8 Adorable Cat Breeds ...

Ask someone to name a cat breed, and chances are the first one that comes to mind will be the Persian. Their flat face is so characteristic that they can immediately be identified. This is, however, a more recent development in breeding; Persians actually used to have less flat faces – hopefully this will become desirable again for the sake or preventing health problems.

Siamese cats are, of course, famed for their vocal nature, although I can confirm that they are not the only talkative cats! They are also known for their dark markings and beautiful blue eyes. Siamese have been crossbred to produce several other breeds, such as Balinese and Tonkinese.

The Egyptian Mau is another chatty breed, with a variety of sounds. In fact, I suspect that my chatty cat may have some Mau in her ancestry, as she has a distinctive vocabulary and the ´worried´ expression that the breed has. Mau is actually an old Egyptian word for cat.

The Ragdoll is a relatively new breed, so named because of its docility when picked up (as cat owners will know, many others protest vehemently when picked up!). It has only been around for about 50 years. Its calmness unfortunately can mean that it is at risk of being hurt by dogs, as it is not inclined to run away.

Mention the Turkish Van, and someone will soon say ´Ah yes, the cat that likes to swim!, a liking for water obviously not being something most cats share. Vans have such fine fur (actually water-resistant) that they can be tolerated by some people with allergies to cats.

Norwegian Forest Cats can be recognised by their hugely fluffy tails. They´re perfectly adapted to live in the cold climate they came from, rather than being bred to fit any ´desirable´ characteristics. Their claws are so strong that they can even climb rocks!

Russian Blues are beautiful cats, with their blue-grey coat (we have one in the colony I help care for). They can be shy, but become very close to their owners, and are also known for their intelligence. This breed certainly looks very aristocratic!

Everyone would recognise the silhouette of a cat from its pointed ears – but not if it was a Scottish Fold! The cat´s ears bend forward, which gives it a completely different but adorable look. In fact, the breed was previously known as the Lop-eared – just like a bunny!

Personally I would probably not opt for a pedigree cat as I like to home rescue animals, but there sure are some beautiful cat breeds around! If I had to choose a favourite, I don´t know which I´d pick. Which cat breed do you most admire?

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