If your cat has a pedigree or you got it from a breeder, the high chance is you know the breed of your cat. But if you’re one of those great people who love helping out in animal shelters or just rescued a cat from the street, it’s very likely that you don’t know what breed your furry friend belongs to.
Cats are cats, regardless of their breeds. Their cute little presence is more than enough for us to love them. But it sure can be fun to find out the lineage of your cat and learn about its history! Usually, people who adopt shelter cats or rescue kitties may want to identify different cat breeds to understand their personalities to better care for their cats.
For such feline enthusiasts, we’ve brought a Cat Breed Identifier Chart which will help them identify or at least narrow down what breed their cat is!
Table of Contents
Get Printable Cat Breed Identifier Chart PDF
If you’re a person who doesn’t want to take out their phone and search everytime they want to identify a breed, then you can just print out our Printable Cat Breed Identifier Chart so you don’t have to keep searching all the time. Just enter your email address down below and we’ll have it right in your inbox:
Cat Breed Identifier Chart
Now, a cat breed identifier chart isn’t gonna pinpoint exactly what breed your cat is, but it will surely point you in the right direction and get you a step closer to knowing your cat breed. Knowing cat breeds can be important in the sense that it helps you understand their physical and emotional needs better.
For instance, some cat breeds are more prone to health problems than others. Knowing their breed, you’ll be able to care for them in a better way.
Cats can be high maintenance. While for some it might not be the case, it’s true for many cat breeds. Cats like Bengals have super high energy and also require lots of mental stimulation and attention.
Many breeds, however, are super lazy and want to lie around all the time. When you know what breed your cat is, you’ll be able to meet their maintenance needs better. With this chart, identifying breeds will become easier for you so that you can do a better job as a pet parent.
Plus, you can share your knowledge with fellow cat owners or those looking to adopt cats to help them make a better, more informed decision!
| Breed Name | Coat Type | Color Patterns | Physical Traits | Personality Traits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssinian | Short, fine | Ruddy, red, blue, fawn | Almond-shaped eyes, large ears, slender body | Active, playful, affectionate |
| American Shorthair | Short, dense | Variety of colors/patterns | Round face, muscular body | Easy-going, friendly, good with children |
| Bengal | Short, sleek | Spotted or marbled | Large, muscular, wild appearance | Energetic, intelligent, playful |
| British Shorthair | Short, plush | Solid, bi-color, tabby | Round face, large eyes, stocky build | Calm, loyal, good with families |
| Maine Coon | Long, shaggy | Variety of colors/patterns | Large size, tufted ears, bushy tail | Friendly, social, good with pets |
| Persian | Long, thick | Solid, bi-color, tabby | Flat face, large round eyes, short body | Quiet, affectionate, prefers calm environments |
| Ragdoll | Semi-long, silky | Colorpoint, mitted, bi-color | Blue eyes, large size, relaxed body | Docile, gentle, loves to be held |
| Siamese | Short, fine | Colorpoint | Blue almond-shaped eyes, slender body | Vocal, social, affectionate |
| Sphynx | Hairless | Various skin colors | Wrinkled skin, large ears, muscular body | Energetic, affectionate, loves attention |
| Scottish Fold | Short/long, dense | Variety of colors/patterns | Folded ears, round face, large eyes | Sweet, calm, adaptable |
| Burmese | Short, glossy | Sable, champagne, blue, platinum | Rounded head, large expressive eyes | Playful, people-oriented, vocal |
| Norwegian Forest Cat | Long, thick | Variety of colors/patterns | Large size, tufted ears, bushy tail | Independent, affectionate, good climber |
| Russian Blue | Short, dense | Blue (gray) | Green eyes, slender and muscular body | Quiet, gentle, loyal |
| Birman | Long, silky | Colorpoint with white paws | Blue eyes, medium-large size | Gentle, affectionate, people-oriented |
| Devon Rex | Short, curly | Variety of colors/patterns | Large ears, slender body, elfin face | Playful, mischievous, affectionate |
| Oriental | Short, fine | Variety of colors/patterns | Slender body, large ears, almond eyes | Energetic, vocal, social |
| Somali | Long, soft | Ruddy, red, blue, fawn | Fox-like appearance, bushy tail | Active, playful, affectionate |
| Tonkinese | Short, soft | Colorpoint, mink, solid | Medium size, muscular body | Playful, social, affectionate |
| Turkish Van | Semi-long | Van pattern (mostly white with colored head and tail) | Large, muscular, swimming ability | Energetic, playful, loves water |
| Egyptian Mau | Short, silky | Spotted | Medium size, green eyes, distinctive spots | Agile, active, intelligent |
| Cornish Rex | Short, wavy | Variety of colors/patterns | Slender body, large ears, egg-shaped head | Playful, affectionate, energetic |
| Manx | Short/long | Variety of colors/patterns | Tailless or short tail, round body, sturdy build | Social, playful, good with families |
| Chartreux | Short, woolly | Blue (gray) | Copper or gold eyes, robust body | Quiet, gentle, affectionate |
| Singapura | Short, fine | Sepia-toned (warm beige) | Small size, large eyes, muscular body | Playful, curious, affectionate |
| Balinese | Long, silky | Colorpoint | Blue eyes, slender body | Vocal, social, affectionate |
| Himalayan | Long, thick | Colorpoint | Blue eyes, flat face | Quiet, gentle, affectionate |
| Japanese Bobtail | Short/long | Variety of colors/patterns | Bobbed tail, slender and muscular body | Active, playful, intelligent |
Also read: Cat Breed Size Chart
How Do I Identify What Breed My Cat Is?
To identify what breed your cat is, the most basic thing you can do is take a good look at their physical features. Their size, eyes, ears, coat length, and color can give you some good info.
Size:
Cat breeds can be divided according to their size. They can either be small, medium, or large. Small cats weigh less than 9 pounds, medium cats between 9-15 pounds while large cats are heavier than 15 pounds.
Eyes:
The eye color of cats may indicate their breed but it is not necessary as many breeds can have the same eye color. Cats can have hazel, blue, green, and yellow eyes.
Some may even have heterochromia. If your cat has an eye color specific to a certain breed, it might be linked to that breed. But again it might not be the case because many cats can have the same eye color.
Ears:
Cat ears can be a good indicator of their breed. There are three types of cat ears: tufted, folded, or curled. These types are specific to some breeds and can make narrowing down easier.
Face Shape:
There are two types of face shapes: Narrow and Flat-faced. The face shape is also a good indicator and can bring us one step closer to our cat’s breed.
Coat Length:
Cat breeds can be grouped according to the coat length. Usually, cats either have short, long, or medium hair while some are even hairless like the Sphynx.
Coat Feel:
The coat’s feel can give an idea as to what breed the cat is. The cat’s coat can be soft, silky, glossy, rough, dense, fluffy, thick, or a combination of two of these. For instance, the coat on Persian cats is soft and dense while that on Maine Coons is soft and rough!
Color:
Cat breeds can be grouped into the following categories based on their color and patterns:
Personality Traits:
Cat breeds may vary in their personality. For example, Bengals are energetic cats whereas Persian Cats are highly inactive. This can be an indicator of the cat breed but all cats are not the same. While personality traits may be specific to certain breeds, they may vary in individual cats of that same breed.
Also read: Cat Hair Length Chart
Is There a Cat Breed Identifier Tool?
Yes! There are different tools you can use to identify your cat breed such as Mobile Apps. You can input a picture of your cat into different cat identifier apps such as Cat Scanner and it’ll identify the breed for you.
Online communities such as Cats subreddit or Quora can be a great help or you can just go old school and use books about cat breeds. These tools are helpful but aren’t fully reliable. The most accurate way to identify cat breeds is to get a DNA test. That way you’ll know for sure what breed your cat belongs to!
Are there 71 Cat Breeds?
The International Cats Association (TICA) recognizes 73 cat breeds, the world’s largest cat registry, the Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) recognizes only 45. Plus, many cat breeds have yet to be recognized by both registries, so we can’t say for sure what the exact no. of breeds is. Informally, however, they are said to be between 42-100!
Also read: Cat Lifespan Chart
Conclusion
Now that you’ve got lots of information on cat breeds, you can easily identify different cats across your neighborhood. Although the result might not be 100% true, you’ll be pretty close. If you’ve entered your email address, our Cat Breed Identifier Chart is on its way to you. Print it out and keep one with you, you never know when you might have to name a cat. Have fun naming breeds!!