Cats are the most adorable pets to cuddle with, and their divine presence and feline being make them the cutest pets in the world. They possess their personality and have attractive physical features that make them uniquely beautiful. They choose privacy and are often referred to as snugglers. Some cats are pretty large, whereas some are tiny; their playfulness, intelligence, and affection towards their loved ones make them friendly and reliable towards children, too.
Let us explore the cutest cat breeds, their history, genetics, and a lot more about them.
Genetical Origin of the Cutest Cat Breeds
Cats often evolve with time and acquire combining or unique genes that make them different, docile, and affectionate. Over the years, cats possess baby-like features that make them appear cute to humans. The evolution that shapes the cute kittens follows various procedures, such as sample collection and DNA isolation, Genotyping, population structure analyses, tree building, and more.
Some species of cats have been discovered with genetic mutations that focus on physical characteristics like their coating, mental intelligence, affectionate behavior, etc. Cat species like the Persian, Russian Blue, Angora, and Siamese are a few of the first cat breeds registered by the CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association).
History Behind The Cutest Cat Breeds
The domestication of cats can be traced back to 9000-10,000 years ago in the eastern part of the world. Cat and human relationships have been beneficial for more than hundreds of years. For example, since ancient times, cats have been known to control crop-destroying rodents and provide protection against zoonotic disease with the help of their massive hunting skills.
However, modern cats remain self-sufficient and showcase their best hunting and intelligence skills, showcasing their untamable behavior to their owners and other fellow pets. It makes them suited to specific human needs and conditions.
Top 10 Cutest Cat Breeds You'll Ever See
Following are some of the cutest cat breeds in the world, making them a perfect feline pet with their physical and intelligence features to cuddle with:
Ragdoll
Ragdoll cats are the most affectionate and friendly cute kitty breed. They are bred with a combination of a semi-feral white cat and other cats. They possess beautiful features that make them stand out, like their varied coat colors,medium-length and thick coats, etc. This cat breed is the happiest and often requires petting and purring from its favorite person.
- Weight: 20 pounds
- Size: 21 inches
- Life expectancy: 15+ years
Turkish Angora Cat
Turkish Angora Cats are a natural breed of domesticated cats originating in Central Anatolia, Turkey, in the 15th century. With their beautiful features, like white fluffy coats and adorable piercing eyes, they are one of the most beautiful cats in the world. They often have dominating behavior and are very good with children.
- Weight: 6-9 pounds
- Size: 14-16 inches
- Life expectancy: 13-20 years
Scottish Fold
Scottish cats are one of the rarest breeds of domesticated cats, and their genes are derived from mutations. They are often described as owl-like. Due to their mutation, they have "osteochondrodysplasia," which affects the development of their cartilage. They possess friendly behavior and are outgoing and affectionate with their loved ones.
- Weight:5-11 pounds
- Size: 30 inches
- Life expectancy: 11-14 years
Selkirk Rex
Selkirk Rex is a cat breed genetically mutated from a white cat and a blue tortoise cat in Montana. Generally, these cats have curly fur, while only some are born with straight hair. These large cats are cuddly and cute cats with a stuffed toy-like physique. Besides that, Selkirk Rex has many tussle fur colors and short and long curly coats as well.
- Weight:7-16 pounds
- Size: 30 inches
- Life expectancy: 10-15 years
Abyssinian Cat
Originating in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean Region, the Abyssinian Cat is believed to be a descendant of the ancient Egyptian era. It is often referred to as the clown of the feline kingdom, with a muscular body and beautiful eyes. These cats are loyal, curious, playful, and must not be left alone for long hours as they are sociable. These cats are found in blue, fawn, cinnamon, and rosy colors. Some of their features are:
- Weight:8-12 pounds
- Size: 12-16 inches
- Life expectancy: 9-13 years
Bengal
Bengal cats are hybrid breeds genetically mutated by crossing domesticated cats with Asian leopard cats. Bengal cats have cute features, like muscular bodies, sleek and shiny coats, and tipped ears. These cats often love to be petted by their loved ones and are friendly with humans.
- Weight: 8-15 pounds
- Life expectancy: 12-16 years
- Length: 14-18 inches
Birman Cats
Among the least genetically diverse cats are the Birman Cats, which have variations of inbreeding and gloving patterns. They have long silky hair, white feet, a massive muscular build, strong jaws, and a medium-length nose. These cats are playful, friendly towards children, and affectionate towards owners, making them adorable cats and one of the cutest cat breeds.
- Weight:6-14 pounds
- Size: 8-11 inches
- Life expectancy: 12-16 years
British Shorthair
Shorthair is one of the oldest cat breeds in the world, originating in Britain and Ancient Rome. British Shorthairs are calm, gentle, and quiet, with rounded and bear-like features that make them the cutest cat breed. Their short and dense coats, such as blue, cream, etc., make them one of the cutest cat breeds.
- Weight:7-17 pounds
- Size: 22-25 inches
- Life expectancy: 12-16 years
American Bobtails
American Bobtails are a genetic mutation of short-tailed tabby cats and bobcats bred in the 1960s, also referred to as a "golden retriever" of cats with affection towards their loved ones. They are cute with their small tails and have long, shaggy coats with diverse color options, making them one of the cutest cats in the feline world.
- Weight:7-16 pounds
- Size: 17-19 inches
- Life expectancy: 13-15 years
Manx
Manx originated on the Isle of Man and evolved from the genetic mutation of inbreeding a small British Shorthair population. They possess good behavior towards their loved ones, are very playful, and are loyal, making them one of the cutest cats. Manx weighs around 8-12 pounds, with varieties in hair and coats like white, black, red, cream, and much more.
- Weight:8-12 pounds
- Size: 14-16 inches
- Life expectancy: 9-13 years
Common Personality Traits Among The Cutest Cat Breeds
A cat's personality trait is characterized by its playfulness, affection, and interactive and intelligent behavior. Cats are very active and curious and choose privacy and proper petting. Following are the personality traits of various cutest cat breeds:
- Friendly: Manx cats often possess a playful, affectionate, and interactive behavior towards the owner, friendliness towards children, intelligence, and much more, which makes them one of the cutest cat breeds in the world.
- Playful: American Bobtails have a dog-like personality and are often referred to as "golden retrievers" of cats as they indulge in playing games, are well-behaved, and can be trained easily through leashes while on a walk.
- Affectionate: British Shorthair cats have denser, plush coats, a broad head, and chests that make them heavily built. They are very loving toward their owners. Their friendly behavior toward children and playfulness make them one of the cutest cats.
- Unique physical features: Birman Cats are often called mystery and legendary cats that are color-printed and have pure white feet. They have strong physical features, are friendly to other pets and children, and possess unmatched intelligence, making them one of the cutest cat breeds to cuddle with.
- Energetic: Bengal cats have characteristics from their wildcat heritage and are lively, playful, confident, alert, and confident.
- Outgoing: The Abyssinian cat is referred to as the clown of the feline kingdom, is friendly, loves to be around their favorite ones, and has a very outgoing personality.
- Gentle: Selkirk Rex is a genetically mutated cat that combines the features of a white cat and a blue tortoise cat. It is super mellow and laid-back, with quiet behavior and gentleness. It attracts people and is playful but not hyperactive.
- Adorable eyes: Scottish Cats are round-headed, have adorable large eyes, and have a compact physique, making them charming and one of the cutest cat breeds. These cats love to be free and independent and prefer privacy.
- Intelligent: Turkish Angora Cats are a natural breed of domesticated cats that are long in size, have slender physiques, are playful, friendly towards children and other pets, intelligent, and much more.
- Socializing: Ragdoll cats are friendly and affectionate towards their loved ones, and their best quality is socializing with people. From a very young age, the cute kittens are friendly with humans and other pets, too.
Conclusion
Cats possess personality and cute physical features that make them uniquely attractive. Their qualities may differ, but it is highly recommended to understand the cat's requirements. An adorable cat has various attributes, such as playful behavior, friendliness, socializing behavior, intelligence, and much more, that must be considered while choosing or identifying the cutest cat breeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ragdoll is the cutest cat breed and the happiest, often requiring petting and purring from its favorite person. This cat breed requires friendly relations with its owner and other pets from an early stage.
Scottish Cats are considered the rarest cutest cats in the world as they were derived from the genetic mutations of straight and folded-ear cats that give Scottish cats their owl-like features.
Ragdolls are one of the cutest cat breeds, with a life expectancy of more than 15 years.
The Siamese, Persian, British Shorthair, Bengal, etc., are some of the cutest cat breeds in the world. The baby-like features of the cats, like their big eyes, round faces, etc., make them appear cute to human beings.
The Maine Coon is one of the cutest cats in the world. Apart from this, plenty of other species are considered cute, such as the Scottish fold, Bengal, Persian, etc.
When identifying a cute cat breed, the topmost qualities include neuroticism, extraversion, dominance, impulsiveness, and agreeableness. Mostly, the baby-like features of the cat make it appear cute to humans.
Certain facial features, such as big eyes, rounded ears, coats, limbs, body shape, and more, make the cutest cat.
Many breeds of cats are known for being lovable and friendly, such as Ragdoll, Scottish Fold, Persian, Abyssinian, and many more. Mostly, domesticated cats are adorable and friendly with their owners.
Taylor Swift has three cats: a pair of Scottish Folds named Olivia Benson and Meredith Grey and one Ragdoll named Benjamin Button.
Domestic shorthair, also known as 'Mutt,' is considered the cheapest cat breed, as it is readily available and easy to care for.
Reference links:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0888754307002510
https://www.buzzfeed.com/abhaahad/cute-cat-breeds
https://www.petfinder.com/cats-and-kittens/breeds/cutest-cat-breeds/
