Exotic Cat Breeds

Exotic cat breeds have been gaining popularity in recent years. Cat lovers seem to want to have a cat that looks different than your average cat.

Are you looking to adopt a cat of an exotic breed? If that is the case, you will find here general information about several exotic cats.

Some of these cat breeds occur naturally as a result of genetic evolution or natural mutations.

Other breeds are what some would call "designer breeds". In other words, they are breeds that were purposely created with an exotic look in mind.

And yet others are the result of hybridization or the crossing of two different breeds.

Exotic cat breed information

Cats in general are gorgeous animals. Exotic cats are not only beautiful, but also striking, unique and unusual.

Hybrid cat breeds

Hybrid cats give you the best of two worlds: the wild and the domestic. Some popular cat breeds are in fact hybrids of wild cats and domestic cats. Take into account that early generations of these crossings are not considered domestic, thus they are not suitable pets.

Some popular hybrids are:

• Bengal – a cross between an Asian Leopard Cat and a domestic cat

• Chausie (also known as Jungle Curl, Mountain Cougar and Stone Cougar) - a hybrid of the Jungle cat and a domestic feline

• Safari – a cross between a domestic cat and a South American Geoffroy cat.

• Savannah – a hybrid of a domestic cat and the serval

All of these cats, with the exception of the Chausie, are known for their distinct spotted coats. The Chausie comes in different colors and patterns, including the tabby pattern.

Hairless cats, hairless beauties

Some say that hairless cats are funny-looking cats. I think they are beautiful creatures despite their somewhat odd appearance. Some of these unique cats are:

• Donskoy (Don Sphinx) – a Russian native, this almost-bald kitty is loving and intelligent. Donskoys make a great choice for a family pet.

• Sphinx – Even though it looks hairless, the Sphinx is not completely bald. This cat is highly inquisitive and very affectionate.

Some believe that hairless cats are great pets for people with allergies. For more on this topic, visit our page about hypoallergenic cats.

One of a Kind– The Exotic Shorthair

Also known as the Shorthair Persian Cat, the Exotic Shorthair was created as a short-haired version of the Persian. Indeed, the Exotic Shorthair is almost identical to the Persian except for the length of its coat.

The Exotic has a short, fluffy coat which is easy to groom. This exotic cat is very loyal and affectionate.

Wild Looking

These exotic cat breeds are fully domestic, but they look quite wild. So if you want a wild-looking cat without a drop of wild blood in them, consider the following breeds:

• California Spangled – a beautiful spotted cat, they resemble the leopard.

• Egyptian Mau – another spotted beauty, the Egyptian Mau is the only naturally occurring spotted domestic cat breed.

• Toyger – this tiger-looking cat is the result of breeding shorthaired tabbies. This cat was developed to look like a tiger.

• Serengeti – another wild-looking cat, the Serengeti is a cross between the Bengal cat and the Oriental Shorthair.

Dwarf cats

These exotic breeds are quite unique and rare. And they’re some of the smallest of the domestic cats.

• Kinkalow – this small kitty is the result of the cross between the American Curl and the Munchkin.

• Lambkin – another dwarf cat, it is a cross between the Munchkin and the Selkirk Rex

• Minskin – this breed was developed by crossing the Munchkin with the Sphinx

• Munchkin – this dwarf cat occurs naturally as a result of genetic mutation.

This is not a definitive list of all exotic cat breeds. But it gives you a good start if you are searching for an exotic cat. I’ll keep adding more breeds and more information, so keep checking back.

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