This list is not specific to any registry or country. Different registries have different definitions of breeds and permissible colors/patterns. Sometimes a particular breed-name is used by different registries for different breeds. Sometimes the same breed has different breed-names in different registries. This list contains simple brief descriptions of breeds/types which have occurred over time, including unrecognized/extinct breeds and alternative names. The inclusion of a breed, variant or type of cat is not an indication that it is, or should be, recognized. New breeds appear constantly by hybridization, mutation and perpetuation of variants of established breeds. One trend is crossing domestic cats with wild cats to introduce new colors/patterns/conformation. Anyone can cross two breeds of cat and give the progeny a descriptive name without intending to create a lasting breed. Commoner crossbreeds or interesting terms are described for interest only; most are regarded as 'moggies' (mongrel cat, mutt cats) by registries. I have been asked about several non-existent "breeds" so often that we have included entries stating that they are fictional and not an accidental omission. Note: There are increasing efforts to copyright terms such as "Traditional" or "Older Style" in breednames; these everyday English terms describe a version of the named breed which adheres to a historical body-type rather than a more extreme modern type and restricting their use is detrimental to the English language. Bizarrely, the breeder does not like the actual breednames used in case this erodes, rather than promotes, the breed so a plain English description is used in discribing the breeds. In the context of this breedlist, trademarks are used in accordance with applicable laws i.e. as part of a review or criticism and not misappropriation or competition. A number of breeds exist in "traditional", "older style" or "authentic" versions as well is in the more commonly seen modern ("classic" or "contemporary") version.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

PQ

R

S

T

U

V

W

XYZ

BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Abyssinian	Current	Agouti (ticked) coat plus facial markings, believed to originate from Egypt via Abyssinia (Ethiopia). Has been known as Algerian Cat and Ethiopian Cat. Silver Abyssinians (color on silver background) recognised in the UK. Longhaired Abyssinian variants became the Somali breed. Solid-colour Abyssinian variants exist but are not recognised. See also British Tick, Somali, Wild Abyssinian.
Abyssinian Bobtail	Local Variety, Crossbred	Abyssinian with bobtail mutation (naturally occurring mutation seen in feral cats). Also Abyssinian x Japanese Bobtail.
Abyssinian-Persian Crossbreds	Extinct, Crossbred	Result of experimental cross-breedings (1950s or 1960s) to introduce Abyssinian "red" gene into Persians to produce a solid red Persian without the tabby markings. No more has been heard since.
Abyssinian Variant	Variant	Longhaired cats of Abyssinian parentage. In some registries these are registered as Somalis. See also: Serenti, Somali
Accicat	Alternative Name	See Ocicat
Aegean Cat	Experimental	In development by breeders in the fledgling Greek Cat Fancy since early 1990s. The only native Greek breed. Originates from Cycladic islands. Semi-longhaired, light European/Continental type i.e. neither cobby, nor oriental. Coat is semi-long, less profuse than Turkish Angoras. All colours, especially bi-colours with white predominating.
Alaskan Snow Cat	Experimental, Alternative Name	See Snow Cat.
Albino Siamese	Experimental	Completely white Siamese-type cat with bluish-pink eyes (true "pink eyes" seem to be impossible due to the physical structure of a cats' eyes). This is true albinism (unpigmented eyes) as opposed to ordinary white colour.
Algerian Cat	Archaic Name	Old term for Abyssinian Cat.
Alpaca Cat	Archaic Name	Alternative name for LaPerm
American Blue	Archaic Name	Early alternative name for Russian Blue; at the time (1890s) it was also called the Maltese Blue and was very popular in the USA. See: Russian Blue
American Bobtail	Current	American Shorthair/Semi-Longhair with powder puff tail up to one third normal length, tufted ears. Some lines produce rumpies, stumpies and kink-tail cats. See also: Japanese Bobtail, Karelian, Kuril Bobtail, Pixie-Bob
American Burmese	Current	Cobbier, rounder head, less foreign-looking than European Burmese. Recognises a subset of solid colours, but not torties. Unlike European Burmese, American Burmese have had cranial problems due to domed head shape. Two forms - a traditional unmodified style and Contemporary; the latter has a more domed head.
American Cornish Rex	Proposed	Virtually a separate breed as it looks different, has different personality and has different genetic history fromBritish Cornish Rex breed; the breeds have diverged. American Cornish Rex began as Cornish Rex x German Rex x Oriental. Longer-legged and more delicate than British Cornish Rex; more vocal like Orientals.
American Curl	Current	Shorthair/semi-longhair with ears that curve inward and away from face (like impish horns) giving a "devilish" expression.
American Forest Cat Longhair	Alternative Name	Alternative name for the Maine Coon (naming convention same as Siberian Forest Cat, Norwegian Forest Cat).
American Forest Cat Shorthair	Variant	Shorthaired cat of Maine Coon type. Indicates hybrid with another breed because genetics determines that longhaired cats do not produce shorthaired variants.
American Keuda	Experimental	Name derives from 1980's "Kitten Evaluation Under Direct Assessment" program in Texas, Oklahoma & New Mexico, studying 'type' of cat which survived as barn cats. Conformation resembles Egyptian Mau with silky coat, modified wedge head, slightly almond-shape eyes and medium to large-boned, highly athletic semi-foreign body. Loose skin and loose-jointed effect, noticeable skin flaps (apron) on belly and under elbows. All patterns and colours including solids, shaded colors, torbies and tabbies. Colourpoints may have ventral stripe (from belly flap to chest) in same colour as points. Only Texas/Oklahoma ranch cats from single, established gene pools (i.e. no new cats since 1980) can be used in foundation registry, no outcrosses to established breeds. Unknown if Egyptian Mau contributed to pre-1980 gene pool. Miniature versions are being bred.
American Longhair	Archaic Name	See Maine Coon. Confusingly some breeders are working on a longhaired version of American Shorthairs under this name. See Maine Coon.
American Lynx	Current	Domestic x Bobcat hybrid, spotted shorthair, bobtailed.
American Polydactyl	Experimental	Polydactyl (extra-toed) cats; no other info at present. Polydactyly is seen in Pixie-Bobs, Poly-Bobs and was once common in Maine Coons.
American Shag	Alternative Name	Alternative name for the Maine Coon. See Maine Coon.
American Shorthair	Current	America's own Shorthair breed, derived from cats imported by early settlers and less cobby than the British Shorthair.
American Snughead	Alternative Name	Alternative name for the Maine Coon. See Maine Coon.
American Wirehair	Current	American Shorthair type cat with short, coarse, wiry coat with a thick undercoat, similar to that of Wirehair Terrier dogs.
Anatolian (Turkish Shorthair, Anadolu Kedisi)	Experimental	Natural breed, similar in type to the Turkish Van. It is allowed to outcross with the Turkish Van. Like the Turkish Van & Turkish Angora the Anatolian occurs in all natural colours, with and without Van markings. Eye colour ranges from green, blue, yellow through to dark amber and odd/eyed. According to Turkish folklore"eyes must be as green as the lake and as blue as the sky". Many Anatolian cats have been exported and registered as Vans or Angoras. Dutch and German breeders are striving for purebred Anatolians. They are said to like water even more than does the Turkish Van. May be a political breed rather than being differnet to Turkish Angoras/Vans.
Ankhara	Archaic Name	See Angora, Turkish Angora
Anglesey Bobtail	Experimental?	No information available. Listed as new/experimental in 1996.
Angola	Archaic Name	An alternative name for the Angora, used in the 1800s. See Angora, Turkish Angora
Angora (British Angora)	Archaic name	Old British name for Oriental Longhair (European Javanese, Dutch Mandarin). In addition to the US Oriental Longhair standard, the self white British Angora may have green eyes or odd eyes. Original mating was Sorrel Abyssinian x Siamese Seal point, to introduce gene for white cats. The Abyssinian carried longhair gene; Longhaired Oriental Cinnamons and Fawns resulted (carrying recessive white). These were later bred to re-create the Angora type cat which was predecessor of the Persian breed. Not to be confused with the true Turkish Angora. In 2002, British fancies adopted the name Oriental Longhair. See also: Javanese (UK) Mandarin, Oriental/Foreign Longhair, Turkish Angora, Russian Angora.
Angora German Rex	Experimental	See Longhaired German Rex.
Annamese	Extinct	Possible ancestor of modern Siamese, from Vietnam. It was considered that the Siamese cat was a result of interbreeding Birman and Annamese cats.
Appaloosa	Alternative Name	One of the early names proposed for the Safari breed.
Apple (Round) head Siamese	Current	Old-style Siamese, less extreme in type than modern (Classic) Siamese. Appleheaded (round-headed) Siamese are now making a comeback in the US and UK. In parts of Europe the "Thai Siamese" is comparable. The term "applehead" refers to a rounded head type of doll once popular in the USA. See also: Colorpoint Oriental Shorthair, Colorpoint Shorthair, Opal, Siamese, Thai-Siamese.
Archangel	Archaic Name	See Russian Blue
Asian Longhair (Asian Semi-Longhair)	Current	See Tiffanie.
Asian Miniature Cat	Unknown/One-off Mutation	Info received from a vet tech who believed it to be a discontinued breed due to health problems: mentally retarded, bad teeth formation, fused vertebrae and joints and resembled a bear cub when walking. Sounds like one-off genetic dwarf.Dwarf cats should not be mated together as their offspring are likely to have the crippling/lethal effects.
Asian Shorthair	Current	Cats of Burmese type but various colors outside of the normal Burmese range. Asian Shorthair group includes the Bombay and Burmilla.
Australian	Extinct	A mutation of the Siamese, similar to modern Oriental/Foreign (i.e. various colors). Oriental in shape with large ears and long nose and short or absent whiskers. Already rare in the 1940s and now extinct.
Australian Curl	Extinct	Discovered 1996, as an abandoned injured kitten. It was hoped that she would be the founder of an Australian Curl breed. The Curl differs a little from that of the American Curl. The cat had one litter only (suffering serious illness as a result), none of the kittens were curl-eared. No back-crossing could be attempted and no breed was founded (1997).
Australian Mist	Current, Alternative Name	The breed name encompassing the Spotted Mist and Marbled Mist. Derived from Abyssinian x Burmese x Domestic Tabbies. Spotted or Marbled pattern on ticked "misty" background. Comes in Brown, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Peach and Gold varieties. Bred in Australia and currently not seen outside of Australia. See also Spotted Mist, Marbled Mist.
Australian Mist Longhair	Experimental?	Longhaired variant of Australian Mist. Some Abyssinians carry a recessive gene for long hair which shows up in their descendants.
Australian Tiffanie	Current	The Australian Tiffanie derives from the Burmilla breeding program. Burmillas are Chinchilla x Burmese. Burmilla x Burmilla may produce longhair kittens (a recessive gene) known as the Australian Tiffanie. See also Tiffanie, Asian Longhair..
"Authentic"	Current	Breeds prefixed by "authentic" adhere to an older or variant conformation and are not ultra-typed or bred to extremes..
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Bagrel	Experimental	A wild/domestic hybrid. Full name is Machbagral. See Machbagral
Bahraini Dilmun Cat	Experimental	A natural semi-foreign spotted cat being developed by members of the Cat Club of Bahrain. Dilmun cats evolved to survive Bahrain's extremely high summer temperature. Fur is very soft, conformation is Oriental-type with slender, long bodies, high haunches and long, narrow legs and tails. Head is wedge-shaped, ears are wide at the base and oval tipped, nose has a slight stop, eyes are slanted and green or gold. Some are solid-colored, most are spotted tabby with a dusky blush on the nose, dark bars on the base and tip of the ears, ringed tail, bracelets on legs and necklaces. Like the Egyptian Mau, this is a naturally spotted cat. Purebred Dilmun cats are becoming more rare due to interbreeding with abandoned pet Persians.
Balinese	Current	Longhair Siamese. In some US registries only solid points are recognized in Balinese, other pattern points are called Javanese in US. (NB: Javanese was once used in UK for Oriental Longhair, in NZ it means spotted/self variants of Balinese) See also: Javanese (US)
Benedictine	Experimental	Provisional name for breed being developed from longhaired kittens born in pedigree Chartreux litters in the UK. The Chartreux was crossed with the Persian in the 1930s to improve eye colour. This also introduced the recessive gene for longhair. The existence of Longhaired Chartreux kittens is denied by many Chartreux breeders and they are homed as moggies. The name chosen preserves the connection with monks.See also: Chartreux
Bengal	Current	Domestic cat x Leopard Cat (Felis bengalensis). Domestic cats used were mainly Egyptian Mau, Abyssinian, Burmese and American Shorthairs (possibly Ocicat). Some lines include Margay genes; the few remaining Bristols (domestic x Margay hybrid) were given to a Bengal breeder for use in her Bengal program. Comes in spotted, rosetted and marbled patterns. Breeders wish to preserve the look of the Leopard Cat. Black markings on brown/golden background is usual, 'snow' variants have pale markings on ivory background (due to dilution genes from Siamese and Burmese). Many have a distinct "glitter" to their coats. Silver Bengals (using Silver American Shorthairs) and Silver Smoke Bengals (using Silver Smoke Egyptian Maus) are becoming increasingly popular. Cats carrying silver play a part in creating Bengals with bright golden background.
Bengal Longhair	Variants	Colour and type as for Bengal. Coat is fluffier with plumy tail and distinct ruff. Long hair propably came from recessive gene in Abyssinians. Frowned upon by Bengal breeders, but some breeders apparently now working with longhairs separate from mainstream Bengals.
Bengal Variants	Current, Variants	Unrecognized Bengal variants include Longhaired Bengals, Blue (blue on apricot), Chocolate, Cinnamon and Tortoiseshell Bengals. Solid colours (e.g. Black) and Minks (Tonkinese colours) also appear. Because the wild look is lost with the variant colours they are not usually bred.
Bengal x Bobcat hybrids	Experimental	Hybrids between Bengals (domestic/F bengalensis) and Bobcats (F rufus). There have been reports of Bengal x Lynx hybrids being bred as pets, but Bengal/Bobcat is more likely.
Berkshire Brown	Archaic Name	See Havana Brown
Birman	Current	(Sacred Cat of Burma). Medium-sized cat with a massive oriental body, medium legs and tail, broad round head with short muzzle and rounded ears. Colorpointed with white mitts and boots. Semi-long silky coat, thick on the neck and tail. Developed in France in the early 1900's the Birman superficially resembles the Himalayan (Colorpoint Persian) but has white boots; oriental rather than cobby body, and coat texture like the Turkish Angora rather than the Persian. Birman variants which do not exhibit the standard pattern (e.g. non-colorpointed variants) are sometimes referred to as Tibetan. In "Sa Majeste, Le Chat" (1932) there is a picture of a Birman-type cat described as "half-Persian, Half Siamese" (at that time, Siamese occasionally had white toes) suggesting that the Birman may be entirely a French development.
Birman Shorthair	Experimental	Bred experimentally in New Zealand since since 1995. Proposed breed name is Tsuncat. Now called Templecat. See: Templecat
Black Bengal	Experimental	Melanistic Bengals occur in some litters if both parents carry the recessive gene for black coat. Often faint ghost markings of spots and rosettes are visible. They are not bred deliberately within the Bengal breed, but have been used to found the Pantherette breed. See: Pantherette
Black Somali	Experimental or Crossbreed	Black versions of the Somali exist but are frowned upon by registries. Somali in type and temperament, black fur with "shimmer" due to barely visible ticking. Obtained from Somali x Black Domestic Shorthair.
Blonde Havana	Alternative Name	Foreign Cinnamon Shorthair (Holland)
Bohemian Rex (Bohemia Rex)	Experimental	Also known as Czech Curly Cat. Longhaired Rex-coated cat of Persian conformation. Has the same rex gene as the Cornish Rex. Longhair Rexes often have unmanageable or poor quality coats. Discovered in 1981 in Liberec, Czech Republic when a pair of pedigree Persians produced curly kittens. Research showed that other curly kittens had occurred in Persian lines tracing back to two male cats imported from Germany in the 1970s. Possibly due to German Rex breeders using Persians as outcrosses. Persian in personality and type, without ultra noses. Coat is soft, falling in small, tight spirals and crimps, with looser curls on the back. See also: Selkirk Rex
Bombay (Asian Black Shorthair)	Current	Originated from Burmese x American Shorthair crossings. A jet-black cat of Burmese type with bright copper "newpenny" eyes. The American Bombay is cobbier in type like the American Burmese.
Bombay Longhair(Asian Black Longhair)	Experimental	Semi-longhaired version of the Bombay, now recognised as a experimental breed by some European registries.
Bondanese	Variant	Name sometimes used to describe a Siamese cat carrying the recessive albino gene; leading to the cat having a lighter-than-usual colour.
Bonx	Experimental	Name given to Bobcat x Manx hybrids apparently used in creation of some bobtailed breeds. This could be genetically problematical as it combines the gene for manx taillessness/short tail with the wild-type gene for bobtail and the interaction/inheritance becomes difficult to trace.
Brazilian Shorthair	Current	Short-haired breed neither cobby nor svelte, with tapering tail and head intermediate between European Shorthair and an Oriental Shorthair and almond-shaped eyes.
Bristol	Unknown, was Experimental	Reputed (1980s) to be Domestic x Margay, though available descriptions suggest a Bengal-type cat. A photo reputedly shows a cat resembling a big orange Ocicat. The Bristol predates the Bengal. Once recognized by TICA, but dropped due to lack of numbers and sterility problems. The few remaining Bristols were introduced into some Bengal lines to add further wild-type genes.
British Angora	Current	See Angora, Oriental/Foreign Longhair
British Longhair	Experimental	Semi-longhair version of British Shorthair. Apart from fur, it is identical to British Shorthair. Also known as Lowlander.
British Shorthair	Current	Large cobby shorthair originating from cats taken to Britain by Roman settlers. Became rare during the two World Wars and surviving British Shorthairs were bred with American/European Shorthairs and Persians (for the cobby type). Some breeders are breeding the original British Shorthair from cats found in Scotland and Ireland. Four outcomes are possible: the original breed (less plushly furred) will be restored (unlikely, the current British Shorthair is widespread); there will be two British Shorthair breeds (possible, but a new name will be needed e.g. Irish Shorthair); the Scottish and Irish cats will be introduced into British Shorthair bloodlines (unlikely, breeders are too jealous of the purity of their bloodlines); or the breeding of the Scottish/Irish cats will lapse due to lack of interest.
British Tick	Archaic Name	Naturally occurring ticked shorthair cats, possibly later refined into AbyssinianSee Abyssinian, Bunny Cat, Cunny, Hare Cat, Rabbit Cat
Brooklyn Rex	Mutation	Rex-type mutation which occurred in Brooklyn, USA, 2003. Rippled coat, wiry rex hair, kittens born bald (LaPerm-type growth pattern, but Rex-type coat).
Buckfast Blue (Buckfast Rex)	Extinct Local Variety	In Devon, UK, gray-blue cats with slightly woolly and slightly waved coats were found near Buckfast Abbey and nicknamed the Buckfast Blue by locals. The Devon Rex originated from this area so the waviness may be one expression of the Rex gene. This strain, found in strays and ferals, appears to have been lost due to outbreeding.
Bunny Cat	Archaic Name	See Abyssinian. This term is also applied to the Manx.
Burmalayan	Crossbreed	Burmese x Himalayan. Longhair with Burmese or Mink colour. See also: Himbur, Iranese, Layanese, Mink Longhair, Mink Persian, Silkanese, Tibetane, Tonkalayan
Burmali	Crossbred	Burmese x Somali, ticked coat, shorthair of Burmese type. Now known as Asian Ticked Tabby Shorthair. See also: Asian Shorthair
Burmanx	Crossbred	Burmese x Manx (sepia Manx, a crossbred)
Burmese	Current	Body type similar to turn-of-the-century Siamese, colors are self (solid) and tortie. Patterned/Shaded/Tipped/Smoke Burmese are called Asian Shorthairs. Some self colors are called Malayan by some registries. Breed is descended from brown female cat from Burma, Wong Mau, who is now known to have been a Tonkinese. Burmese and Siamese can be considered to be two ends of a spectrum of Asian breeds, the middle range being the Tonkinese, which produces pointed, mink and self-colored individuals. See also: Asian Shorthair, Burmali, Burmilla, Burmoire, Malayan, Tiffanie, European Burmese, American Burmese, Contemporary Burmese
Burmilla	Current	Burmese type cat with Chinchilla color and tipping. Occurred due to an accidental mating between a Burmese and a Chinchilla cat.
Burmoire	Alternative Name	Burmese type shorthair in shaded/smoke series. Now part of Asian Shorthair grouping. See also Asian Shorthair.
Butterfly Rex	Archaic Name	See Devon Rex.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Cabbit	Mythical	Reputed cat x rabbit hybrid. This is genetically impossible.
Californian Rex	Extinct	Extinct Rex-type mutation.
California Spangled	Current	A "designer breed" bred to resemble spotted wild cats, but without any hybridisation with wild species. Shorthair, spotted, striped lower legs; African x Malayan x Abyssinian x other. The 'King Spangled' variant has marbled markings like a King Cheetah.
California Toyger	Experimental	See: Toyger.
Calimanco / Calamanco	Archaic term	Old North American name for a tortoiseshell short >hair (tortie and white being known as calico).
Canadian Hairless	Alternative Name	See Sphynx
Canon Girdlestone's Breed	Archaic, Extinct	Breed of shorthaired blue tabby cats reputed to originate in north of Norway and imported into Britain at same time as early Russian Blues.
Cape Breton Bobtail	Local variety	Strain of Manx-like cats found on islands off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Less cobby than the Manx, the tail is a rabbit-like scut, not a pom-pom like bobtail.
Catenoid (IRCA)	Extinct? Was Experimental	Intended to be a cat which will produce an IRCA Ragdoll-type cat regardless of what it is mated with! The underlying genetics theory is dubious. Apparently abandoned following death of Ann Baker. Presumed extinct.
Celonese (Ceylon Cat)	Experimental	Small ticked tabby, barred legs, various colors. Origin Ceylon, now bred in Italy. The black-ticked golden form is also known as the Manilla.
Celtic	Experimental	No information.
Certosino (Italian)	Alternative Name	See Chartreux.
Chantilly/Tiffany	Current	Developed in North America from non-pedigree cats, the Chantilly/Tiffany has a silky, semi-longhaired coat in chocolate color. Though superficially resembling the Burmese, it is unrelated and should not be confused with the British Tiffanie (Asian Longhair). Burmese kittens are born with lighter coats and have dark paw pads, Chantilly kittens are born dark and have pink paw pads. They were first known as Foreign Longhairs and even as Mahoganies and may have been a by-product of the breeding program which gave rise to the British Angora.
Chartreuse Cat	Archaic Name	Confusingly an old name for the Russian Blue and not to be confused with the Chartreux. See also Spanish Blue, Maltese Blue, Russian Blue.
Chartreux	Current	Similar and related to European Shorthair. Described as "potato body on matchstick legs". Short blue coat with heavy undercoat, some "wooliness" permitted. Apparently derived from slatey-blue European Blue Shorthairs by monks, producing a silvery-blue cat. In the UK it is not distinguished from the British Blue despitedifferent build and coat type.
Chausie	Experimental	Domestic x Asian Jungle Cats (F chaus). Early Chausies were up to twice as tall as domestic cats and 2-3 times as heavy. Breeders are working to maintain the look and coloration of the jungle cat, the large size and tufted ears. Colors of early Chausies were golden, solid black or black and silver (smoke). At 3rd and 4th generation level, the three colors are brown ticked tabby, silver tipped and black. The silver tipped may be a form of black agouti rather than smoke or silver. 3rd and 4th generation cats are the size of medium-large domestic cats.
Cheetoh	Experimental	Bengal x Ocicat hybrid. Large, gentle cats with a wild look and inheriting different colours from Ocicat lineage. The aim appears to be to create a very wild-looking domestic cat without further crossings with to wild cats.
Cherub	Experimental	Selkirk Rexes with Persian-type faces.See also: Czech Curly Cat, Bohemia Rex
Cherubim	Current?	Umbrella term for IRCA varieties: IRCA Ragdoll, Honeybear and Miracle Ragdoll. IRCA assert that such cats resulted from Josephine, who apparently produced normal kittens prior to a car accident, but ultra-placid kittens afterwards. First came the Ragdoll, then Honeybears and Miracle Ragdolls (upgraded Ragdolls) which IRCA claim are "Cherubim Cats" because they are tranquil and non-aggressive. Increasingly rare following death of Ann Baker. See IRCA Ragdoll, RagaMuffin
Chinchilla Longhair	Current, Alternative Name	In the UK: Chinchilla Persian (may be Ultra-typed). In parts of US and South Africa: Chinchilla Persians conforming to Sterling breed standard (i.e. not Ultra-typed).
Chinese Cat	Archaic Name	Archaic name for the Persian breed; used in the 1800s.
Chinese Hairless Cat	Non-existent	There is no such breed as the "Chinese Hairless Cat". It appears to be a garbled version of the also non-existent Egyptian Hairless. For hairless/nearly hairless breeds see Sphynx (Canadian Hairless), Don Sphynx (Donskoy/Donsky), Peterbald (St Petersburg Hairless), Hawaiian Hairless (Kohana); two extinct hairless breeds are Mexican Hairless Cat, French Sphynx.
Chinese Harlequin	Experimental, Extinct?	Shorthair, black tail, black patches on head, small patches on body (Van pattern?), blue/white possible. Bred to resemble cat found in ancient Chinese art. In China, cats are eaten or farmed for fur, not frequently kept as pets.
Chinese Lop	Extinct	Extinct fold-eared variety from China. See: Sumxu
Chocolate Siamese	Archaic Name	See Tonkinese
Cloud	Experimental	Australian shorthair/semi-longhair breed in mink colors. Some photos depict a Ragdoll-like cat, others depict a cat similar to the traditional (older cobbier) style of Siamese. (Information welcome)
Colorpoint British Shorthair	Current	British Shorthair cat in Siamese pattern coat.
Colorado Rex	Non-existent?	This name appeared on a survey of Rex cat breeds in 2002, but no such breed exists. Presumed to be confusion with a rabbit breed of this name. Although single Rex-coated cats crop up by spontaneous mutation and are generally given the name designation "location name + Rex", there is no record of a mutation known by this name. Information to the contrary welcome.
Colorpoint Longhair (UK)	Current	Colorpoint Persian, solid/tabby/tortie points. See also Himalayan.
Colorpoint Longhair (US)	Current	Colorpoint Persian (Himalayan) with tabby or tortie (i.e. non-solid) points.
Colorpoint Shorthair (UK)	Current	Colorpoint cat of British Shorthair type.
Colorpoint Shorthair (US)	Current	Identical to Siamese apart from point colors which are not recognized within the Siamese category of governing bodies. In other countries they are more often classed as Siamese.
Contemporary Burmese	Current	American 'improved' type Burmese with more domed head. Subject to cranial deformities.
Coodle	Archaic	An old term for the Cornish Rex, derived from cat + poodle. See Cornish Rex.
Cornelian	Archaic Name	Proposed name for breed now known as Red Self Asian.
Cornish Rex (European Cornish Rex, British Cornish Rex)	Current	Small oriental type cat with curly, marcel-waved, Rex-type fur. Descended from a Cornish farm-cat called Kallibunker. Bred for a foreign-type body, to distinguish it from the unrelated Devon Rex, which nevertheless appeared a few years later in neighbouring Devon! All colors and patterns, those in pointed patterns are known as Si-Rex. It is distinct in shape and personality from the American Cornish Rex which has been extensively outcrossed to Oriental cats.
Cornwall Cat	Archaic	In 1837 a strain of tailless cats were reported in Pendarvis, Cornwall and in a Dorset village. In 1909 it was reported that the tailless cats were known variously as Cornwall cats or Manx cats.
Copper	Archaic Name	Thai name for Burmese/Tonkinese type cats. See also: Supalek, Thong Daeng, Thai Copper
Cougarin	Proposed	An attempt to breed a cat resembling a miniature American Cougar; possibly from Bengal x Abyssinian x Domestic Shorthair
Coupari	Current, Alternative Name	Longhair Scottish Fold. The alternate name Highland Fold was rejected in the UK since Coupar Angus (where the cats originated) is not in the Highlands. See Scottish Fold.
COURICS™	Alternative Name	Apparently proposed name for Toy and Teacup Persians in application made to TICA for new breed/color status.
Criollo	Alternative Name	One of the early names proposed for the Safari breed of cat.
Cunny Cat	Archaic Name	Ticked British cat. See Abyssinian.
Curly Abyssinian (Abyssinian Rex)	Crossbreed	An accidental mating between an Abyssinian-type pet cat and German Rex apparently produced curly-coated kittens of modified European Shorthair conformation with the coat pattern and colour of the usual (ruddy) Abyssinian. The parents were unneutered pets. The mating was not repeated. Curly Abyssinians and Curly Somalis (or Abyssinian Rex/Agouti Rex) remain a possibility. The Abyssinian-type cat must itself have been an Aby/Rex hybrid since the gene for Rex coat is recessive.
Curly Persian	Alternative Name	Alternative name for the Bohemain Rex/Czech Curly Cat.
Curly Tailed Cat	Archaic	Various curly tailed mutations have been found in cats in China (12th Century) and pre-1940 in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.
Cymric	Current	A semi-longhaired Manx, named after the Welsh name for Wales although it was developed in the US. See also: Manx
Cyprus/Cypress	Alternate Name	The local East Anglian [Norfolk/Suffolk/Essex area of UK) name for a tabby cat. Cyprus is described in the 18th century as being a finely curled "stuff" of reddish colour, similar to silk threads and hair. It is sometimes rendered as "Cybrian" cat "Cyprian" cat (the description of "fine curled stuf"f suggests these might actually have been Rex-type cats).
Czech Curly Cat	Experimental	See Bohemian Rex
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Dakota Rex	Experimental	A mutation reported in late 1990s in the US. The proposed Dakota Rex breed is in its very early stages.
Desert Lynx	Current	Abyssinian x Bobcat Hybrid. 12.5% bobcat (Bobcat within last 3 generations). May have domestic bobtailed/shortailed cats in ancestry, tails from rumpy-riser to hock length. Patterns are leopard spotted (spots or rosettes), tawny (ticked agouti) or marble. Leopard varieties have spots in ebony, bronze, blue, chocolate, sorrel, lilac or fawn; also comes in silver range and snow range (latter is blue-eyed with leopard markings on light tan bodies). Short and longhaired (semi-long) varieties, ear tufts and bobcatty ruff. Stockier than a Bobcat. See: American Lynx, Highland Lynx
Devon Rex	Current	Oriental type-cat with triangular head, prominent cheekbones and huge ears; curly, wavy, Rex-type fur. Descended from a curly-coated feral which fathered a similar kitten named Kirlee. At first bred with recently discovered Cornish Rexes, Kirlee was found to carry a different Rex gene and went on to found the Devon Rex breed. Bred for different conformation and head shape to further distinguish it from Cornish cousin. All colors and patterns including pointed pattern which is known as Si-Rex. Provisional name was Butterfly Rex.
Dilmun	Alternative Name	See Bahraini Dilmun Cat.
Doll (Open) Faced Persian (traditional style Persian)	Current	A non-ultra-typed Persian resembling the older style (traditional style) of Persian, noted for its doll-like or open-faced look closer to ancestral Persians. See also: Pig-Faced Persian.
Domestic Longhair (Moggy Longhair)	Current	Non-pedigree cat with semi-long- or longhair.
Domestic Shorthair (Moggy Shorthair)	Current	Non-pedigree cat with shorthair.
Don Sphynx (Don Hairless/Don Bald Cat/Donskoy/Donsky)	Current	Medium sized Russian breed with curly whiskers and tail tip may have soft, dense, close lying, slightly curly coat. Young cats (under 2 years) may have short fur on muzzles, slightly longer cheeks with "ear muffs". In winter the whole body may be covered with a fine coat. Kittens may sometimes be born with a wavy rex coat and "bald spot" on the head. Is outcrossed to European Shorthairs. The founding female of both the Don Sphynx and the Peterbald was a hairless blue tortie cat called Varya in 1989.
Dutch Rex (Wirehair Rex)	Experimental?	A coarse-furred rex mutation observed in Holland in 1985. Has a coarse, wavy coat with a slightly bristly feel.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Edinburgh Tailless	Extinct	In 1809 it was reported that a female cat in Edinburgh, Scotland produced a number of tailless kittens over a period of several years. This strain apparently died out.
Egyptian Hairless Cat	Non-existent	There is no such breed as the "Egyptian Hairless Cat". It was invented by the TV show "Friends" and mistakenly reported as fact elsewhere. Hairless cats are not hypoallergenic and it was irresponsible of the show to mislead viewers. For hairless/nearly hairless breeds see Sphynx (Canadian Hairless), Don Sphynx (Donskoy/Donsky), Peterbald (St Petersburg Hairless), Hawaiian Hairless (Kohana); two extinct hairless breeds are Mexican Hairless Cat, French Sphynx.
Egyptian Mau	Current	Modified oriental-type conformation; spotted coat. Introduced into the U.S. from Egypt; not recognized in UK. Possibly the oldest domestic cat breed, traceable back to the Egyptian Middle Period. Its fur type is apparently more primitive than that of other breeds and, unlike more modern cats, it has a tendency to face foes rather than flee! In flight, it is also the fastest of the domestic breeds. Not to be confused with a spotted oriental breed, bred to resemble Egyptian cat, which was developed in England and was originally known as the Mau.
Elizabethan	Experimental	Apparently a new breed being developed by a Munchkin breeder. No details.
English Rex	Archaic	Old name for Cornish Rex until the Devon Rex also appeared in England. See Cornish Rex.
Ethiopian	Archaic Name	Another term for Abyssinian, Ethiopia is the modern-day name for ancient Abyssinia. Abyssinians were once known as Ethiopian or Algerian Cats in China.
Euro Chaus	Experimental	Cross between a jungle cat (F chaus) and European wildcat (F silvestris).
Euro Chausie	Experimental	Cross between a domestic Chausie (Jungle cat/domestic hybrid) and European Wildcat.
European Albino	Experimental	Bred in Belgium; a European shorthair type white cat with ruby-red eyes which have pale translucent blue irises (true "pink eyes" seem to be impossible due to the physical structure of a cats' eyes). Albinism is a lack of pigment and is different from the more common white colour.
European Burmese	Current	American name for the Burmese cat found in UK and Europe, it is considered more Oriental in type than the cobbier American Burmese. See "Burmese" for description.
European Shorthair	Current	First recognized in Sweden, similar to, but less cobby than British Shorthair. 58 color varieties are approved, classic tabby being favourite. Derived from cats brought to Europe by Roman settlers, possibly with admixture of genes from native European Wildcat (F silvestris) with which it can interbreed. Coat type reflects the harsher northern European climate. Has given rise to other breeds e.g. Chartreux, Norwegian Forest Cat.
Exotic Fold	Experimental	Exotic Shorthair x Scottish Fold shorthair; now being bred in Canada as the Foldex.
Exotic Longhair	Current, Variant	Longhaired individuals are sometimes born to Exotic Shorthair parents due to the recessive nature of the gene for longhair. Once despised they are not accepted in the Persian class due to non-Persian parentage and a relatively poor coat; accepted as Exotic Longhairs by some registries. One of the names suggested for this breed was the Tiffany, due to the original conception that the Exotic was to be allowed in silver colors only. Tiffany is now used for Tiffany/Chantilly breed.
Exotic Shorthair (Shorthair Persian)	Current	Developed from Persian x Shorthair crosses. Persian type cat with short, very plush coat. Ultra-typing (Extreme typing) is beginning to occur in this breed.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Feral Domestic Hybrid	Alternative Name	A misleading name for domestic x Geoffroy's Cat hybrids and other wild x domestic hybrids. It is misleading because "feral" cats are domestic cats gone wild and these cats are hybrids with wild species. See Safari Cat
Foldex	Experimental	Exotic Shorthair x Scottish Fold shorthair; also known as the Exotic Fold. The Foldex has a shorter nose than the Scottish Fold but not as short as the Exotic Shorthair. Otherwise this is a fold-eared version of the Exotic Shorthair. Facially, the Foldex looks like a little furry owl. The temperament is like the Exotic. Like the Scottish Fold, it is prone to the same bone deformities and produces some non-folded offspring.
Foreign Burmese	Alternative or Archaic Name	American term describing breed now known in US as European Burmese. American Burmese are cobbier like American Shorthair; European Burmese are more foreign in type (like Siamese/Orientals).
Foreign Shorthair	Current	Oriental type cat with self color, shorthair.
Foreign Longhair	Current	Oriental type cat with self color, semi­longhair. See also Angora.
Four-Eared Cat	Archaic Name	An old Chinese name for the Chinchilla Longhair, based on the amount of fur inside its ears which gave the appearance of an extra set of ears. Mutant cats with four ears (a set of smaller ears placed behind or before the normal ears) have been found; the mutation is usually associated with brain damage making the cats lethargic.
French Sphynx	Extinct	Hairless cats (Bald Cats) were born in France but failed to thrive. The modern Sphynx derives from Canadian cats. See also: Sphynx, Don Sphynx, Peterbald, Mexican Hairless.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Gao Taem	Extinct	In antiquity, a "strikingly spotted" white and black Thai cat described as having, black marked forepaws, black and white ears, black shoulders, two black spots on the back, black shoulders. In total, nine horse-like black spots on an all white background, jewel-like green eyes. In probability, a favored pattern ("Seychelles" pattern) of white/black piebald cat of oriental type.
Genuine Ragdoll	Alternative Name	A term once used for the internationally known non-IRCA Ragdoll . See Ragdoll.
Geoffroy's Cat x Domestic Hybrids	Current	These include Ocicat x Geoffroy's Cat, Bengal x Geoffroy's Cat
German Rex	Current	European Shorthair type exhibiting gene for Cornish Rex. The original rex cat was a semi-feral hospital cat in East Berlin in 1946, but the mutation was not actively followed up until the late 1950's. It is rare compared to the better known Cornish Rex. Used in early Cornish Rex lines in the USA. See also: Rex
Golden Siamese	Archaic Name	See Tonkinese
Golden Chechong	Archaic Name	See Tonkinese
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Hare Cat	Archaic Name	Ticked British catSee Abyssinian.
Havana (UK)	Current	Chestnut Brown Oriental - Siamese in type, self Chestnut in color. Originated from Seal Point Siamese x British Black Shorthair matings
Havana Brown (Havana (US))	Current	Originated from British Havana x American Shorthair crossings. Less extreme or foreign-looking in type compared to British Havana. Found in brown and its dilute - frost (lavender).
Hawaiian Hairless	Experimental	A recent mutation from Hawaii, this cat has true hairlessness. It lacks even the hair follicles and has a skin with a rubbery texture rather than the peach-fuzz effect of other hairless breeds. Also known as the Kohana Kat.
Hebridean	Local variety	A local variety known on the Isles of the Hebrides and reported in 1987 but not since. The distinguishing feature is the unusually tiny ears which may be folded. This suggests a genetic link to Scottish Folds.
Hemingway Curl	Colloquial Name	A localised variety rather than a breed. The first Hemingway Curl appeared as a spontaneous curl-eared mutation in a colony of polydactyl cats known as Hemingway cats (after the polydactyl cats of Ernest Hemingway) on Key West. Hemingway Curls have been crossed with African Jungle cat hybrids to produce the Jungle Curl breed. Occurs in shorthair and longhair versions.
Hemingway Fold	Experimental	Scottish Fold x polydactyl, basically a fold-eared cat with extra toes.
Hemingway Sphynx	Proposed	A potential cross between Sphynx and polydactyl cats to give hairless polydactyl cats. Originally proposed by a Don Sphynx breeder. A polydactyl Sphynx cat has apparently occurred through chance mutation in a SPhynx litter.
Hemingway Spotted	Archaic Name, Experimental	Polydactyl x Bengal cross, producing a spotted cat in Bengal pattern but with extra toes. Now called Mojave Spotted as the polydactyl cats used are from the Mojave Desert area.
Hemingway Thai	Cross-breed	Allegedly a polydactyl Apple (Round) head Siamese or a cross between Applehead Siamese and polydactyl cat to give colourpoint polydactyl cats. Possibly a one-off and a title of convenience (colourpoint polydactyls occur naturally). Apparently exhibited as a household pet.
Hemingway's Breed	Extinct	Hemingway, whose name is associated (in America) with polydactyl cats, attempted to create a breed of cat using Cuban cats crossed with existing breeds (possibly Angoras). The breed was never established and never formally named. The attempt is recorded here for interest only.
Highland Lynx	Experimental	Desert Lynx (Bobcat x Abyssinian) x Jungle Curls (F chaus hybrid). Some sources have quoted bengal/F bengalensis as part of the mix.
Himalayan	Current	Persian cats with colorpoint pattern coat. Known in Europe as Colorpoint Longhairs/Colorpoint Persians. See also Colorpoint Persian, Khmer
Himalayan Reflection	Variant	Non-pointed Himalayan. These are considered Persians in some registries.
Himalayan Rex	Variant	There was an isolated report (no date/location given) of a Rex-coated kitten in a Himalayan litter i.e. a curly-coated colourpointed Persian. Whether this was a spontaneous mutation, mismating or earlier accidental introduction of Rex into the breed is not known. Nothing further has been heard. It should be relatively easy to produce Himalayan Rexes by crossing the Bohemia Rex or Selkirk Rex to Colourpoint Persians.
Himbur	Crossbred	Himalayan x Burmese, longhair Tonkinese, Persian in mink series colors. See also Iranese, Layanese, Mink Persian, Mink Longhair, Silkanese, Tibetane, Tonkalayan.
Honeybear	Current?	Claimed to be the 'world's sweetest cats', with childlike personalities. Related to IRCA Ragdolls. Large and cobby (resemble Persians) but with flattish head with small round ears set on the sides of the head. Its non-matting coat and ruff is very thick and silky. Tabby/non-solid patterns, preferred pattern is black with white "teardrop" on the forehead and white spotting on the top of the tail, sometimes forming a skunk-like stripe. Slow to mature. IRCA have claimed that Honeybears were created by genetic manipulation of skunk genes which were "injected" into the bloodstream of the parent Honeybear (unsound genetics). See also Cherubim, Ragdoll (IRCA), Miracle Ragdoll, RagaMuffin.
Household Pet	Current	Not a breed, but a class in shows open to non-pedigree and unregistered pedigree cats (and the term found on non-pedigree cats' veterinary records). Sadly for the true random-bred moggy, such classes are dominated by unregistered pedigree cats and by "half-pedigree" cats (with one parent being of a recognized breed), sometimes bred deliberately for show.
Highland Fold	Alternative Name, Current	Longhair Scottish Fold See: Coupari, Scottish Fold
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Icelandic Shorthair	Experimental?	No details.
Il Gatto Color Cioccolato	Experimental	The European nucleus of York Chocolate (or York Chocolate type) cats, found in Northern Italy.
Indian Cat	Archaic Name	An archaic name for the Persian breed; used in the 1800s. NB: The Indian Desert Cat is sometimes erroneously listed as a breed, but is a subspecies of F lybica.
Indian Mau	Colloquial Name	'Mau' is a generic name for cat. Two Indian Maus were brought back from the New Delhi in 1982 and used in the Bengal breed. The Indian Maus were products of two cats that were brought to India from Egypt by a British couple.
Indian Rex	Alternative Name	A name considered for the LaPerm breed.
Iowa Rex	New Mutation	Rex mutation reported 2001. Sandy Lowe's calico had a curly coated kitten (Simon). A later litter sired by the same male gave another rexed kitten and a third litter resulted in a longhaired rexed kitten which has fur which hangs in "dreadlocks". Iowa Rex have long whiskers and are large, muscular rangy cats. The head type with their well developed broad muzzles is also distinct. It is hoped that an experienced breeder can take over these cats as foundation cats for a new breed.
Iranese	Crossbreed	Tonkinese x Persian. (Australia). See also: Burmalayan, Himbur, Iranese, Layanese, Mink Longhair, Mink Persian, Silkanese, Tibetane, Tonkalayan
Irish Shorthair	Proposed	Suggested name for recreating cats of the pre-war British Shorthair type Modern British Shorthairs are cobby and plushly furred from outcrossing to Persians. Cats of the pre-war type are still found in Ireland and Scotland; a new name would be required to differentiate them from the modern British Shorthair. This is, thus far, hypothetical.
Irish Shortear	Non-existent	Featured in "Why Paint Cats" book of dyed cats (actually photographic manipulation). Described as Burmilla x Scottish Fold with large protuberant eyes, short ears and very relaxed nature. The photo (Brown Burmilla) has been edited to give the cat larger eyes, narrower chin and short ears (original ear tip has been enlarged and grafted back onto the face). Scottish Fold gives folded not shortened ears. The partial-dominant "macro-retinal" gene is fictional.
Israel Rex	Mutations	Several curly kittens have been born to a semi-feral cat in Israel. Some are born curly but lose their curls later. This sounds similar to the LaPerm, however there is no intention to develop them into a breed in Israel and they are too far distant to be imported into the USA.
Italian Rex	Extinct	Extinct Rex-type mutation, possibly same as Oregon Rex.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Jaguarundi Curl	Not Known	The Jaguarundi is a a South American cat (but very un-cat-like in shape). The reporter may have confused it with the Jungle Curl. Jaguarundi Curl Longhairs and Shorthairs were reported.
Japanese Bobtail (Shorthair)	Current	Distinguished by its bobtail and high-cheekboned triangular face. Close-lying, silky short hair. Tail is 4-5 inches in length if fully extended, but due to kinked structure appears only 2-3" long. The tail hair often grows straight out in all directions, giving it a rabbit-like fluff-ball or pom-pom appearance. Preferred color is Mi-Ke (red-black-white calico), followed by white with either black or red splashes. In Japan it is found in other colors including agouti (Abyssinian pattern) and colorpoint (Si-Bobtail). Colorpointed versions occur naturally in Japan. The gene for Bobtail is widespread throughout Asia, extending as far as Russia. It should not be confused with the Manx or American Bobtail. See also: American Bobtail, Karelian, Kuril Bobtail, Pixie-Bob
Japanese Bobtail Longhair	Current	As for Japanese Bobtail but with semi-longhair coat.
Javanese (US)	Current	Identical to the Balinese but with Lynx/Tortie/Flame points
Javanese (NZ)	Current	Self/Spotted Balinese variants
Javanese (UK/Europe)	Archaic name	Old term for Oriental Longhair. See Oriental Longhair, Mandarin, Angora
Jungle Bob	Experimental	Jungle Cat (F chaus) x PixieBob. Bob-tailed Jungle cat hybrid.
Jungala	Current	The New Zealand Jungala (recognised 2001) is an Ocicat in the classic tabby pattern. Apart from the classic tabby pattern, the conformation and temperament are the same as the Ocicat. The spotted Ocicat is derived from a mix of Abyssinian, Siamese and American Shorthair and also produces ticked tabby and classic tabby variants. Ticked tabbies may be used in breeding programs, but classic tabbies are not desirable. Unlike the Bengal's marbled pattern, the Jungala has the normal classic tabby pattern. The Ocicat and Jungala are inter-mateable and progeny registered according to their pattern. Jungalas come tawny (brown or black classic tabby), chocolate, cinnamon, blue, lavender or fawn and also in the silver versions of those colours. Its name comes from the Sanskrit word for "Jungle".
Jungle Cat Hybrids	Experimental	Any F chaus x Domestic Cat hybrid of which the Chausie and Euro-Chausie are best known. Other Jungle Cat hybrids include F chaus x black domestic shorthair (black panther-like hybrids) F chaus x Maine Coon (large hybrids), F chaus x Bengal, F chaus x PixieBob.
Jungle Curl	Experimental	Jungle Cat (F chaus) x American Curl (Hemingway Curl) x outcrosses to domestic shorthairs, Serengetis, Jungle cat hybrids, pure Jungle Cats, Bengals, Egyptian Mau, and Abyssinians. Emphasis is on type, not on wild blkood percentage. No further crosses with American Curls or any form of bobtail or polydactyl. Has a tendency to have short tail, but this is being bred out as it may be inherited from domestic cats not Jungle Cats. Colours are ebony, blue, sorrel, fawn, chocolate, lilac (including silvers, sepias, snows). Patterns are tawny (ticked with faint barring on tail, legs, chest and face) and leopard (spotted, preferably rosetted, with barring on legs and tail). Sepia, mink and snow varieties have faint leopard spots to appear.
Jungle Lynx	Experimental	Jungle Cat (F chaus) x Bobcat. This is not a domestic breed but a cross between two wild species.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Kanaani (Canaan Cat)	Experimental	(Germany) Based on, and bred to resemble, the spotted wildcat subspecies Felis lybica gordonii, but with domestic temperament. Available photos suggest spotted Oriental or Ocicat in seal-spotted tabby, chocolate-spotted tabby and cinnamon-spotted tabby. Classic tabby is permitted, silver colors are disqualified. Large slender cat with long, muscular body, longer hind legs produce slightly raised rump. Long thin tail, tapering towards the tip. Neck is long and slim. Head must not be narrow triangle; has softly rounded forehead and top of skull is flat, prominent straight nose without stop. Distinct chin and slightly flattened snout. Large, open almond shaped eyes with slight slant; eyes green to yellowish-green. Ears are large, open, tapering and wide-set with slight brushes on ear-tips. Fur short, close-lying (but not silky like Siamese), with good ticking of base color, but not obscuring the spots. Spots are horizontally/diagonally aligned (i.e. not broken stripes) with barring on legs, ringed tail and necklaces. Belly is light beige and spotted; chin and throat are light beige/white. Until 2005, Kanaani may be outcrossed to spotted Bengals and spotted Oriental Shorthair, accounting for the slightly oriental appearance.
Kangaroo Cat	Archaic Name	See Munchkin
Karel Bobtail (Karelian, Karellian)	Experimental	Shorthaired/semi-longhaired Russian breed occurring naturally along the coasts and islands of Lake Ladoga with same mutations as Japanese Bobtail. . Strong, elegant, svelte cats with lifted rump and short pompom tail (4-13 cm). All colors and their combinations except colorpoint or Abyssinian ticking. See also: American Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail, Kuril Bobtail, Pixie-Bob
Karakul Cat	Extinct	Rex mutation which appeared in the USA in the 1930s.
Kashmir	Alternative Name	Persian cat in chocolate or lavender (lilac) colors introduced via crossing with colorpoint cats/Himalyans. An alternate name used for the chocolate and lilac longhairs imported from England.
Keltic Shorthair	Alternative Name	Alternative name (WCF) or European Shorthair. See: European Shorthair
Khao Manee	Experimental	Pure white Thai shorthair also called the "Diamond Eye" and described in antiquity, "White Jewel" or "Gold and Silver Eye Cat". Distinguishing feature is its brilliant 'glowing' eyes. A bright pattern around the eye gives the eye the look of a "diamond cut". This additional brilliance is unique to the Khao Manee. Some have same-color blue eyes, some are blue/yellow odd-eyed or blue/emerald-green odd-eyed, some have eyes of different shades of the blue. Once exclusively bred by Thai royalty, now bred in the USA. Important Note: The "Diamond Eye" cat is not to be confused with the condition glaucoma (called "diamond eye" in Thailand) in which the eye becomes cloudy or opaque, swollen and very painful. Glaucoma requires immediate veterinary attention.
Khao Plort	Experimental	Alternative name for Khao Manee. Means "All White"
Khmer	Archaic Name	A French breed known as the Khmer resembled a Colorpoint British Shorthair, it was apparently overtaken by the Himalayan. "Khmer" has also been described as a bootee-less Birman-type cat. See Himalayan.
Kinkalow	Experimental, Extinct	American Curl x Munchkin - a short-legged cat with curled ears. The Kinkalow is no longer bred.
Kohana Kat	Experimental, Alternative Name	See Hawaiian Hairless.
Korat	Current	Thai "lucky" breed with silver-tipped blue fur, modified oriental build and distinctive heart-shaped face which differentiates it from Russian Blue and Foreign Blue Shorthair. Also called Si-Sawat or Royal Cat. It was once believed that the gene for the Korat's blue color was dominant and distinct from the gene for blue in other cats. Blue-pointed and Lilac Korat variants occur naturally and there are unconfirmed reports of "fawn" Korats and longhaired variants. See also Thai Lilac, Thai Pointed, Thai Siamese
Kucing Malaysia	Current	(Malaysia). Kucing is Malaysian for "cat". Similar in type to Tonkinese, colour similar to Ragdoll. Medium sized, medium boned shorthair with muscular body, egg-shaped head and open, alert almond-shaped blue/blue-green eyes. Head wide and rounded at top. Good height with soft round lines. Full cheeks, medium to long nose, medium size strong chin. Profile is gentle convex curve with oval impression. Medium sized ears, slightly rounded tips, flare out a little and tilt forward slightly. Coat is short, close-lying and silky with little or no undercoat. Medium length body, broad chest. High legs, medium to slender in size, slightly oval paws. Thick fully coloured medium length tail with rounded tip. Colours recognisable by pointed patterns containing white. White blaze on face and muzzle is desirable. See also: Piawaian Kucing Malaysia
Kurdish Van	Alternative Name	A politically alternative name for the Turkish Van.
Kuril Bobtail (Curilsk)	Experimental	Russian breed in shorthair and semi-longhair longhair forms. The main distinguishing feature is the short (5-13 cm) "bob" or "pompon" tail. Some early Kuril Bobtails were smallish, compact and cobby due to inbreeding. The modern recognised Kurilens are large (7-9 kg/15-19 lbs) and brawny and highly sociable. See also: American Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail, Karelian, Pixie-Bob
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
La-Lang	Unknown	Ancient Asian breed? No information.
LaMerm	Alternative Name	LaPerm x Munchkin (curl-haired Munchkin). See Skookum.
LaPerm (Dalles LaPerm)	Current	Rex-type cat of American Shorthair type, strongly curled coat, short/semi-longhair, American. Dominant gene, some kittens born bald or straight haired, most will go bald and then grow the curled coat.
LaPerm x Manx Crossbreeds	Crossbreed	Tailless and bobtailed LaPerms resulted from an accidental mating between a Manx and a LaPerm. All were neutered. See also: Poodle Cat, Pudelkatze
Layanese	Crossbreed	Tonkinese x Himalayan. (Australia) Semi-longhair with mink colour. See also: Burmalayan, Himbur, Iranese, Mink Longhair, Mink Persian, Silkanese, Tibetane, Tonkalayan
Legend Cat	Crossbreed / mythical	Reputed the offspring of natural bobcat x domestic crosses and used as the basis for Pixie-Bobs.
Leopardette	Archaic Name	See Bengal
Limau Kohlum	Extinct	Limau Kohlum (and Wild Abyssinian) were started off in 1987 by Jerry Mayes of Marietta, Georgia. He went to Singapore to find additional foundation Singapuras. As well as 2 Singapuras (Burmese expression brown ticked tabby) he found black ticked tabbies (non-Burmese expression) and red ticked tabbies. The blacked ticked tabbies were bred for a while as "Wild Abyssinians" and the red ticked cats were dubbed "Limau Kohlum" (Malay for "red cat"). Interest in these appears to have waned.
Lion Cat	Archaic Name	An old Chinese name for the Persian Cat; alludes to the mane-like neck ruff.
Little American	Extinct?	Advertised by IRCA (no details) and presumed extinct following death of Ann Baker (IRCA founder). At a guess, an attempt to breed a miniature cat.
Longhair (UK)	Current	See Persian
Longhair Rex	Experimental	Most longhair rexes were not perpetuated as the longhaired coat is unmanageable when affected by gene for Rex. However, semi-longhaired Rex-types are bred - LaPerm, Selkirk Rex, Bohemian Rex. See also Angora German Rex, Czech Curly Cat/Bohemian Rex
Longhaired Cornish Rex	Experimental	A breeding programme is ongoing for longhaired/semi-longhaired versions of the Cornish Rex, but so far these cats have not sparked much enthusiasm. Longhair is due to a recessive gene and longhaired cats occur naturally.
Longhaired Devon Rex	Experimental	A Devon Rex with a shaggy, curly coat. Thus far it has not been seriously developed as a breed. Longhair is due to a recessive gene and longhaired cats occur naturally.
Longhaired German Rex	Experimental	There is a breeding programme ongoing in Germany. Also called Angora German Rex. Longhair is due to a recessive gene and longhaired cats occur naturally.
Lop­Ear	Extinct	See Scottish Fold, Sumxu
Louisiana Creole Cat	Archaic Name	See Munchkin.
Lowlander	Experimental	See British Longhair.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Machbagral	Experimental	Experimental hybrid breed (America/Canada) using the Fishing cat (F viverrina) and a spotted melanistic domestic cat (black cat showing shadowy spotted pattern). The aim is to create an exotic-looking cat combining domestic temperament with the appearance of a small black panther with shadowy spotting. Currently in early stages because of low fertility of F1 hybrids. Early hybrids resemble the Fishing Cat and are large, very rounded and have thick, dense fur. Silvery-background to charcoal-blackish coloring with black spotting and markings similar to wild parent. Hybrids are claimed to be very friendly, use the litter tray like a domestic cat but have voracious appetites. They are intelligent, active and have an attraction to water. Also called Bagral.
Mahogany	Archaic Name	See Chantilly/Tiffany.
Maine Cat	Alternative Name	See Maine Coon
Maine Coon (American Longhair)	Current	Large, rugged, long-bodied longhair with long, heavy and silky coat, large ruff and bib and luxuriant plumed tail. All coat colors and patterns are permitted except the Siamese pointed coat (in Britain chocolate and lavender are also disallowed). Preferred coloration is the patched brown classic tabby. Legend has it that the Maine Coon is a racoon/cat mix though the genetics of this is impossible.
Maine Coon Rex (Maine Rex/Maine Wave)	Experimental	Attractive rex-furred Maine Coon variant, possibly accidental introduction of Cornish/German Rex gene earlier in breeding program or a natural mutation. Is a Maine Coon in all respects except coat texture. Kittens with fine, frizzy fur appeared in pedigree litters in UK during 1980s, but interest was limited. Its existence displeased UK breeders who saw it as a genetic 'problem' or impurity to be weeded out rather than a breed opportunity. Some breeders neutered all their rexes and rex gene carriers, risking loosing this variety before others could work with it. The cats have been popular at cat shows.
Maine Trick Cat	Alternative Name	See Maine Coon
Malayan	Alternative Name	The Malayan is simply a Burmese in all the Burmese solid colors except sable (and chocolate in Britain).
Malayan Persian	Archaic Name	Old name for Himalayans/Colourpoint Persians given to a white Persian x Siamese cross in America in 1924. The name reflected the Siamese/Oriental origin of the new variety. In 1957, Himalayans were recognised in America; in 1955 Colourpoint Longhairs were recognised in the UK. The name Malayan Persian was dropped in the US and "Himalayan" (the name of the colourpoint pattern as found in rabbits) adopted instead.
Malay Cat	Archaic Breed	Bobtail cats from Malaysian peninsula, very similar to Japanese Bobtail. Reported in 1881, but not adopted as a formal breed. See Piawaian Kucing Malaysia for Malaysia's home-grown cat breed
Malaysia Cat	Current, Alternative Name	See: Kucing Malaysia
Malaysiana	Experimental	According to a US judge in Kuala Lumpur, a breed being developed in Malaysia (1996). Looks like a small tiger with mackerel striping and athletic, moderate, Abyssinian-like type.
Maltese	Archaic Name	See Russian Blue
Mandalay	Current	From New Zealand, Abyssinian/Burmese crosses, similar to Asian Shorthair in Europe but Abyssinian ancestry is evident in Mandalays. Except for reds, there should be no contrast between coat color and points.
Mandarin	Alternative Name	See Oriental Longhair, Javanese (UK).
Manilla	Variant	Colour variant of Ceylon - sandy-golden with black or dark markings.
Manx	Current	Distinguished by long hindlegs and no tail. Expression of taillessness varies from rumpies (tailless), bumpies/rumpy-risers (vestigial tail), stumpies (short tail) and longies. Gene is semi-lethal (kittens inheriting 2 copies of gene die before birth) and linked to other abnormalities e.g. high incidence of spina-bifida. In spite of harmful effects, the gene was perpetuated naturally because the cats were an island population isolated from natural outcrosses.
Manxamese (Colorpoint Manx)	Crossbreed	See Si­Manx
Manxilla	Crossbreed	Chinchilla/Tipped Shorthair x Manx; Manx in tipped, shaded and smoke colours.
Manxkin	Crossbreed	Manx x Munchkin, tailless Munchkin.
Manx Rex	Experimental	Rex-coated Manxes appeared spontaneously in Australia and New Zealand. The coat is relatively dense and frizzled with visible guard hairs. All traced their ancestry to a single Persian stud that had European ancestry. They may be related to the Bohemia Rex.
Marbled Mist	Current	Marbled version of the Australian Mist, modified tabby pattern on a misty ticked background color. See Australian Mist.
Marcel	Archaic Name	Alternative name for California Rex
Masked Silver	Extinct	Reported in 1900 and 1947 as a variety of Persian cat resembling the Siamese. Pale silver body with black mask or face, black feet and legs and deep golden or copper eyes. Some authors consider it to be an early Colourpoint Persian (with "wrong" eye colour), other consider it a form of shaded silver Persian.
Mau	Archaic Name	Mau was also the old name for Oriental Spotted Tabby in the UK. See Egyptian Mau.
Mei Toi	Experimental	Advertised as genetically miniature cat, currently mature cats are a similar size to Singapuras. Other information was suggestive of Munchkins. Current advertising refers to 'Mei Toi Munchkins'.
Mexican	Current	Recognised 1978 in Mexico as Mexican Domestic Cat and one of the first natural breeds; descended from cats introduced by Spanish conquistadors and have remained pure ever since. Shorthaired and semi-longhaired varieties. Typical working cats and hunters, athletic, medium build (light but powerful). Long, well-boned, muscular limbs. Large, strong jaws. Fur thick and protects against temperature. White (blue/orange/odd eyed forms), black, blue, red, cream, classic/mackerel tabby, silver tabby, cameo tabby, cameo, chinchilla, black smoke, tortie and dilute tortie, bicolour i.e. colours and patterns that do not show Siamese influence.
Mexican Hairless	Extinct	Sphynx is similar recent mutation. There was reputedly a pair in Europe, but whether these were genuine Mexican Hairless or a new mutation was unproven.
Miniature Persian	Alternative Name	Diminutive Persian caused by dominant gene mutation. Appeared in a single Persian breed line in mid-late 1990s and its genetics were under investigation at the time (information supplied by breeder in 1996). See Toy Persian and Teacup Persian.
Mini-breeds	Experimental	Genes for miniature cats appeared relatively recently in America (possibly in Japan). These are being bred in their own right e.g. Toy Persians and are also being used to found miniature versions of existing breeds. Crossbreeds with Munchkins (shortlegged) are sometimes also given the "Mini-" prefix.
Mini­Himalayan	Extinct	Apparently a diminutive colorpoint longhair (historical, not related to trademarked breed). Recent interest in miniature breeds has led to the breeding of Mini-Himalayans and Persians.
Mini-Keuda	Experimental	Miniature version of American Keuda. See: American Kueda.
Mini-Munchkin	Experimental	Reputedly being developed by breeder of miniature Mei Toi cats.
Mini ™ Persian/Himalayan	Experimental	A selective breeding program in New York in the mid 1980's used undersized cats to progressively downsize the Persian/Himalayan breed and bypassed the normal breed registration process by trade-marking the breed. (The trademark on the word "Mini" may prove impossible to enforce as it is a standard prefix in the English language and has been used to describe miniature Persians and Himalayans in the past) Mature weights: females 6-8 lbs, males 8-10 lbs. See also Pixie- and Teacup-Persians/Himalayans.
Mink Longhair, Mink Persian	Experimental or Crossbreed	Persian Longhairs in the Tonkinese (mink) colour series; the points are slightly darker than body. These have been bred experimentally in different countries under a variety of names and for many years. They are attractive cats, but have yet to attract a serious following or achieve formal recognition. A shorthaired version (Mink Exotic) is equally possible. See also: Burmalayan, Himbur, Iranese, Layanese, Silkanese, Tibetane, Tonkalayan.
Minskin	Experimental	Breed developed by crossing Munchkins, Sphynx and domestic cats. It is neither a short-legged Sphynx nor a hairless Munchkin, but apparently has its own unique look. A Sphynxkin is also reported as a crossbred, but with no apparently intention of establish a breed.
Minx	Non-existent	There is no such thing as a Minx breed. Sometimes this term has been used for dwarfed, tailless cats (Miniature Manx type)
Miracle (Miracle Ragdoll)	Current	'Upgraded' IRCA Ragdoll, long or shorthair, all Ragdoll patterns (Mitted, Colorpointed, Bi-colored) plus solid colors, silvers, smokes, pointed, calicos, bi­colors, tabbies and torties color.
Missouri Rex	Experimental	A recessive gene Rex which occurred in Missouri, early 1990s. Shorthaired cat with smooth, wavy fur and long 'loopy whiskers' (not brittle ones). Semi-cobby body and large, low-set ears. By the late 1990s there were only three Missouri Rex in existence (more may be bred from these) due to financial mismanagement of the breed which led to most being destroyed. Missouri Rex have been test-bred to Devon and Cornish producing only straight-haired kittens (i.e. it is a different mutation from either of these).
Moggy	Current	Non-pedigree cat, also referred to as mixed-breed, random-bred, Domestic Longhair, Domestic Shorthair, alley-cat etc. Body type, fur length, color and disposition variable. Moggies are usually robust, healthy cats due to genetic diversity.
Mojave Spotted	Experimental	Polydactyl x Bengal cross, producing a spotted cat in Bengal pattern but with extra toes. Formerly called Hemingway Spotted as polydactyl cats are often known in the USA as Hemingway cats. Now called Mojave Spotted as the polydactyl cats used are from the Mojave Desert area
Moon Cat, Moonstone Cat	Archaic Name	Alternative name for the Sphynx or Canadian Hairless.
Munchamese	Crossbreed	Munchkin x Siamese (described as having a 'wedge' head and oriental shape i.e. a short-legged Siamese rather than colorpoint Munchkin)
Munch-Bob	Experimental or proposed	Munchkin x Pixie-Bob. Short-legged breed with bobtail and preferably polydactyl. The ultimate aim appears to be a bobtailed polydactyl Munchkin with folded-ears.
Munchinese	Experimental	Miniature or short-legged Siamese, bred for a while in South Carolina
Munchkin	Current	Breed with short legs akin to a dachshund dog and ferretlike gait. The name Louisiana Creole Cat was an alternative suggestion when the breed was being named. Occurs in shorthaired and longhaired varieties. Unlike short-legged dogs, Munchkin is apparently supposedly free of back problems, however it may be prone to chest/ribcage problems. See also Kangaroo Cat.
Munchkin Polydactyl	Experimental	Munchkin x polydactyl - basically a short-legged cat with extra toes (no breed name available but possibly associated with Munch-Bob development).
Mynx	Crossbreed	Manx x Sphynx. Attempts to breed hairless tailless cat have not been generally welcomed.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Napolean Cat	Experimental	Originated from Munchkin X Persian and Munchkin x Exotic Shorthair crosses combining the Persian/Exotic looks with short legs. Essentially a shortlegged Persian or Exotic. A "pure" Napoleon is 75% Persian/Exotic and 25% Munchkin. Because the short-leggedness is a dominant gene, long-legged Napoleons occur as variants.
Native American Rex	Alternative Name	A name considered for the LaPerm.
Nebelung	Current	Longhaired equivalent of the Russian Blue, developed from non-pedigree semi-longhairs which resembled Russians; later crossed with Russian Blues. Currently only seen in blue, but there is possibility of expanding color range using Russian Blacks/Russian Whites from Europe or Australia.
Nepali	Local Variety	Observed in Nepal: One type is similar to a Bengal, big with elegant elongated legs and pointed faces. Colors range from sandy brown to gray always with spots and stripes. The other type resembles the Egyptian Mau with silvery (often almost lavender) coloring with small spots or light stripes. Eye colors are either light green or yellow.
Neva Masquerade	Current	Colorpointed version of Russia's native semi-longhair, the Siberian. The Siberian is similar in looks to the Norwegian Forest Cat. The Neva Masquerade is being incorporated into the Siberian in the US since colorpoint is an accepted variety in Russia.
New Zealand Shorthair	Current	New Zealand's own breed, descended from cats imported by early settlers from Europe. Domestic shorthair cats were registerable for a specified period in order to establish a gene pool for the New Zealand Shorthair. The New Zealand Shorthair is a medium bodied, solidly built muscular cat, not too cobby, with broad rounded chest, equally broad from shoulder to hip. Muscular medium short legs. The head is large, broad and well rounded with well developed cheeks. Head large, broad, well rounded, full-cheeked with sweet, open expression. Rounded forehead, moderate stop. Rounded, slightly short muzzle, firm chin. Eyes and ears set wide apart. Ears slightly rounded at tip. Large round eyes, green-green/hazel (black-silver tabbies), yellow-gold (other colours), yellow, gold, blue or odd-eyed in whites. Short moderately thick coat, not plush or double-coated. There are 90+ colours, including all standard colours, tabbies, silver tabbies, bi-colours, tri-colours and vans pattern. Colours/patterns showing hybrid ancestry are not permitted e.g. chocolate, lilac or sable series or pointed/mink series, or silver series with agouti inhibitors.
Nile Cat	Alternative Name	Early name (1990) for the Chausie breed of cat.
Ninlaret	Extinct	Extinct Thai breed (oriental type breed) said to have black fur, teeth, eyes, claws, and tongue (the Chow dog breed has an almost-black tongue). In humans, a medical condition called porphyria causes teeth and sometimes nails to stain red; a similar condition in cats could cause dark red (almost black) staining of teeth and claws. Porphyria also causes progressive dementia, may cause photosensitivity ("allergy to bright light") and is not a desirable breed trait. Note: It turns out that "Black Pearl" is the name given to very dark grey/indigo Korats!
Non-Pointed Himalayan	Alternative Name	Canadian term used to differentiate solid color longhairs of Himalayan parentage from other solid colour Persians.
Norwegian Forest Cat (Norsk Skaukatt/ Skogkatt)	Current	Large cat with long silky fur and thick undercoat. Large, rugged longhair superficially similar to Maine Coon and Siberian (differences in shape and fur texture). Powerfully built with longer hind legs, long hair, full ruff, tufted ears and bushy tail. Long glossy outer coat and thick undercoat.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Ocelette	Archaic Name	See Ocicat
Ocicat	Current	Result of (Abyssinian x Siamese) x Siamese matings. Spotted pattern in all tabby colours including silvers. Modern Ocicat is closer in build to American Shorthair than to Oriental cats. Earlier names for Ocicat were Accicat (accidental mating) and Ocelette. See also: Jungala (classic tabby version of Ocicat)
Ocicat Longhair	Current, Variant	Longhaired Ocicats appear due to recessive longhair gene in Abyssinian (poss Somali) ancestors.
Ocicat Variants	Current, Variants	There are 96 possible combinations of colours and patterns. Only the spotted Ocicat is recognised, but Ocicats produce solid, smoke, colourpointed, tipped and striped tabby variants.
Ocicat x British Tipped	Experimental	Ocicat x British Tipped hybrid; currently so early in development that the breed is unnamed! Like the Burmilla, resulted from accidental matings. Combines the silver tipping with the Ocicat pattern and type. Very experimental, only 2 litters existed at the time of writing though the breeder intended to develop the breed.
Ohio Rex	Extinct	Extinct Rex type mutation
Ojos Azules	Experimental	A new mutation named for its blue eyes which are not linked to coat color. Normally only white, mostly white or colorpoint cats have blue eyes; the blue eyes of the Ojos Azules are due to a newly identified dominant gene. Occur in most colors (white not encouraged). Development of this breed went on hold due to a potential lethal gene causing cranial deformities. Similar mutations have occurred in New Zealand and several such cats have been found in Essex, UK in recent years.
old style Siamese	Current, Alternate Name	Name understood worldwide for Siamese cats of the older (cobbier) style. See also: Apple (Round) head Siamese, Opal, Thai Siamese, traditional style Siamese
Opal	Proposed Name	Suggested name for Colorpoint American Shorthair, roughly equates to the Apple (Round) head Siamese. See also: Apple (Round) head Siamese, Old Style Siamese, Thai Siamese, traditional style Siamese.
Oregon Rex	Extinct, but may have re-occurred	American Shorthair type cat with Rex coat. Oregon Rex gene is distinct from the Cornish/German and Devon Rex genes and is recessive. It was bred for a while by enthusiasts but was allowed to die out. The breed was considered extinct, but there has been renewed interest in it.
Oriental Bobtail	Experimental	Oriental conformation and coat, bobtailed. Breed standard was finalised in 1988 by the Cat Association of Britain, but no more has been heard of this breed.
Oriental Fold	Experimental or crossbreed	Fold-eared cat of Oriental/Siamese type, produced from Scottish Fold x Oriental/Siamese crossings. See also: SiaFold
Oriental Longhair (US)	Current	Foreign type, tabby, spotted, ticked, semi­longhair
Oriental Longhair (UK)	Current	Formerly the (British) Angora (UK) and Javanese (Europe); known around world as Oriental/Foreign Longhair (Mandarin in Netherlands). The original mating was of a Sorrel Abyssinian x Siamese Seal point, done to introduce a gene believed to produce white cats. The Abyssinian was a longhair carrier and Longhaired Oriental Cinnamons and Fawns resulted (carrying recessive white). The cats were later bred to re-create the Angora type cat which was predecessor of the Persian breed. It should not be confused with the Turkish Angora (true Angora) which has been preserved by Ankhara Zoo in Turkey. The adoption of the name Angora was confusing and caused confusion between this and the original Turkish cat which has prior claim to the name. In 2002, British fancies adopted the name Oriental Longhair. See also: Javanese (UK) Mandarin, Oriental/Foreign Longhair, Turkish Angora, Russian Angora.
Oriental Pastel	Extinct?	Being developed in UK in late 1960s/early 1970s; Foreign shorthairs of extreme type bred from Oriental selfs and Foreign Spotteds and incorporating the silver gene to give the coat a "shot silk effect". Colours are Oriental Silver, Dapple Silver, Oriental Blue, Dapple Blue, Oriental Lavender, Dapple lavender, Oriental Apricot, Oriental Ivory. Eye colour turquoise, jade or amber depending on coat colour.
Oriental Shorthair (UK/Europe)	Current	Identical to the Siamese apart from color - self, spotted, tabby, bicolor etc. The Spotted Tabby Oriental Shorthair was, for a time, known as the Egyptian Cat/Mau in the UK. In some registries, self-color oriental-type cats are called Foreign Shorthairs, leaving the Oriental Shorthair designation for patterned cats.
Oriental Shorthair (US)	Current	Identical to the Siamese apart from a self (solid) coat. Chestnut Oriental Shorthair is known as Havana in the UK; not the same as the Havana Brown found in US.
Original Ragdoll	Alternative Name	See IRCA Ragdoll
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Palomino Cat	Experimental	(USA); color is described as being like that of a brown paper grocery bag.
Pantherette	Experimental	Depending on reference: Black Bengal x Maine Coon or Amur Leopard Cat x Black PixieBob. Black Bengals sometimes occur; these were crossed to a black Maine Coon (for the muscular build). Back crossings to Black Bengals will eliminate the longhair trait. Longhair is recessive and will never be eliminated from the breed. The goal is a domestic cat resembling the Black Panther, with short, dense black coat. Another source cites Amur Leopard Cat (as used for Bengals) x black full-tailed PixieBob to create a cat resembling a Black Panther. See also: Black Bengal
Panthurette	Experimental	In 2001 a man in Texas took beach strays, selecting and breeding them for rounded ears and panther-like looks. He died and his family (not cat-lovers) disposed of the cats, splitting up the breeding stock. The cats are different to the Bengal-based Pantherette. "Panthurette" is an unofficial name used for convenience. Only one stud cat (Panthur) remained at the time of writing (Sept 2001) and was in danger of being neutered due to lack of interest.
Paraguay Cat/South American Dwarf Cat	Extinct	Reputedly a dwarf cat discovered in the 1830s.
Pavane	Alternative Name	Cinnamon oriental/foreign
Peach Russian	Experimental, Variant	Color variant of Russian shorthair, occurred in Russian Blue breed in US. See: Russian Peach, Russian Shorthair
Peke-Faced Persian	Extinct?	Essentially a Persian with virtually no muzzle, creating a flat Pekingese-type face with additional wrinkles above nose, bulging eyes and constant snuffle. Occur as spontaneous mutations among red/red-tabby Persians. Prone to sinus and tear duct problems, high kitten mortality. Few people are now breeding these cats, new registrations were down to single figures by end of 1990s. Not recognised outside of US, but some UK 'Ultra-Type' Persians are heading dangerously close to the Peke-Faced type.
Persian (Persian Longhair)	Current	Known as Asiatic cats (or Turkish Angoras) up till 1876, the Persian was introduced to Europe from Asia Minor about 400 years ago. By the early 1900's, it was being bred away from the lithe Turkish Angora type and towards a more massive and cobby type. The Persian of today bears little resemblance to the Persians of a century ago. In the UK, the Persian was renamed the Longhair, but because the original name had already stuck, it is currently referred to as the Persian Longhair to differentiate it from other longhaired cats. See also Longhair, Doll-faced Persian, Peke-faced Persian, Pig-faced Persian.
Per-Manx	Crossbreed	Cross between Persian and Manx to produce a tailless form of Persian. Tailless Persians have also occurred spontaneously.
Persian Ticked	Experimental or Crossbreed	Somali x Persian Longhair crosses aimed at producing cats of Persian type with ticked markings in the Somali range of colours, including silver series. The ticked pattern apparently gives a very different effect from the tipped/shaded/smoke patterns seen in Persian Longhairs. The Somali "red" gives an almost "red self" cat. I would expect the combination of long coat and usual ticked to be very distinctive and the silver series to be particularly attractive. See also Abyssinian-Persian Crossbreds.
Peterbald (Peter Bald, Petersburg Hairless Cat)	Current	Sphynx-like Russian breed, with an oriental-type body. Originated as cross between Don Sphynx (native Russian Sphynx cat) and Oriental-type household pets in St Petersburg. The founding female of both the Don Sphynx and the Peterbald was a hairless blue tortie cat called Varya in 1989.
Piawaian Kucing Malaysia (Malaysian Piawaian Cat)	Current, Alternative Name	See: Kucing Malaysia
Pig-Faced Persian	Colloquial Name	Extreme type Persian with very short muzzle. See also Ultra-Type Persian, Doll-Faced Persian
Pixie-Bob	Current	Originally claimed to be domestic x Bobcat (F rufus) hybrid with 25% Bobcat blood; genetic testing cannot confirm this claim (some registries do not accept hybrids). The ancestry is now claimed as crosses with "Legend Cats" which are reputed (but unproven) descendants of natural bobcat x domestic crosses in the past. Spotted coat, ticked stand-out fur, short tail, tufted ears and "bobcatty face". Polydactyly common. See also: American Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail, Karelian, Kuril Bobtail
Pixie™ Persian/Himalayan	Experimental	A selective breeding program in New York in the mid 1980's used undersized cats to progressively downsize the Persian/Himalayan breed and bypassed the normal breed registration process by trade-marking the breed. Mature weights: females 4-6 lbs, males 6-8 lbs. See also Mini- and Teacup-Persians/Himalayans.
Poly-Bob	Colloquial Name	Polydactyl bobtails bred in Texas, not related to Pixie-Bob. Different genes to those in Pixie-Bob. Polydactyly ranges from barely expressed, through various degrees of foreleg polydactyly to absence/distortion of long bones of legs or twisted joints. The last are termed 'Twisty Cats' (see 'Twisty Cat' entry) and resemble thalidomide defect. Twisted effects may be due to gene recessive to that for polydactyly or may be variable expression of a dominant gene for polydactyly. Occasional tailless cats suggest gene for bobtail is similar to that for Manx. Small litter size suggests semi-lethal genes for one or both traits. Colors include solids, particolors, colorpoints. Conformation smaller, less massive in bone structure than Pixie-Bob. See also: Twisty Cat
Poly-Chaus, Poly-Chausie	Crossbreed	Reputedly a hybrid between F chaus and an unspecified polydactyl (poss PixieBob); possibly a one-off.
Polydactyl	Variant, Scientific Term	A term for cats with extra toes. Other names are Six-finger cats, Mitten Cats, Hemingway cats. The unofficial record for polydactyly is a Siamese with 9 toes on each foot (36 toes in total, probably double paws). It is sometimes claimed that polydactyls are only found in America, but they are seen in Britain, mainland Europe and Asia. Early Maine Coons exhibited polydactyly. Polydactyly was probably introduced into the US by European settlers since polydactyls were considered lucky ships' cats.
Polyfynx	Proposed	Suggested name for Sphynx x polydactyl cross. See Hemingway Sphynx
Poodle Cat (Pudelkatze)	Experimental	German breed derived from Devon Rex, Scottish Fold and European Shorthair. There are plans to introduce Manx into the mix to give tailless cats. Developed in 1987 in Starnberg, Germany by Dr Rosemarie Wolf and now found elsewhere in Europe. Outlawed in its native country because German legislation bans Fold mutation. A large, healthy cat; in essence a fold eared Devon, but with a bigger, chunkier body and thicker, denser coat like lambswool.
Poodlekin	Proposed	Poodle Cat x Munchkin to produce short-legged versions of the Poodle Cat. So far remains theoretical since Munchkins are not present in Germany and German animal welfare laws would prohibit breeding for 'defects'.
Prussian Rex	Extinct	Discovered in East Prussia in the early 1930s, but never established.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Rabbit Cat	Archaic Name	Ticked British cat (term sometimes also used for fictional cabbit)See Abyssinian.
Racekatte	Scientific Term	According to Desmond Morris, a Danish breed similar to Siberia Cat. Danish sources wish to correct this misinformation since "Racekatte" is the Danish term for 'pure-bred cats'
Ragamuffin	Current	Name for IRCA Ragdoll in the extended color range, removing it from the control of IRCA and allowing it to be registered with other fancies. Medium to large cat with placid temperament. Long or semi-longhair that is plush and silky. Temperament is inquisitive, but relaxed when handled. See also: Ragdoll (IRCA)
Ragdoll	Current	Large, well-built cat with broad, modified wedge head, wide set ears and very thick, silky, non-matting coat and ruff. The Original (IRCA) Ragdoll and Genuine (TICA, GCCF etc) Ragdoll occur in pointed (Siamese-type colourpoints), bicolour (colourpoints + additional white markings) or mitted (colourpoints + white mitts/boottees) patterns. Three further patterns are not recognized by most societies: High Mitted (longer mitts), High White (bicolour with white predominating = Van pattern) and Mid High White (visually similar to Bicolour, some have more white). Van pattern is recognised in CFA. Though Mid-High whites are visually similar to standard bicolours, they are genetically different. Variant pointed Ragdolls with white toes/mitted Ragdolls with black toes sometimes occur. Ragdolls were once claimed to have reduced response to pain, but this is a fallacy.
Ragdoll (IRCA [International Ragdoll Cat Association])	Current	Description as for Ragdoll, though it may be larger and is claimed to be insensitive to pain (not borne out in practice). IRCA claim that the breed came about when a white female cat was involved in a car accident and her subsequent litters were all placid and pain-proof. The umbrella term for IRCA varieties is Cherubim Cat (see notes under Cherubim). The rapid mutation of the IRCA Ragdoll into the Honeybear, Miracle Ragdoll ("a highly upgraded Ragdoll") and Catenoid suggests genetic instability or new gene interactions coming to light. Following the original breakaway from IRCA and legal wrangling, non-IRCA Ragdolls are termed Genuine Ragdoll and recognized (simply as Ragdoll) by registries while the Original Ragdoll, Honeybear, and Miracle Ragdoll are recognized only by IRCA. Some breeders have redesignated their IRCA Ragdolls in the extended color range as Ragamuffins and seek wider acceptance for the breed. Catenoids were an ongoing program until Ann Baker's death (see Catenoid).
Ratana Kampon	Archaic	A Thai cat of antiquity which has a body that is pink like the inside of a conch shell and a band around its body taht resembles an officer's sleeve band. The name means "martial gem".
Reading Brown	Archaic Name	See Havana Brown
Refrigerator Cat	Extinct	A breed developed in 19th Century Pittsburgh to control vermin in refrigeration plants. This required cats able to survive and breed at very low temperatures. After several generations, this produced a race of "Eskimo cats" which were more at home in the cold than in daylight or normal temperatures, having heavily furred coats, thick tails like Persians and tufted, lynx-like ears.
Renegade	Experimental	Maine Coon x Bengal plus possibly some other wild cats blood. Aim is to produce a wild-looking cat and the biggest breed of cat. At this early stage, cats have been described as resembling large Abyssinians with tufted ears or pet-quality Bengal-type cats.
Rex	Current	See Angora German Rex, Butterfly Rex, Bohemian Rex, California Rex, Cornish Rex, Czech Curly Cat, Devon Rex, Dutch Rex, German Rex, Italian Rex, LaMerm, LaPerm, Maine Coon Rex, Maine Waves, Missouri Rex, Ohio Rex, Oregon Rex, Poodle Cat, Selkirk Rex, Urals Rex, Wirehair Rex.
Ringtailed Sing-a-Ling (Trademarked)	Experimental	Experimental American breed in early stage of development. Ringtailed Sing-a-Lings carry their tails arched over their backs (like Siberian Husky dog). The tails appear very muscular but have full range of motion and the bones are not fused. Muscular foreign to oriental looks, back legs longer then front, loves to climb and has excellent balance. The trait appears to be a form of bobtailed trait but without the foreshortened tail. Judges report the trait to be rare, though it is less rare in random-bred cats and has been seen several times in UK and USA. The tail is either arched over the rump (like a Chow dog) or lies flat along the spine. A ginger and white curly tailed cat was reported pre-1940 in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania and in the 12th Century in China. See also American Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail, Karellian.
Royal Cat (of Siam)	Archaic Name	Old name for early Siamese cats.
Royal Siamese	Archaic Name	Old name for early Siamese cats. to differentiate them from Chocolate Siamese (Burmese or Tonkinese) and Golden Siamese (Tonkinese)
Ruffle	Experimental	A rexed version of American Curl (longhair and shorthair) with the rex gene from the American Cornish Rex. Curled ears and a curled coat. Face is a modified wedge. Hindlegs longer than forelegs. The description suggests a curl-eared Cornish Rex rather than an American Curl with curly fur. According to one source, attempts to improve American Curl ear-size by out-crossing to Cornish Rexes had the side-effect of introducing the gene for rexed coat; this re-surfaced later on in an American Curl breeding line. According to a second source, it was deliberate cross to create new breed. They were named after a brand of crinkle-cut potato snacks. Lack of funds led to the end of the Ruffle breeding program.
Rugkatt	Local Variety	Swedish breed, very similar to Siberia Cat.
Russian Angora	Local Variety	Like Turkish Angora, can have green eyes. See also Russian Longhair, Siberian.
Russian Black	Current	Black version of Russian Blue, bred in Australia.
Russian Blue	Current	Intermediate conformation shorthair with thick, silky, silvery-blue double coat. Originally prized for its pelt, now prized in its own right. May have originated in Archangel, a White Sea port near Finland/Russia border) and once known as Archangel Cat. Due to shortage of pure-bred Russian Blues, British breeders crossed it with Siamese cats, but the original conformation has since been largely restored. See also Archangel, Maltese Blue, Nebelung, Russian Shorthair, Spanish Blue.
Russian Blue Longhair	Alternative Name	See Nebelung
Russian Colourpoint	Experimental	Some European lines of Russian Blue carry the gene for colourpoint as a result of outcrossing to save the breed following the Second World War. Russian Colourpoints are identical in all ways to the Russian Blue except for the Blue Colourpoint pattern. Colourpointed cats of Russian type occur naturally in their homeland.
Russian Longhair (1)	Alternative Name	Longhaired cat of either Russian or Siberian type. It was known in the 19th century and described as distinct from the Persian or Turkish Angora, having a larger body with shorter legs, a wooly coat with coarse hairs among it, a large mane and short thickly furred tail. In Victorian times, it was extensively crossed with the Persian and the Angora and was lost as a distinct type. See also Nebelung, Russian Angora, Siberian.
Russian Longhair (2)	Archaic Name	Archaic name for Turkish Angoras and Turkish Van cats.
Russian Peach (Peach Russian)	Experimental, Variant	A color variant of the Russian Shorthair, appeared in USA as variant of Russian Blue. Possibly genetically cream (dilute of red) or analogous to the lilac variants found among Korats (another blue-coated breed).
Russian Red	Experimental	Another reported color variant of the Russian Shorthair.
Russian Shorthair	Current	The Russian Shorthair group comprises cats of Russian Blue type but all colours: Black, Blue, White, Red, Brown Tabby, Blue Tabby etc. The original Russian-type Blue imported into the UK was said to be a blue and white bi-color called "Kola". At present, these other colours are regarded as separate breeds to the Russian Blue. Russian Peach appeared in the USA while Russian Colourpoint has appeared in the UK. All occur naturally in Russia.
Russian White	Current	Green-eyed white version of Russian Blue, bred in Australia and in Europe. There is now a Russian White at stud in the USA.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Sable Bombay	Variant	Dark brown (Sable) variants of Bombay occur due to recessive genes and are registered as Burmese or Asian in some registries. They are not registrable as Burmese in countries where the Bombay conformation differs from the Burmese conformation. In the UK, the Bombay is part of the Asian group (Asian Black Shorthair)
Sacred Cat of Burma	Alternative Name	See Birman.
Safari	Experimental	Domestic shorthair x Geoffroy's Cat (some are Bengal x Geoffroy's Cat). Has leopard-spotted or rosetted pattern. Originally developed before the Bengal but interest was limited due to breeding difficulties. After the success of the Bengal, there has been renewed interest in the Safari breed. Compared to other hybrids, first generation crosses have a calm temperament. Safaris closely resemble their Geoffroy's ancestor in type and pattern. They can also be bred in a variety of domestic colours e.g. Geoffroy's x seal point Siamese has black or dark brown spots on a silver to golden ground colour. Geoffroy's x Tortoiseshell Shorthair produce black spotteds, red spotteds and tortie spotteds. Early proposed names were Criollo (meaning "half-bred") and Appaloosa ("spotted"), but these are associated with horses so "Safari" was chosen as suggesting an exotic feline.
Savannah (UK)	Alternative or Archaic Name	Bengal x Siamese. Large, Siamese type cat with pattern of a snow leopard Bengal and blue eyes. Bengal x Oriental/Siamese crosses produced the Serval-like Serengeti (US). British Savannah apparently renamed in line with the pre-existing American Serengeti and to avoid confusion with the US Savannah hybrid (Serval x domestic) breed.
Savannah (US)	Current	Domestic x Serval. The Savannah is a hybrid cat created by breeding domestic cats, including Bengals, Oriental Shorthairs, Egyptian Maus, Siamese and others with Servals (large eared, spotted wild cats native to African savannah, hence the name). Like a long-legged, large Oriental with long neck, large rounded ears and Serval-like face. Color light gold to silver and brown with black spotted and striped markings, Cheetah-like black markings around eyes. Currently the largest hybrid cat available.
Scottish Fold	Current	British Shorthair type cat with folded (lop) ears which lie close to head like a cap. Originated in Scotland. Produced prick-eared variants. Gene for folded ear is linked to thickened tail and hindlimbs therefore must not be bred fold-to-fold. Due to this it is not accepted by GCCF (main UK cat fancy - inconsistent since the Manx with its semi-lethal gene is recognized!), but recognized by Cat Association and be fancies in US and Europe. Also occurs in semi-longhair variety. See also: Coupari, Highland Fold, Longhair Fold, Lop-ear, Sumxu.
Scottish Longhair	Variant	Prick-eared variant of longhair (semi-longhair) Scottish Fold.
Scottish Lop	Archaic Name	See: Scottish Fold
Scottish Shorthair	Variant	Prick-eared variant of shorthair Scottish Fold.
Scottish Shorthair	Variant	British term for prick-eared variants of Scottish Fold (longhair and shorthair).
Selkirk Rex	Current	Rounded stocky body type (bred with Exotics to increase cobbiness). Longhaired and shorthaired, dominant rex gene. Tailless Selkirk Rexes have also occurred, but were all neutered. See also Missouri Rex.
Seltic	Variant	Term (UFO) for straight-haired Selkirk Rex variants. Possibly spelled this way to avoid the Seltic/Keltic pronunciation debate involved with "Celtic" and to have similar spelling to "parent breed".
Serengeti Cat	Experimental	From Bengal x Oriental Shorthair crosses. Tall, golden cat with black spots; resembles African Serval but without wild species. (Other sources suggested Jungle Cat x Bengal but no information available on this cross.) Via the two founding breeds, the Serengeti contains genes from the Asian Leopard Cat, British Shorthair, domestic shorthair moggies, Indian Mau, Ocicat, Egyptian Mau, Abyssinian, and Burmese/Bombay, Siamese and even Persian. The Serengeti Cat was developed simultaneously in the USA and UK. American cats have larger ears than the UK breeds due to the ears inherited from the American Orientals. The allowable colours are as in the Bengal: Leopard Spotted and Snow Leopard, plus melanistic (Black Panther). See also Savannah (UK).
Serenti	Variant	Longhaired cat of Abyssinian parentage. In some registries these are registered as Somalis. See also: Abyssinian Variant, Somali
Seychellois	Experimental	Oriental type cat (longhair and shorthair forms) exhibiting the Van/Harlequin ("Seychelles") pattern. Three degrees of Seychelles spotting, ranging from very restricted (on head and tail only) to splashes of color on body.
Si-Aby (Siassinian)	Crossbreed	Siamese x Abyssinian - unofficial term for a tick-pointed Siamese/colorpoint Abyssinian.
SiaCoon	Crossbreed	Siamese x Maine Coon
SiaFold	Experimental	Siamese x Scottish Fold; colourpointed Scottish Folds: cream cats with colourpoints, folded ears, short thick tail and round heads.
Siamalayan	Crossbreed	Siamese x Himalayan (not a breed, just a pairing)
Siamese (Classic Siamese)	Current	Foreign-type colorpointed cat with short glossy fur. Some registries classify Siamese with non-solid points as Colorpoint Shorthairs. Range from very extreme in type (pronounced wedge-shaped face, "bat" ears) to more moderate. Modern Siamese has an exaggerated "tubular" oriental body and long triangular face bearing little resemblance to the original Siamese body which was akin to the Tonkinese. The older style of Siamese is variously known as appleheaded, round-headed or Thai Siamese. See also: Apple (Round) headed Siamese, Balinese, Colorpoint Shorthair, Javanese (US), Opal, Oriental Shorthair, Thai-Siamese, Tonkinese, traditional style Siamese.
Siamese/Manx	Crossbreed	Being "developed" in the USA as a "rare and beautiful" breed. However, Colourpoint Manxes have been bred before, but have not previously been accepted by registries. Similar cats have been bred as Si­Manx and Manxamese
Siamali	Crossbreed	Siamese x Somali (or Balinese x Abyssinian) - unofficial term for a colorpoint Somali type/tick-pointed Balinese.
Siamilla	Crossbreed	Siamese x Burmilla - unofficial term for a colorpoint Burmilla (ticked points)/colorpoint Burmese type cat.
Sianx (Colorpoint Manx)	Crossbreed	See Si­Manx, Manxamese
Siberian	Current	Russia's native semi-longhair. Similar in looks to Norwegian Forest Cat. Large powerful cat, brown tabby is most common. Long-bodied with broad, round head and powerful legs. Long fur with dense, heavy undercoat, thick ruff and bushy tail. The pointed version is called the Neva Masquerade.
Si-Bir	Crossbreed	Siamese x Birman. Old term for chocolate point Birman derived from crosses with Siamese cats.
Si-Bob (Colorpoint Bobtail)	Crossbreed	Siamese x Japanese Bobtail/American Bobtail - unofficial term for a colorpoint Japanese Bobtail.
Sieburg Rex	Extinct	A Rex mutation which occurred in 1979 in Sieberg, Germany. It was not the same mutation as the existing German Rex and the cat was neutered, causing the mutation to be lost.
Si-Burm	Archaic Name	See Tonkinese
Silkanese	Experimental or Crossbreed	Himalayan x Burmese, longhair Tonkinese, Persian in mink series colors. See also Burmalayan, Himbur, Iranese, Layanese, Mink Persian, Mink Longhair, Tibetane, Tonkalayan.
Silver Laces Cat	Alternative Name	See Snowshoe
Si­Manx	Crossbreed	Siamese x Manx - unofficial term for a colorpoint Manx. See also Manxamese, Sianx,
Singapura	Current	Small, muscular cat with ticked coat in brown-ticked ivory or tabby-ticked with white (very similar). Looks like small, ticked Burmese. Said to be native to Singapore but controversial as the originator took her Burmese cats to Singapore (possibly also some Abyssinian heritage). Native Singapore cats are of Asian type, all colours, mostly bobtails and reclusive (cat is sometimes eaten). Also called Singapore Drain Cat (hides in storm drains) and Singapore River Cat; it is a Singaporean tourist emblem "Kucinta".
Singapura Bobtail	Variant	A bobtail kitten appeared in a Singapura litter, tracing back to part-tailed foundation cat; inbreeding can cause traits to reappear. Appeared tailless, but proved to have stumpy tail similar to Japanese Bobtail. There are bobtails in Singapore, also isolated reports of Abyssinian Bobtails (there is possibly Abyssinian heritage in Singapura, Wild Abyssinian is from Singapore).
Singapura Longhair	Extinct	The only known example of this mutation was neutered. It was identical to the Singapura in all respects apart from the semi-long coat.
Singhasep	Archaic Breed	Ancestral Siamese, foreign bicolor.
Si-Rex	Crossbreed or Colloquial Name	Colorpoint Rex e.g. Devon Si-Rex, Cornish Si-Rex.
Si­Sawat	Alternative Name	See Korat
Skookum	Experimental	Munchkin x LaPerm - curly-haired Munchkin-type cat.
Sno-Bob	Experimental	A variety of American Bobtail, resembling Alaskan Bobcat - pale in color, darker ear tips, bob-tail. See American Bobtail.
Snow Cat (Alaskan Snow Cat)	Experimental	Cross between Silver Persians and Somalis, this is similar to the silver series of Somalis recognized in the UK, but is intended to have heavier boning, thicker fur and a rounder head than the Somali.
Snowshoe	Current	Superficially resembles shorthaired Birman with its mitted colorpoints, and created by crossing Siamese with American Shorthairs. White feet occur naturally in some Siamese. Mitts shorter on forelegs than on hindlegs. It is not, as some sources suggested, merely a shorthaired Birman variant and the official history claims no Birman blood. Also called the Silver Laces cat.
Snowshoe Siamese	Experimental	Siamese cat with white paws. White toes have been seen in some Siamese lines and are regarded as a fault. Others consider the trait to be attractive enough to develop as a breed. Snowshoe Siamese have the more extreme Oriental conformation, whereas Snowshoe cats are closer in type to the American Shorthair or older-type Siamese.
Socotranese	Alternative Name	See Suqutranese
Sokoke (Sokoke Forest Cat)	Current	Bred in Denmark from cats found in Sokoke region of Kenya. Modified wedge shaped head, tufted ears, almond shaped amber to light green eyes. Slender, muscular, strongly boned medium-long body and long legs, back legs longer than forelegs and well angled (a Sokoke characteristic). Short glossy (not silky) coat. Color is black tabby in a modified classic tabby pattern; agouti hairs appear in the solid areas, giving a modified tabby pattern peculiar to the breed (note: similar patterns have since been noted in UK random-bred cats). There were unfounded theories that it was a different species than the regular domestic cat. Progressive breeders intended to use Orientals and Russians to expand the gene pool while keeping the look. Other breeders dispute the use of outcrosses and only Sokoke cats imported from the Sokoke district in Kenya (Africa), whose origins can be officially proved by documents acceptable.
Somali	Current	Longhaired Abyssinian. Agouti coat, colors and build as for Abyssinian. Longhaired kittens appeared in Abyssinian litters from time to time but were originally considered undesirable. Also found in silver series (silver base colour). See also: Abyssinian, Wild Abyssinian.
Somilla	Crossbreed	Somali x Chinchilla; apparently with aim of producing a silver-tipped/shaded-silver Somali-type cat (not developed). Similar to existing silver series Somalis in UK and (Alaskan) Snow Cat in US.
Soriano	Local Variety	Venetian cats (not recognized as breed).
Spanish Blue	Archaic Name	See Russian Blue
Spanish Bobtail	Local Variety	Shorthair with bobtail mutation (not established as a breed).
Sphynx	Current	Intermediate conformation, hairless. A slight "peach-fuzz" (down hairs) may be present. The color and pattern is visible on the skin itself. Hairless cats existed in Mexico but died out, a hairless mutation which occurred in France failed to thrive. The modern originated from a hairless Oriental Shorthair born in Canada. Some Sphynx variants have short fur on the face, legs and tail. See also: Mexican Hairless, New Mexican Hairless, Canadian Hairless.
Sphynxamese	Crossbreed	Colourpoint Sphynx variant with an Oriental conformation
Sphynxkin	Crossbreed	Sphynx x Munchkin crossbreed. See also: Minskin
Spotted Mist	Alternative Name	Spotted version of Australian Mist, spotted markings on misty ticked background. Burmese x Abyssinian x tabby shorthair. The spotted variety of Australian Mist.
Squitten	Mythical	Mythical cat x squirrel hybrid. This is genetically impossible.
Stalingrad Kangaroo Cat	Extinct	A Munchkin-type cat, from Stalingrad, 1930s. Never developed as a breed. Same mutation occurred pre-Second World War in UK but not developed as breed; same mutation later occurred in US as the Munchkin breed.
Sterling	Current	USA. traditional-type chinchilla/shaded silver/shaded golden series of Persians; allows for breeders who do not wish to Ultra-type these varieties. Elsewhere cats meeting Sterling breed standard may be known as "Chinchilla Longhairs".
Superscratcher	Non-existent	A German report on cat breeds banned under German Animal Cruelty laws referred to a polydactyl American breed of this name. There is no such breed; it is possibly a mis-translation of polydactyl.
Suqutranese	Experimental	White Somali-type semi longhair; white fur with glistening silver banding. Suqutranese standard is otherwise nearly identical to Somali standard. They were exhibited in March 1990 (UK). In August 1995, Somali Cat Breed Advisory Committee objected to advertisements for "so-called White Somalis" (this term was descriptive, not a breed name). Since then, nothing has been heard of the Suqutranese though a number of Somali breeders overseas have since shown interest. Also known as Socotranese. Note: In a near parallel of this, during the mid/late 1990s a Somali breeder experimentally crossed Somalis with black shorthairs to create a cat of Somali type but with black fur with a distinct "shimmer".
Sumxu	Extinct	Now considered extinct, once found in the area around Peking, China. Longhair cat, glossy black or yellow coat and pendulous ears. Described in early 1700s as a curiosity, also in 1796 (droop-eared cat brought back from China) and in 1938 (another droop-eared cat imported). In 1938, the mutation was thought to be restricted to white longhaired cats. See also: Coupari, Highland Fold, Longhair Fold, Scottish Fold.
Supalek (Supilak)	Archaic	Copper color shorthair, Thai origin, ancestral to Burmese or Tonkinese? The name means "red gold". See also Thai Copper, Copper, Thong Daeng
Swiss Mountain Cat	Archaic Name	See Havana Brown
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Teacup Persian (1)	Experimental	Teacup Persians appeared in Summer 1995 when a 14 lb stud Persian consistently sired miniature kittens. Toy Persians mature at approx 5 lbs and Teacup Persians are approx 3-4 lbs. The phenomenon has been studied and the cats appear to be completely healthy.
Teacup Persian/Himalayan (2)	Experimental	Separate from the Toy and Teacup Persians, a selective breeding program in New York in the mid 1980's used undersized cats to progressively downsize the Persian/Himalayan breed and bypassed the normal breed registration process by trade-marking the breed. Mature weights: females 2-4 lbs, males 3-6 lbs. See also Pixie- and Mini-Persians/Himalayans.
Templecat	Current	Shorthaired equivalent of the Birman developed by outcrossing to a cinnamon spotted tabby Oriental. Early colours were Seal, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Cinnamon and Fawn. The cat is Birman in every respect apart from the slightly springy short hair. In development since 1995, originally called Birman Shorthair, renamed Templecat in 2001. It is now recognised in eight base colours of Seal, Blue, Chocolate Lilac, Red, Cream, Cinnamon & Fawn and with solid points, lynx points and tortie points in all of these.
Tennessee Rex	Non-existent?	This name appeared on a survey of Rex cat breeds in 2002, but no such breed exists. Presumed to be an error. Although single Rex-coated cats crop up by spontaneous mutation and are generally given the name designation "location name + Rex", there is no record of a mutation known by this name. Information to the contrary welcome.
Thai Bobtail (Thaibob)	Experimental	A medium-sized Russian breed like traditional/Apple (Round) head Siamese in all non-mitted colorpoint varieties (without mitts). The tail is short (3-11 cm), bobbed and its outline is smoothed by the coat.
Thai Bobtail (2)	Local Variety	Naturally occurring bobtailed cats of Oriental/Burmese type (mostly, but not exclusively, colorpointed) in Thailand/Malaysia.
Thai Copper	Experimental, Extinct?	A copper color shorthair of Burmese/Tonkinese type was apparently exhibited in US late 1990s to promote interest in the variety. The exhibited cat (apparently imported) was said to have had a poor temperament. No further information. See also Supalek (Supilak), Thong Daeng
Thai Lilac	Variant	Naturally occurring lilac variants of Korat.
Thai Pointed	Variant	Naturally occurring colorpointed (Blue-point, Lilac-point) Korat variants. Being related to Siamese, it is not unexpected that the Korat produces variants. See also: Apple (Round) head Siamese, Colourpoint Shorthair, Opal, traditional style Siamese, Thai Siamese.
Thai Siamese	Variant	Thai Siamese is a European term for the traditional round-headed style Siamese (resembling the older style of Siamese) derived purely from non-ultra-typed Siamese cats. According to other sources, the term is also used for colorpointed cats derived from naturally occurring colorpointed variants in Korat litters. See also: Apple (Round) headed Siamese, Colourpoint Shorthair, Old Style Siamese, Opal, traditional style Siamese, Thai Pointed.
Thong Daeng	Extinct	Extinct, ancestral to Burmese. See also: Supalek, Copper
Tibetan	Variant	Birman without the classic markings - occurs in solids, tabbies etc.
Tibetane	Experimental	(Netherlands) semi-longhaired Tonkinese, in Sepia/Mink/Pointed; colors being Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Red, Cream, Black-Tortie, Blue-Tortie, Chocolate-Tortie and Lilac-Tortie. See also: Burmalayan, Himbur, Iranese, Layanese, Mink Longhair, Mink Persian, Silkanese, Tonkalayan
Tibetan Temple Cat	Archaic Name	A name once used to describe the Birman.
Tiffanie	Current	Burmese/Asian x Persian. Asian (Burmese) type with semi-longhair and Burmese range of colors. Not to be confused with US Tiffany (Tiffany/Chantilly) which is a distinct breed. See also: Asian Longhair, Australian Tiffanie.
Tiffany/Chantilly	Current	The Chantilly/Tiffany superficially resembles a longhaired Sable or Lavender Burmese, but has never been crossed with Burmese and exhibits non-Burmese traits e.g. kittens born dark, pink paw-pads. See Chantilly
Tonkalayan	Crossbreed	Tonkinese x Persian or Tonkinese x Himalayan. A mink pattern Persian Longhair.
Tonkanese	Alternative Name	See Tonkinese.
Tonkaxotic	Crossbreed	Tonkinese x Exotic. A mink pattern Exotic
Tonkinese	Current	Siamese x Burmese cross, intermediate in form and color. Colors are "mink" range. Spotted, ticked, tabby, tortie and tabby-tortie Tonkinese are seen in Australia, as is the silver series of Tonkinese. See also Copper, Golden Siamese, Tonkanese.
Tonkinese Longhair	Experimental	Semi-longhaired form of Tonkinese recognised as experimental by some European registries. See also Himbur, Iranese, Layanese, Mink Longhair, Mink Persian, Silkanese, Tibetane, Tonkalayan.
Toy Bobtail (Toybob)	Experimental	A Russian miniature breed, no larger than a normal 3-4 month kitten. They have short, solid bodies and excellent muscles, with short straight or curved tail-remnant (3-7 cm), straight or corkscrewed, covered with fur in a "pompon" or "brush" effect.
Toyger	Current	Bred from Bengals and domestics to resemble tiger (Toy Tiger) in shape/pattern. Prominent muzzle, large nose leather, wide chin. Muscular, rounded facial contours. Ears small, rounded, furry inside and out; temples/jowls well-furred/ruffed. Eyes slightly slanting, almond shaped, wide set. Long, muscular body, fairly deep, robust-looking, broad-chested, rounded contours. High shoulders and hips. Long tail set and carried low, blunt, rounded, black tip. The heavily-boned fore- and hind legs are the same length; fore-paws proportionally large, black paw pads black. Fur short and plush with glitter (sheen). Stripes black to brown colour extends right to the roots. Markings intense on a rich rufoused background ("pumpkin" colour), background does not darken towards the spine. White background areas are belly, underside of base of tail, insides of legs and chest; these can extend onto the lower sides, backs of legs and sides of chest. Modified mackerel tabby pattern. No dorsal stripe. Distinct, high contrast between markings and background. Vertical body stripes, bands around the neck, legs and tail. Bold, braided (candle-flame), non-uniform stripes preferred, rosetted stripes acceptable. Various stripe forms: narrow striping/narrow spacing; narrow striping/wide spacing; wide striping/wide spacing; wide striping/narrow spacing. Belly and inside of legs must also be marked. Facial stripes and markings circularly aligned around face; forehead butterfly markings and encircling temple and jowl markings. No domestic-type radiating stripes. White facial areas are throat, chin, outer parts of jowls/cheeks, lower part of whisker pads, areas around and over eyes extending onto temples and forehead. Pale/white patches on backs of ears. Eyes black rimmed with white "spectacles", mouth black rimmed. Also known known as Californian Toyger.
Toy Persian	Experimental	Toy Persians appeared in Summer 1995 when a 14 lb stud Persian consistently sired miniature kittens. Toy Persians mature at approx 5 lbs, Teacup Persians are approx 3-4 lbs. The phenomenon has been studied and the cats appear to be completely healthy.
"Traditional"	Current	Breeds prefixed by "traditional" adhere to an older or variant conformation and are not ultra-typed or bred to extremes. These include versions of Abyssinian/Somali, Balinese, Burmese, Korat, Persian/Himalayan, Russian and Siamese.
traditional style Balinese	Current	Less foreign looking than modern Balinese, semi-longhair version of the older form Siamese.
traditional style Burmese	Current	See: American Burmese, Contemporary Burmese
traditional style Siamese	Current	Less foreign looking, closer in conformation to the original chunky Siamese cats. Similar cats are known as Thai Siamese in Europe and have been derived from Korat stock (the Korat produces colorpoint variants). See also: Apple (Round) head Siamese, Old Style Siamese, Opal, Thai Siamese
traditional style Persian	Current	See Doll (Open) Face Persian
Tsjechian	Alternative name	Alternative name for the Bohemian Rex/Czech Curly Cat.
Tsuncat	Experimental	Suggested name for Birman Shorthairs bred in New Zealand (have been under development since 1995). Now called Templecat. See: Templecat.
Tulips	Experimental	Medium-to-large curl-eared polydactyl; semi-longhaired with harlequin markings in any colour. Markings limited to the head, spine, shoulders, hips and tail. Developed in Illinois, USA by crossing American Curls with polydactyl cats.
Turkish	Current	Turkish Vans and Turkish Angoras are probably color-specific varieties of the general semi-longhaired Turkish Cat. Some Turkish cats are now bred under the name "Anatolian". This move would appear to be geographical-political rather than any real difference in the cats' type or color. Anatolians have been exported under the names Turkish, Turkish Van, Turkish Angora. The Turkish Angora should not be confused with the British Angora which is a Foreign Longhair. See: Anatolian, Turkish Angora, Turkish Van
Turkish Angora	Current	Medium sized with intermediate conformation and very soft, silky coat. Semi-longhaired, but becomes virtually shorthaired in hot weather. Typical coat color is dominant white with blue, orange or odd-eyes. Turkish Angoras, Russian Angoras and Russian Longhairs were the original longhaired cats imported into Europe, Angoras were later bred into Persians. The Russian cats practically died out (the Nebelung recreates the longhaired Russian Blue, the Siberian Cat is a longhaired Russian breed, the Karellian is a Russian longhaired bobtail), but the Angora was protected in its native Turkey where it occurs in many colors and patterns (not colorpoint). Not to be confused with the "Angora", a British attempt to recreate the ancestral Persian cat; British Angoras (now called Oriental Longhairs) are of foreign conformation.
Turkish Van	Current	Akin to the Turkish Angora, exhibiting the Van pattern (markings on head and tail), preferably marked with red (auburn) or its dilute (cream), though other colors may occur in Turkey and are being recognized e.g. black/white van, brown/ebony-tabby/white van, black tortie agouti/white van, black tortie/white van. Eyes may be blue, light amber or odd eyed. Fascinated by water and frequently swims.
Twisty Cat (Twisties)	Experimental	Extreme expression of Poly-Bob trait. Long bones of forelegs are distorted (twisted, joints bend wrong way) or foreshortened/vestigial (thalidomide effect); cats resemble kangaroos. Front paws may be polydactylous, elongated, deformed, vestigial (flippers) or absent. Small litter size suggests semi-lethal gene. Occurs in Poly-Bob variety (bobtail/tailless cats). Twisty cats locomote mainly on hind legs, forelegs may be almost useless. Some kittens required partial handrearing (cannot milktread), also taping of deformed forelegs to aid locomotion early in life. Widely condemned due to detrimental effects on cats. Gene for twisting may be recessive to gene for polydactyly or may be variable expression of a dominant gene affecting forelimbs; either way it will be hard to eradicate twistiness in breeding lines; continued breeding of Twisty Cats condemned as inhumane/irresponsible. See also: Poly-Bob
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Ultra Type Persian	Current, Colloquial Name	UK equivalent to Pig Faced Persian; not the same as the Peke Faced mutant, but Persians bred for extremely flat faces and high nose leathers. The Peke-faced Persian is due to a gene mutation, while the Ultra-type or Pig-faced is caused by selecting for extreme traits in standard Persian stock. See also: Persian, Pig-Faced Persian.
Urals Rex	Experimental	Russian type found in the middle Urals region since the Second World War. The Urals Rex is not a large cat and has a wavy coat of short or medium length, body is strong and muscular. (Gene causing coat is not that for Cornish, relationship with Devon Rex unknown). Head is equilateral triangle shaped with rounded lines. Tail may have a tufted tip. Semi-longhairs have a looser coat, but are less popular.
Ussuri	Experimental	A natural breed of from along the Amur river, Russia. Possibly crossed with small wild cats known as "Amur Forest Cats" and "Amur Leopard Cats" (Asian Leopard cat subspecies). Semi-wild Ussuris have hybridised naturally with Siberians and European Shorthairs Ears often have "lynx" brushes. Body is muscular, but not massive. Neck is firm but not long. Medium length legs are muscular and in proportion with firm, rounded paws. Tail has a rounded tip (like European Wildcat?). The color is distinctive: vertical solid or merged spots, lines on forehead, 2-3 bronzed lines on cheeks. One or more solid or broken necklaces of bronzed tone on neck and chest. Distinct lines on legs: upper part of bronzed color, lower part of ground color. Tail is ringed with dark tip of ground color. There is a dark spinal line, sides' pattern consists of stripes, rings or spots on golden-brown or goldish-fawn background. Bronzed buttons on stomach.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
Van Kedi	Current	The white Van Kedi is an all-white Turkish Van originating from eastern Turkey and should not be confused with the Turkish Angora. 'Van Kedi' is Turkish for "Van cat". In Turkey the Van Kedi is prized and the auburn/white variety held in less regard. The most sought after is odd eyed white. Blue eyed cats are also considered special. Amber eyed white is the least sought after. In Britain most matings are between an all-white cat and an auburn/white to produce a mix of all-white and auburn/white offspring (plus occasional cream/white offspring) with a mix of all three eye colours. Outside of Turkey, the Van Kedi may be recognised as a colour variant of Turkish Van rather than distinct breed.
Van Shorthair	Experimental	Shorthair with Van markings, some color spots permissible on body. An Oriental Shorthair with Van pattern is the Seychellois.
Vanese	Crossbreed	Turkish Van (auburn) x Siamese. Conformation like that of a traditional style Siamese; ginger and white colour very strong and vibrant, generally with a white inverted "V" on the nose and white legs. Not developed as a breed, but popular pets. Same breeder almost had Siurks (Siamese male x Turkish Van female), but this was a false alarm!
Vichien Mas	Archaic	Foreign type with extreme expression of Siamese colorpoint pattern, possibly ancestral to the seal-point Siamese. Dark ears, nose, paws and whiskers. Documented in Thailand 1676, apparently now extinct. Because expression of Himalayan marking is temperature dependent (cooler body parts go darker) this may simply be a temperature-affected expression of Siamese markings. The name means "diamond mouth".
Victoria Rex	Extinct	Discovered in Victoria area of London in 1972, but not established as a breed
Vienna Wood	Experimental	No information
Viverral	Experimental	F viverrina (Fishing cat) x early generation Bengals. First hybrids were in 1995, became genetically stable breed in 2001. Resembles the Fishing Cat, but with domestic temperament. Large, very muscular and solid. Wide nose, prominent whisker pads, large round eyes in a smallish head. Slight convex profile. Short rounded ears with wide base. Thick, low-set, medium-length tail. Short, plush coat. Randomly spotted pattern, black, brown or tan spots. White spectacles. See also: Machbagral.
BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
White Ringtail	Archaic Name	An old name for the Turkish Van cat because of their white body and striped (ringed) auburn tail.
Wild Abyssinian	Extinct	From Singapore, close to the original type Abyssinian; ruddy (slatey) color, larger build, ringed tail, barred legs. It resembles the older style of Abyssinian before breeders eliminated the tabby markings; but its use of the name Abyssinian is controversial. The breed began in 1987 when Jerry Mayes of Marietta, Georgia imported additional foundation Singapuras from Singapore. As well as 2 Singapuras (Burmese expression brown ticked tabby) he found black ticked tabbies (non-Burmese expression) and red ticked tabbies. The blacked ticked tabbies were bred for a while as "Wild Abyssinians" and the red ticked cats were dubbed "Limau Kohlum" (Malay for "red cat"). Interest in these appears to have waned.
Wirehair Rex	Experimental	See Dutch Rex.
Yankee Cat	Alternative Name	See Maine Coon.
York Chocolate	Experimental	A new breed, developed from domestic, non-pedigree cats. It is distinguished by its semi-long soft, silky hair and chocolate coloring. It has a long lean body reflecting some Siamese ancestry, but is a large cat. In addition to solid chocolate, it comes in chocolate and white bicolor, lavender (dilute of chocolate) and lavender and white bicolor.
Zibeline	Alternative Name	French term for sable Burmese

This article reprinted courtesy of THE MESSYBEAST.COM CAT BREED LIST.