Popular Short Hair Cats

The lynx point Siamese is a coat pattern found in the Siamese cat, according to The International Cat Association breed standard for the Siamese. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) does not recognize the lynx point pattern in Siamese; only solid-colored points in four colors (seal, chocolate, blue, and lilac) are permitted in the CFA breed standard.1

The British shorthair is a medium-to-large-sized cat with a short, dense coat and a distinctive rounded head and face that make them look like a cuddly teddy bear. These cats tend to be sweet and affectionate without being needy or clingy.

The Egyptian Mau is an elegant, spotted cat, potentially tracing its ancestry back 3,000 years to those adorned in ancient Egyptian temples and halls. The name "Mau" originates from the ancient Egyptian word for cat. Known for their athleticism, Egyptian Maus are among the fastest domestic cats, capable of reaching speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. They can make wonderful additions to families willing to include them as integral members.

Siamese cats are famous for their sleek, distinctive look, and there are many interesting facts about Siamese cats that make them so beloved and special.

The American shorthair is a medium-sized cat with a gentle nature, making them a great companion for families with children and/or other pets. While they’re not quite known for their athleticism, American shorthairs are surprisingly well-muscled and powerful—a trait established from all those years of hunting rodents on shipping boats.

The Siamese is a medium-sized, graceful cat with long, tapering lines and striking blue eyes. Their most distinctive feature is the 'points,' darker color patterns on the ears, face (mask), tail, legs, and feet. Siamese cats, fondly known as "meezers," are popular among people who want a sociable cat that loves to "talk." Officially recognized by the Cat Fancier's Association in 1906, the Siamese is one of the original breeds of pedigreed cats.

Bengal cats have the look of their wild relatives, but the size and personality of a domestic kitty. Plus, they're cute, and unlike larger, exotic cats, they can be kept in your house safely.

Burmese cats are medium-sized felines with strong, muscular bodies, rounded heads, and expressive gold eyes—and though they look like small cats, they can weigh more than you think. These affectionate and intelligent kitties may descend from an ancient breed in Myanmar (formerly Burma), but they were officially bred in the United States in the 1930s.

Bengal cats are beautiful, wild-looking, and smart cats. This hybrid cat breed is growing in popularity due to their pattern and personality, and they stay about the same size as a large domestic house cat. Bengal cats were developed by breeding Asian leopard cats (Felis bengalensis) with domestic cats like the Abyssinian, Egyptian Mau, or American shorthair. Read on to learn all about the Bengal cat breed.

A short tail and lynx-like features distinguish the American bobtail cat from other tabby breeds. Despite their wildcat looks, American bobtails are often referred to as the "golden retrievers of the feline world" because of their affectionate, docile personalities. What's more, they generally love to fetch toys and can be leash-trained. These cats make great companions for single people as well as families with kids and other pets; they also adapt well to unusual living quarters like RVs, semi-trucks, and sailboats.

The beautiful Burmilla is a newer cat breed from England that came about as the result of an accidental mating between a Burmese and a chinchilla Persian in the 1980s. This sturdy yet elegant cat boasts a silvery-white coat and almost appears to be wearing eyeliner—and nose liner! The breed, while still relatively rare, is beloved by its enthusiasts for being playful, inquisitive, and gentle.

Thanks to their fluffy, curled-back ears, American curls are one of the most easily identifiable cat breeds today. As their coats can come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, and their hair can be either short or long, it's the unique ears of American curls that make them stand out among other cat breeds.

The colorpoint shorthair is a hybrid (mix) of the Siamese and the American shorthair, but most of its physical characteristics favor the Siamese. It is long, lean, affectionate, and very vocal. Only the cat's array of 16 non-traditional point colors reflects its American shorthair genetics. Some cat registries recognize the colorpoint as a unique breed, while others classify it as simply a variation of the Siamese.

Strikingly unusual and surprisingly playful, the Cornish rex cat is a curly-coated cat breed with a reputation for being an active, sociable member of the family. These cats are the result of a natural mutation in the 1950s in Cornwall, England. Today, they are popular in the United States.

In 1880 the King of Siam gave two pairs of Siamese cats to the English consul-general in Bangkok, and he brought them home to England, where they created a sensation. Their popularity zoomed rapidly. Although the breed standard has changed significantly over the years, Siamese remain high in popularity for people looking for a pedigreed pet.

The Russian blue cat is a loyal and intelligent breed with a striking coat that inspired the name. Its short, dense hair is uniformly steel blue with a silvery sheen, making it one of the most distinctive and beautiful cat breeds.

The toyger (toy tiger) is a medium-sized, tiger-striped, rare short-haired cat, developed in the United States in the 1980s. It remains one of the newest and most unique-looking cat breeds.

The American wirehair cat is a rare, developing cat breed. Native to upstate New York, and born in a barn, the wirehair carries a natural genetic mutation that creates its unique wiry coat.

The Chartreux cat is a French feline whose pleasant demeanor has made them the unofficial cat of France and a beloved pet abroad. The breed is notable for its solid blue-gray coat with a slightly woolly texture and bright copper eyes.

If you admire both the Siamese and the Burmese but have room for only one cat, consider the Tonkinese, which combines the best traits of both breeds. Intelligent, affectionate, and sociable, the Tonkinese is a hybrid of the Siamese and the Burmese.

The exotic shorthair cat has been called the "lazy" person's Persian because they share the Persian cat's facial features but have a shorter coat that requires less grooming—a weekly brush is all that’s needed to care for their fur.

The Abyssinian cat, also known as "Aby," is medium-sized with a lean, muscular body and short coat. Unlike many domesticated breeds, Abyssinians are extremely active and playful. They love to climb furniture, tackle toys, and engage in interactive games with their family.

The Korat, also known as the Si-Sawat, is a stunning cat breed that originated in Thailand over 900 years ago. Known by its distinctive silver-tipped blue-gray coat and heart-shaped face, this cat has won countless admirers for its looks as well as its unique personality. It's considered a symbol of good luck in its native Thailand.

The snowshoe cat is a medium-large hybrid of the Siamese and American shorthair breeds, originating in the United States. The name "snowshoe" highlights their four distinctive white paws. They have colorpoint markings similar to the Siamese and share a similar personality.

The Savannah cat is a hybrid cat breed a cross between the African serval and a domestic cat. Named after the serval's habitat, their beauty reflects the splendor of Africa's golden plains. Like their wild cousin, the Savannah cat is tall and lean, with long legs, big ears, and a spotted coat.

The Manx cat is most famous for not having a tail, but they also have highly social and playful personalities. They're almost dog-like in their loyalty and trainability, providing families years of affection and companionship. Pet parents will of course enjoy the antics of their Manx cat, but the breed does come with a predisposition for health problems because of their absent tails.

The Scottish fold cat is a sweet-tempered, short-haired breed with an adorably round face and folded ears. The cat's small ears fold forward and downward, giving them a unique countenance that almost resembles an owl. The trait can be traced back to a barn cat in Scotland that carried the mutated gene that became the basis for the breed. Unfortunately, the gene for folded ears is also associated with a painful skeletal disorder.

The ocicat is a wild-looking feline with domestic origins, bred from a combination of Abyssinian, Siamese, and American shorthair breeds. They were also named after the ocelot because they look so much like the wild cat. Despite their appearance, ocicats are completely domestic, social, and playful. They grow to be about 15 pounds, much like a large house cat, and they have a muscular build with a short, low-maintenance coat. Their patterns, which include variations of spots and tabby stripes, give them a wilder appearance than most domestic cats even though they possess no wild DNA.

As its name suggests, the Havana Brown cat is a brown-hued cat, but despite the name, the breed does not trace its origins to Havana. Instead, the Havana Brown was created in England in the 1950s. So how did this breed come to be named for the lively Cuban city? No one knows for sure, but some theories include that the breed name was inspired by the Havana rabbit or that it was christened Havana Brown in reference to the rich brown color of its coat, reminiscent of the color of Havana tobacco.

The Bombay cat is a robust feline with jet-black fur and striking golden eyes, resembling a miniature panther. These hybrid cats are a mix of the American shorthair and the Burmese breeds and are known for being friendly and sociable.

The pure white khao manee (pronounced "cow man-ee") is also known as the diamond eye cat due to their trademark jewel-like eyes, which can be blue, green, gold, or "odd" (two eyes of different colors). The khao manee originated naturally in Thailand centuries ago, and their name means "white gem."

The Kurilian bobtail is a Russian cat breed known for its wild appearance and short "pom-pom" tail. Although it looks a bit like a wild cat, this breed is gentle, friendly, and completely domesticated. The breed developed naturally on remote islands of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and was perpetuated by the likes of sailors, soldiers, and cat fanciers in Russia and Europe. Today, these relatively rare cats make delightfully affectionate and easygoing family pets.

The Chausie cat is an ancient, hybrid wildcat/domestic cat breed that originated in Egypt thousands of years ago. While it developed naturally among ancient Egyptians and along the rivers of Southeast Asia, breeders in the US began their own breeding project 1990s. The Chausie's medium to large, athletic build and grizzled coat resembles its jungle-dwelling ancestors. But, unlike its wild counterparts, its friendly, affectionate demeanor makes the Chausie a great house pet. Because the Chausie is a highly active and playful cat that needs lots of stimulation and company, it is not ideal for owners who are away from the home most of the day. They can live happily with dogs and cats when raised alongside them.

The Oriental shorthair is a svelte cat with elegant features and a coat that comes in a rainbow of 300 color variations. Part of the Siamese family of cat breeds (which also includes the Balinese and Oriental longhair), this beautiful "rainbow cat" is intelligent, athletic, and vocal—and not shy about demanding attention. The Oriental shorthair craves affectionate interaction with their family, both the human members and other pets.

Tortoiseshell cats get their name from their bi-colored coats that resemble a tortoise shell. “Tortoiseshell” describes a distinct coat pattern, not a particular breed. Often called “torties,” these colorful cats, primarily female, are beloved pets in many households.

Tuxedo cats are famous for their two-toned coats that resemble elegant tuxedos. While many tuxedo cats sport black and white fur, their beautiful coats can also feature colors such as gray, silver, orange, and even tortoiseshell with white patches. However, tuxedo cats offer much more than just their striking appearance.

The tuxedo cat is not a cat breed; tuxedo is a coat color pattern. More specifically, tuxedo cats have a prominent bicolor pattern of stark black-and-white that is reminiscent of formal wear. Mixed breed cats as well as some purebreds can possess the tuxedo pattern, such as the Maine coon, Scottish fold, and Manx, as a few examples. Because of this, the lifespan of a tuxedo cat varies, but might be up to 20 years, depending on the breed.

The origin of the Pixie-bob cat is the stuff of legends. They were believed to stem from naturally-occurring matings between the American bobcat and feral domestic cats or barn cats, although there is no verifiable proof since DNA tests do not back up the claim.

Munchkin cats are ordinary domestic cats that have extraordinarily short legs due to a natural genetic mutation. Discovered in the U.K. in the 1940s, the short-legged lineage was perpetuated by breeding. But it wasn't until 2003 that munchkins were accepted as an official breed by The International Cat Association (The Cat Fanciers' Association does not yet accept them).

The Japanese bobtail is a petite yet outgoing cat companion. The most notable feature of the breed is the short tail, sometimes referred to as a “pom” by breed enthusiasts. Resulting from a natural gene mutation, it can be straight, bent, or kinked, but it most often resembles a bunny’s bushy tail.

Contrary to popular belief, the tabby cat isn’t a specific cat breed but rather a cat coat pattern. Tabby cats are characterized by their unique markings and can come in brown, gray, orange, or black, with markings like stripes, spots, whorls, and bands. They usually feature an ‘M’-shaped mark on their foreheads.