Breed Types of Cat
There are seven main groups of cat, plus the best group of all, the Moggie.
The groups are;
British and American Shorthairs
Very similar in appearance, generally quiet demeanor, they can have short thick coats and need regular grooming. These cats can grow to be very big.
Oriental Shorthairs
Generally these cats are similar in size and indeed shape to that of the Siamese. Lots of different coat colours, but no restricted coat pattern.
Other Shorthairs
Any shorthaired cat that doesn't fit the other shorthair groups.
Persian Longhairs
These all confirm to same size, shape and length of fur. They will have small noses and ears and an abundance of fur. Multi-coloured.
Non Persian Longhairs
Any longhaired cat except the Persian types.
Burmese
Shorthaired, various colours, attention seeking.
Siamese
Sleek, attention grabbing, distinctive coat colour patterns.
There are about 90 breeds here.
Please note that this list is centered around the British and in some case American definitions of the cats. Those of you living in more exotic places might not agree with everything here. A "Malayan" cat for e.g is a Burmese cat with the "wrong" colouring. Malayan is merely the alternative name for these Burmese. I would be happy to hear your opinion.
All these cats above are 'recognised' but there is one type not listed above because they are very difficult to look after. They are the 'ferals'. Ferals come in all shapes and sizes and I suppose are strictly speaking wild untamed cats that don't trust people very well. However contrary to what you may be told, with a lot of tender loving care they can become very affectionate pets.