THE 10 MOST POPULAR CAT BREEDS, by Chloe

I told Piper that she should be writing much more about cats in her blog instead of all that drivel about dogs. Everyone knows that cats are way superior to dogs, and that people would much rather read feline-themed entries.  Piper didn't believe me, of course.  She can be very close-minded about some subjects.  However, she did say that if I wanted to write a blog entry about cats, I could be her guest.

So I immediately took her up on the offer, before she had a chance to change her mind.  And the topic I have chosen is the Top Ten Most Popular Breeds of Cats.  I'm not sure how anyone knows which breeds are the most popular, but maybe it has to do with the registration of these purebred cats with the Cat Fanciers' Association.  Amazingly, a lot of people aren't even familiar with all the various feline breeds, except for maybe Persians and Siamese, but trust me, there are quite a few breeds, and now I am going to educate you about ten of them.

1.  PERSIAN

Persians have long hair that has to be brushed a lot, and they also have smashed-in faces.  In my opinion, they are not the most handsome of cats, but somebody must like them, because they have ranked as the #1 breed since 1871.  The breed originates in -- guess where! -- Persia (now known as Iran).  Persian cats are very affectionate and loyal, and they can be pretty much any color.












2.  MAINE COON

This is an all-American breed that was developed to control the rat populations on farms in Maine.  That explains the "Maine" part of the name, and the "Coon" part comes from the fact that some fool actually thought these cats were half raccoon.  (As if any self-respecting cat would mate with a raccoon!)  Anyway, Maine Coon cats have been in second place on the "most popular" list since 1992.  They are generally pretty hefty in size, which might mean that Maine has bigger rats than other states.  This breed also has a long, thick coat, but without the undercoat that Persians have, so Maine Coons are easier to groom.

My brother, Charlie, thinks he is a Maine Coon cat, which he may or may not be.  That's just what somebody at the shelter told him.  Anyway, he uses this idea to justify being so big and fat.  Also he's been gloating about the fact that "his breed" is the second-most-popular one.  How annoying!

3.  EXOTIC
The Exotic cat is sometimes called the Shorthaired Persian.  The reason for this is that it has all the same features as the Persian, except it has shorter hair.  Well, duh.  So if you like that flat-faced look, but you don't want to brush your cat 7 days a week, you can get an Exotic cat, and you will only have to brush it twice a week.  Plus you will have that same, sweet personality that Persians have.  Some people call Exotic kitties "Persians in pajamas."  Sheesh.  Give me a break!

4.  SIAMESE
Most people have heard of this breed, and maybe they can even figure out that it comes from Ancient Siam -- better known as Thailand now.  The Siamese royalty liked these cats a lot, and during certain periods of history, they even considered them to be sacred.  Siamese cats were the guardians of the temples, and they gave out loud cries if an enemy came near.  These cats still have kind of raspy, yowling voices, and they often have a lot to say.  They are lean and muscular, which makes them good at jumping and climbing.  Some of them are even willing to walk on a leash, like a dog -- which is just wrong, if you ask me!  Siamese cats are supposedly really smart, and they are very loyal to their human, although they tend to mistrust strangers.

5.  ABYSSINIAN
At the other end of the friendliness spectrum is the Abyssinian, a cat who likes everybody.  Abyssinians will follow you around to see what you're up to.  They are very active, playful, and busy kitties.  The breed might have descended from the cats that were worshipped in Ancient Egypt, but nobody can prove that for sure.  What we do know is that Abyssinians are very pretty, and even if you have to pay more to get one, it's probably worth it.

6.  RAGDOLL
These cats are big, just like the Maine Coon cats.  A male Ragdoll could weigh as much as 30 pounds, which is a heck of a heavy cat.  Ragdolls are very docile, and in fact, they will just go limp in your arms, kind of like, well, a rag doll.  So if you want an affectionate, easy-going cat, this might be the breed for you.  But you should keep your Ragdoll indoors because they such total wimps that if another animal attacked them, they probably wouldn't even fight back.  Ragdolls have blue eyes, and their coats are mid-length and very silky.

7.  BIRMAN
Birmans are another blue-eyed breed, and they also have white markings on their feet that make them look like they are wearing socks.  They are sweet and very people-friendly, and they like to be involved in whatever you are doing.  This breed is sometimes called The Sacred Cat of Burma, which apparently means it originated in that country, now known as Myanmar.  The Birman has a coat that is fairly long and silky, but it doesn't have to be brushed a whole lot.

8.  ORIENTAL
These cats look much like Siamese cats, but they come in lots of different colors and two coat lengths.  Also, the Oriental cat is more people-oriented and less talkative than the Siamese.  In fact, Orientals actually crave human attention, and they get depressed if they don't get it.  They remain energetic and kitten-like well into adulthood.

9.  AMERICAN SHORTHAIR
This breed has an impressive pedigree, having arrived on the Mayflower with the pilgrims.  American Shorthairs have large eyes and short, wide faces.  They can be a lot of different colors, but the most popular is silver with black stripes.  This breed is friendly, affectionate, and good with children.  They're excellent hunters, and they rarely have health problems.

10.  SPHYNX
Okay, these cats are just too weird-looking, if you ask me, and that's because they don't have any hair!  Their main advantage, I think, is for people who are allergic to cats since -- guess what! -- the Sphynx Cat does not produce any dander.  And they're pretty easy to take care of, since you don't have to brush them.  Sphynxes are energetic and athletic, and they really like to climb.  They are very friendly, loving, and loyal, and they demand a lot of attention.

African Wildcat

So those are the most popular purebred cats.  But I can't end this entry without talking about the best and most important cat of all -- the Domestic Shorthair.  I'm proud to say that I myself belong to this group, even though they are thought of as the "mutts" of catdom.  But consider this:  95% of the feline population in North America is made up of Domestic Shorthairs.  That means that only 5% of cat owners have purebred cats!  And even though we DSH kitties can't produce fancy pedigree papers on demand, scientists believe that we are the true descendants of the African wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica.  And how cool is that?