Table 1.
Traditional cat breed origins.
| Breed | Fixed or Hallmark† Phenotype‡ |
Origin | Date of Establishment |
Derived Breeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssinian | Shorthair, ticked, agouti | India, Africa | 1868 | Somali* |
| American Bobtail† | Bobtail | Mutation-USA | 1960 | |
| American Curl† | Rostral curl to pinnea | Mutation-USA | 1981 | |
| American Shorthair | USA | 1966 | ||
| American Wirehair | Wired hair | Mutation-USA | 1966 | |
| Australian Mist | Mix-Australia | 1990’s | Several breeds | |
| Birman | Siamese points, gloves, longhair | Burma | <1868 | Snowshoe* |
| British Shorthair | England | 1870s | ||
| Burmese | Non-agouti, Burmese points | Burma | 1350–1767 | Asian, Bombay, Tiffanie*, Malayan, Burmilla |
| Chartreux | Dilute, non-agouti | France | XIV century | |
| Cornish Rex | Curly coat | Mutation-UK | 1950 | |
| Devon Rex† | Curly coat | Mutation-UK | 1960 | Sphynx (1966) |
| Egyptian Mau | Shorthair | Egypt | 1953 | |
| European Shorthair | Europe | |||
| Japanese Bobtail | Bobtail | Japan | VI–XII century | |
| Korat | Dilute, non-agouti | Thailand | 1350–1767 | |
| LaPerm† | Curly coat | Mutation-USA | 1986 | |
| Maine Coon | Longhair | USA | 1860s | |
| Manx† | No tail | Isle of Man | <1868 | Cymric* |
| Munchkin† | Short legs | USA | 1990’s | |
| Norwegian Forest | Longhair | Norway | <1868 | |
| Ocicat | Spots | Crossbred | 1964 | Siamese × Abyssinian |
| Ojos Azules | Blue eyes | Mutation-USA | 1980s | |
| Persian | Longhair | Persia | <1868 | Exotic*, Kashmir, Himalayan, Peke-faced, Burmilla |
| Ragdoll | Longhair | USA | 1960s | Ragamuffin |
| Russian Blue | Dilute, non-agouti | Russia | <1868 | Nebelung* |
| Scottish Fold† | Ventral fold to pinnea | Mutation | 1961 | Highland Fold* (Coupari) |
| Selkirk Rex† | Curly coat | Mutation-USA | 1980’s | |
| Siamese | Siamese Points, Shorthair, Non-agouti | Thailand | 1350–1767 | Colorpoint*, Javanese*, Balinese*, Oriental*, Havana Brown, Don Sphynx, Peterbald |
| Siberian | Longhair | Russia | <1868 | |
| Sokoke | Africa | |||
| Sphynx | Hairless | Canada | 1960s | Devon Rex |
| Tonkinese† | Shorthair, heterozygous Burmese and Siamese points | Crossbred | 1950s | Siamese × Burmese |
| Turkish Angora | Longhair | Ankara, Turkey | XV century | |
| Turkish Van | Longhair | Van Lake, Turkey | <1868 |
Origins are according to: Gebhardt (1991), The Royal Canin Encyclopedia (2000), The International Cat Association (http://tica.org/), and Australian Mist Breed Council (http://www.australianmist.info/Home.html).
Some breeds allow variants that do not have the hallmark trait, such as straight-eared American Curls or straight-coated Selkirk Rex. The Tonkinese has colour variants that produce Siamese and Burmese colourations. These variants are available for breeding but not for competition.
Many breeds have limited colourations and patterns that vary between registries. Only the most definitive colourations and patterns across most registries are presented.
Many derived breeds are long- or shorthaired varieties of the foundation breed but have different breed names; others are delineated by longhair or shorthair in the breed name. Several additional rex-coated cat populations have not developed into viable populations or are extinct.