Types of Cat Breeds: The Most Common and Most Rare Breeds

Cat lovers around the world will agree that the number of cat breeds in existence seems almost infinite. And with that, so do their crazy and lovable personalities. Making any one of the dozens of breeds out there cute and lovable.

There are even some cat breeds that some of the most knowledgeable cat lovers may have never even heard about.  From common cat breeds that you would recognize at first glance, to rare cat breeds that may raise some eyebrows, this article covers it all. 

Common Cat Breeds

When you initially encounter a cat, say when you go to visit a friend's house for the first time, you may or may not recognize what breed they are right off the bat. Which is perfectly normal, considering how many different cat breeds there are in the world. 

However, there are a few breeds that you are likely to see more often than others. These breeds are ones that are more popular among cat lovers, more easily bred, or are just more affordable. Cat breeds like the Abyssinian, the Persian, the Maine Coon, and the American Shorthair are some of the more common breeds of household cats.

Abyssinian is such a popular cat due to their intelligence and eager to interact type of personality. They love to “talk” to their humans and interact with them on a daily. Abyssinians are also great entertainment as they use their smarts to figure out complex cat puzzle toys or just explore the world around them.

The Maine Coon and Persian cat breeds are both popular for their voluptuous, silky fur coats as well as their laid-back personalities. Cat lovers who tend to live a quiet lifestyle really enjoy the company of a Maine Coon or Persian cat in their home. These two cat breeds want nothing more than to relax in a spot of sun or sit next to their human on the couch and enjoy a tv show in the evening.

The American Shorthair, one of the most cuddly cat breeds in the world, has made its spot as one of the more popular and common breeds of cats due to its calm, docile personality. They really just love to relax at home while enjoying any attention that you have to offer to them.

They are also extremely low maintenance. They don’t need nearly as much grooming as say, fluffy cat breeds like the the Maine Coon or Persian cats do with their big fluffy coats of fur. 

Rare Cat Breeds

With how many breeds of domestic cats there are in the world, it should come as no surprise that there are a handful of breeds that you won’t likely see too often, or maybe even ever in your lifetime. These breeds are rare due to factors such as genetics, cost, or even where they are available to be adopted from.

Some of the more rare cat breeds out there include cats like the Devon Rex, the Norwegian Forest Cat, the Kurilian Bobtail, and the LaPerm. It’s likely that you haven’t even heard of some of these breeds of cats before because of their rare status.

The Devon Rex is a great cat to have in the family if you ever come across one in a shelter or from a breeder. They love to interact and play with their humans daily. It may sound contradictory to the previous statement, but the Devon Rex is known for how still they can be in addition to how playful and rambunctious they also tend to be. 

The Norwegian Forest cat is quite the sight to see. If you ever come across one of these large, magnificent cats you will know it immediately if you have ever seen so much as a picture of them online. They are popular in Europe, but a rare cat to find living in the United States.

The Kurilian Bobtail is another cat that not many people have ever heard of. This is partially due to the fact that there are 100 or less of these beautiful cats living in the United States. They are actually native to Russia and are more commonly seen living there and known well for their excessive amount of shedding, which is why they're not the best cats for people with allergies.

As you might be able to infer just by their name, the LaPerm is a special breed of cat who looks as though they just walked out of the hair salon. Due to a genetic mutation, a kitten born to a brown tabby was born with curly, kinky hair. From that point, a breeding program was created to attempt to breed more of these unique cats.

Conclusion

Out of the 100’s of breeds of cats that are known to man in this world, there are some breeds that stand out to be more popular or attainable than others. There will also always be some breeds that remain to be rare and not often seen, making them all the more special. 

Common household cats that you will likely run into at least once in your life include the Abyssinian, Maine Coon, Persian, and the American Shorthair. On the other hand, some breeds that you may never encounter in your lifetime are Devon Rex, Norwegian Forest Cat, Kurilian Bobtail, and the LaPerm. Regardless of their popularity or commonality, all of the above-mentioned cats are beautiful and full of their own unique personalities. 

How many cats are in the world?

Studies show us that there are at least 600 million cats living all over the world. This number encompasses house pets, stray cats, and cats living in adoption centers and foster homes. 

How to tell what breed my cat is?

In order to determine what breed of cat your pet is, you will want to take a look at a few of their key features. Features such as their length, the color of their fur, the type of fur coat they have, and even sometimes their personality quirks can give you a hint to their breed. 

What is the cutest cat in the world?

According to popular opinion, the Munchkin cat is among one of the more cooed over breeds of cat. Their short stature and miniature features make them irresistibly adorable from the time that they are a kitten to when they are a full-grown adult cat. This is because they maintain many of their kitten-like features as an adult, such as their small legs and large round eyes.

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