A plush, longer-coated cousin of the British Shorthair.
British Shorthair
Plush, easygoing teddy bears with a dignified streak.
Burmese
Compact, muscular cats with magnetic, people-loving personalities.
Burmilla
A silver-tipped cross between Burmese and Persian — gentle and elegant.
California Spangled
A rare, spotted domestic cat bred to mimic wild leopards without any wild ancestry.
Chartreux
Quiet, smiling French cats with woolly blue-gray coats.
Chausie
Domestic-jungle-cat hybrids — athletic and demanding.
Colorpoint Shorthair
Siamese in non-traditional colors — same vocal personality.
Cornish Rex
Slim, curly-coated cats with greyhound looks and clown-like energy.
Cymric
The long-haired Manx — a tailless, plush-coated family favourite.
Devon Rex
Pixie-faced "alien cats" with curly coats and mischievous spirits.
Donskoy
A Russian hairless breed with a different gene than the Sphynx.
Dragon Li
A naturally evolved Chinese breed with golden ticked coats.
Egyptian Mau
The only naturally spotted domestic breed — fast, ancient, and elegant.
European Shorthair
The continental European working cat — hardy, adaptable, and balanced.
Exotic Shorthair
A short-haired Persian — same sweet face, easier coat.
Havana Brown
Solid chocolate-brown cats with green eyes and gentle personalities.
Himalayan
Persian body, Siamese coloring — a popular long-haired colorpoint cat.
Japanese Bobtail
Lucky beckoning-cat icons with pom-pom tails and lively spirits.
Javanese
A talkative, silky-coated cousin of the Siamese with non-traditional point colours.
Khao Manee
"White Gem" cats from Thailand with stunning odd-eyed gazes.
Korat
Ancient Thai "good luck" cats with silver-blue coats and green eyes.
Kurilian Bobtail
Hardy Russian island cats with pom-pom tails and dog-like spirits.
LaPerm
Curly-coated American cats that act like affectionate clowns.
Lykoi
The "werewolf cat" — partially hairless with a wild appearance.
Maine Coon
Massive, friendly "gentle giants" with luxurious coats.
Manx
Tailless cats from the Isle of Man with rabbit-like hop and dog-like loyalty.
Minuet
Sweet, round-faced, and small-legged — a Munchkin and Persian cross.
Munchkin
Short-legged cats — controversial, but undeniably charming.
Nebelung
A rare long-haired Russian Blue with the same gentle, reserved nature.
Norwegian Forest Cat
Viking-era forest cats with double coats built for snow.
Ocicat
Domestic cats that look wild — but with no wild ancestry.
Oriental Shorthair
Siamese build in every conceivable color and pattern.
Persian
Regal, plush-coated lap cats with a calm disposition.
Peterbald
Russian hairless cats with elegant Oriental builds.
Pixie-bob
Wild-looking bobtailed cats with surprisingly gentle natures.
Ragamuffin
Plush, gentle cousin of the Ragdoll with broader color variety.
Ragdoll
Gentle, floppy lap cats that adore people.
Russian Blue
Elegant, reserved cats with a plush silver-blue coat.
Savannah
Domestic-serval hybrids with extreme energy and exotic looks.
Scottish Fold
Round-faced cats with folded ears — sweet but ethically debated.
Selkirk Rex
"Cat in sheep's clothing" — plush curly coats that look like teddy bears.
Serengeti
A spotted, athletic wild-lookalike bred from Bengal and Oriental Shorthair.
Siamese
Talkative, intelligent, and intensely bonded to their people.
Siberian
Russia's natural forest cat — large, hardy, and unexpectedly hypoallergenic.
Singapura
The world's smallest breed — tiny, lively, and irresistibly charming.
Snowshoe
Siamese coloring with white feet and Siamese vocal personalities.
Sokoke
Rare African forest cats with distinctive marbled coats.
Somali
A long-haired Abyssinian with a fox-like tail and lively spirit.
Sphynx
Hairless, warm, and astonishingly affectionate clowns.
Thai
The traditional, rounder-faced Siamese — old-style elegance.
Tonkinese
Burmese-Siamese hybrid — best of both temperaments.
Toyger
A "toy tiger" — domestic cats bred to look like miniature tigers.
Turkish Angora
Elegant white long-haired cats from Turkey with playful spirits.
Turkish Van
The "swimming cats" of Turkey — large, athletic, and water-loving.
Ukrainian Levkoy
A hairless, folded-eared cat with a distinctive inward-folded, dog-faced look.
York Chocolate
A rich chocolate-coated American farm cat known for its playful, people-loving nature.