My Pet World: These pedigreed cats have top billing
6. American Shorthair: This breed (not to be confused with the common Domestic Shorthair) originated from cats following settlers from Europe to North America. Records indicate that even the Mayflower carried several cats to control rats on the ship. They continued as working rat-hunters in the New World. Some patterns are unique to the breed, and reminiscent of their wild cousins. Hardly wild in their demeanor, American Shorthairs do well with grandmas, as well as busy families with young children and dogs.
7. Abyssinian: Arguably the most active breed, Aby's zoom around the house. They like to play games, often with people, and can even learn to fetch. If you can keep these cats busy, they're easy to maintain. Because they are so active, they do best with a littermate to play with, rather than your drapes. Their almost translucent coat pattern is due to a single gene which gives each hair several dark bands, evenly dispersed on a lighter background, resulting in a unique ticked pattern. Some individuals have tufts on their ears, like wild caracal cats.
8. Sphynx: Picture the folically-impaired Mr. Bigglesworth from the Austin Powers movies. True, the movie gave a huge bump to this unique breed's popularity. On one paw, they're extremely affectionate, loving to share the covers with their people. On the other, they're sometimes called "monkey cats" for their dexterity, even riding on the shoulders of their favorite people. Due to their lack of hair that would normally absorb body oils, Sphynx need periodic bathing, and may leave oil spots where they sit frequently.
Rounding out the top 20 are:
9. Siamese
10. Scottish Fold
11. Cornish Rex
12. Devon Rex
13. Oriental
14. Norwegian Forest Cat
15. Birman
16. Burmese
17. Siberian
18. Tonkinese
19. Russian Blue
20. Egyptian Mau
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