Rare and Unusual Breeds

September 4, 2025

Patricia Jacobberger,
CFA Allbreed Judge Emeritus

 

If you are into the rare, and unusual, keep reading! This article will explore five rare and unusual pedigreed cats. The breeds we will be looking at are the American Bobtail, the American Wirehair, the LaPerm, the Khao Manee, and the Turkish Van.

These breeds are considered rare because they are the least frequently registered breeds in The Cat Fancier’s Association, Inc. (CFA). Small registration numbers provide a clear indication that there are only a few individual cats bred, and only a few breeders working with them. As cat fanciers, we worry about losing these breeds and their breeders. All of us are “preservation breeders” who work to ensure a breed’s future existence, conserve rare bloodlines or pedigrees, maintain a breed’s original purpose and function, and sustain a breed’s genetic diversity.

In the CFA, we register and exhibit over 40 breeds of pedigreed cats. There are several ways breeds find their way into a registration body. Some breeds are the result of hybridization such as the Colorpoint Shorthair, the Exotic, or the Bombay. Many breeds evolve based on a genetic mutation that humans have found to be interesting, unusual, or worthy of preservation. The American Bobtail, the American Wirehair, and the LaPerm fall into this group. Other breeds are “naturally occurring” breeds and have developed over hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years such as the Khao Manee and the Turkish Van.

The American Bobtail

Looking for an athletic, muscular, large, and powerful breed that is gentle, loving, and interactive? Perhaps the American Bobtail is what you need. Available in both longhair and shorthair varieties, the American Bobtail is bred in nearly every pattern and color of the feline genome. The breed’s major characteristic – its foreshortened tail – is the result of a natural mutation that results in a naturally bobbed tail.

Inspired by the discovery of “Yodie,” one unique bobtailed cat in Arizona in the late 1960s, American Bobtails have been selectively bred over many years to produce characteristics comparable to that one special cat. With their natural bobtails and distinctive hunting gaze, they may look as though they came straight out of the forest, but this breed is 100% domestic and ready to charm its way into your life.

Grooming is not an issue with the American Bobtail. Breeders work for a shaggy, silky coat that stands away from the body and does not mat, so even the longhairs are not inclined to mat unless left uncombed, particularly if wet. Bobtail coats vary, depending on the outcross used, but in all cases, routine, regular attention will reduce the amount of shedding.

The American Bobtail is a healthy breed, and they often live to be 11-15 years old given the proper care. A “medium-sized” breed, males weigh between 12-16 pounds and females can weigh 7-11 pounds.

The American Wirehair

How about a cat with a history as the first breed with a coat mutation to be found in the USA? An unusual coat is what distinguishes the American Wirehair. It’s wiry – like a steel wool soap pad or lamb’s wool. The thick, dense coat occurs with several degrees of wiriness and varies from spiked to curly. Each individual hair is crimped, hooked, or bent. Even the whiskers!

The first American Wirehair was a surprise in a litter of kittens born to normal-coated domestic shorthair cats on a farm in upstate New York. He was named “Adam” and he had a sparse, wiry red-and-white coat—every hair was crimped.

Heavily boned and strongly muscled, the American Wirehair is bred in several colors and patterns. They are very loyal pets who frequently seek the companionship of humans. Their personalities are relaxed, loving, and sweet, and they are ideal companions for families with children and other pets. The American Wirehair is playful, but also laid back, and very interested in its surroundings. Although happy as lap cats, American Wirehairs also enjoy their independence.

Grooming an American Wirehair is easy. Some breeders recommend using a lint roller or a small comb to remove dead hair. Their coats are not prone to matting, and routine, regular attention will reduce the amount of shedding.

The American Wirehair is a hearty breed, and they often live to be 10-16 years old with proper care. A “medium-sized” breed, males can weigh 12 pounds and females may weigh 8-12 pounds.

The LaPerm

Another coat mutation first noted in the United States! This time, on a farm in Oregon. “Curly,” as she would be named, was completely bald at birth but by the time she was four months old, she had a full, curly coat. She went on to produce one litter of curly coated kittens, and the originators of the breed named them LaPerms because of the curly coat trait. LaPerms can be found in both longhair and shorthair and in all colors and patterns associated with the domestic cat.

LaPerms are intelligent and inquisitive as well as affectionate, and people-oriented. Although active, they are happy to spend time on your lap.

The coat of a LaPerm may consist of anything from undulating waves to fine, tight ringlets or corkscrews with the tightest curls occurring on the throat, the underside, and the base of the ears. Longhair LaPerms often have full ruffs and plume-like tails, while shorthairs have “bottlebrush” tails and a crisper texture to the coat. Their coats may look tangled, but they are merely disorganized and actually easy to groom.

Grooming a LaPerm is easy. Regular combing is recommended with a comb that has rolling teeth. This will prevent tugging and pulling on the coat. Their coats are not prone to matting, and routine, regular attention will reduce the amount of shedding.

The LaPerm is a healthy breed, and with proper care, they often live to be 12-15 years old. A “small to medium-sized” breed, males can weigh 7-12 pounds and females may weigh 6-9 pounds.

The Khao Manee

Ready for a cat with a history that spans hundreds of years? Consider the Khao Manee, one of Thailand’s treasures. This breed was referenced as a “good luck” cat in the Thai book of cat poems, also known as the Tamra Maeo. Thai royalty kept them hidden from visitors to maintain them primarily as royal pets, and the breed was exclusive to Thailand until 1999. Accepted for CFA registration in 2018, the breed is currently shown in the Miscellaneous Class in CFA.

Athletic, muscular, and intelligent, the Khao Manee often has one or two kinks in its tail. They enjoy human companionship and love laps, shoulders, and interaction with other cats as well as their people. And they are talkative! Their vocabulary includes a variety of meows, chirps, and other chattery noises to help convey their needs and desires.

Khao Manee cats have a short, smooth, and close-lying coat that is always pure white. The most distinctive feature of the breed is their eye color, which can range from blue to amber, yellow, or green, or a combination of these colors. Odd-eyed Khao Manees, with one blue eye and one eye of another color, are particularly striking.

Grooming a Khao Manee is easy. The use of a rubber brush is about all you need to keep shedding under control.

The Khao Manee is a healthy breed, and they often live to be 10-12 years old given the proper care. A “medium-sized” breed, their weight ranges between 6 and 10 pounds, with males being a little larger than females.

The Turkish Van

The Lake Van region of Turkey is thought to be the origin of the Turkish Van. Not to be confused with the Turkish Angora, the Turkish Van is larger and more heavily boned with a coat that is often compared to cashmere. Their distinctive pattern – the van pattern – is the only pattern in which they are bred. A nearly totally white cat, the Turkish Van has color and pattern only on the top of the head and on the tail. The color markings are limited to solid, tabby, and parti-colors (tortoiseshell and patched tabby). They are only bred in longhair although the coat is more intermediate in length.

Turkish Van cats are known for their lively, energetic, and playful nature. They are often referred to as “swimming cats” because they have an unusual affinity for water. They form strong bonds with their families, are highly intelligent, and enjoy interacting with their surroundings, including humans and other pets.

The Turkish Van is one of the easiest longhair breeds to groom. Since they have no undercoat, their hair does not tend to tangle up or mat. A steel comb run through the coat weekly to remove dead hair should be all you need to do.

The Turkish Van is a robust and healthy breed, and they often live to be 13-15 years old given the proper care. A “large-sized” breed, males can weigh 10-20 pounds and females between 7-12 pounds.

To actually see one of these rare cats, your best option might be to do some research and seek out a breeder and plan a visit. On the other hand, you may be lucky and find one exhibited at a CFA show, in which case you might have an opportunity to talk with the exhibitor and get a first-hand learning experience about a truly unique cat. Who knows? – you may someday even own one and find yourself answering curious inquiries and helping to preserve a rare breed.