Almost all wild cats, from huge and rather menacing to small and adorable, are in one way or another endangered. We invite you to pay attention to these amazing graceful animals, which are a real rare treasure of wild nature.
This magnificent cat once graced the expanses of the Middle East, Central Asia, Kazakhstan and southeast India.
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Currently, due to the destruction of their habitat, poaching and excessive hunting, there are approximately 70-110 Asiatic cheetahs living in the wild on the entire planet. All of them live in the arid conditions of the central plateau of Iran.
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Found in the rugged mountains of Central Asia, snow leopards are well adapted to the cold desert landscapes of their habitat.
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Unfortunately, the luxurious fur of the snow leopard attracts a huge number of hunters. For this reason, there are only 4000-6500 of these beautiful cats left in the world.
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Unlike many brothers in the family who prefer to avoid water procedures, this cat is a professional swimmer, living on the banks of rivers, streams and mangrove swamps.
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In 2008, this species joined the list of endangered animals because favorite places The habitats of fishing cats - swamps - are gradually drained and become the object of human attention.
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Also known as the Borneo cat, this animal can only be found in Borneo island. This extremely rare representative of the cat family is listed in the Red Book by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The photograph in front of you is one of the few photographs of such a rare species.
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This cat with a slender body and an unusual (slightly flattened) head shape loves to feast on fish and walks by itself in the vast expanses of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sumatra. It has been listed in the Red Book since 2008 due to habitat destruction. The current number of individuals living on the planet is estimated to be less than 2,500.
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Among the two dozen small species of wild cats that exist in the world, one of the rarest, information about which is rather scarce, is an animal called the Andean cat. Alas, while millions of dollars are allocated to preserve the populations of its larger relatives from the cat family, there are hardly thousands left from the budgets of protective organizations to support such small cats.
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The Iberian lynx or Iberian lynx is considered the most endangered species of wild cat. Also, this species is currently one of the rarest mammals on the planet.
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A disease called myxomatosis in the 1950s wiped out Spain's rabbit population (the mainstay of lynx's diet) on a huge scale. There are now only about 100 individuals of this wild cat species left in the wild.
These beauties prefer to spend the morning hours in caves, crevices and even marmot holes, going out to hunt only in the afternoon. Due to the impoverishment of their habitat, a decrease in food supplies and incessant hunting, in 2002 this species became endangered.
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Margai are created to be ideal tree climbers. Only these cats have the ability to rotate their hind limbs 180 degrees, which allows them to run upside down through trees, like squirrels. Margay can even hang from a branch, clinging to it with only one paw. Every year, people kill about 14,000 long-tailed cats for their skins. This predation trend is fatal for margays because it takes them two years to produce offspring, while the risk of kitten mortality is 50%.
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These cats love to roam the African savannah. The serval has the longest paws in relation to the body compared to any other representative of the cat genus. Unfortunately, in pursuit of their elegant skin, hunters do not skimp on bullets and traps, subsequently offering tourists serval fur, passed off as leopard or cheetah.
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Also known as the desert lynx, this cat is capable of making barking sounds that serve as warning signals. The caracal is considered an endangered species in North Africa and is considered rare in Central Asia and India.
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Only relatively recently have people been able to obtain photographs of this rare nocturnal resident in its habitat.
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The golden cat is only twice the size of our usual domestic cat. Life expectancy in natural conditions for individuals of this species has not been established, but it is known that in captivity they can live up to 12 years.
This cat lives in tropical and subtropical moist evergreen and dry deciduous forests. Deforestation, as well as hunting for skins and bones, have become the reasons why this species is under threat of total extinction.
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This unique cat has an extended head shape and fur growing between its toes to protect it when walking on hot surfaces. The sand cat is listed as a threatened species, and therefore hunting it is prohibited in many countries.
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The Amur (Far Eastern) leopard is endangered due to the destruction of its habitat, as well as the constant danger posed by people. According to the latest data, only 30 individuals of this species have been recorded in the wild to date.
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The Sumatran tiger is the last existing tiger species in Indonesia to survive in the wild.
Despite the active policy of protective organizations in the fight against poaching, these tigers are constantly hunted, dooming them to extinction. World markets are constantly being replenished with products made from these wild cats. Under these circumstances, there are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world.
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The clouded leopard is considered an intermediate evolutionary link between large and small cats. This species is facing conditions of gradual loss of habitats as a result of large-scale deforestation. Commercial poaching aimed at the wildlife trade also contributes to the extermination of this species. The total clouded leopard population is currently believed to be less than 10,000 adults.
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This cat is often mistaken for a marbled leopard, but its size is much more graceful and its tail is highly bushy. Destruction of the habitat conditions of this species in forests southeast asia, as well as a reduction in the food supply, lead to a rapid decrease in the population of marbled cats in the world.
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The color of the beautiful Bengal cat's skin can vary from gray to red and white with a very light chest. This is the first species to successfully undergo an experiment of crossing wild and domestic cats. The result was a beautiful and quite friendly beast.
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This species in the East is considered almost mythical. Most Maltese tigers belong to the subspecies of the South China tiger, which is endangered due to the frequent use of body parts of this animal in traditional medicine. Individuals distinguished by their “blue” skin may currently have been completely exterminated.
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“Golden Tabby” is not a species name, but a definition of color deviation.
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As a rule, such individuals are the result of targeted breeding of animals in captivity, but in India there is evidence of a meeting with a golden tiger dating back to 1900.
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White lions are not albino. They are the owners of a rare genetic set that was distributed only in one place on Earth, national park Kruger in South Africa. Two decades before the creation of the Society for the Protection of White Lions, this species was almost completely exterminated, so a unique program is now being carried out to restore the population in their natural environment habitat.
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For the past 30 years, this Turkish leopard species was thought to be extinct. However, in 2013, a shepherd in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir killed big cat who attacked his herd. Biologists later determined that it was an Anatolian leopard. Although this story has such a sad outcome, it still gives hope that rarest species may still exist.
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The rusty or red-spotted cat, whose length including the tail is only 50-70 cm, and whose weight is about 2-3 kg, is the smallest wild cat in the world. Humans know practically nothing about this species, whose representatives lead an extremely secretive life. Unfortunately, despite this, the rusty cat has already managed to be included in the list of “vulnerable” species, since most of its natural habitats have now been turned into farmland.
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Known in the UK as the "Highland Tiger", the Scottish Forest Cat is now critically endangered, with a recent population estimate of fewer than 400 individuals.
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The smallest of all African wild cats, the black-footed cat has black fur on the soles of its paws to protect it from the hot desert sand. These animals are no strangers to rummaging through garbage in search of food, and this habit exposes them to great danger, since in this way they fall into traps set for other animals.
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Breeders in many countries strive to develop a unique breed of cats by crossing wild and domestic breeds. And, based on the desire of people to own something unique and in one single copy, rare breeds are quite expensive.
Rare are called cat breeds that are listed in the Red Book and recently bred breeds. It is known about natural rare breeds and about breeds artificially bred through crossing, about rare wild cats and small breeds living with humans. There are cat breeds that have barely evolved over thousands of years. Unfortunately, the trend is that rare wild cats become extinct over time. They live in their natural environment: jungles and deserts. Outwardly, such animals resemble their domestic relatives. Most likely, with time wild rare cats will not exist at all, and rare breeds of domestic cats will spread and cease to be small in number.
Cats... are such capricious, mysterious and even slightly mystical creatures. It is no coincidence that they are the ones who prefer to have them as pets. Of course, cats require careful care, but in return you can get a lot of affection, and most importantly, an absolutely equal position with all family members. After all, these pets will not tolerate humiliation; they only allow a person to love themselves and take care of their feline person.
Even in ancient manuscripts about the lives of high-ranking people, you can find mention of their favorite cats.
What does the concept of “rare breed” include? It is a mistake to think that these breeds appeared recently (although for the most part this is true). Some cats of rare breeds have been carefully protected by breeders for centuries and have come down to us from ancient times. Although, most often, unusual felines are still a product of selection, brought to perfection. Indeed, every person, including a geneticist, has his own idea of beauty. Some people like fluffy, purring couch potatoes, while others dream of domesticating a wild cat, leaving behind the dexterous disposition and habits of a predator. This is how cats of rare breeds are bred.
It should be said right away that the average breeder is not capable of breeding such a breed by crossing, for example, a Thai cat and an Angora. This is considered a gross violation of the rules. Rare breed cats have been bred for years - this is a rather complex technology.
The rarest cat breeds are far from cheap pleasure ( starting price 20 thousand dollars). But there are an unusually large number of people who want to have such pets. There are even queues for some breeds.
So, let's start listing rare cat breeds. We will tell you about the history of the breed, character traits, care and predisposition to diseases.
cat with unusual eyes– kao-mani. It differs from its relatives in that it has different color corneas: green and blue. In English-speaking countries, these beauties are also called “diamond eye”. This breed comes from Thailand. Even in the texts of the 14th century, a description of these boiling white cats is mentioned, which, by the way, only royalty had the right to own. Surprisingly, Tao Mani became known to the general public only in 2009. These curious, highly intelligent cats have a slender, muscular body covered with white, close-fitting hair that is fairly short.
Tao-mani have a very characteristic genotype, so not every pure white cat with multi-colored eyes will belong to this breed. By the way, the eyes may not have different colors. Individuals with the same green iris color are quite common. They are bred in Thailand and a few US states.
These cats need the company of both humans and their own kind. Communication is very necessary for them. They don't run wild strangers, are tolerant of children.
Tao-mani - can boast of excellent health. The weakest point is the ears. There are individuals who are deaf in one ear, although this is carefully monitored by breeders: they cross only cats that are healthy in both ears.
A fan of minimalism will certainly be captivated by the Singapura, a tiny cat barely larger than a three-month-old kitten. Adult Singapura cats weigh no more than three kilograms, and some cats are almost twice as light! But their modest size is not the only advantage of these little ones: the Singapura is graceful, dexterous and playful, good-natured and neat in everything. And huge shiny eyes, a neat cute face and fur strewn with diamond crumbs will not allow guests to take their eyes off your pet!
And although this is not the rarest cat breed, the sparkling fashionista costs little less than a real diamond.
Ragamuffin! This is exactly how the name of the breed is translated, the creators of which took ordinary street cats as a basis. By infusing them with the blood of a calm, tame and harmless ragdoll, breeders received a completely new breed of long-haired cats, easy-going, suitable for families with children and many pets.
Ragamuffins are rare and expensive cats; the breed is small in number and remains exclusive even in its homeland, the USA. Moreover, the appearance of cats differs little from street cats - this was the main idea. Beauties flaunt in lush fur coats of various colors, with spots and stripes. But the character is unique - playful, but good-natured (despite its impressive size), sociable, but not intrusive, active, but not noisy cat for a fan of natural beauty.
Do you like long hair, but want something really unusual? Then take a look, or better yet, touch unique wool la-perm. At any exhibition, in any society, these cats attract attention: their extraordinary fur curls, as if a fashionista had just left a beauty salon!
The most beautiful and very rare breed of cats was born thanks to chance and a successful natural mutation. The ancestor of the breed is the only cat with the most ordinary fur, all of whose kittens were born with amazing fur, similar to the wool of a lamb. Cats of the La Perm breed attract lovers not only with their unusual appearance, but also with their affectionate, accommodating character. By the way, no special care a fantastic fur coat is not required: the curls are naturally curly and do not straighten after swimming
Another rare breed of cat in the world is the Turkish Van. Its uniqueness is determined primarily by its love for water. Turkish Vans are excellent swimmers, they love to run in shallow water or catch small fish in shallow depths. This is not the only one distinguishing feature breeds
Turkish Vans are large, wool medium length. In addition, it is completely devoid of undercoat - this explains the breed’s love for water. The characteristic color is pure white with red-chestnut spots at the base of the ears, and the tail is the same color. It is not uncommon for a bright spot to appear on the shoulder.
The cat's body is like that of a real swimmer: a muscular chest, powerful legs (and the front ones are noticeably longer than the back ones), and the tail is shaped like a brush. Determining a male and a female is quite simple: males are an order of magnitude larger.
The Turkish Van is a breed that gets along well with people, they are excellent at training, and are very playful. There are no problems with walks either: it can be either a harness, which Turkish Vans quickly get used to, or an aviary, or free walking with the owner.
Munchkins are a very rare cat breed. They are sort of the dachshunds of the cat world. The legs of these cats are disproportionately short in relation to the body.
Their standing position is also interesting: they rest on the base of their tail and hold their front paws in front of them. Munchkins can remain in this position, more typical of a kangaroo, for a very long time.
The uniqueness of these unusual cats is also that short legs are not the fruit of the labor of breeders, but natural genetic mutation. Thus, the breed evolved from quite ordinary domestic cats, in whose genotype a special dominant “short-legged” gene appeared. This explains the variety of shades, colors and lengths of wool.
Munchkins are no different good health, it is quite difficult for them to survive in their natural environment.
Napoleon is the name of a rare breed of cat that appeared by crossing the Munchkin and the Persian. Feature besides short legs– dwarfism. The maximum weight of Napoleons is only two kilograms.
There are several hundred copies of them! The Serengeti was brought to the USA. The pioneer breeder wanted to present to the world a breed that, repeating the external qualities of the African serval, would be absolutely tame and domestic. Years of searching were crowned with success: the result was a graceful, unusually beautiful cat.
Surprisingly, the Serengeti genotype does not contain a single wild serval gene. However, she is unusually similar to him in appearance. But his disposition is homely, calm, friendly. Cats have a muscular body, long legs and powerful paws. Coloring is allowed: black or smoky with pronounced spots of a round shape (horizontal stretching is allowed) or black with barely noticeable spots. Another feature is the large wedge-shaped head, reminiscent of the head of a wild feline. Moreover, this sign appears already at birth.
The Serengeti are intelligent, graceful, and very stubborn. These cats will not tolerate the appearance of someone more important than them in the house. They are the center of everything. Another feature is unsurpassed talkativeness and sociable spirit.
The most common disease in the breed is urolithiasis.
Very rare cat breeds include caracals. Yes, these are not cats at all, but real wild lynxes, only small sizes(compared to other representatives of the species). In the wild, caracals live in steppes and savannas (hence the name “steppe lynx”).
These cats also differ from the usual lynx in color: the coat is thick, quite short, brick-colored (sometimes sandy), characteristic spots are found only on the face.
Caracal in Turkish means " black ear" - this is really true. His ears are crowned with charming black tassels. These cats are very fit, muscular, with very long legs.
At home, the life expectancy of a caracal reaches 18 years. However, having decided to get one, you need to be aware that these are by no means domestic purring cats - wild predatory habits remain for life.
Do you want to have a pet tiger in miniature? Then the toyger is what you need.
Its literal translation from English is “toy tiger”. The only thing is that these kittens cost a decent amount: from 10 thousand dollars.
What makes toygers unique? Its colors, contrasting in everything. The most important thing is tiger black stripes, and they are monochromatic, devoid of any color transitions. They stand out in contrast against the reddish-brown background. The tips of the paws and tail are always black. The body is toned and muscular. By the way, you should not overfeed the toyger - this is one of the mistakes of the owners. The front legs are crowned with thick, powerful pads.
Toygers are very sociable cats and get along well with children. They respond well to education and training. At the same time, toygers are quite calm and docile, they will not demand constant play; these cats of rare breeds love to sit in the arms of their owner much more.
This breed, bred in the USA in 1981 and distinguished by its special, curled back ears, has two varieties: semi-longhair and shorthair. Some cat associations recognize the two varieties as separate breeds. The American Curl is quite famous in the United States, but is rare in other countries.
The last African emigrant (last on the list, but not in terms of beauty and uniqueness) is the charming Sokoke. This is a very rare breed of cat, whose ancestors live in Kenya, in the Arabuko Sokoke Nature Reserve. Semi-wild cats of small size attract Kenyans with their good-natured disposition, insatiable curiosity and beautiful fur, decorated with a complex marble pattern. Because of their unusual fur coat, the aborigines nicknamed these cats “Hadzonzo,” which translated means “resembling tree bark.” Sokoke are direct descendants of the Hadzonzo, the breed was formed by taming and domesticating semi-wild cats of Kenya. These are tame, curious, cheerful and active friends.
The cat is extremely intelligent, easy-going and sociable. At the same time, even kittens do not make too much noise, rarely make mischief and are easily accustomed to order. The character, ideal for keeping in an apartment, was inherited from the Burmese - famous friends of dogs, small children and even small domestic animals like mice and birds.
The Elf Cat resembles a fantastic creature with crooked ears. Its body is practically naked or covered with inconspicuous down; sparse hair is present only on the ears, some areas of the legs, on the muzzle and tail.
This breed is extremely rare, with a population of only ten people in America. The weight of this active and sociable animal varies from three to six kilograms, and the curvature of the ears can be from ninety to one hundred and eighty degrees.
The CFA distinguishes between the Burmese cat itself and the variety bred in Great Britain, calling it the European Burmese cat.
Burmilla. The breed was developed in Great Britain in 1981 as a result of an unplanned mating between a Persian chinchilla and a lilac Burmese cat.
This breed appeared as a result of a spontaneous mutation of the American Shorthair cat in 1966. It soon became clear that the mutation is dominant and breeding such cats is not difficult.
Another name for the American wirehair breed is wirehair, due to the appearance of the coat. The degree of effect of such wool varies. The hairs of the wool can be fastened together or curled. Therefore, if you comb a cat of that breed, the “spring” effect will disappear.
A breed of cat with curly hair that appeared in the United States in the 1980s as a result of free crossing. The breed received official recognition in 1996. LaPerm is one of the most expensive cat breeds.
The CFA recognized this breed, which is descended from Chinese wild cats, just 6 years ago in 2010. Outside of China, cats of this breed are almost impossible to purchase.
In China itself, the breed is also not numerous. The fact that in appearance it is practically no different from ordinary mongrel cats does not add to the popularity of this breed.
The appearance of this breed is highly associated scandalous story, and its “creator” is still wanted by the police. The fact is that in 2007, specialized (and not only) publications began to be full of information that “the rarest breed of cats in the world” was bred. These unusually intelligent and loyal soft-footed creatures are also completely hypoallergenic.
However, after a series of genetic examinations, it was established that the Ashera is nothing more than a variety of Savannah - a cat also of a rare breed, but known to the public. But before the truth was established, many people had already fallen for such an exotic bait, paying 20 thousand dollars for kittens
Ashera is truly a giant of the cat world, because, according to the creators, she contains the genotype of the serval, Asian leopard and domestic cats. Indeed, their height reaches one meter. There can be several colors, the rarest (on average only four kittens are born a year) has golden-orange spots, another has an ashy hue, and the most common has black spots, like a leopard.
So, we have looked at the rarest cat breeds, their names have also been given. However, there are three winners.
So, a domestic serval. Sometimes it seems that this cat does not live with a person at all, but only came out of the forest to stay. This is partly true, because no one specially bred the breed for the home, people just realized that servals are perfectly domesticated.
However, the habits remain wild. Servals are excellent hunters; they love to run, jump, and overtake prey. Breeders should take this into account. It is unlikely that this breed will get along in ordinary apartment– she would prefer a mansion with high ceilings, because the serval’s jumps reach three meters in the air.
The next rarest cat breed in the world is the Savannah. We already touched on it when we talked about the usher. Savannah was bred in the 80s of the last century. The creators wanted to give people a real domestic leopard. Then, they believed, wild cats would be left alone and would not be kept in captivity - in mansions and apartments.
Savannahs originated from the crossing of the already known serval and the Siamese cat. As a result, from the first they received the habits of a predator and spotting, and from the second they received a fairly docile disposition and irrepressible talkativeness.
Savannahs are well trained, and they carry out commands that are quite complex for a cat: “fetch”, “fetch” or “stranger”.
Chausie is the fruit of a natural (originally) crossing of a wild jungle cat and a domestic cat. Only after a long time did connoisseurs of soft-footed animals notice how beautiful these kittens turned out.
It was decided to start breeding a new breed, a reed cat, but affectionate and domesticated. Only in 2003 was it possible to record a new breed. However, to this day, its breeding does not go smoothly; it is too difficult to combine genes.
The standard defines three colors: black, silver or tabby. The last two are ticked, i.e. the color is uneven, interspersed with stripes. Required condition– a clear pattern on the head, ears and tip of the tail.
Chausies are wonderful companions for their owners, but the predatory habits of the jungle cat remain: they swim and hunt in the water, store supplies when the owner is not looking, and jump well. These cats do not accept dry food, even exclusive ones - their diet should only contain meat. Chausie's gastrointestinal tract simply does not digest grains and vegetables.
Breeders in many countries strive to develop a unique breed of cats by crossing wild and domestic breeds. And, based on the desire of people to own something unique and in one single copy, rare breeds are quite expensive. There are cat breeds that have barely evolved over thousands of years. Unfortunately, the trend is that rare wild cats become extinct over time. They live in their natural environment: jungles and deserts. Outwardly, such animals resemble their domestic relatives. Most likely, over time, there will be no wild rare cats at all, and rare breeds of domestic cats will spread and cease to be small in number.
Munchkins are short-legged cats
Serengeti is a breed similar in appearance to the Serval
Mekong Bobtail
Caracal is a wild cat that resembles a lynx
Toyger - cats that look like tigers
Cat Elf - a cat with crooked ears
Ashera is a breed that does not exist
The rarest cat breed in the world
There are several opinions about which cat breed is considered the rarest. One version is a domestic Serval, whose ancestors were wild animals.
Domestic and wild, fluffy and completely hairless, large and miniature, aggressive and kind - these cats are so diverse, but how charming they are. For more than 10 thousand years, mustachioed creatures have lived next to people, causing delight and tenderness. At this stage, large “cat” associations have approved more than 100 breeds, and among them, the rarest cat breeds especially attract attention. These are exceptional mustaches of their kind, which are accordingly the most expensive.
We bring to your attention 10 of the rarest and most sought-after cat breeds.
– a real tiger in miniature, but with a kind temperament. He has a dense, glossy, striped coat, a massive build and incredibly picturesque eyes with a dramatic look. This minke will get along well with other tailed inhabitants in the house and all family members. He lives in an apartment without any problems and does not require painstaking care.
The homeland of the domestic tiger cub is America, where they worked on its creation for more than 10 years. In his blood flows the blood of a Bengal cat, domesticated striped murks, etc.
So, after lengthy experiments, in 2000. one of the rarest breeds on the planet appeared, which rapidly gained popularity, first in its homeland, and then throughout the globe.
In Russia, the striped miracle appeared quite recently (in 2008), but it already exists good results birth of offspring.
The selection process for breeding toygers is accompanied by quite a few difficulties, so connoisseurs of the wild appearance of a pet will have to pay at least $2,000 for a kitten.
– snow white with different colors eye. The parents of this cat lived in Thailand many years ago. Records of this breed have been discovered dating back to the 13th century. Although the neat paws of kao-mani have been walking the earth for a long time, its official approval by the TICA organization occurred only in 2009.
A curious disposition, friendliness and amazing plasticity are characteristic of the beautiful kao-mani. Interestingly, the small whiskers from this odd-eyed cat are usually born with dark spots, and over time they disappear.
The fairytale Snow White is highly valued in the cat world. The cost per kao reaches up to $20,000. Kao breeding is practiced in Great Britain, France and Thailand. There are no official nurseries in Russia yet.
Protruding ears and spotted fur are clear signs of the extraordinary Serengeti. The birthplace of this rare breed of cats was America, where one of the breeders, inspired by the external characteristics of the serval, wanted to recreate the features of this wild mammal in a domestic cat.
One of the distinctive features of the Serengeti is its leadership qualities, fearlessness and excessive talkativeness. This cat is not small vocabulary, which she uses a lot: she cooes, meows, hums, squeals and makes other funny sounds.
The path to the emergence of the Serengeti is not easy - about 5 years of painstaking work on the genetic material of various cats. As a result, the dream came true - a graceful beauty with a wild spotted exterior and a stubborn character attracts cat fans all over the world.
Finding the real Serengeti is not easy. There are no more than 50 breeders around the world who are engaged in breeding unique cats. The best specimens live in American nurseries. Cost – from 1000 dollars.
It’s not for nothing that the elf cat is one of the golden ten rare breeds of cats - it looks like a hero from a science fiction film. This purr is unique, it has no hair at all, but it has large curled ears. The hero received such an exotic appearance thanks to the love of an American Curl and a Canadian Sphynx.
The elves' temperament is soft, gentle and sociable. He gets along great with all family members.
This is a young but expensive cat, at this stage it is recognized only by the only felinological organization TICA (since 2007).
The bulk of elves live in America, so it is unlikely that you will be able to meet such cats in the vastness of Russia.
You will need to pay at least $1,500 for such hairless cats.
The Laperm is an extraordinary creature with piercing eyes and curly fur. They did not specifically breed her; this unique cat appeared as a result of a random mutation. Over time, the curly gene became dominant.
Laperm was born in America (1980). The official approval of standard characteristics took place in 1996.
Laperm has an excellent hunter character, high level intelligence and a kind soul. He does not focus on one person in the family, but gives his warmth and love to everyone. At the same time, lapermas, like dogs, are very loyal and playful.
This is an exquisite curl - expensive breed, on average will cost owners $1,200 or more than $2,000 if it is a show class cat.
– a cute and miniature breed. The Napoleons got their short legs from Munchkin cats, and their fluffy long hair and snub nose from Persians. Although they are small, they have strong bones and clearly visible muscles. These babies weigh no more than 4 kg.
Napoleons are attractive not only in appearance - they have an affectionate and flexible character. These fluffies, like soft toys, are friends with children and other inhabitants of the house.
The miniature mustachioed breed was born in 1995. Getting an ideal and healthy Napoleon in all respects is not easy. You need to know very well the pedigree of the future kitten’s parents in order to accurately identify which particular cat’s father and cat’s mother to match. Often kittens are not born healthy.
Probably for these reasons, the average cost for baby Napoleons is $1,000.
- an English aristocrat, with beautiful shiny fur and a charming disposition. This cat appeared as a result of the accidental love between a Persian chinchilla and a beautiful Burmese woman in the 80s. 20th century and already in 1990 acquired the status of champion.
What is unusual is that both cats and cats have equal weight– from 4 to 6 kg.
The Burmilla is a curious, cheerful and sociable creature. She will make friends with all the inhabitants in the house, giving everyone her affection and charm.
There are no registered nurseries in Russia, so it is better to purchase an aristocratic Burmilla at exhibitions abroad, where it will cost about $1,500.
- a cat with a charming blue coat and olive green eyes. The second name of this purr is Si-Sawat, as she is called in her homeland, Thailand. It was on those lands that ancient images from the 14th century were found, depicting these purring creatures.
Target breeding of this distinctive cat began in America in the 50s. 20th century, although there are some references to the participation of Korats in British exhibitions at the end of the 19th century, although they did not find success there.
In 1965, the breed reached a new level - official recognition by authoritative "cat" organizations in the USA.
The appearance of the cat is very captivating - the muzzle is heart-shaped, and the eyes stand out against the gray background of the fur, like two green lanterns. In general, Korats are small in size and do not weigh more than 5 kg. Gray-blue mustaches have excellent genetics. They are energetic, kind and affectionate towards other people and pets.
The cost of a korat depends on the pedigree and other characteristics. The color is of particular importance; the more shade of silver, the more expensive. Approximate cost small purring breed class – $500.
- a snow-white fluffy cat with a red mark on the tail and the top of the head. The homeland of these fluffies is Eastern Anatolia. The Vanir have very ancient roots, but they were revealed to the world only in the 20th century. In 1969, the wonderful “van” was registered and confidently set out to conquer the world.
This is an extraordinary breed of cat - affectionate, loyal, playful and absolutely not afraid of water. She will swim without any problems both in the bathtub and in the lake. By the way, this white fluffy loves natural spaces very much.
A baby Turkish van will cost at least $1,000. The best individuals live in their homeland - Turkey.
– one of the most expensive cat breeds, which was born as a result of the love between the jungle and Abyssinian cats. The cat owes its appearance to the USA. In the 90s Chausiks were approved by the TICA organization and only in 2013 did they gain champion status.
The color of a cat's fur excludes stripes and spots. It can be in black, ticked silver or ticked tabby. A distinctive and obligatory feature of appearance is the black end of the tail and black tassels on the ears.
These are large cats - their weight varies from 10 to 15 kg.
The chausie's temperament does not exclude some wildness, inherited from the swamp lynx. He is sociable and gentle, but at the same time loves to live on mezzanines and closets. Loves water and various games.
It is interesting that the chausie hides its food supplies somewhere in a quiet place - this is also its natural feature. Despite these glimpses of wildness in his character, he is a very kind and sociable creature who does not cope well with loneliness.
Seeing a handsome chausie in the vastness of Russia is very rare, because... There are simply no nurseries. All the breeders of the expensive mustachioed breed are located in America and even they can be counted on one hand. Therefore, the minimum price for this distinctive cat is $8,000 for a pet, and if the baby is show class, then more than $20,000.
The American Wirehair is a unique beauty, which was born in 1966 through crossing with the American Shorthair, which it resembles.
But the significant difference is that the coat has curls, like springs, and is longer than that of the shorthair. Seeing these cats at the same time, you will never confuse which of them is really wirehaired.
Cats with springy fur live in America - there are no more than 30 individuals. This is the rarest cat breed in the world.
It is no coincidence that they are the ones who prefer to have them as pets. Of course, cats require careful care, but in return you can get a lot of affection, and most importantly, an absolutely equal position with all family members.
After all, these pets will not tolerate humiliation; they only allow a person to love themselves and take care of their feline person. Even in ancient manuscripts about the lives of high-ranking people, you can find mention of their favorite cats.
In Ancient Egypt there was even a cat-headed goddess Bast, who was responsible for femininity, beauty and the hearth. The Egyptians built tombs for their soft-footed pets.
Time passed, but the man’s love for cats did not disappear, it only grew stronger. People learned to breed new breeds and learned how to preserve ancient species. Breeders try to surprise their clients and offer them new, unusual cats. Let's look at the rarest ones
What does the concept of “rare breed” include? It is a mistake to think that these breeds appeared recently (although for the most part this is true). Some cats of rare breeds have been carefully protected by breeders for centuries and have come down to us from ancient times.
Although, most often, unusual felines are still a product of selection, brought to perfection. Indeed, every person, including a geneticist, has his own idea of beauty. Some people like fluffy, purring couch potatoes, while others dream of domesticating a wild cat, leaving behind the dexterous disposition and habits of a predator. This is how cats of rare breeds are bred (we will present photos of each of them in the article).
It should be said right away that the average breeder is not capable of breeding such a breed by crossing, for example, an Angora. This is considered a gross violation of the rules. Rare breed cats have been bred for years - this is a rather complex technology.
What are they for? Breeders pursue two goals: aesthetic and financial. Agree that a cat with eyes of different colors looks very unusual, and how the short-legged pet touches everyone. Tailless, not covered with hair, with fancy ears, similar to a miniature leopard - there are a lot of options. And of course, you will have to pay generously for the pleasure of having an unusual pet in your home.
The rarest cat breeds are not a cheap pleasure (starting price is 20 thousand dollars). But there are an unusually large number of people who want to have such pets. There are even queues for some breeds.
So, let's start listing rare cat breeds. We will introduce the photographs and their names to our readers. We will tell you about the history of the breed, character traits, care and predisposition to diseases.
A cat with unusual eyes is a kao-mani. It differs from its relatives in that it has a different color of the cornea: green and blue. In English-speaking countries, these beauties are also called “diamond eye”.
This breed comes from Thailand. Even in the texts of the 14th century, a description of these is mentioned, which, by the way, only royalty had the right to start. Surprisingly, Tao Mani became known to the general public only in 2009.
These curious, highly intelligent cats have a slender, muscular body covered with white, close-fitting hair that is fairly short. Tao-mani have a very characteristic genotype, so not every pure white cat with multi-colored eyes will belong to this breed. By the way, the eyes may not have different colors. Individuals with the same green iris color are quite common. They are bred in Thailand and a few US states.
These cats need the company of both humans and their own kind. Communication is very important for them. They do not shy away from strangers and are tolerant of children.
Tao-mani - can boast of excellent health. The “weakest” place is the ears. There are individuals who are deaf in one ear, although this is carefully monitored by breeders: they cross only cats that are healthy in both ears.
Another rare cat breed in the world is the Turkish Van. Its uniqueness is determined primarily by its love for water. Turkish Vans are excellent swimmers, they love to run in shallow water or catch small fish in shallow depths.
This is not the only distinguishing feature of the breed. Turkish Vans are large dogs with medium-length fur. In addition, it is completely devoid of undercoat - this explains the breed’s love for water. The characteristic color is pure white with red-chestnut spots at the base of the ears, and the tail is the same color. It is not uncommon for a bright spot to appear on the shoulder.
The cat's body is like that of a real swimmer: a muscular chest, powerful legs (and the front ones are noticeably longer than the back ones), and the tail is shaped like a brush. Determining a male and a female is quite simple: males are an order of magnitude larger.
The Turkish Van is a breed that gets along well with people, they are excellent at training, and are very playful. There are no problems with walks either: it can be either a harness, which Turkish Vans quickly get used to, or an aviary, or free walking with the owner.
Munchkins are a very rare cat breed. They are sort of the dachshunds of the cat world. The legs of these cats are disproportionately short in relation to the body.
Their standing position is also interesting: they rest on the base of their tail and hold their front paws in front of them. Munchkins can remain in this position, more typical of a kangaroo, for a very long time.
The uniqueness of these unusual cats is also that short legs are not the fruit of the work of breeders, but a natural genetic mutation.
Thus, the breed evolved from quite ordinary domestic cats, in whose genotype a special dominant “short-legged” gene appeared. This explains the variety of shades, colors and lengths of wool.
Munchkins do not have good health; it is quite difficult for them to survive in their natural environment.
Napoleon is the name of a rare breed of cat that appeared by crossing the Munchkin and the Persian. A characteristic feature in addition to short legs is dwarfism. The maximum weight of Napoleons is only two kilograms.
The Serengeti is another rare breed cat. Their population in the world numbers only a few hundred specimens! The Serengeti was brought to the USA. The pioneer breeder wanted to present to the world a breed that, while repeating its external qualities, would be absolutely tame and domestic. Years of searching were crowned with success: the result was a graceful, unusually beautiful cat.
Surprisingly, the Serengeti genotype does not contain a single wild serval gene. However, she is unusually similar to him in appearance. But his disposition is homely, calm, friendly. Cats have a muscular body, long legs and powerful paws. Coloring is allowed: black or smoky with pronounced spots of a round shape (horizontal stretching is allowed) or black with barely noticeable spots. Another feature is the large wedge-shaped head, reminiscent of the head of a wild feline. Moreover, this sign appears already at birth.
Serengeti are smart, graceful, very stubborn people. These cats will not tolerate the appearance of someone more important than them in the house. They are the center of everything. Another feature is unsurpassed talkativeness and sociable spirit.
The most common disease in the breed is urolithiasis.
Very rare cat breeds include caracals. Yes, these are not cats at all, but real wild lynxes, only small in size (compared to other representatives of the species). In the wild, caracals live in steppes and savannas (hence the name “steppe lynx”).
These cats also differ from the usual lynx in color: the coat is thick, quite short, brick-colored (sometimes sandy), characteristic spots are found only on the face.
Caracal in Turkish means “black ear” - this is true. His ears are crowned with charming black tassels. These cats are very fit, muscular, with very long legs.
At home, the life expectancy of a caracal reaches 18 years. However, having decided to get one, you need to be aware that these are by no means domestic purring cats - wild predatory habits remain for life.
Do you want to have a pet tiger in miniature? Then the toyger is what you need. Its literal translation from English is “toy tiger”. The only thing is that these kittens cost a decent amount: from 10 thousand dollars. What makes toygers unique? Its color, contrasting in everything. The most important thing is tiger black stripes, and they are monochromatic, devoid of any color transitions. They stand out in contrast against the reddish-brown background. The tips of the paws and tail are always black. The body is toned and muscular. By the way, you should not overfeed the toyger - this is one of the mistakes of the owners. The front paws are crowned with thick, powerful pads.
Toygers are very sociable cats and get along well with children. They respond well to education and training. At the same time, toygers are quite calm and docile, they will not demand constant play; these cats of rare breeds love to sit in the arms of their owner much more.
A very scandalous story is connected with the appearance of this breed, and its “creator” is still wanted by the police. The fact is that in 2007, specialized (and not only) publications began to be full of information that “the rarest breed of cats in the world” was bred. These unusually intelligent and loyal soft-footed creatures are also completely hypoallergenic.
However, after a series of genetic examinations, it was established that the Ashera is nothing more than a variety of Savannah - a cat also of a rare breed, but known to the public. But before the truth was established, many people had already fallen for such an exotic bait, paying 20 thousand dollars for kittens
Ashera is truly a giant of the cat world, because, according to the creators, she contains the genotype of the serval, Asian leopard and domestic cats. Indeed, their height reaches one meter. There can be several colors, the rarest (on average only four kittens are born a year) has golden-orange spots, another has an ashy hue, and the most common has black spots, like a leopard.
So, we have looked at the rarest cat breeds, photos and names have also been provided. However, there are three winners. So, a domestic serval. Sometimes it seems that this cat does not live with a person at all, but only came out of the forest to stay. This is partly true, because no one specially bred the breed for the home, people just realized that servals are perfectly domesticated.
However, the habits remain wild. Servals are excellent hunters; they love to run, jump, and overtake prey. Breeders should take this into account. It is unlikely that this breed will get along in an ordinary apartment - it will prefer a mansion with high ceilings, because the serval's jumps reach three meters in the air.
The next rarest cat breed in the world is the Savannah. We already touched on it when we talked about the usher. Savannah was bred in the 80s of the last century. The creators wanted to give people a real domestic leopard. Then, they believed, wild cats would be left alone and would not be kept in captivity - in mansions and apartments.
Savannahs originated from the crossing of the already known serval and the Siamese cat. As a result, from the first they received the habits of a predator and spotting, and from the second they received a fairly docile disposition and irrepressible talkativeness.
Savannahs are well trained, and they carry out commands that are quite complex for a cat: “fetch”, “fetch” or “stranger”.
Chausie is the fruit of a natural (originally) crossing of a wild jungle cat and a domestic cat. Only after a long time did connoisseurs of soft-footed animals notice how beautiful these kittens turned out.
It was decided to start breeding a new breed, a reed cat, but affectionate and domesticated. Only in 2003 was it possible to record a new breed. However, to this day, its breeding does not go smoothly; it is too difficult to combine genes.
The standard defines three colors: black, silver or tabby. The last two are ticked, i.e. the color is uneven, interspersed with stripes. A prerequisite is a clear pattern on the head, ears and tip of the tail.
Chausies are wonderful companions for their owners, but the predatory habits of the jungle cat remain: they swim and hunt in the water, store supplies when the owner is not looking, and jump well. These cats do not accept dry food, even exclusive ones; their diet should only contain meat. Chausie's gastrointestinal tract simply does not digest grains and vegetables.
