10 Rarest Cat Breeds In The World

Cats are one of the most common household pets in the world; however, not all cat breeds can be found at your local breeders or pet store.
Some are made in a lab as hybrids between other cats, others are not often bred. Additionally, some cat breeds are only common in select parts of the world, while they are rarely seen in other areas.
10 Rarest Cat Breeds In The World
The rarest cat breed in the world is the Sokoke cat. These cats were at one point considered a hybrid, but that theory has been proven incorrect. However, while none are quite as rare as the Sokoke, there are other rare breeds such as the Devon Rex cat, Kurilian Bobtail cat, Norwegian Forest cat, and more.
There are a few ways a cat could be considered rare:
- Cats of certain pedigrees are considered exceedingly rare, while others are specially bred or made in a lab because of their hybrid type, so only a few exist.
- The breed is listed in the CFA and TICA rare cat breed lists.
Sokoke Cat
The Sokoke cat is considered one of the rarest domesticated cat breeds in the world. They originate from the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Preserve area, which is on the coast of Kenya.
These cats were first introduced to the rest of the world in the 1970s and 80s but only got their preliminary recognition from the GCCF in 2015, so they are still considered a relatively new cat breed.
There are only a few breeders registered, so it can take quite a while to bring a Sokoke cat home, but once you do, you will have on your hands a very sociable and energetic cat.
Sokoke cats love to exercise and play for hours at a time and quickly become bored if left alone for too long.
They are shorthair cats that weigh between six and ten pounds, and they tend to live for about 15 years (source 1).
Devon Rex Cat
The Devon Rex is a very small (less than 8 pounds) short-haired cat that tends to live between 9 and 13 years.
These animals have very short and fragile curly hair that should not be brushed because it tends to just break off.
The good news is that they shed very little as long as they are properly cared for and therefore are considered to be less allergenic than other cat breeds.
These cats are super intelligent and friendly, which means they make great pets, but most people love them for their looks.
Devon Rex cats are described as elven or even alien-like in their appearance because of their big eyes, large areas, and face shape.
They also tend to have stunning eyes because of how large they appear on their small heads (source 1).
Kurilian Bobtail Cat
These cats look small and soft, but they are made of pretty solid muscle and can weigh up to 15 pounds!
One interesting thing about the Kurilian Bobtail cats is that they continue to grow until they are five years old, which is significantly longer than a lot of other cat breeds.
This cat is considered a natural cat breed, which means it developed without assistance from humans.
While these cats are adorable, many people (especially in the United States) give up on trying to find them.
You may have to go as far as Italy, Great Britain, or even Russia to get one.
If you do find a breeder that you trust, you can expect to pay up to $3,000 to get one kitten depending on factors like:
- Gender
- Coloring
- Pedigree
On the plus side, they do live rather long lives (up to 20 years.) (source 1).
Norwegian Forest Cat
The Norwegian Forest cat originates from Norway, where they are called skogkatt, which means “forest cat.”
They are believed to be descendants of other domesticated European cats introduced by the Romans and therefore are not considered to have any wild ancestor.
Nevertheless, these cats have been around for a long time as they are often mentioned in Norse mythology, described as large, long-haired cats.
Norwegian Forest cats are very active cats and like to play both as kittens and as fully grown adult cats.
Because they are long-haired cats, they do require a good bit of grooming.
While they mature slowly, they have a fairly average lifespan of only about 12 years.
Minskin Cat
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Minskin cats look very similar to sphynx cats because they have little to no hair.
This cat is so rare because it is a fairly new breed that was not developed until a couple of decades ago.
At the time, a man in Boston, Massachusetts, decided that he wanted a cat with the coloring of Siamese cats, short legs, and dense fur patches only on the tail, ears, and legs.
The first Minskin appeared in 1998, and by 2005, there were only about 50 of them.
There are significantly more today, but they are still fairly rare and hard to find.
These fun-looking cats tend to live between 12 to 15 years as long as they are cared for properly (source 1).
Egyptian Mau Cat
You have probably heard that cats hate water, but that is not true with this rare cat breed.
Egyptian Maus love to play with water, and they are intelligent, so you will likely find that your Egyptian Mau figures out rather quickly how to turn the faucet on to play whenever she wants!
These cats have high energy levels but are also known to love curling up for a good snuggle.
They shed a moderate amount, but regular brushing can help limit that.
They come in three colors (silver, bronze, and smoke) and weigh between 8 and 12 pounds.
Egyptian Maus live between 12 and 15 years (source 1).
Tonkinese Cat
The Tonkinese cat is a mix of two Southeast Asian breeds: the Siamese cat and the Burmese cat.
They were bred in an attempt to make cats with a loving nature and high intellectual level but a much less piercing voice than Siamese cats are known to have.
The first breeding of these cats was a mistake, and they were not intentionally bred until the 1950s. The breed did not receive recognition from the Cat Fanciers Association until 1984.
These cats weigh between 6 and. 12 pounds. They tend to be loving but very active cats that like to be right in the center of all the action.
Finally, they have relatively long lifespans, with most living between 15 and 18 years (source 1).
Chartreux Cat
The Chartreux cat is a short-haired French cat, as you may have assumed from the name.
Throughout history, they were mostly used as hunting cats because of their dense and water-repellent fur.
However, they are also known to make excellent house pets and can help keep mice and other pests away from your home.
These cats have unique coloring as they have an almost blue coat.
Females tend to be smaller, weighing between 6 and 9 pounds, while males are a little larger, weighing between 10 and 14 pounds.
They tend to take around three years to reach physical maturity and have a large range of average lifespan (from 8 to 13 years (source 1).
LaPerm Cat
They are originally from the United States, so you will not have to go to Europe or Asia to find one, but they are still rather difficult to find because there are very few registered breeders that breed purebred Laperms (source 1).
LaPerm cats have very unique-looking fur. They can almost look a little scruffy or scrappy when you first look at them because they have very loose and bouncy curls.
Most common cat breeds have straight and often dense fur, so these cats are truly unique.
Many owners love how light and airy their fur feels when you pet them. LaPerm cats are also known to be very playful and very talkative, so if you are hoping for a quiet cat, you might want to keep looking!
LaPerm cats tend to weigh between 5 and 8 pounds, having a lifespan of 10 to 15 years.
Turkish Van Cat
The Turkish Van cat has relatively long hair, with very low grooming needs, and does not tend to shed a lot, so they are a lot less allergenic than other cats on this list.
These cats are highly energetic and love to play both on land and in the water, which is part of what makes them so unique.
They have very soft coats with very unique coloring. Turkish Van cats are almost all white but have coloring (usually red or brown) on their face and tails.
Additionally, they have very bushy tails compared to the rest of their bodies.
They also often have two different eye colors (one blue and one amber.)
If you are looking for a unique-looking cat, this rare cat breed might be the perfect option for you (source 1).
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