Fluffy Cat Breeds: Extra Feline Fluff Calls For Extra Love

Fluffy cat breeds: some people love them, and others not so much. They look like teddy bears and have beautiful, soft coats and are often the prime offender when it comes to fur-covered sofas and generally require a bit more grooming than the average cat.

 

That being said, it's hard to turn away from these adorable long haired cats. In this article, we will attempt to educate the masses on one of our world's most pressing questions: What's the deal with fluffy cat breeds?

 

 

What is the Fluffiest Cat Breed?

While there isn't one decisive answer as to the fluffiest breed cats considering they come in all shapes and sizes. But it seems to be widely recognized within the cat community that the Maine Coon and the Norwegian Forest Cat are the cat world's two resident "gentle giants." Although Colonel Meow, who temporarily held the 2014 Guinness world record for the longest fur on a cat, was an American Himalayan–Persian crossbreed.

 

 

Popular Fluffy Cat Breeds

Have you recently been feeling like you could use the company of a soft and poofy feline friend but don't know where to start? Luckily for you, these cats are a few of the most popular fluffy breeds from around the world!

 

This shortlist is a great place to start your search for your new feline family member. Just remember that while there are millions of beautiful fluffy cats out there, the best breed for you is one that is going to fit into your family, lifestyle, and personality.

 

 

 

Persian

One of the most popular purebred cat breeds, the Persian cat, is also perhaps the best known of the fluffy breeds. Their coats are long and beautiful, and they have an undeniably melodic voice as well as a gorgeous face.

 

The Persian is a truly beautiful creature, but they are relatively high maintenance. There is little not to love about this breed, well, except for the fact that their coat does require a lot of attention and care. It will need brushing with a metal comb daily. They will also need weekly bathing, and a blow-dry and more combing will follow this. Finally, you'll need to wash around his eyes to get rid of tear stains daily.

 

Exotic Shorthair

The Exotic Shorthair has the same undeniably gorgeous face as the Persian, but with a much shorter coat that requires a lot less tending. Their coat does require brushing every week, but this is far less demanding than the weekly bathing and daily brushing of the high maintenance Persian.

 

While the exotic shorthair is livelier, they also completely content to spend time curled up with their favorite family members. Be watchful with this breed around small children and dogs, though; they are far less tolerant than other breeds.

 

Somali

As a close relative to the short-haired Abyssinian, The Somali cat has the same athletic, muscular physique, but they have a much longer furrier coat. The Somali sheds quite a lot and requires lots of exercise, but they do not require daily brushing.

 

A weekly brush should be sufficient to remove dead hairs and get rid of knots. The Somali is a friendly cat that will likely get along with most humans, whether they're passing strangers or family.

 

Maine Coon

The Maine Coon is a big boy. They have furry feet, a furry neck, and a bushy tail. While his large stature and striking appearance can initially be quite intimidating, any amount of time spent with him will prove that they are a gentle giant and a very friendly feline. 

 

The Maine Coon is gentle and loving, with pretty much any human willing to stop and admire his luscious coat. Surprisingly, because it will rarely matt, his coat only requires weekly brushing. For such a furry feline, the Maine Coon is relatively (and shockingly) low maintenance!

 

Ragdoll

The Ragdoll cat has a stunning signature look. Not made complete just by his piercing blue eyes, but by his beautiful fluffy coat. Yet another gentle giant, this big boy, will get along with other cats, dogs, people, and virtually anything else.

 

The Ragdoll gets his name because when they are relaxed, they go limp like a ragdoll. Truthfully the Ragdoll is more like a puppy than a cat in many respects. You could even teach them to play fetch! Despite looking the contrary, the Ragdoll is another furry breed with surprisingly low maintenance fur and only requires weekly brushing.

 

 

Notable Fluffy Cat Breeds

These cats look as though they recently had a hairstylist give them a full-on blow-out, with full, fluffy coats that give them that larger-than-life Rock-Star appearance. Like the Persian, some of these fluffy breeds of cats require lots of grooming and maintenance to maintain their signature puffy look. Others like the British Longhair and the Highland Fold don't require much fussing at all to maintain their poofy plumage.

 

Birman

According to some rumors the Birman cat originates from Burma and is descended from temple cats. They are relatively large breed and is considered very calm. The Birman will form a very close bond with his owners, and although this isn't guaranteed with this breed, some will actively enjoy the attention of passers-by.

 

At times they are full of energy and can be very playful in short bursts, although you're just as likely to find him curled up asleep as you are to find him chasing a ball around. The Birman requires weekly brushing to keep his beautiful coat well-maintained.

 

Norwegian Forest Cat

The Norwegian Forest Cat is Norway's official cat. They are child-friendly, dog-friendly, adult-friendly, and stranger-friendly muscular cat with moderate energy levels.

 

Cat Parents should note that the Norwegian Forest Cat prefers to be up high — we highly recommend investing in a climbing tree. And when he disappears in the middle of the afternoon, be prepared to look for them inside your Christmas tree and on top of cupboards. Be prepared to brush once or twice a week, as the Norwegian forest cat does have relatively long fur compared to many other breeds.

 

Siberian

The Siberian cat has a thick double coat that he would have used to protect himself from the freezing cold conditions of their Siberian homeland. Though this feline can still survive cold conditions today, although they would much rather find themselves indoors, on your lap, preferably close to a fire and some food.

 

The Siberian is an extremely intelligent cat that gets along well with other family members, even canines! They shed significantly less than some other longhaired fluffy breeds found on this list. The Siberian requires only weekly brushing for the majority of the year, but they will need to be brushed daily during cat shedding season to remove the clumps of fur.

 

 

Are Fluffy Cats Rare? 

Did you know that out of the over six million cats found on our lovely little planet, only as few as 45 distinct breeds exist? According to the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats, the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), only 11 of those 45 breeds are recognized as longhaired cats by definition. All this to say, fluffy cat breeds are relatively rare. But, to be fair to fluffy cats, what they tend to lack in numbers, they more than makeup for in variety. Their impressive manes cover the whole spectrum from full and curly to fine and flowing.

 

 

 

 

Famous Fluffy Cats

There have been quite a few success stories in the fluffy cat community, and honestly, who's surprised? These furry feline friends are adorable and have big personalities. In the world of internet entertainment, that is a recipe for success! Below we've listed the stories of a few famous cats that we're extremely proud of.

 

Tardar Sauce – Grumpy Cat

The grumpy cat is likely the most famous cat in history. She rose to fame in 2012 after a post of her face went viral on Reddit – at first, no one believed her owners hadn't altered her face, but in truth, her grumpy markings were real. Although she looked like a Ragdoll or Snowshoe feline, her parents were a grey tabby and a Calico Short Hair! Despite the expression, she was a very happy cat with a type of dwarfism, according to her owners.

 

Hamilton the Hipster Cat

Thankfully for everyone, the last few years have seen a huge resurgence of mustaches crawling back into fashion. Unfortunately for human mustache-havers, one internet-famous pet has set the bar so high that the stache game has risen to a whole new level, and we're not sure if anything will ever be the same again. 

 

If you've somehow managed to miss him, we'd like to introduce you to Hamilton the Hipster Cat, a famous feline born with an inspiring white pattern that resembles the most stylish curled mustache you've ever seen. As this dapper kitten became known worldwide, Hamilton quickly became an Instagram phenomenon, helping his owner raise more than $250,000 for charity and growing more powerful (on Instagram) every day. 

 

Instagram is simply the perfect stage for this untouchably stylish feline to demonstrate his power, having accrued over 800K followers who regularly tune in to see just what the heck is going on with this mustachioed feline fashionista.

 

Norris – The Magical Maine Coon(s)

We believe this is likely the most well-known individual on this list when it comes to Hollywood fame. The classic Harry Potter series' biggest name and main character: Mrs. Norris, the cat. 

 

The role of Mrs. Norris was brilliantly played by four different Maine Coons, all handpicked for their various skillsets and only one of which was not a rescue. Pebbles was trained to walk through the hallways and stop at a particular spot; they trained Maximus to jump up onto Mr. Filch's shoulders; Cornelius would sit still and look around on command, and Alanis was used for most of the holding scenes because she was good at staying still. 

 

 

Final Thoughts - Fluffy Cat Breeds 

Although some cats can certainly come with a bit of an attitude, the fluffy breeds listed in this article are generally known for their calm and loving personalities. These cats absolutely break the stereotype that cats don't care about their owners; instead, they show the opposite to be true. Cats adore their human families' attention and can't wait for cuddles and calming brushes while you watch tv together.