Cornish Rex cats are muscular and have a slender, rangy shape. They feel heavier than they look. The cat has a long wedge-shaped head, flat skull, and large ears set high. The most distinctive feature is its curly coat which is fine and soft to the touch. The curly coat has no guard hair and should wave and have a rippled look. The whiskers are curly like the coat. The Cornish Rex cat breed has a distinctive scent which some owners describe as slightly 'cheesy'. It can have any coat colour or pattern.

The need-to-know
 

• Playful and curious cat
• Friendly but independent cat
• Somehow talkative cat
• Lean and elegant cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• May require familiarisation before living with children

The Cymric cat breed is solidly built and chunky with a similar body type to the British Shorthair cat breed with large eyes and widely spaced ears. The lack of a tail is the breed's most outstanding feature. Its hind legs are longer than the front legs. The Cymric cat's hair is thick and provides a layer of padding over the main body, adding to the round appearance. A rabbit-like hop can sometimes be seen in Cymric cats because of the spinal deformity, similar to spinabifida, which is associated with taillessness. Cymric cats come in all colours and patterns, except the pointed Siamese cat breed type.

The need-to-know
 

• Playful and curious cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Quiet cat
• Average build cat breed
• Requires grooming every day
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• Great family cat

The first impression of a Devon Rex cat is of an impish face and a crinkly coat. The cheeks are wide, the eyes and ears are very large, and set low on the head. The short coat has guard hair that are wavy but is mostly made up of the undercoat of down hair. The Devon Rex cat has the characteristic Rex 'Marcel wave', and the fur forms ripples and waves, particularly on the back. The whiskers and eyebrows also curl. The Devon Rex cat breed can be any coat colour or pattern.

The need-to-know
 

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Friendly but independent cat
• Quiet cat
• Lean and elegant cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• May require familiarisation before living with children

The Egyptian Mau cat breed is an elegant, athletic-looking cat characterised by a random spotted pattern. Mau cats are said to have a unique 'worried' expression.

The need-to-know
 

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Friendly but independent cat
• Somehow talkative cat
• Lean and elegant cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• May require familiarisation before living with children

The Exotic Shorthair cat is a medium-sized, stocky cat breed. The head is round and broad with small wide-set ears and a short open face. The eyes are large and round with brilliant colour. The legs are short, thick, and strong with large round paws and tufted toes. The tail is short and bushy. The coat is short, thick, and luxuriant with a dense, soft undercoat. The Exotic Shorthair cat comes in all the many Persian cat colours and coat patterns and as spotted tabbies.

The need-to-know

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Quiet cat
• Average build cat breed
• Requires grooming every day
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• Great family cat

The Japanese Bobtail cat has elegant lines and well-developed musculature. The head is finely chiselled with large upright ears and large round eyes set at a pronounced slant. The tail, when carried normally, only extends about 5 to 8 cm. When the cat is relaxed, the tail is carried upright. The hair on the tail is generally thicker and longer than elsewhere and grows in all directions to create the effect of a pom-pom or bunny tail. Japanese Bobtail cats can be long or shorthaired. The coat is soft and silky and comes in many colours. The preferred colour in Japan is the tri-colour, or tortie and white (known as Mi-ke), a mixture of black, red, and white, which symbolises luck. This colouring is usually found only in females.

The need-to-know
 

• Playful and curious cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Very talkative cat
• Average build cat breed
• Requires grooming every day
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• Great family cat

The Japanese Bobtail cat has elegant lines and well-developed musculature. The head is finely chiselled with large upright ears and large round eyes set at a pronounced slant. The tail, when carried normally, only extends about 5 to 8 cm. When the cat is relaxed the tail is carried upright. The hair on the tail is generally thicker and longer than elsewhere and grows in all directions to create the effect of a pom-pom or bunny tail. Bobtail cats can be long- or shorthaired. The coat is soft and silky and comes in many colours. The preferred colour in Japan is the tri-colour, or tortie and white (known as Mi-ke), a mixture of black, red and white, which symbolises luck -this colouring is usually found only in females.

The need-to-know
 

• Playful and curious cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Very talkative cat
• Average build cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• Great family cat

• Khao Manee cats are lithe and muscular with a pure white, short, smooth, close-lying coat. The ears are medium to large, and the nose has a gentle curve. The eye colour is the cat’s most distinctive attribute and can be anything from blue to amber, yellow or green, or a mixture of blue and any of the other colours. In Thailand, the odd-eyed Khao Manee cat is considered to be the best and is often given as a good luck cat. Sometimes, white kittens are born with a small dark mark on the top of the head that disappears by one year of age. This is normal.

The need-to-know

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Somehow talkative cat
• Lean and elegant cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Outdoor cat
• May require familiarisation before living with children

The Korat cat breed's coat is short, glossy, and fine and lies close to its body. It comes in just one colour that is a shade of blue tipped with silver. The nose leather, lips and paw pads are dark blue-grey or lavender. It is similar to the Russian Blue cat in appearance, but has a single rather than a double coat, is more rounded and has peridot green rather than emerald eyes. The head has a characteristic heart shape with large eyes and ears and an alert expression. The body is strong and muscular, neither long like a Siamese cat nor stocky like a British Shorthair cat.

The need-to-know

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Somehow talkative cat
• Average build cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• May require familiarisation before living with children

La Perm cats have an elegant look similar to the Siamese, with a wedge-shaped head. The curly coat on both varieties (long and short hair) may vary in length and fullness depending upon the season and maturity of the cat but has no undercoat. The curls range from tight ringlet-type curls to long corkscrew curls. The tightest curls occur on the underside of the cat on the throat and at the base of the ears. The longhair version has a curly plumed tail and the shorter-haired has a 'bottle-brush' type. All types boast a set of long, curly whiskers. The La Perm cat breed may be any colour or pattern. Its eye colours run the gamut of gold through aqua, and also 'odd eyes'.

The largest of all the cat breeds, the Maine Coon cat has a powerful muscular body and substantial legs. The head has a squared-off muzzle and large ears held wide and tall. The coat is long and thick and consists of an undercoat covered by a substantial glossy, waterproof top coat. The hair on the head, neck and shoulders is shorter and increases in length down the back, sides, and tail. The hair on the belly and breeches is full and shaggy. There is a ruff, which begins at the base of the ears and is heavier in males than females. The tail hair is long and flowing. The ears have tufted tips. The paws also have tufts forming a snowshoe effect. The Maine Coon cat breed has a variety of 30 or more colours. The eyes maybe green, gold or copper. In white cats it is possible to have blue or odd-eyes.

The need-to-know

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Somehow talkative cat
• Larger stockier cat breed
• Requires grooming every day
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Outdoor cat
• Great family cat

The Manx cat closely resembles the British Shorthair in type with the obvious exception of the tail. The body is compact and solid, with a broad chest and short back. The rump is rounded and should be higher than the shoulders. The legs are short and powerful, with the back legs being slightly longer than the front. In the show cat there must be absolutely no tail and the rump should be completely rounded but stumps of varying lengths are allowed in the breeding or pet cat. The Manx cat's coat has a double quality with a short thick undercoat and a slightly longer overcoat. Any combination of colour and markings is seen with the exception of the Siamese cat breed's pattern.

The need-to-know

• Playful and curious cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Somehow talkative cat
• Average build cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• Great family cat