The Most Popular Long Haired Cat Breeds

Although there are literally hundreds of different long haired cat breeds to choose from, there are a few that are especially popular. One is the Persian cat. This is actually one of the oldest breeds of cats in the world, and definitely one of the most popular.

This breed of cat originated in the Iranian plateaus bordering Mesopotamia. Some illustrations also connect the Persian cat with the ancient Pallas cat. An Italian by the name of Pietro Della Valle introduced the breed to European society. The first known written acknowledgement of the Persian cat was in the year 1871 in the annals of the Cat Fanciers Association. White Persian cats were already around during that time.



The Persian cat is generally white in color and this is how they it is generally perceived though they are also found in a number of different colors, and are mostly divided into seven color divisions when it comes to competitions, and these are solid, gold and silver, tabby, smoke and shaded, bicolor, particolor and also Himalayan. But, what stands out with regard to the Persian cat is not its color, but its long hair that flows beautifully on its body

Another of the most popular long haired cat breeds is the Balinese. They look very similar to the Siamese cat only their fur is much longer. They are actually known as being the long haired cousin to the Siamese and as a breed they combine the effortless grace and fine lines of the Siamese breed with a long, beautiful silky coat.