cat breeds
Every breed reviewed and scored on the five categories that count: cuteness, fluffiness, gremlin factor, royal energy, and loaf form. Honest write-ups, real breed facts, and no pretending your favourite is above criticism. Pick a breed, or read the guides below.
Ten photographs, ten guesses. I have strong opinions about how badly you are going to do.
take the breed testbreed profiles
maine coon
The gentle giant. Enormous, shaggy, dog-like. Scores 88.
norwegian forest cat
A weatherproof cat out of Norse legend. Scores 86.
ragdoll
The floppy, devoted lap cat. Goes limp when held. Scores 86.
siberian
A hardy Russian forest cat, and often kinder to allergies. Scores 85.
british shorthair
Round, plush, easygoing. The finest loaf reviewed. Scores 85.
himalayan
A Persian in Siamese colours. Serene and hugely fluffy. Scores 85.
birman
The sacred cat of Burma, blue-eyed and white-gloved. Scores 85.
persian
The fluffiest aristocrat. Beautiful, and high-maintenance. Scores 84.
exotic shorthair
A Persian in a wash-and-go coat. Calm and cuddly. Scores 84.
russian blue
Elegant, reserved, and remarkably long-lived. Scores 83.
burmese
A brick wrapped in silk. Devoted for life. Scores 83.
chartreux
France's quiet, smiling blue cat. A superb loaf. Scores 83.
bengal
A mini-leopard with the top gremlin score. A handful. Scores 80.
abyssinian
The tireless acrobat. Clever and never still. Scores 80.
scottish fold
The folded-ear charmer, with a serious welfare warning. Scores 80.
turkish van
The ancient swimming cat that actually likes water. Scores 80.
kurilian bobtail
A rare island cat with a pom-pom tail, and no health caveat. Scores 80.
somali
A long-haired Abyssinian. A tireless little fox. Scores 82.
turkish angora
An ancient, elegant, lively Turkish aristocrat. Scores 82.
bombay
A mini black panther with a warm Burmese heart. Scores 81.
tonkinese
Siamese looks, Burmese warmth, the best of both. Scores 80.
egyptian mau
The only naturally spotted cat, and the fastest one. Scores 80.
siamese
Sleek, blue-eyed, and never, ever quiet. Scores 79.
american shorthair
The healthy, easygoing all-rounder. Built to last. Scores 78.
savannah
The tallest, wildest cat here. A serval hybrid, and a handful. Scores 78.
oriental shorthair
The Siamese in a hundred colours. Sleek and very loud. Scores 78.
sokoke
A rare, wild-looking Kenyan cat with a devoted nature. Scores 78.
devon rex
A mischievous, wavy-coated pixie. A monkey in a cat suit. Scores 77.
cornish rex
The greyhound of cats, tightly curled and forever kittenish. Scores 76.
peterbald
An elegant Russian hairless-type cat. A warm velcro shadow. Scores 76.
sphynx
Hairless, warm, and fiercely affectionate. Fluffiness: 4. Scores 76.
lykoi
The werewolf cat. Spooky to look at, friendly to live with. Scores 74.
ragamuffin
The large, plush, floppy Ragdoll cousin. A cushion with a heartbeat. Scores 84.
nebelung
A long-haired Russian Blue: shimmering, shy, and utterly devoted. Scores 83.
korat
Thailand's silver-blue good-luck cat, luminous and loyal. Scores 82.
japanese bobtail
The lucky pom-pom cat. Bright, chatty and genuinely healthy. Scores 81.
ocicat
An ocelot on the outside, a devoted dog on the inside. Scores 80.
singapura
The smallest breed, with the biggest personality. Scores 80.
selkirk rex
The curly teddy bear. Plush, tousled and wonderfully placid. Scores 80.
snowshoe
Blue eyes, white boots, and a great deal to say. Scores 80.
american curl
Backward-curling ears, and none of the Fold's health cost. Scores 80.
manx
The round, loyal, tailless cat. Charming, with an honest health note. Scores 78.
patterns and colours
Not every cat is a breed. Most are magnificent moggies wearing a pattern. Here is what your cat's coat actually tells you.
what breed is a tabby cat
Tabby is a pattern, not a breed. The most common coat there is.
what breed is a tuxedo cat
The black-and-white suit, explained by a cat who wears one.
what breed is a calico cat
Tricolour, lucky, and nearly always female. Here is why.
what breed is an orange cat
Ginger is a colour, every one is a tabby, and most are male.
breed guides
most affectionate breeds
The soppiest, clingiest cats going, ranked by warmth.
fluffiest breeds
Maximum floof, and the grooming bill that comes with it.
biggest breeds
A lot of cat, from the Savannah to the Maine Coon.
hypoallergenic breeds
The honest truth: no cat is allergy-free, but some are kinder.
rarest breeds
Cats so scarce most people never meet one.
breed comparisons
maine coon vs norwegian forest cat
The internet's favourite giant-cat mix-up, settled.
ragdoll vs birman
Size, the flop, and the white gloves. How to tell them apart.
british shorthair vs scottish fold
The same look, without the Fold gene that harms joints.
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rate your catMore from my desk: the cat name generator and the chairman's journal.