Content
- LaPerm
- sphynx
- exotic shorthair
- cat elf
- Scottish fold
- Ukrainian Levkoy
- Savannahs or Savannah Cat
- Peterbald
- munchkin
- Cornish Rex
Cats are amazing animals that give us affection and joy and make us laugh. Currently, there are about 100 officially recognized breeds, but we certainly don't know half of those that exist unless you are an expert on the subject.
In this article by Animal Expert, we're not going to show you all the cat breeds that exist, but something better, the 10 rarest cats in the world! Those that, due to their physical characteristics, stand out from the rest of the races and are particularly special.
If you want to adopt an unusual looking cat, then you can discover the 10 strangest cats in the world.
LaPerm
One of the rarest cats in the world is the LaPerm, a breed originally from Oregon, United States, named after its characteristic long hair (as if he had made a permanent). The first LaPerm cat was born female and hairless, but after a few months it developed a silky, wiry fur due to a mutation produced by a dominant gene. The curious thing is that since then, almost all males of this breed are born without hair and many others lose their hair and change several times throughout their lives.
These cats have a sociable, calm and very affectionate character towards humans, and they are balanced and very curious.
sphynx
Another of the strangest cats in the world and best known internationally is the Egyptian cat, which is characterized by having no fur, although this statement is not entirely correct, as they actually have a very fine and short layer of fur, barely noticeable by human eye or touch. In addition to the lack of coat, the Shpynx breed is characterized by having a robust body and some big eyes that stand out even more on your bald head.
These cats appear by a natural mutation and have an affectionate, peaceful and dependent on their owners temperament, but they are also sociable, intelligent and inquisitive.
exotic shorthair
The Exotic Shorthair or exotic shorthair cat is another of the rarest cats in the world that arose from a cross between a British shorthair and an American shorthair. This breed has the complexion of a Persian cat but with short fur, being robust, compact and with a rounded body. Due to its large eyes, short, flat nose, and small ears, the exotic cat has a tender and sweet facial expression, it can even seem sad in some situations. Its fur is short and dense, but it still requires very little care and does not fall out much, so it is very suitable for people with allergies.
This cat breed has a calm, affectionate, loyal and friendly personality, similar to the Persian cats, but they are even more active, playful and curious.
cat elf
Following with the strangest cats in the world, we find the elf cat that is characterized by having no fur and being very intelligent. These cats are so named because they resemble this mythical creature and arose from the recent cross between the sphynx cat and an American curl.
As they have no fur, these cats need to shower more often than the other races and also can't get much sun. Furthermore, they have a very sociable character and are very easygoing.
Scottish fold
The Scottish Fold is another of the rarest cats in the world that comes, as its name implies, from Scotland. The breed was officially recognized in 1974 but mating between members of this breed is prohibited due to a large number of serious bone anomalies that have occurred. The Scottish Fold cat is medium in size and has a rounded head, large round eyes, and very small and folded ears forward, resembling an owl. Other notable features are its round feet and its thick tail.
This breed of cat has short fur but no specific color. His temper is strong and he also has a great hunting instinct, however, are very friendly and adapt easily to new environments.
Ukrainian Levkoy
Another of the world's rarest cats is the Ukrainian Levkoy, an elegant-looking, medium-sized feline. Its main features are the no hair or very little amount, its folded ears, its large, almond-shaped eyes of bright colors, its long, flat head and its angular profile.
These cat breeds have an affectionate, sociable and intelligent temperament. It appeared recently, in 2004, thanks to the crossing of a female sphynx and a male with drooping ears made by Elena Biriukova in Ukraine. For this reason they are found only in that country and in Russia.
Savannahs or Savannah Cat
The savannah or Savannah cat is another of the rarest in the world and also one of the exotic cats. This genetically manipulated hybrid breed came from a cross between a domestic cat and an African serval, and it looks very exotic, leopard-like. Its body is large and muscular, with large ears and long legs, and its fur has black spots and stripes like those of big cats. It is the largest breed that exists but still, its size can vary a lot from one litter to another.
There is some controversy about the possible domestication of Savannah cats because they need so much space to exercise and can jump up to 2 meters high. However, it has a loyal character to its owners and is not afraid of water. Countries like Australia have banned these cats because they had a very negative effect on native fauna. In addition, there are several NGOs fighting against the creation of these animals because many of these cats when they reach adulthood become aggressive and the abandonment rate is very high.
Peterbald
peterbald is a breed medium-sized from Russia born in 1974. These cats arose from a cross between a donskoy and a short-haired oriental cat, and are characterized by the absence of fur. They have long bat ears, long oval legs and a wedge-shaped snout. They have a slender and elegant complexion and, although they can be confused with the Egyptian cats, the peterbald do not have the belly like the others.
Peterbald cats have a peaceful temperament and are curious, intelligent, active and very friendly, but they are also dependent and demand a lot of affection from their owners.
munchkin
Another of the rarest cats in the world is the munchkin, which due to a natural genetic mutation, is a medium-sized cat with legs shorter than normal, as if it were a sausage. It is considered one of the smallest cats in the world. Despite this, they don't have problems jumping and running like the rest of the breeds, and they don't usually develop many back problems that are associated with this type of body structure.
Despite having larger hind legs than the front ones, munchkin are agile, active, playful and affectionate cats, and can weigh between 3 to 3 kilograms.
Cornish Rex
And finally the cornish rex, a race that arose through a spontaneous genetic mutation that gave rise to its wavy, short, dense and silky fur on the loin. This mutation happened in the 1950s in southwest England, which is why it is called the Cornwall rex cat.
These medium-sized cats have a muscular, slender body, fine bones, but their fur can be any color and they don't need much care. Cornish rex are very intelligent, sociable, affectionate, independent and playful, and love contact with children.
