Around 61% of Australian homes currently have a pet, and 90% of Australian homes will have at least one pet at some point. About 27% of Australian homes have at least one cat, and the average cat owner has 1.4 cats in Australia.
Pets and cats are clearly extremely popular in Australia, but what kind of cats can you expect to see in these homes? While Australia loves all kinds of cats, here are 15 of the most popular breeds in the country.
The 15 Most Popular Cat Breeds in Australia Are:
1. Ragdoll Cat
| Size | 8 to 20 pounds |
| Coat length | Long |
Topping the list of the most popular cat breeds in Australia is the Ragdoll cat. This is an extremely unique-looking long-haired cat. They’re typically white, with brown around their head, and they have bright blue eyes.
These cats are extremely popular everywhere, and Australia is clearly no different.
2. Abyssinian Cat
| Size | 6 to 10 pounds |
| Coat length | Short |
While the Ragdoll is the most popular long-haired cat in Australia, the most popular shorthair cat is the Abyssinian. They’re a small cat that tops out around 10 pounds, and they typically have a tabby-marked coat.
Abyssinian cats are extremely intelligent and inquisitive, so if you get one, you expect them to investigate every corner of your home and everything that you bring into it.
3. Bengal Cat
| Size | 8 to 15 pounds |
| Coat length | Short |
Does any cat have a more unique coat than the Bengal cat? The Bengal cat is actually a hybrid cat of a few other breeds, and they get their spotted appearance from the Egyptian Mau.
4. Persian Cat
| Size | 7 to 12 pounds |
| Coat length | Long |
The Persian cat is a small cat that’s extremely popular in Australia. They have round faces with short muzzles, and they come in a variety of different colours.
Persian cats have an extremely fluffy appearance, so it’s not hard to see why they’re so popular in Australia.
5. Maine Coon
| Size | 8 to 25 pounds |
| Coat length | Long |
Few cats get quite as large as the Maine Coon. This cat originally came from the United States, and they have a thick, long coat that is suitable for cold weather. That’s not exactly ideal for Australia, but since these domesticated cats spend their time indoors, anyway, it’s not a huge deal.
5. Siamese Cat
| Size | 8 to 15 pounds |
| Coat length | Short |
One of the most popular and well-recognized cat breeds in the world is the Siamese cat. These are short-haired cats with pointy ears and dark tails compared to the rest of their body. Many Siamese cats are bright white, but some do have brown colouring throughout their coat too.
Their faces range from dark black to grey, depending on the colouring of the rest of their body.
6. Burmese Cat
| Size | 8 to 12 pounds |
| Coat length | Short |
You can’t track most cats’ lineages quite as well as you can with the Burmese cat. Most modern Burmese cats come from a cat called Wong Mau. This cat came to the United States and bred with an American Siamese, and the Burmese cat was created.
They’re an extremely cute short-haired cat, and in Australia, it’s one of the most popular cats on the entire continent.
7. British Shorthair
| Size | 7 to 17 pounds |
| Coat length | Short |
The British Shorthair is an extremely cute cat with a stocky body. They’re typically not large, but their weight can lead you to believe otherwise.
They have a short, extremely dense coat. They come in different colour variations, with one of the most popular being a dense brown coat with bright orange eyes.
8. Birman Cat
| Size | 7 to 12 pounds |
| Coat length | Long |
The Birman cat looks like a Siamese cat in many ways, but instead of a short coat, they have a long one. They typically have a white body with a darker face and ears, and just like the Siamese cat, the Birman cat has pointy ears.
9. Siberian
| Size | 15 to 20 pounds |
| Coat length | Long |
Few cats are consistently as large as the Siberian cat. They come in a wide range of colours and coat patterns, with one of the most popular being tabby markings with stripes across the face and legs. They’re beautiful cats that are extremely popular in Australia.
10. Sphynx
| Size | 6 to 12 pounds |
| Coat length | Hairless |
The Sphynx cat is the only hairless cat on this list. They’re quite popular in Australia, though due to the sunny climate, they’re not well-suited for the country. But if you’re looking for a hairless cat in Australia, the Sphynx is the easiest breed to find.
11. Himalayan
| Size | 7 to 12 pounds |
| Coat length | Long |
The Himalayan is a beautiful cat that can easily handle some of the coldest and harshest climates in the world. That’s not something that they have to worry about in Australia, and since they live indoors, they don’t have to worry about the heat either. They have pointed ears and long coats paired with short, compressed faces.
12. Russian Blue
| Size | 7 to 15 pounds |
| Coat length | Short |
The Russian Blue is a striking cat with a short coat. Their coat colours range from a light grey to a dark grey, and the darkest coats have a slight blue tinge. But while the coat might be short, it’s incredibly dense and thick.
13. Australian Mist
| Size | 8 to 15 pounds |
| Coat length | Short |
The Australian Mist is a cross between the Abyssinian, the Burmese, and an Australian tabby cat, and they have a short coat and traditional tabby markings. They’re small cats, and some cats even have spotted markings on their coats.
14. Norwegian Forest
| Size | 9 to 16 pounds |
| Coat length | Long |
Few cats have as much fluff as the Norwegian Forest Cat. They have many coat variations, but all are long and extremely fluffy. Not only do they have a long outer coat, but they also have an undercoat that helps keep them warm. They’re majestic and beautiful-looking cats that are extremely popular in Australia.
Conclusion
With how much Australians love cats, you know that they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, it’s likely that more and more cats will keep joining their ranks, even as the country does its best to crack down on the feral cats roaming the countryside.
Featured Image Credit: xixicatphotos, Shutterstock
