🐱 Cat Breeds for Kids

Meet 7 kinds of cat, from fluffy Persians to chatty Siamese. Tap a cat to see its page, or make one of your own!

Tabby

Tabby is not one breed, it is a pattern! Tabby cats have stripes, spots or swirls, and many have a little letter M on their forehead.

There are four main tabby patterns: mackerel (thin tiger stripes), classic (big swirls), spotted, and ticked (every hair has light and dark bands).
Tabby cats can be lots of colours: brown, ginger, grey, cream and more.
Almost every ginger cat is a tabby, so look closely for its stripes!
The letter M on a tabby's forehead is one of the easiest ways to spot one.

Persian cats have long, super fluffy fur and a sweet flat face. They love calm, cozy days and need lots of gentle brushing.

Persians are one of the oldest cat breeds. They are named after Persia, the old name for Iran.
Their long coat needs brushing every day so it does not get tangled.
Persians are usually quiet cats with soft little voices.
Their big round eyes can be copper, blue or green, and some Persians have one eye of each colour!

Siamese cats have a dark face, ears, paws and tail, called points, and bright blue eyes. They love to chat with loud meows!

Siamese kittens are born almost all white. Their dark points slowly appear as they grow.
The points are darker because the face, ears, paws and tail are a little cooler than the rest of the body.
Siamese cats come from Thailand, which used to be called Siam.
They love being with their people and will happily "talk" to you all day.

Ragdolls are big, gentle cats with blue eyes and soft fur. Many go floppy and relaxed when you hold them, just like a rag doll!

Ragdoll kittens are born white, and their colours slowly come in. It can take about three years for the full coat to show.
Ragdolls have blue eyes.
Many Ragdolls follow their people from room to room, a bit like a puppy.
Ragdolls are one of the biggest cat breeds, but they are famous for being gentle.

Maine Coons are one of the biggest kinds of pet cat! They have a big fluffy tail and little tufts of fur on their ears.

Maine Coons come from the state of Maine in the USA, where they are the official state cat.
Their big furry paws work like snowshoes on snow.
Many Maine Coons love to play with water.
They often make a sweet chirping sound called a trill.

British Shorthairs have thick, soft fur like a teddy bear. The blue-grey ones often have big round copper eyes.

British Shorthairs are one of the oldest cat breeds from Britain.
The blue-grey colour is the most famous, but they come in lots of colours.
They are calm and easy-going, and most like to sit next to you more than being carried.
Their round face and chubby cheeks make them look like they are smiling.

Mixed cats come from lots of different cat families. Every mixed cat is one of a kind, just like you!

Cat clubs recognise around 40 to 70 breeds, depending on the club. But most pet cats in the world are mixed cats, not one special breed.

The Maine Coon is one of the biggest breeds of pet cat, along with the Ragdoll.

No! Tabby is a coat pattern with stripes, swirls or spots, and many tabbies have a letter M on their forehead. Cats of many breeds can be tabby.

Siamese and Ragdoll cats have blue eyes. Most kittens are born with blue eyes that change colour as they grow.