Chartreux

Description

This breed’s defining characteristic is its plush, blue coat, with tips lightly brushed with silver—a coat that French author Colette described as “mauve and bluish like the throat of ringdoves.” The dense, water-repellent coat is medium-short and slightly woolly, with a resilient undercoat and a longer, protective topcoat. The degree of woolliness depends on age, gender and environment; mature…

Burmese

Description

The Burmese is one of a number of purebred breeds that have several recognized varieties. Keeping them straight requires a bit of homework. The Contemporary Burmese is usually the type you’ll see in the champion ring at shows. Medium in size, the Contemporary is powerful with a compact appearance, an ample, rounded chest, and a level back from shoulder…

British Shorthair

Description

Although the breed has gone through many ups and downs over the years, the current appearance is close to the original form due to the hard work of dedicated breeders. Like its alley cat ancestors, today’s Brit is a healthy, hardy breed, medium to large, well-knit, compact, well-balanced and powerful. The back is level and the chest is deep…

Bombay

Description

The Bombay resembles a miniature black leopard, with a glossy jet-black coat and brilliant copper eyes, combining the body style and personality of the Burmese with the solid coloration of the black American Shorthair. This well-balanced breed is medium in size, muscular in development and moderate in body style. The Bombay has surprising weight for its size. The legs…

Birman

Description

The Birman is a beautifully adorned cat with its long, silky fur, pointed pattern, brilliant blue eyes, and matching sets of pure white feet. This breed is popular with those who love the beautiful pointed pattern of the Siamese but dislike the supermodel thinness of today’s Extreme Siamese or the cobby body and foreshortened face of the show Himalayan….

Bengal

Description Sharing our homes with mini-leopards with lithe, feral bodies and vivid, spotted coats reminds us that our domestic felines were wildcats only about 5,000 years ago. We caress the spotted coat and marvel at the mysteries of feline nature. Our fascination with the look of the wild is why we currently have five accepted breeds with spotted coats: the…

Balinese

Description Coat length is the only difference between the Siamese and the Balinese. The Balinese is a svelte cat with long, tapering lines, very lithe but strong and muscular. A medium-length coat covers its tubular body. Adult males weigh 7 to 9 pounds; adult females weigh 5 to 7 pounds. The head is a medium-size tapering wedge with a flat…

American Shorthair

Description

To those who are not familiar with the marvelous diversity of breeds available to today’s cat fancier, some of our modern varieties might seem a tad—well, unusual. However, even the most uninitiated cat lover can relate to the comfortably familiar American Shorthair, with its sturdy, middle-of-the-road body style and average all-American good looks. Looks can be deceiving, though,…

American Bobtail

Description The American Bobtail has a distinctive wild appearance. The breed is medium to large; males generally weigh 10 to 14 pounds while females weigh 8 to 11 pounds. However,type is more important than size in this breed. The American Bobtail is athletic, well muscled and has a powerful appearance. The body is moderately long and substantial with prominent…

American Wirehair

Description The American Wirehair’s unruly hair is a gift from Mother Nature, whose love of diversity knows no bounds. This scruffy gem of a breed is truly rare. American Shorthairs still are used in Wirehair breeding programs to increase the gene pool and keep it from becoming inbred, and over time this has influenced the Wirehair’s body and head…

American Curl

Description

Like the Scottish Fold, the American Curl’s defining characteristic is its unique ears. In the Curl’s case, the ears curl backward in a smooth arc. Show quality Curls must have a curl arc that is at least 90 degrees and no more than 180 degrees. The moderately large ears must be erect and must have firm cartilage from…