Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about cat breeds.
What exactly counts as a 'cat breed' in this encyclopedia?
A cat breed is a population of domestic cats that consistently pass down a specific combination of physical traits—coat type, body build, head shape, color pattern—distinguishing them from other groups. This encyclopedia treats each such group as its own entry, whether it is a long-established pedigree or a newly proposed landrace.
How many cat breeds exist in total?
The count shifts depending on which registry you ask: the CFA lists 42, TICA recognizes 76, and FIFe tracks roughly 70-plus. In everyday conversation among breeders and fans, people usually reference somewhere around 70 to 80 distinct breeds worldwide.
Who are the key 'characters' in the cat-breed world?
The international registries—CFA, TICA, FIFe, GCCF, and others—act as the gatekeepers, writing breed standards and deciding which cats earn pedigree status. Individual breeders, feline geneticists, and high-profile cats (viral stars, show champions) also play outsized roles in shaping which breeds gain public attention.
Where should a newcomer start learning about cat breeds?
A good first step is picking the registry that matches your region and reading through its breed list, since each one organizes cats by size, coat, and origin. From there, attending a local cat show or following a single breed's online community tends to make the terminology and standards click faster than any textbook.
What is the single most popular cat breed?
The Domestic Shorthair is technically the most numerous type of cat, but among recognized pedigrees the Maine Coon and the British Shorthair consistently top registration and adoption numbers in North America and Europe. Popularity shifts by country, so 'most popular' is always a regional answer.
What makes a cat breed 'rare'?
A breed is generally considered rare when only a few thousand registered individuals exist worldwide and a handful of active breeding programs maintain the gene pool. Examples include the Lykoi, the Minskin, and the Australian Kinkalo, all of which depend on a small network of dedicated breeders to survive.
What is the difference between a breed and a mixed-breed cat?
A breed cat carries a documented pedigree and meets a written standard for at least one generation, while a mixed-breed cat is any domestic cat without that paper trail. This encyclopedia focuses on the pedigreed groups but includes a sidebar section for well-known regional landraces that blur the line.
What are some landmark moments in cat-breed history?
The 1871 Crystal Palace cat show in London is often cited as the first organized event where breed distinctions were formally judged. Later milestones include the CFA's founding in 1906, the Siamese gaining U.S. recognition in 1907, and the 2010s wave of newer breeds like the Savannah and Lykoi entering major registries.
How are cat breeds grouped or categorized?
Most registries sort breeds by coat length, body type (cobby, foreign, semi-foreign), and sometimes by region of origin. Fans often organize them further by color family—point, tabby, solid, tortie—which is how many breed 'families' get their informal nicknames.
Do cat breeds have their own 'lore' or community mythology?
Not officially, but the community absolutely builds its own narratives around origin stories, legendary cats (like the Egyptian Mau's supposed pharaonic lineage), and rivalries between breed clubs. This encyclopedia treats those stories as cultural context alongside the hard genetics and written standard descriptions.