For certain the most common pet cats are not a breed at all, but are simply domestic cats of mixed breeds, however this article will mention two of the most common cat breeds, the Siamese and Persian, as well as the unique Manx cat.
Siamese Cats
Siamese cats are often easily recognized by their color, known as color point, however not all cats of this color are purebred Siamese, and without registration papers they cannot be referred to as such. In the Siamese cat the kittens are born white or cream color, in a few weeks the cooler areas, their limbs, tail, ears, and face, get color, while their warmer body stays light.
There are two breeding lines of Siamese cats, the traditionalists prefer a normal cat shaped face, while some extreme breeders prefer a more exotic, distorted face, that many people assume is the way these cats originally looked (although not true).
Read more on Siamese Cats
Read Common Health Problems in Siamese Cats
Read about Color Point Patterns
Persian Cats
Many people wrongly assume all long haired cats are Persian cats. A Persian cat is a breed that is noted for very long hair, lazy personality, and often associated with having a pushed in face. This facial deformity is the result of recent selective breeding and is not an original trait of the breed.
Persians require regular grooming and may suffer from painful hair tangles if ignored. They are often kept indoors only as their fur gets more messy when they are outside.
Read more on Persian Cats
Read Common Health Problems in Persian Cats
Manx Cats
Not all tailless cats are Manx, and not all Manx cats are tailless. Good Manx cat breeders will not breed a tailless Manx to a tailless Manx as their are concerns about a fatal double gene when this occurs.
Because of the genetic spinal deformity that causes Manx cats to have no tail, or to have a short tail, they tend to be prone to some health concerns and are not always reliable when it comes to using their litter box because of this.
Read Why Manx Cats are Tailless
Read Common Health Problems in Manx Cats
Note that there are millions of cats up for adoption in shelters all over the world, in the USA it is reported by the Humane Society that more than 3 million do not find homes. If you are considering getting a pet cat be sure to check your local shelter or go online to petfinder.com. Note that shelter websites are not always up-to-date, and that shelters do sometimes get specific cat breeds for adoption.
