If you have just adopted your kitten from a shelter or another source , you may not have intercourse what variety of computerized axial tomography you have . It ’s not as prosperous to tell the breed of a cat the way it is with a dog but you still can narrow down it down with some guy info .
Determining Cat Breed
It ’s often very hard to figure out what stock a big cat is if you do n’t have access to their stock breeder or pedigree paper . Sometimes a shelter is mindful of the Caterpillar ’s breed if they ’ve accept it in from an proprietor who gave them this entropy but often times the shelter stave have sex very little . For some big cat breed with very distinctive feel , such as aSphynx , PersianorScottish Fold , it ’s obvious what breed they are but for most cats , you ’ll have to narrow down their stock to a few possible option by search at their physical features .
Cat Coat Color
There are many cat breeds that can be almost any eccentric of solid , bi- or part - gloss or pattern and color may not help you in that case . However , some colorsand shape are only found among certain breeds and the cat ’s color can aid you narrow down their strain .
Black Cats
According to the Cat Fancier ’s Association , there are 22 true cat breeds that can be solid black , and one breed , the Bombay , only comes in black . These breeds are theAmerican Bobtail , American Curl , American Shorthair , American Wirehair , British Shorthair , Cornish Rex , Devon Rex , Exotic Shorthair , Japanese Bobtail , LaPerm , Maine Coon , Manx , Norwegian Forest Cat , Oriental , Persian , Ragamuffin , Scottish Fold , Selkirk Rex , Siberian , Sphynx , and the Turkish Angora . Another rare breed , the Ojos Azules , is the only big cat that can be substantial black with dark eyes .
White Cats
Many breeds can number in white but a self-coloured white coat tends to be found in a smaller number of breeds . These include the Balinese , Cornish Rex , Oriental , Persian , Ragdoll , andSiamese .
Cat Coats in Brown Shades
Solid brown , or " chocolate " cats are rare and only two breed are known for this color . The Havana Brown not only has a short brownish coat but brown whiskers and beautiful green eye . The other solid chocolate cat is the York Chocolate which has medium - distance hair . Solid cinnamon coats can only be found with theAbyssinian , British Shorthair , Burmese , Mandalay and Oriental Shorthair . The only breeds with a solid fawn pelage can be found with the Abyssinian and Oriental Shorthair .
Rare Coat Colors
Lilac is a very rare color and generally can only be incur in purebred cats that were breed specifically to get that pelage color . You will find lilac coats with Persians and Siamese cats . Solid blue is a striking color that is mostly only found in the Persian , Burmese , Russian Blue , the Korat , the British Longhair , the British Shorthair , Nebelung and the Chartreux .
Cat Coat Patterns
Like coat colours , some design can only be found among certain breeds whereas others , like the tabby cat rule , are widespread .
Rosettes
These swirly pattern can be found primarily in hybrid computerized tomography breeds which look like small baseless jungle Arabian tea . If your cat has rosettes , it ’s likely he ’s either a purebred or blend ofBengal , Egyptian Mau , Ocicat orSavannah .
Points
Anyone who loves the Siamese and Himalayan breeds is familiar with thepoint people of colour shape . These cats have a body that is white-hot to clobber and then a unlike colouration on the " points : " the paws , tail , and aspect . Points can occur in many colors include cachet , burnt umber , lilac , low-spirited , reddish , tortie and more . Cat breeds that have the point coloring design are the Balinese , Birman , British Shorthair , Colorpoint Shorthair , Himalayan , Javanese , Napoleon , Persian , Ragdoll , Thai , Tonkinese , Siamese and theSnowshoe .
Tabbys
While thetabby patternis very common , sealed subsets of the pattern can be find in fewer breeds .
Shading Patterns
Some pattern need blending of the tips of the cat ’s haircloth , so that the hair is more than one color . usually control shading patterns arechinchilla , shaded and smoke . These pattern are most often see with Persians though it can be found in others like the Maine Coon and American Shorthair .
Cat Fur Length
Another way of life to determine kat breed is by the length of their fur . There are many strain that occur in short , average andlonghair varietiesso you may find pelt duration is a better determinant flux with other factor like colour and body sizing . However some breed have quite classifiable pelt :
Cat Size
Body sizing is another good way to fancy out what Caterpillar breed you may have . Some catsare very largelike the Savannah , Maine Coon , Ragamuffin and Siberian . Other cat breedsare quite smalllikeSingapura , Somaliand Turkish Angora . Even smallerare " dwarf " catslike theMunchkinand Dwelf . If your cat fall in the middle range of consistency size , it ’s harder to determine the breed but cats that decrease on the extremum of great or small can help you narrow down the listing of theory .
Distinctive Features
Finally there are some breeds that have their own unique physical features that make it hard to miss them . If your cat has one of these features , you may be able to determine their stock easily :
Ears
The Scottish Fold and American Curl are both know for have curled ears . The Scottish Fold ’s capitulum close up inward and the American Curl ’s ear shut down backward .
Eyes
Some true cat breeds have very distinctive oculus shapes , such as the Siamese and Oriental with big , almond - mold eyes .
Facial Structure
Certain khat breeds have facial form that coiffure them apart from the rest . For exercise the Oriental and the Sphynx have elongated , bespeak fount which makes their optic calculate large . The doll - face up variety of the Persian is completely the opposite , with a short , unconditional snout and smaller eyes .
Tail
The Turkish Angora has a lovely plume can that definitely stand out . American Bobtails and Japanese dock get their name from their short , " bobbed " tails . On the other extreme , Manx and Cymric cats can be born with a very short or no can at all . Maine Coons have tails that are perceptibly different because it is thick and shaggy and seems to flatten out at the goal .
Legs
Dwarf cat breeds like the Bambino andMunchkinhave forgetful , compact leg that look too small for their trunk .
Toes
Polydactyl catsare true cat that have at least 6 or more toe on at least one understructure . While any breed can have polydactyly , there is a higher relative incidence of it among the Maine Coon spawn as well as breeds found in Western England and the Eastern sea-coast of the U.S.A. and Canada .
Body Shape
Some cat breeds are thick and compact , also know as " cobby . " good example are the Cymric and Manx . Other cats have lithe , slender body that remind one of an elegant terpsichorean . Breeds in this category would be the Oriental Shorthair , Sphynx and Siamese . calculate at your cat ’s consistence social organisation and liken it to the breed standard for breeds you opine he or she might be to see if there ’s a match .
Cat Behavior
Finally , some breeds are known for classifiable personality traits such as a tendency to be very talkativelike the Siamese . Others are known for being quite unagitated and mellow , like the Persian and the Ragdoll . Cat breed like the Bengal and Savannah are know for being very combat-ready and athletic . Other breed are known for not doing well alone like the Burmese and Siamese . look at design in your cat ’s behaviour can give you clues as to their stock ancestry .
Talk to Cat Experts
Once you ’ve narrowed down your listing of possible strain , attempt to get through breeders who are familiar with the stock or breeds you recall your CT is . claver some cat shows if any are held locally and bring along picture show of your qat , or a television on your phone is even better ! breeder and others involved in the hombre fancy are familiar with many cat breeds and may be able to supply some insight .
Your Cat’s Type
After all of this study , you may still not be able to reckon out your cat ’s breed , peculiarly if it ’s a mixed strain . Regardless , every qat is an someone and you’re able to relish all the forcible and behavioural caliber that make your cat singular and a loving feline friend !