Have ever wondered what the most popular cat breeds in Canada are? Well, we did and the breeds say a lot about the country’s approach to cats.
Cats are not the first thing people think of when they hear about Canada but actually the Great White North is the home to and the birthplace of many cat breeds including the most famous hairless cat breed, Sphynx. Examining the most popular cat breeds in Canada gave us insights about the population’s approach to cats. In fact, you can apply this method to any country you wish.
If the majority of the most popular cat breeds are healthy breeds with no or few genetic issues, you also realize that the abandoned cats wandering the streets are more likely to be Domestic Shorthairs which are considered the mutt of the cat world with a huge genetic pool.
If you see a lot of “engineered” cat breeds in the streets, this means that there is a huge population in that city that love to look “cool” by having a popular cat breed in their Instagram stories. And what happens when the popularity of the breed drops or the kitty gets sick because of the genetic disorders? Yes, you guessed right, it gets abandoned. The same principle applies to the shelters, too.
Also the most popular breeds have some common traits that can hint us about the cat-lovers’ preferences. In our example, Canada, it seems that people are not adopting cats for their looks but for their personalities which, in my opinion, is an amazing approach! All the cats in the most popular cat breeds in Canada are affectionate cats that love to spend time with their humans. Way to go Canada! Although from afar, I like you more with each passing day and thank you for the politest people ever!
1 – Domestic Shorthair
Domestic Shorthair has a mixed ancestry so it does not belong to any specific cat breed. Most of the domestic shorthair cats are healthy and not associated with any kind of genetic disorders. They can come in any color and due to their mixed heritage they may show a wide variety of physical traits.
Domestic Shorthair is not the same as American Shorthair or British Shorthair. These kitties are the most common cats in Canada, U.S. and Britain where they are called Moggy Cat as well. They are also referred to as house cats and alley cats, the latter being used for feral cats.
2 – Domestic Longhair
Just like Domestic Shorthair, Domestic Longhair has mixed and unknown heritage, the only difference between these two being the length of their coats. It is thought that they were brought to North America by sailors and immigrants from Europe.
They may come in any color and whatever the color is, they need regular grooming as it may be a little hard to keep up with the shedding without the grooming. These kitties are considered to have originated in Western Asia (Iran, Turkey and Russia) where they were kept as pets for many centuries. The exact history of the Domestic Longhair cat is not known.
3 – Ragdoll
Ragdoll is a large and muscular cat breed with silky-soft and semi-long hair. They are considered as ideal family pets due to their high tolerance towards children and their high threshold of pain in combination with their dog-like personalities and relaxed natures. It is counted as one of the calmest cat breeds.
As one of the most popular cat breeds in Canada, Ragdolls are docile, affectionate and placid felines which can get on well with other pets, too. Their dog-like personality starts from following their humans around and goes all the way to greeting them at the door.
4 – Sphynx
It is no wonder Sphynx is one of the most popular cat breeds in Canada because it is a true Canadian which was developed in Canada through selective breeding in 1960s. When someone says hairless cat, the first breed that comes to mind is Sphynx, however not all of them are hairless. Some of the Sphynx can have very fine hairs. The Canadian Cat Association (CCA-AFC) has well-established breed standards for Sphynx.
Sphynx is a very affectionate and loyal cat with a dog-like personality. They are out-going kitties that want to be the star of the show at all times. They are intelligent, curious and very energetic which means that you need to spend some extra time with your little friend. The issue with the Sphynx is due their natural genetic mutation that gives them the hairlessness trait, they are very prone to cold and Canada is not the ideal environment for them although it is the breed’s birthplace.
5 – American Shorthair
American Shorthair is a very popular cat all over North America and they don’t require much maintenance or attention because they are independent cats which don’t shed much. They are adaptable, easy-going, gentle and affectionate cats with long life-spans.
These easy-going felines are recommended for almost everybody from children to seniors or retirees. Because of their adaptable nature, they live in many environments and being one of the popular cat breeds in Canada can easily be found in shelters if you think of adopting or rescuing one.
