Cat Breeds

Persian Cat

History

The Persian cat gets its name from the longhaired cats brought to Europe from the Iranian plateau (formerly Persia) by traders in the 17th century. However, other longhaired

Abyssinian Cats

History

The first Abyssinian cat known to have been brought out of its natural environment to be a domestic pet in the West was Zula, a female kitten taken from Alexandria to the

Egyptian Mau Cat

History

The Egyptian Mau cat is the only naturally spotted breed. Its spots are believed to have come from natural interbreeding with wild cats many centuries ago. Spotted cats

American Shorthair Cat

History

The American Shorthair cat is believed to be descended from British cats who began emigrating to the New World with the early pioneers. They were carried on board

Siamese Cat

History

The Siamese cat is one of our oldest recognized breeds of cat. They are believed to have originated in South-East Asia where they were often kept as sacred temple cats. Their

Himalayan Cat

History

The Himalayan cat was produced by crossing a Persian cat with a Siamese to get the Siamese color points, then breeding back with Persians to maintain the look and luxurious

Burmese Cat

History

The first Burmese cat to be brought to the USA was Wong Mau, who was brought from Burma by Dr Joseph Cressman Thompson of San Francisco in 1930. While the authorities at firs

Bombay Cat

History

The Bombay cat was developed as a breed in Louisville, Kentucky in the 1950s by Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery. She began by crossing a black American Shorthair with a sable

Bengal Cat

History

The Bengal cat is a very distinctive spotted cat. The breed was developed in the USA in the 1960s and 1970s by Mrs Jean Mill, who crossed an Asian Leopard cat with an American

Maine Coon Cat

History

The Maine Coon is the United States’ only native long-haired cat. The origins of the breed are not precisely known.

One legend has it that the breed is descended from