Table of Behavioral Patterns and Congenital Defects in Cats

Breeds	Physical Needs	Companionship	Hunting And Aggression	Possible Congenital Defects	Notes

Abyssinian	Clean Coats with a wet mitt or glove. Prefers outdoors.	Affectionate, like attention. Cautious. Active, inquisitive. Bonds to one person. Can learn simple tricks.			Natural shape and coat. Needs special attention from owner (petting, playing) or becomes sad, may run away.
American Shorthair	Regular Brushing. Prefers outdoors.	Affectionate, likes attention.	Good mouser.	Abnormal or short tail, indented nose, extra toes, Thin or obese. Eyelid defects. Deafness in white.	Fur adapts to cold, wet, thorns. Needs occasional brushing after outdoor excursions. Accept baths well if started young.
American Wirehair	Regular Brushing. Prefers outdoors.	Affectionate, likes attention.		Crooked tail.	Wiry coat a mutation. May dominate other cats.
Bombay	Clean coat with a wet mitt or glove. Prefers indoors.	Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate.	Good mouser. Aggressive with other cats.	Curly hair, abnormally short tail.	Tranquil, good indoors.
British Shorthair	Likes indoors or outdoors. Adapts to cold.	Affectionate, likes attention.	Good mouser.		Natural shape and coat. Fur adapts to cold, wet thorns, etc. Large, strong.
Burmese and Malayans	Clean coat with a wet mitt or glove. Likes indoors or outdoors.	Affectionate, likes attention. Enjoys travel. Vocal, "talkative".	Good mouser.		Natural shape and coat. Long-lived, healthy. Requires affection , quiet. Good indoors.
Egyptian Mau	Likes indoors.	Sedate.	Good mouser.		Natural shape and coat. Okay indoors. Delicate to changes of weather.
European Shorthair	Likes indoors or outdoors. Adapts to cold.	Active, inquisitive.	Good mouser.	Deafness in blue-eyed, white cats.	Natural shape and coat. Long-lived. Resists cold. Strong, adapts to many environments.
Exotic Shorthair	Regular brushing. Likes indoors.	Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate.	Good mouser.	Short or abnormal tail.	Tranquil, good indoors (Persian-American shorthair cross).
Japanese bobtail	Regular brushing. Likes indoors or outdoors.	Affectionate, likes attention. Active, inquisitive.	Good mouser.		Loves fish.
Korat	Clean coat with wet mitt or glove. Likes indoors.	Can learn simple tricks.	Good mouser. Aggressive with other cats.	Tends to get respiratory infections.	Natural shape and coat. Dislikes street noises.
Manx	Regular brushing.	Active, inquisitive, playful.	Good mouser.	Tailness compromises balance. Hopping gait. Incontinence. Still-births. Lack of undercoat. Small head. Spina bifida, hind limb and pelvic deformities, small anus.	Muscular, playful. Friendly to all. Likes to climb.
Rex	Clean coat with wet mitt or glove. Prefers indoors.	Sedate.		Kinked tail.	Likes indoors. Very inquisitive.
Russian Blue	Regular brushing. Prefers indoors.	Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate.		Obesity.	Natural shape and coat. Good indoors, likes quiet. Especially affectionate.
Scottish fold	Regular brushing. Likes indoors or outdoors. Adapts to cold.	Affectionate, likes attention. Bonds to one person.	Good mouser.	Folded ears may harbor ear mites, impair hearing.	Content indoors with occasional escapes. Resists cold weather.
Siamese	Regular brushing. Likes indoors or outdoors.	Active, inquisitive. Bonds to one person. Enjoys travel. Accepts a leash. Vocal, "talkative".	Aggressive with other cats.	More susceptible to disease than other breeds. Nasal obstruction, chin malformation, cleft palate. Retinal degeneration. Weak legs.	Natural shape and coat. Long-lived. Sensitive and unpredictable. Jealous. Needs space. Can be walked on a lease.
Sphynx	Prefers indoor. Sensitive to cold.	Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate.		A hairless mutation. Susceptible to catching colds. May have overly wrinkled skin.	Must live indoor in temperate climate.
Balinese and Javanese	Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Likes indoors or outdoors.	Active, inquisitive. Bonds to one person. Vocal, "talkative".	Good mouser.	Weak hind legs. Can be sickly. Crossed eyes.	Affectionate, but mostly with one person. Similar to Siamese.
Birman	Extra grooming to avoid hair balls.	Sedate.		Crossed eyes, kinked tail.	Tranquil, devoted.
Himalayan (Colorpoint longhair) and Kashmirs	Extra grooming to avoid hair balls.	Active, inquisitive. Bonds to one person.	Good mouser.	Crossed eyes.	Adapts to indoors, but likes a lot of space. Affectionate, does not fight with other cats.
Maine Coon cat	Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Likes outdoors. Adapts to cold.	Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate.	Good mouser.	Generally healthy, can withstand cold.	Natural shape and coat. Prefers a yard, but okay indoors. Likes fish. Muscular. Friendly, but bonds to one person.
Persian/Longhair	Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Prefers indoors.	Affection, likes attention. Sedate.	Good mouser.	Must be brushed daily to avoid hair ball problems. Eyelids defects. Retinal degeneration. Peke face.	Tranquil, home-loving. Muscular. Sociable even to other cats. Affectionate. Classic indoor cat.
Ragdoll	Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Prefers indoors.	Sedate.		Crossed eyes, deformed tail.	Soft body, mild character. Requires quiet owner, best indoors.
Somali	Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Prefers outdoors.	Active, inquisitive. Somewhat standoffish.	Good mouser.	Excessive shyness.	A long-haired Abyssinian. Sometimes mistrustful. Needs some outdoor space.
Turkish Angora	Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Prefers indoors.	Affectionate, likes attention, Bonds to one person. Sedate.		Short Tail.	Progenitors of Persian/Longhairs. Easier to brush than Persian. Almost short-haired in summer. Sweet, well-behaved. Best indoors.

Source: Siegal, Mordecai (ed.) and Gino Pugnetti, Simon and Schuster's Guide to Cats (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1983).