Since so many of our cats are domestic shorthairs, it’s pretty rare for some of us to cross paths with a purebred feline — and it’s even more extraordinary to meet one of these cool-looking cat breeds.
Check out the videos below to learn about four fascinating cat breeds that truly stand out from the crowd.
American Curl
The American Curl is admired for her unique ears, which curl backward instead of standing up, as you see with most other felines. The breed’s ears resulted from a spontaneous natural mutation that appeared in the early 1980s and was then purposefully continued by breeders who fancied the look.
Speaking of curls, we think you should meet the Selkirk Rex! This typically affectionate, patient cat shares the curly coat of the two other Rex breeds — the Cornish Rex and the Devon Rex — but is distinct with his round head, round eyes and muscular frame. Some cat owners believe that the Selkirk Rex’s curly fur makes him hypoallergenic, but that’s not necessarily true. Allergies are caused by dander and, thus, aren’t triggered by a particular coat type.
If you’ve ever met a cat who looked sort of like a Siamese but not exactly like one, it may have been an Oriental. The breed was created by crossing Siamese cats with other breeds including the American Shorthair, British Shorthair, Abyssinian, Russian Blue and domestic cats. Even though the breeding lines diverged, the Oriental and Siamese share that neat-looking wedge-shaped head and big triangular ears.
Of course, we saved the best for last: We absolutely adore the hairless Sphynx. The Sphynx’s baldness was originally the result of a spontaneous natural mutation (like that of the American Curl) — the first of these cats was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1966 to a domestic cat with a regular coat. How cool is that? If you ever get the chance to snuggle up to a Sphynx, we highly recommend it — they’re very warm!
