Did you actually know that there are almost 80 different cat breeds that are catalogued and registered today? Of course, we all know the most well known breeds like the Persian or the Siamese , but there are many others, which are not so well known. Some organizations count only 40 - 50 different cat breeds as they exclude some of the more domestic ones such as tigers and certain wild cats.

Serious cat breeding started only a few hundred tears ago, but there are also exceptions. Some Japanese breeds, such as the Japanese Bobtail can be tracked back more than 1200 years. These ones have been very common throughout medieval Japan.

Among the most popular breeds in North America nowadays are the Alley, the Persian, the Siamese and the long-hair cat. Certain breeds have a temper or character that's very different from others. For example, the Siamese cat is known to have a rather foul and angry temper, whereas Persian cats are known to be very loving and cuddly. Unfortunately, Persian cats are also one of the most expensive ones.

Alley cats are surely one of the most widespread breeds in North America and they are surely among the most bred. Amongst the Alley cat breed there are also several sub types.

It is not always easy to distinguish the different breeds, however some of them are very easy to recognize. Let's have a quick look at the most popular breeds:

• Persian: The ideal Persian is a heavily boned, well-balanced cat with a sweet expression and soft, round lines. It has a round and massive head. The ears are small and round tipped. It has a long and thick tail with a fine texture that's standing off from the body. The nose is short, depressed and indented between the eyes and the muzzle is wrinkled. The following colors are typical for Persian cats: silver and golden, shaded and smoke, tabby, bicolor.

• Siamese: The ideal Siamese cat is a medium-sized, refined cat with long tapering. It has a graceful, long and svelte body, a distinctive combination of fine bones and firm muscles. the ears are strikingly large. The eyes are vivid blue, almond-shaped; medium size and slanted towards the nose. The tail is long and thin.

• American Bobtail: The ideal Bobtail is a naturally occurring short-tailed cat. The body is moderately long and stocky. The ears are wide at the base with a slightly rounded tip. The tail can be straight, slightly curved or have bumps. Bobtails may have a shorthair coat or a longhair coat.

I hope that you found this article both entertaining and educational, and I wish you the best in your quest to find the right breed of cat for you and your family.