Since ancient times, cats were very loved by man, in ancient Egypt they were even worshiped. And today, Internet videos with these fluffy lumps take the first place in views. But does everyone know that there are tiny specimens among the most popular breeds of these pets? Below is a list of the 10 smallest cats in the world, photos, names and descriptions of the breeds.
The smallest cat breeds
10. American Curl, weight up to 4.5 kg
This breed of cats is distinguished by the unusual shape of the ears. Although when an American Curl kitten comes to this world, its ears are straight, but after a week they begin to curl. This gave rise to the name of the breed, from English "curl" - curl. Outwardly, these ears give pets an expression of eternal surprise. But this feature also requires regular maintenance. The American Curl loves attention and children. An adult cat reaches a weight of 4.5 kg and is one of the most expensive breeds.
9. Bambino - 4 kg
Bambino cats appeared by chance. One day, an American married couple bought a kitten and gave it the nickname "Bambino" (which means baby in Italian). The kitten was distinguished by an elongated body and short legs. One of the smallest cat breeds in the world began with this tiny lump. The weight of an adult bambino is about 4 kg.
8. Napoleon - 4 kg
These dwarf cats are descended from Munchkins (they are in our rating below) and Persian cats, thanks to them they are very fluffy and short-legged. Their coat can be either short or long. They also have large, wide-set eyes. They easily fall into the hands of strangers, which is fraught with the danger of losing a beloved animal. Eternal kittens napoleon reach a weight of up to 4 kg.
7. Skokum - 3.6 kg
These cats were bred artificially by combining Laperm and Munchkin in the 90s in the United States. Their creator, Roy Galush, wanted to breed the smallest cat in the world and also got the curly-haired one. Roy Galush gave them the name "boredom" from the Indian dictionary, meaning "strong, brave". Their distinctive feature is wavy, long hair. On average, the weight of an adult boredom cat reaches 3.6 kg.
6. Munchkin - 3.6 kg
The miniature Munchkin cat lumps are immediately striking thanks to their short legs. Therefore, they are deservedly called the feline analogue of the dachshund. Unlike other breeds in our top 10 ranking, they were not bred artificially, but as a result of a mutation in the 40s in America. They were named in the same place, in honor of the little people from the work "The Wizards of the Emerald City". Their average weight is 3.6 kg.
5. Dwelf - 3 kg
Three others contributed to the emergence of this extraordinary breed: the aforementioned American Curls, Canadian Sphynxes and Munchkins. From each of the three dwarves "took" different features: back curled ears from curls, lack of hair from sphinxes and short legs from munchkins. Their complex name "dwelf" comes from the merger of two words, and is translated as "dwarf elf cats". They are not very active, but more sensitive and touchy.The average weight of an adult dwarf is 2.5-3 kg.
4. Minskin - 2.8 kg
This dwarf breed of hairless cats was also bred in the USA, by crossing the Canadian Sphynxes and Munchkins. Their appearance resembles a dog's, perhaps that is why they easily get along with "our smaller brothers". Like dogs, they love company. The exotic appearance of the minskins is given to them by the presence of wool only on their paws, head and tail. Their weight ranges from 1.8 to 2.8 kg.
3. Kinkalow - 2.7 kg
The above-mentioned munchkins and American Curls in 1997 are "guilty" of the emergence of this extraordinary species of dwarf cats. Because they appeared relatively recently, their number in the world is only a few dozen. They are easy to spot thanks to their curled ears and short legs. Their disposition is light, mobile and playful. The average weight of kinkalau cats does not exceed 2.7 kg.
2. Singapore - 2.6 kg
The Singaporean cat is distinguished by its miniature size, muscular body and silky hair. She also has an elongated muzzle and slightly large ears. Their origins go back to faraway Singapore, where these cats were homeless and unkempt creatures. Later in the 70s, once in the States, this breed began to gain popularity. The weight of an average singapore is 2.6 kg.
1. Toy-bob - 2.5 kg
They are also called Scythian-tai-don. The name of this breed came about: "Scythian" - for the appearance of the Scythians on the former lands, "toy" - a toy and "Don" - in honor of the Rostov-on-Don river. The representative of this small cat breed has a short, but very thick coat and a funny pompom tail on a baby hat. Their hind legs are longer than the front ones. Toy bob cats are brave to the extreme. They are not even afraid of fire, which is the main reason for the fear of all animals on the planet. Toy bob weight does not exceed 2.5 kg. They have honorably earned the 1st place in our ranking of the smallest cat breeds in the world!
The smallest cat in the world - Tinker Toy
The tiniest cat that ever lived is a Himalayan cat named Tinker Toy. He lived with the Forbes family in the United States. Take a look at the photo, its weight is 680 grams, length is 18 cm, height is 7 cm. This allowed the baby to get into the Guinness Book of Records.
Mr. Peebles
Another cat, honored to get into the Book of Records, as the smallest adult cat living on Earth. It is noteworthy that Mr. Peebles has no owners, he lives in a veterinary clinic. The secret of his growth is not in the breed, but in a genetic disorder that stopped Peebles' growth at 2 years old, when the cat weighed 1 kg 300 grams and reached a length of 15 centimeters.