10 Most Popular Cat Breeds Around the Globe

We love our cats! Billions of cat memes online testify to that. They are beautiful, low maintenance, entertaining, clever, and some have very affectionate personalities. Felines come in many colors and temperaments. Some cats have luxurious long hair, and the Sphynx is a hairless breed that’s practically hypoallergenic.

Have you ever wondered how many cats are in the USA? There are 60.2 to 62 million pet cats here. If you like cat trivia, here are some very interesting cat statistics.

When unveiling the most popular pets, you’ll find that around the globe, there are 373 million pet cats. We are not the only cat-worshipping country; kitties have diehard fans throughout the world. And with good reason.

Humans have been obsessed with cats since ancient times in Egypt. They are curious creatures. Artists, poets, and even the play “Cats” have paid homage to our little whiskered friends.

Here are the most popular cat breeds and information about them:

Most Popular Cat Breeds

Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) is the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats and recognizes 46 breeds.

Here are the most popular kitties:

1. Persian

Persian cats are calm, affectionate, friendly, gentle, and like children who treat them nicely. Persian cats don’t want to be grabbed, just gently pet. Persians get along with cats and gentle dogs.

All cats should be kept inside to avoid injury or attack by wild animals, but the Persian coat can get very dirty and tangled outdoors. They need to be combed daily to keep mats from forming in that gorgeous fur.

They have a regal appearance with their stunning blue eyes. Their face is flat compared to most other breeds. Persians were the fifth most popular of the many cat breeds in 2023. Being gorgeous with a sweet personality puts them in big demand as household pets.

The Persian enjoys some cat wand action, hanging out with the family, and keeping an eye on what’s happening. Like all cats, they enjoy scratching, so a scratching post is a good option to distract them from your furniture. They don’t mind being alone for a bit.

Persian cats have been in Persia (now Iran) for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years and are named after their country of origin.

One of the cat food commercials features a Persian cat due to its enchanting appearance!

2. Ragdoll

These large cats with blue eyes are playful, relaxed, friendly, affectionate, loyal, empathetic, trusting, and loving. The Ragdoll cat wants lots of attention. They don’t mind a noisy environment and like respectful kids.

They bond with their human family like dogs do and will even play fetch. These big kitties are gentle giants with laid-back personalities and are easily trained.

They need to be combed twice a week to keep their elegant fur coat untangled and to prevent mats.

Ragdoll cats have only been around since the 1960s when they were bred in the US by Ann Baker, a Persian cat breeder, who initially bred a Persian cat with a Birman-type cat.

Taylor Swift and Sylvester Stalone have Ragdolls.

3. Siamese 

Siamese cats are playful, friendly, active, affectionate, highly intelligent, curious, and also bond with their humans. They are lap cats. Some have a very slender body.

The small to medium-sized Siamese cat will follow you around the house and (at my home) often trip their unsuspecting victims after getting underfoot. I have been the mom of three Siamese cats, and they are quite dog-like.

They are famous for having a vocal personality and for their beautiful blue eyes. Mine love knocking objects off of surfaces. They are always interested in cuddling with our dog and other cats.

Thailand was once called Siam, and that’s where the mischievous Siamese originated.

Skippyjon Jones, the protagonist of the children’s book series, and the naughty Siams in The Aristocats are well-known Meezers.

4. Maine Coon

These large cats are one of the biggest domestic cats. Their most common coloring is brown tabby, and their eyes are copper, green, gold, and “odd-eyed” (two different colors). They have a big, bushy tail.

Maine Coons are also the only long-haired cat breeds created in the US and one of the oldest natural cat breeds in North America. They are lovingly referred to as gentle giants.

The Maine coon cat is gentle, sweet, playful, and affectionate. Maine coon cats need exercise because they can get heavy. Maine coons also need daily brushing/combing.

Rule of thumb: the more beautiful the coat, the more brushing it needs to avoid tangling and matting. Their shaggy coats give them a wild cat appearance. They were America’s first show cat.

Cat historians believe that seamen who sailed to New England had cats on their ships that left the ships and bred with local cats, creating the Maine coon cat.

Mrs. Norris from Harry Potter was a Maine coon.

5. Russian Blue

The Russian blue kitten’s eyes are yellow with green rims and turn bright green when they become an adult.

The Russian blue cat is good for people with allergies because it produces lessglycoprotein Fel d 1 allergen than other cat breeds. They are chatty like Siams.

Russians are intelligent, sweet, loyal, affectionate, playful, devoted, sensitive, like some alone time, shy with guests, need toys, and are social cats. They love chasing pole toys with dangling feathers because of their prey drive.

You probably wouldn’t be shocked that they originated in northern Russia. They were favorites of the royals and Czars. They traveled to the UK and other parts of Europe at the end of the 1800s and finally made it to the US in the early 1900s. They became popular here after World War II.

6. American Shorthair

American shorthair cats are affectionate, intelligent, friendly, playful, active, good with children and other pets (cats and dogs), and have muscular bodies.

The American shorthair cat is easy to train, doesn’t need much brushing, is okay with being alone and being picked up, is loyal, and is a lap cat. They do have a strong prey drive. Don’t let them outside, and they won’t bring you dead or half-dead rodents.

They have a gentle nature around children. The American shorthair cat is extremely sweet and has a lovely temperament. I know because I was the mom of two (one black and one gray tabby), and they were fur dolls. There are five types of tabby cat patterns/colors.

The British shorthair and the Oriental shorthair are similar breeds. The British Shorthair is popular worldwide. They look a little teddy bear-ish and are easygoing. They have a round face, chubby cheeks, and a stocky build. They don’t like to be alone.

The Oriental shorthair looks like a Siamese but has green eyes and many different colors and patterns. Some have long hair, and the short-haired ones get cold.

Former Beatle John Lennon had an American shorthair and also a Siam.

7. Abyssinian

The Abyssinian has green or gold eyes. They shed quite a bit and need brushing. Abyssinians are energetic, affectionate, social, playful, enjoy jumping, andlove people and other pets. They play with toys by themselves and also like interactive play with their humans.

If you have to be away from home a lot, you might consider getting another cat to keep them company. They love perches to jump on.

Although they bear a resemblance to ancient Egyptian cats with their pointy ears, the Abyssinian cat was developed in the UK in the 1860s when Lord Robert Napier brought a cat back from Abyssinia in Ethiopia, where he was with the military.

Writer Ernest Hemmingway, actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn, and President Theodore Roosevelt all owned Abyssinians.

 8. Scottish Fold Cats

Scottish fold cats have blue, green, gold, or odd-eyed and are medium-sized. They are a domestic cat breed that is affectionate, sweet, intelligent, calm, makes great companions, has an easygoing nature, and likes interactive play.

They get along with other pets and aren’t a particularly active breed. The Scottish fold has a round head and a fragile tail, so handle with care. Some actually have straight ears.

A kitten with folded ears was born in a litter in 1961 in Perthshire, Scotland. That kitten was then bred with domestic cats and the British Shorthair, and the Scottish Fold cat flourished. Some say they have an owl-like appearance.

Scottish folds have been on TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. Pop music star Ed Sheeran has a Scottish fold.

9. Sphynx

The Sphynx cat has lots of personality. The Sphynx cat is friendly, playful, affectionate, intelligent, loving, energetic, and cuddly. They like to be with their people all the time and are good with children and other pets.

They don’t like solitude, so it’s nice to have other cats or other animals to keep them company when you’re not home. They are very recognizable cats and can have any feline eye color.

Sphynx cats originated in Toronto, Canada, in 1966 when a hairless kitten appeared in a litter. Breeders used selective breeding and bred the offspring.

An Austin Powers movie featured Dr. Evil’s Persian cat, Mr. Bigglesworth.

10. Devon Rex

Devon Rex cats are energetic, active, clownish, playful, affectionate, intelligent, easy to train, love to jump on perches and enjoy luxuriating in the sun. Their fur is fragile, so humans should wipe them gently with a cloth rather than brush them.

They are good with cats, dogs, birds, ferrets, and rabbits. My neighbor has two, and they are an adorable comedy team with their big ears and large eyes.

The Devon Rex cat originated in 1960 in Devon, England, when a curly-coated, brownish-black kitten named Kirlee was born in a stray Calico’s litter of straight-haired kittens. Cat experts think it was due to a mutation. Breeders crossed Kirlee with cats and continued to breed the ones with curly fur.

Breeds to Avoid 

A veterinarian in the UK listed breeds he wouldn’t buy but would adopt if they needed a home. He said the Bengal is aggressive. He revealed that Scottish Folds are “cruelly bred” because their folded ears come from a cartilage disorder (in all their joints) that causes arthritis at a young age.

He shared that Persians have health issues due to their flat faces. He rejected Sphynx cats because he likes fluffy cats.

FAQs

Which Breed of Cat Is Most Commonly Female?

Calico cats are usually female because a cat’s coat coloring is linked to genetics. Black and orange fur comes with the X chromosome. Female cats have two X chromosomes, so they can have both colors.

What Is the Most Rare Kind of Cat?

According to the UK’s Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, the Sokoke is the rarest of the domestic cat breeds in the world. They are from east Kenya in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest area.

What Is the New Cat Breed in 2023?

According to Reddit, the new breed in 2023 is the Singapura.

Final Thoughts  

If you’re interested in the domestication of cats, we have you covered. Most cats aren’t purebreds. The felines above are all beautiful and sweet. Check Petfinder or pure breed rescue groups if you’d like to adopt a kitty that’s waiting for a home.