rare cat breeds from around the world

Like its namesake, the Napoleon is quite short in stature they re a cross between a Munchkin and a Persian. What s funny here, though, is that the human Napoleon suffered from a phobia of cats! These furry felines don t have the problems that can come with Persian s distinct nose, yet retain much of the doll faced look.

A cross between the Sphynx and the Munchkin, the Minskin combines the two most famous traits of both breeds hairlessness and short stature. Minskins are friendly, athletic, and, of course, small!

Ojos Azules is Spanish for blue eyes, and boy do these guys sure live up to their name! In 1984, a family discovered a colony of feral cats with piercing blue eyes in New Mexico. Nearly a decade later, only 10 were in existence. The population is still tiny today so much so that the handful of breeders in existence are working with geneticists to determine if the breed is viable.

Like the Kurilian Bobtail, the Sokoke is a naturally developed breed. Though its roots in coastal Kenya date back quite a long time, a comprehensive breeding program for the Sokoke did not develop until just a decade ago. A peace loving and playful breed, Sokokes adore their human companions.

These friendly felines were developed in the mid 1990s. Though partially modeled after the wild African serval cat, they don t share any blood; instead, the Serengeti is a cross between a Bengal and an Oriental Shorthair. The breeding program for these active, graceful, and confident cats is slowly developing across the world.

A cross between a Burmese and a Chinchilla Persian, the Burmilla was developed by accident in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s. How, exactly? Well, a janitor left a door open between the rooms where the two breeds were awaiting their mates. They mated together instead, and the kittens were so cute, they couldn t help but create a new breed!