How Many Cat Breeds are There?

A purebred cat is a cat whose parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so forth, have all been the same breed of cat.

Purebreds can be categorized into different breeds of cat. The number of cat breeds in the world varies, depending on the cat organization certifying the breed.

A cat that has mixed ancestry is known as either a domestic short-haired and domestic long-haired cat depending on the length of the cat’s fur.

Cat Organizations that Recognize Cat Breeds

In the United States, the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) recognizes 45 breeds of cats, of which 42 are eligible to compete. The Khao Manee, Lykoi, and Toybob are accepted by CFA as breeds but are still working towards full eligibility.

The International Cat Association (TICA) recognizes 73 breeds of cats.

Table: List of Cat Breeds

Listed here are cat breeds registered with two of the largest and most recognizable cat breeds (there are other cat breed registries).

Columns noted as CFA indicates that the cat is a listed breed with the Cat Fanciers’ Association and TICA indicates the cat is listed as a breed with The International Cat Association.

This article was originally written on November 8, 2021 and has since been updated.

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