Cat breeds as we know them today began fairly recently: before the late 1800s there is little reference to ‘breed’ of cat. A cat is a member of a specific breed if it breeds true to the traits that define that very particular and specific breed. The Cat Fanciers' Association is one of the largest registries for cats; today, the CFA recognizes a total of 41 breeds. The so-called ‘natural breeds’ are those that likely emerged through natural selection; there are 16 such breeds. The other 25 CFA-recognized breeds were created by humans primarily from 1950 to 1999.

Domestic longhair and domestic shorthair are broad categories based on type of fur; many crossbreeds are identified by this nomenclature. Additionally, there are slang terms for non-purebred domestic cats; alley cat is widely used in U.S. cities, while barn cat is the term employed in more rural areas.

As pedigree breeding of cats occurred only recently, it should come as no surprise that less than five percent of pet cats belong to a specific cat breed. From within that small percentage come each breed's champions. Like other pedigree animals, registries both national and international maintain breeding record, certify pedigrees and hold annual competitions to determine champions. Proof of a particular cat's ‘membership’ in a certain breed is confirmed by tracing its ancestry back through at least four generations. Selective breeding of cats has produced many beautiful and popular hybrids. These animals may be referred to as belonging to a specific breed, but only when a cat ‘breeds true’ for all the characteristics of a specific breed is it defined as a member of a particular breed.

Breed popularity

The World Cat Fanciers Association compiles an annual “Top 10” list of specific breeds by popularity, meaning by the number of registered owners of each. Persian cats continue to be the odds-on favorite, still claiming the number one spot in owners' hearts.

FELINE TOP 10

Persian
Maine Coon
Exotic (meaning shorthaired Persian)
Siamese
Abyssinian
Ragdoll
Birman
Oriental
American Shorthair
Tonkinese