The UK’s most popular Cat Breeds in 2017

When it comes to dogs, most people could make an educated guess about the most popular pedigree breeds in the UK, as most of us will start to recognise different breeds that we see out and about, and begin to determine which are the most common.

When it comes to cats, however, it can be rather harder-some people who keep pedigree cats keep them as indoor-only cats and of course, the ratio of moggies to pedigrees in the UK is heavily slanted in favour of the moggy! Additionally, not everyone will be able to instantly recognise what breed any given pedigree cat is-or in some cases, may not recognise the breed at all.

If you’ve ever wondered what the most popular cat breeds in the UK are and if yours ranks among them, wonder no longer-in this article, we will list the five most popular pedigree cat breeds in the UK, taking into account advertisement data on Pets4Homes over the last two years. Read on to find out more!

Number Five: The Maine Coon

The Maine Coon has remained in fifth position for the last two years, making it the first of the American cat breeds to be featured in the top five. The Maine Coon is a large, muscular and very active cat breed from the New England area of the USA, and they tend to be very outdoors-y and often, competent hunters. They are also one of the largest breeds, backed up by their thick, fluffy fur, and large pointed ears that often have large tufts of fur protruding from them, which are known in the trade as “ear furnishings!”

The Maine Coon actually beats out the Siamese cat breed to make it into the top five, with the Siamese just missing the mark in sixth place.

Number Four: The Persian

The Persian cat breed is the ubiquitous flat-faced, longhaired cat breed that is often what people think of when they are asked to name a pedigree breed. The Persian has really soft, thick and plush fur that makes them highly enticing to stroke, and while they are as adventurous and active as any other breed, they are also very affectionate, and love cuddling up on the sofa.

Coming in at fourth place, the Persian has rather dropped in popularity taking into account the larger pattern over the last decade or so, as more exotic breeds and breeds that were formerly common abroad but not here are becoming more popular.

Number Three: The Ragdoll

The Ragdoll breed is one of those breeds that as referenced above, has risen in popularity in the UK over the last decade or so, being relatively uncommon here before that time. The breed was founded in the USA, from the mating of a Persian female and a longhaired black male that had the appearance of a Persian, but no known pedigree history.

The Ragdoll is hugely popular all over the world because they are quite possibly the most gentle, affectionate and soft of all of the various cat breeds-they are real homebodies that love to be curled up on the sofa, and that don’t tend to be overly adventurous.

They are also renowned for not being particularly streetwise, and so require a safe outdoor area if they go outside, as they are not that good at keeping themselves out of trouble!

Number Two: The Bengal

The Bengal cat breed was virtually unknown a decade ago, and is really only starting to approach large numbers in the UK now. The Bengal breed was produced from the crossing of domestic cat breeds including the Siamese, and the wild Asian leopard cat. It is certainly fair to say that as a result, the Bengal cannot be meaningly compared to any other breed in terms of their appearance and temperament, and they are not a good fit for everyone!

They tend to be very independent, adventurous and keen to explore, and are often prolific hunters too. They can be noisy and potentially destructive, and usually form strong bonds with one person and barely seem to acknowledge others!

Number One: The British shorthair

Finally in the top position is a home-grown favourite, and in fact, the only breed with British origins to make the top five-which is of course the British shorthair. The British shorthaired cat has short fur that is very plush and thick, making them a pleasure to stroke, and they also tend to be highly personable, and very affectionate with their owners.

Their appearance also makes them very desirable-they have reasonably large square-ish heads and fairly solid bodies, and are widely renowned as the cat breed that most resembles Bagpuss, which of course only helps their popularity!

Additionally, the fact that they are one of our few native breeds further adds to demand for the ever-popular British shorthair.