Different Types of Cats

There are many different types of cats, both in terms of species and of domesticated type.  Their distinguishing characteristic is that they all belong to the felidae genetic family.  They are known for being the most uniformly carnivorous of all know carnivores, rarely eating plants no matter whether they are house cats or jungle cats.  They typically have excellent sensory perception, particularly visual and auditory perception.  They also all have very sensitive whiskers on the each cheek, between the nose and mouth, that give them heightened sensitivity to the air around them.  Though all are carnivorous, several species are known for having developed a symbiotic relationship with human beings to the point of being totally domesticated.  For our purposes, we will divide cats into wild cats and domesticated cats, and then look at each of the different types of cats in those categories.

Domesticated Cats

• Tabby Cat - Tabbies are probably the best known type of cat in America.  They are regular sized house cats with tiger-like stripes and lines all over their bodies.  Usually, their stripes are a combination of two or three colors of similar hue and
  relatively symmetrical.

• Persians - Persian cats are of the extremely furry type.  They tend to have tons of fur that make them look like an amorphous blob of cat.  Their faces are a little more piggish, with the nose often scrunched up into the head.  Technically, if they aren't pedigreed, they are called longhairs. 

• Abyssinian - The Abyssinian is an extremely old breed of cat, coming from the Mediterranean region from Ancient Egyptian times.  They are a sleeker cat, owing similarities to their larger wild counterparts.  They are very athletic, and their fur tends to be a shades of brown.  They are friendly cats, but aren't lap cats.

• Chartreux - Chartreux cats are grayish short-hair cats from France that are known to be good hunters and extremely loyal cats. 

• Domestic Shorthair - Though these cats do not technically belong to a breed, this classification is the most popular type of domesticated cat in America.  They can be any color or could have tabby coloring, since they are, in a sense, mutts.  They have been around in the America's for hundreds of years, coming over on the Mayflower with the pilgrims as rat hunters.

• Siamese - The Siamese is a type of cat coming from Southeast Asia.  They can be several different colors, but are most often associated with white fur and brown faces, ears, and tails.  They are sleeker cats with small heads and long bodies.

• Black Cats - Black cats can be any number of different breeds, but are similar in their totally black fur and ther inability to have blue eyes.  They are either loved or despised for their connection to the superstitions surrounding them, superstitions which originated in the Middle Ages.  Though there is no evidence that these cats are in any way unlucky, their legacy has brought them prominence in pop culture.

Wild Cats

• Lions - Lions are one of the most well known types of cats through all cultures.  They are hunters mostly located in Africa and Asia, though they used to be in Europe, North America, and South America before dying out in those places.  They are well known for their size and for the mane of the male lion.

• Tigers - Tigers are the largest type of cats around.  They are known for their orange and white fur with black stripes.  The fur is used for camouflage in bushes and brush.  They are mostly found in Eastern and Southern Asia, and are across the board considered endangered species.  They have been hunted extensively for their valuable pelts, and their relationship with human beings is somewhat antagonistic, as they have been known to hunt humans, particularly when they live in more populated areas.

• Jaguars - Jaguars are large, yellow cats with black spots.  They are typically found in rain forests, as their preferred method of hunting is hiding in trees and pouncing on their prey from above.  They aren't known to attack humans unless provoked.  They are found throughout the Americas, though they have been more or less exterminated in the U.S.  They are similar in size, shape, and color to the leopard, but are distinguished by their slightly larger, stockier build.  If they are black, they are referred to as Black Panthers rather than Jaguars.

• Cougars - Cougars are large cats, also known as pumas or mountain lions, found in the Americas.  They can be found pretty much throughout both continents, though their populations have dropped significantly in the Eastern U.S. and Canada.  Cougars don't hunt humans in general, but have been known to attack, specifically small children.

• Wild Cats - Wild Cats are small cats that are the genetic precursors to modern house cats.  In general, they about the same size as domesticated cats, though they can get somewhat bigger.  They tend to hunt rodents or any other small animals they can get their hands on, and they tend to avoid humans altogether.  They are found In Europe, Africa, and Asia.

• Cheetahs - Cheetahs are large cats that live mostly in Africa and the Middle East. They are skinnier and lankier than the leopard or the jaguar, but they have similar spotted yellow fur.  They are known for being the fastest land animal, able to run as fast as 75 miles per hour over short distances.  They tend to hunt smaller prey than their cousin the lion, and focus mostly on the smaller impala or gazelle.

There is much more variety in the former list than the latter, as house cats, for the most part, come from a more recent shared ancestor, and because the latter list has developed over many thousands of years, while house cat breeds have really only emerged in the past several hundred years.  Way back, however, they all share a similar genetic ancestor, and, in spite of human hunting, domestication, and habitat destruction, these animals have proven themselves to be an incredibly strong and resilient family.