After dogs, cats are the most common animals that are domesticated by human beings. Their friendly nature and cuddly looks make them top favorite friends of human beings. They are easy to tame and train and do not involve much hassle in trying to make them adaptable to a particular ambiance. While there are some unusual breeds of cats, which are results of genetic mutation or deliberate genetic experiments of the microbiologists, some cat breeds are there which are extremely beautiful. These cats can be further divided into long haired ones and short haired ones. Have a look at 10 most beautiful cat breeds of the world:

10. Chausie Cat

A Chausie  is a hybrid of the domestic cat  and the Jungle Cat . Generations are identified by F1, F2 etc, with F1 being the offspring of the original cat and jungle cat mating. Males in the F1 to F3 generations are usually sterile; however, some F4 males may be fertile. The domestic cat breed most widely used for Chausies is the Abyssinian, because they have the same look and active habits as a Jungle Cat, but are very much smaller.

The Sand cat , also referred to as the “sand dune cat”, is a small wild cat distributed over African and Asian deserts. (The name “desert cat” is reserved for Felis silvestris lybica, the African wildcat.) The Sand cat lives in arid areas that are too hot and dry even for the desert cat: the Sahara, the Arabian Desert, and the deserts of Iran and Pakistan.

This breed resembles a wild cat but behaviorally it is not at all savage. This is a breed of Siamese and Abyssinian. Their temperament is comparable to that of the high spirited dogs. They are faithful, sociable and easy to train. There are as many as twelve recognized coloration of cats under this breed; Tawny, chocolate, cinnamon, blue, silver, etc. They are large with oval paws and muscular body.

The Birman cat is definitely a popular cat breed and it distinguishes from other breeds in very specific ways. It has long fur and two tone colors. The Siamese and the Birman cats look alike, but the distinctive feature between the two is the length of the fur.

This breed of cats has a silver blue coat. They are highly intelligent, playful and friendly but tend to become timid when in presence of a stranger. Their body structure is lean and elongated with double coat; the undercoat is soft, downy and similar in length to the outer layer of protective fur that is bluer in comparison, with silver tips. Their tails are dull in color with hardly noticeable stripes. On an average, they live for ten to fifteen years and are prone to allergies and illness.

The Ragdoll is a cat breed with blue eyes and a distinct colorpoint coat. It is a large and muscular semi-longhair cat with a soft and silky coat. Developed by controversial American breeder Ann Baker, it is best known for its docile and placid temperament and affectionate nature. The name “Ragdoll” is derived from the tendency of individuals from the original breeding stock to go limp and relaxed when picked up.

This breed belongs to the short haired variety. It originated in Sweden and the cats in this category have mixed temperaments. While some are affectionate, others love running after wild mouse. As a whole they are healthy, playful and friendly and get along well with other cats and even dogs. They are medium sized with muscular built, average sized, strong legs and tail that are bushy at the base and get tapered at the tips.

This breed is characterized by dense, long furs that can be clipped according to the owner’s choice when they are domesticated. There long furs necessitate regular care, bathing and grooming. Their eyes often have build ups that need to be cleaned regularly to avoid infection

This breed of cats, which is a breed of domestic cat, is characterized by excellent hunting skills, gentle nature and distinctive physical appearance. This is the official State Cat of Maine in North America. They have a large bones, rectangular body and long haired coat. Coloration of fur varies and the density of undercoat that gets thicker as winter approaches. They require minimal grooming.

The Scottish Fold is a breed of cat with a natural dominant-gene mutation that makes its ear cartilage contain a fold, causing the ears to bend forward and down towards the front of their head, which gives the cat what is often described as an “owl-like” appearance. Originally called lop-eared or just lops after the lop-eared rabbit, Scottish Fold became the breed’s name in 1966. Depending on registries, longhaired Scottish Folds are varying known as Highland Fold, Scottish Fold Longhair, Longhair Fold and Coupari.