United Kingdom Cat Breeds

Blue British SH
Photo by information overload

What are the United Kingdom cat breeds? This is actually a slightly tricky question because it could be argued that cat breeds are really universal and no longer associated with one particular country. This is because cats that were originally of one country were then developed in another country. The United Kingdom comprises: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

It is well known that the British Shorthair is a United Kingdom cat breed. This cat started out as a standard moggie dating back originally to Roman times. It was developed into a cat breed during the latter part of the 19th century in the UK (specifically England) and then exported to other countries where it was developed through selective breeding in slightly different directions. The longhaired version of this cat, the British Longhair,  is also a UK cat breed.

The other United Kingdom cat breeds are: Devon Rex, Cornish Rex, Scottish Fold, Seychellois. The Manx cat comes from the Isle of Man, which is not part of the United Kingdom. The Devon Rex originates from the county of Devon (Southwest England). The Cornish Rex originates from the county of Cornwall (Southwest England). The Scottish Fold comes from Coupar Angus, Scotland.

As far as I am aware (and remember!), there are no other cat breeds that have originated in the UK (Great Britain). Although some cat breeds were first developed in the UK if we are to believe the historical accounts. The Abyssinian was first imported from India via Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) in the 19th century. The Turkish Angora was first imported into the UK from Turkey - or was it?. These are two examples.

Most breeds were started in the North America. These include the Munchkin, the Ragdoll, RagaMuffin, LaPerm, Don Sphynx, Sphynx, American Bobtail, Pixie-bob, Maine Coon, California Spangled, Selkirk Rex, Savannah, Bengal, American Wirehair and Shorthair and American Ringtail.....and more.....