Abyssinian cats are sleek athletic medium size felines that boast wonderful personalities. Abys have a wild look about them resembling a Lynx with their large ears and expressive alert yet gentle eyes. For decades the Abyssinian has been among one of the most popular breeds throughout the world thanks to the fact they are not only beautiful looking but also because they are such intelligent cats that boast an independent side to their natures.

The American Bobtail is a relatively new breed originating in the USA in the 1960s though not receiving much publicity until relatively recently. It is rarely seen in the UK as it is not recognised by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) and therefore cannot be shown at GCCF shows. It can be either a shorthaired or semi-longhaired variety and is distinguishable by its shorter length tail which is between a third and a half the length of that of a more conventional breed. As the length of tail is not a programmable gene and cannot be bred specifically to order it is said that no two tails are ever the same and unlike other cats the American Bobtail will often wag its tail to show pleasure. The longhaired variety is described as having a shaggy-looking coat (rather than dense or fluffy) as befits the connection to wild bobcats from whom they are thought to descend whereas the shorthaired American Bobtails have rather plush coats This is a sturdy rather rugged looking cat and both varieties are medium to large in size with males weighing around 15lb and females a little smaller.

The American Curl originates from the standard domestic household pet in North America with the exception of a striking mutation of ears that curl back from the top of the head pointing towards the back which gives the cat an expression of utter amazement.

Although fully recognised in the USA it is rarely seen in the UK as it is not recognised by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) and therefore cannot be shown here at GCCF shows. However it is found in many other countries including Spain France Japan and Russia.

The Ameican Curl cat breed is recognised in the UK however by both TICA and FIFe so if you visit a cat show run by one of these organisations it would be possible to see one of these cats in the UK. At the time of writing there are currently only 2 breeders of American Curl cats in the UK so the chances of seeing one of these breeds is quite rare.

The extent of the curl determines whether or not a cat the cat be bred from or shown in the USA - cats with ears just turned back become pets those with slightly more curl can be used for breeding and those with full crescent curls can be shown. The original variety is a semi-longhaired cat but out-crossing has subsequently produced a shorthaired variety and as the shorthaired gene is dominant many shorthaired Curls carry the longhair gene and produce semi-longhaired kittens. The gene producing the Curl effect is a dominant one and breeding with any non-Curl cat as part of a programme to increase the gene pool will produce at 50% of kittens with the Curl appearance - both Curl and non-Curl kittens are useful to improving the programme for the future of the breed.

The American Shorthair is a lovely natural breed and as their name suggests they hail from the United States. Females tend to be smaller than their female counterparts but both have extremely weather resistant coats that are quite harsh to the touch. They are known to be wonderful companions and family pets thanks to their easy-going loving natures which has seen the American Shorthair become one of the most popular breeds in the States. However anyone wishing to share their homes with one of these charming cats would need to register their interest with breeders because not many well-bred American Shorthair kittens are available in the UK every year.

The American Wirehair is a lovely looking feline that's relatively new to the cat scene. The breed is a medium to large cat that comes in a variety of colours and patterns and over the last few decades since the sixties has become a really popular choice as a family pet due to their charming looks and their lovely kind natures. Their coats are a natural mutation which causes the fur to appear crimped and wiry. However this naturally occurring mutation has to be encouraged because it is what is known as an incomplete dominant gene.

This is a completely new breed of semi-longhaired cat originating in Britain as a cross between the Selkirk Rex and the Turkish Angora and is very much in the experimental stages at the moment. There are a very small handful of breeders in Britain and America who are interested in developing this breed but it is currently quite hard to find Arctic Curl kittens for sale as they are being used in structured breeding programmes to develop the breed. It isn't yet recognised by any of the registries (such as the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) The International Cat Association (TICA) or the UK Governing Council of the Cat Fancy) and it does not yet have a published breed Standard. However establishing a new breed takes several years of dedicated breeding from what is initially quite a restricted gene pool. The 'Curl' in the name doesn't have any connection with shape of the ears as in the American Curl but instead refers to the curly coat and it is thought that the 'Arctic' element refers to the blue eyes of the initial white variety of this breed.

The Asian breed incorporates a few cat groups all of which boast having the look of a Burmese and a similar texture to their coats. There's a vast range of colour combinations and coat patterns all of which are acceptable under the GCCF breed standard but each colour is referred to as being either "Full Expression" or "Burmese Colour Restriction". In short a cat can either have the colour of the Burmese or they can be much darker and this includes black.

There are five types of Asian cats all of which have become popular both as companions and family pets thanks to their exotic foreign appearance and their charming affectionate natures. They are known to be particularly good with the elderly loving nothing more to entertain and be entertained. Asians are also incredibly loyal to their families.

The Australian Mist is currently the newest breed to gain recognition in the UK having been accepted by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in October 2011. The development of this breed has been very clearly documented both in Australia and in the UK as it has been recognised how important it is to do this for future generations of breeding unlike many of our older breeds where such meticulous records were not kept. In addition as it is a single named breeder who has led the development of the Australian Mist (and who has also maintained an active interest in the breed to this date) it has been easier to validate the records. Details of all Australian Mist foundation cats have been recorded and the pedigrees of current breeding cats can be traced back accurately to these lines.

The Balinese is an extremely graceful cat that looks very similar to a Siamese with the difference being they boast having long fine and silky coats. They are known to be very talkative and love nothing more than chatting away to their owners which is just another of their endearing characteristics and why over the years the Balinese has become an extremely popular choice as a family pet that’s known to get on well with children and other pets.

The Bengal was first bred in the United States and is a relative newcomer to the cat scene. They are medium to large size cats that boast a lot of presence with their strong athletic bodies and sleek marbled or spotted coats. They were created by crossing between the Asian Leopard Cat with domestic breeds which includes the Egyptian Mau Ocicats and Abyssinians. They are known to have outgoing personalities which when paired to their wild good looks has seen the Bengal become a popular choice both as a companion and family pet not only in the UK but elsewhere in the world too.

Birmans are known to be gentle affectionate and playful cats which has seen the breed becoming a popular companion and family pet. Known as the "Sacred Cat of Burma" they boast having extremely beautiful blue eyes and a noble look about them which is paired to a lovely semi-long soft silky coat and their lovely white paws. These kind natured cats come in twenty different colours all of which are gorgeous. Today the Birman is among one of the most popular breeds not only here in the UK but elsewhere in the world too.

The Bombay is a medium-sized cat with an elegant appearance and boasts a loving and sociable nature. They have extremely beautiful and captivating eyes and luxurious black fur that sets them apart from other breeds because they resemble miniature panthers. The breed is relatively new to the cat world, having been developed in the 1950s by crossing a Burmese cat with a black-coated American Shorthair. Today, these adorable cats have found a place in the hearts and homes of many people around the world, not only for their unique appearance but also for their wonderfully gentle and extremely affectionate nature.

The British Longhair is known to be a quiet affectionate and loving cat with an independent side to their natures which in short means they are never overly demanding. Although they have been around for a long time and unlike the British Shorthair the British Longhair is not recognised as a breed by the GCCF although they are recognised by TICA. The only real difference between a British Shorthair and a British Longhair is in the length of their coats.

British Shorthairs are one of the most popular pure breeds in the UK and for good reason. These lovely cats boast kind even-tempered personalities and they form extremely strong bonds with their families. The added bonus being that British Shorthairs get on with everyone including other pets and dogs which when paired to their independent yet loving loyal natures makes them the perfect family pet.

Since 1997 it has consistently been the most popular breed of pedigree cat in Britain by a long way in terms of numbers registered with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF).

The Burmese cat is known to have a very dog-like personality loving nothing more than to follow owners around the home and being involved in everything they are doing. It’s their way of getting all the attention they crave while at the same time showing owners just how much they love them. They are strong athletic and graceful cats that boasts wonderful glossy coats. Males tend to be quite a bit larger than their female counterparts but both are loyal and affectionate which are just two of the reasons why the Burmese has remained such a popular companion and family pet throughout the ages.

The Burmilla often referred to as an Asian Shaded originated in the UK in 1981 as the result of an 'accidental' mating between a Persian Chinchilla and a Burmese. Although this is a breed in its own right in that it breeds 'true' (i.e. Burmilla x Burmilla will produce only Burmilla offspring) it is also the founder breed of the overall group of cats known by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) as the Asian Group which is used for cats of Burmese shape and coat texture but with non-Burmese coat colour pattern or length. This closely-linked group of cats which derive from Burmese crossed with other pedigree breeds also includes the Asian Self Asian Smoke Asian Tabby Bombay (a black Asian Self) and the Tiffanie (a longhaired Asian variety). The offspring of cross-mating Burmese and Chinchilla parents always produces these shorthair silver offspring carrying two recessive genes - the 'self' gene inherited from the Burmese and the 'longhair' gene inherited from the Chinchilla. Interestingly the Asian Group were the first pedigree cats breeds in Britain to include a good temperament as part of their Standard of Points.

The Chartreux is one of the oldest French breeds and boasts being among the very few true blue coated cats. For a long time these charming medium size cats have been popular companions and family pets thanks to their kind placid and gentle natures. They are known to form strong bonds with their families and over the years the Chartreux has earned the reputation of being tremendously good mousers.

The Chausie was first created in 1990 by crossing a Jungle Cat with a domestic cat after which time breeders concentrated on producing a "wild" looking cat that boasted a kind placid and affectionate nature. The breed was awarded full Championship status by TICA in 2013 but has yet to be recognised by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF). The breed's name "Chausie" is derived from the Latin name for the Jungle Cat which is felis chaus and since these large handsome cats first appeared on the scene they have found a fan base in many countries of the world including in the UK.

The Cornish Rex is a delightful cat and one that boasts a playful affectionate nature. They are small to medium in size and have a very unusual crinkly coat wide head and lovely curly whiskers. They are known to be extremely intelligent with a bit of a mischievous streak in them and they retain their kitten-like traits well into their senior years. Many owners say that sharing a home with a Cornish Rex is like living with a dog thanks to the fact their feline friends follow them about from room to room and love nothing more than retrieving toys.

The Devon Rex is small to medium in size with a very distinctive look. They have large eyes and high cheek bones that add to their overall endearing pixie-like looks. They also boast lovely soft wrinkly coats that are extremely velvety to the touch. On top of their unique looks the Devon Rex boasts having a kind playful nature which when paired to their intelligence has made them a popular family pet and companion albeit it a rather mischievous

The Egyptian Mau has a reputation for being extremely fast on their feet. They look a lot much like cats that were found in ancient Egypt and which are depicted on the tomb walls of Pharaohs. These athletic cats have been recorded at speeds of thirty miles an hour. Not only this their long well-muscled back legs allow Maus to jump to great heights with the greatest of ease. Over the years the Egyptian Mau has become a popular companion thanks to their naturally occurring exotic spotted coats and their kind loyal and affectionate natures as such they have found their way into the hearts and homes of many people in the UK and elsewhere in the world.

The Exotic is often referred to as being a shorthaired Persian thanks to the fact they look so similar with the main difference being in the length of their coats. They are relatively new to the cat scene having first been developed in the States. However the Exotic has found a big fan base in the UK thanks to their adorable looks their kind loving albeit mischievous natures and their lovely luxurious coats.

The Havana Brown is an attractive cat that's related to the Siamese. They have wonderful chocolate brown coats and amazing green eyes which contrast well with their colouring. They are often called Havanas and since they first appeared on the scene these charming cats have become a popular choice both as companions and family pets thanks to their kind loyal and affectionate natures although anyone wishing to share a home with a Havana Brown would need to register their interest with breeders for the pleasure of doing so.

The Himalayan is a very beautiful medium to large sized cat that boasts having the coat of a Persian but the colouring and gorgeous blue eyes of a Siamese. Over the years they have found their way into the hearts and homes of cat lovers the world over which includes the UK not only because they are so stunning to look at but also because they boast having such sweet kind and affectionate natures. However their numbers remain quite low in the UK although steadily rising. As such anyone wishing to share their homes with a Himalayan would need to register their interest with breeders for the pleasure of doing so.