The Siamese cat is a medium-sized breed with a long, lithe body that is graceful and elegant but still has a muscular feel. The body is well balanced and athletic, the legs slender and the paws small and oval. The head viewed face-on resembles a triangle tapering in straight lines to a fine muzzle. The ears are large and pricked and are set so that they follow the lines of the triangle. The eyes are oriental in shape and slant towards the nose. The tail is long and tapering and free from kinks. The short, fine, and close lying coat has a pale main body colour is pale with darker intensely coloured points. The coloured points only extend to the mask area of the face, ears, legs, and tail which are the cooler parts of the body. It comes in a wide range of colours. The eye colour in all coat colours and patterns will be a vivid intense blue.

The need-to-know

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Very 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 Siberian Forest cat is a largish breed with a muscular build and a barrel-shaped torso. The coat is long and dense, and the head is a modified wedge shape with rounded contours and very expressive eyes. The overall physical appearance is one of strength and power. The longer hair of the triple coat are pale near the skin, darkening towards the outer end. This makes the coat shimmer as the cat moves. Although brown tabby is the most common colour, a Siberian Forest Cat may be any pattern or colour or combination of colours, solid lilac or solid chocolate.

The need-to-know

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Friendly but independent cat
• Somehow talkative cat
• Larger stockier cat breed
• Requires grooming every day
• Hypoallergenic breed
• Outdoor cat
• Great family cat

The Singapura cat looks like a small Abyssinian. Its head is rounded with a definite whisker break and a short broad muzzle. The ears are large and deeply cupped. The eyes are large and almond-shaped, slightly slanted and held wide open. Although these are small cats, their body is stocky and muscular. The tail is slender with a blunt tip. The coat is short and smooth with bands of black, brown, or ivory in each hair. The hair are darker on the back, tail, and legs. The chest and belly are a pale ivory colour. The eyes can be hazel, green or yellow and are outlined in black.

The need-to-know

• Playful and curious cat
• Sociable and dependent 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 Snowshoe cat is a medium-sized breed and combines the solid heftiness of the American Shorthair with the lithe elegance of the Siamese. The head is a rounded triangle, the eyes are large and slanting and their large, pointed ears are set wide apart. Their body is long and athletic, and their coat is short and glossy with the mask, ears, legs and tail much darker in colour than the body. Snowshoe cats come in blue, seal, lilac and chocolate varieties and the white areas cover less than one-third of the cat. The eyes of all Snowshoe cats are a deep blue.

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

The Somali cat is of medium build; firm, lithe and well-muscled. The head forms a medium wedge with gentle contours and the ears are set wide apart and tufted. The eyes are almond-shaped, set well apart and are often amber, hazel, or green in colour. The deeper the shade, the better. The legs are long and have oval tufted paws. The coat is of medium length and the soft, fine hair is dense but lies flat against the body. Mature adult Somali cats will have a ruff and full breeches, but this will not be evident in kittens. On each hair, there should be at least three bands of ticking giving six contrasting colour sections from base to tip. The Somali cat comes in a choice of 28 colours. 'Usual' is a rich golden brown with an apricot base coat ticked with black.

The need-to-know

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Friendly but independent cat
• Quiet cat
• Average build cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Outdoor cat
• May require familiarisation before living with children

The main feature of a Sphynx cat is its lack of a fur coat! The cats are not, however, entirely hairless but covered with fine, downy hair that is said to be like a peach skin. This cat has no whiskers or eyelashes. The head resembles that of a Devon Rex. The eyes are deep-set and the shape of a lemon. The body is fined boned but muscular and has a barrel chest. The legs are long and slender and have a bow-legged appearance caused by the barrel chest. The tail is long and tapering and hard to the touch. They are warm and soft to touch and have earned the name 'suede hot water bottle'. The skin is wrinkled on parts of the head, body and legs but should be taut everywhere else. Pigmentation is clearly visible on the skin of the Sphynx cat. All skin patterns and colours are acceptable.

The need-to-know

• Highly active and inquisitive cat
• Sociable and dependent cat
• Very talkative cat
• Lean and elegant cat breed
• Requires grooming once a week
• Hypoallergenic breed
• Indoor cat
• May require familiarisation before living with children

The Tiffanie cat is built like the Burmese but with a longer coat. The head forms a short wedge shape with large to medium ears. The long tail is plumed. The eyes are set well apart and are neither almond-shaped nor round and can be any colour from yellow through to green. The body is firm and muscular with a strong straight back.

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 Tonkinese cat breed is medium-sized of Oriental build with a gently rounded head with broad ears, set wide apart. The eyes are more open than the classic Oriental shape and can range from green to light blue. The body is well balanced, firm, and muscular. The Tonkinese cat's coat is short and close lying with a fine, soft, and silky texture. The mask, ears, legs, and tail, are darker than the body and merge gently with the body colour. The Tonkinese cat breed comes in a range of colours.

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
• Great family cat

The Turkish Van cat is a large, muscular yet elegant breed with a white body and distinctively coloured head and tail. These cats are well balanced and strong in appearance. The large ears are set high on the head and the eyes are large, oval, and expressive. The Turkish Van cat's coat is long, soft, and silky with no woolly undercoat. The paws are tufted, and the tail has a full brush.The Turkish Van cat’s body is chalk white with coloured markings on top of the head. The colouring on the head is separated by a vertical white blaze. Occasionally small thumbprints of colour appear on the body. The eyes may be amber or blue or one of each.

The need-to-know

• Playful and curious cat
• Friendly but independent cat
• Quiet cat
• Average build cat breed
• Requires grooming every day
• Non hypoallergenic breed
• Needs some out-door space
• May require familiarisation before living with children