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Birman
The Birman is a color-pointed cat, with a lighter-colored body and darker points of color on the head, feet, and tail. Gentle, peaceful, and sweet, Birmans are wonderful family pets that love to lounge in your lap. The long, single coat is not hard to keep up as it resists matting. Weekly brushing or combing will keep it fluffy and tangle-free.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Gentle, quiet, loving
WEIGHT: 7 to 14 pounds, with males slightly larger
LENGTH: 15 to 18 inches
COAT LENGTH: Medium-long to long; silken in texture, with heavy ruff around the neck
COAT COLOR: Seal point, blue point, chocolate point, lilac point, blue-cream point, lilac-cream point, red point, cream point
COAT PATTERNS: Tabby point, tortie tabby point
EYE COLOR: Blue
LIFE SPAN: 12 to 16 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: Unknown; possibly Burma
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Himalayan
The Himalayan cat is essentially a Persian cat with the coloration of the Siamese. The Himalayan’s thick double coat needs daily brushing and combing to keep it well-maintained. Some people have a professional groomer shave their Himalayans’ bellies short to help prevent mats from forming.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Sedate, affectionate, gentle, friendly, intelligent
WEIGHT: 7 to 12 pounds
LENGTH: 12 to 16 inches
COAT LENGTH: Long hair
COAT COLOR: White to cream
COAT PATTERNS: Pointed markings, which can be a wide range of colors including chocolate, seal, blue, lilac, and red
EYE COLOR: Blue
LIFE SPAN: Up to 15 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: United States
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Maine Coon
One of the largest cat breeds, the Maine coon is extra fluffy, with a thick double coat that developed to protect the cats from the harsh winters of the Northeast. Though not as grooming-intensive as the Persian, the Maine coon’s coat does require regular brushing, from daily to several times a week depending on the texture of the individual cat’s coat.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Amiable, gentle, dog-like
WEIGHT: 9 to 18 pounds; males can weigh 20 pounds or more
LENGTH: 19 to 30 inches
COAT LENGTH: Heavy and shaggy; silky with coat falling smoothly
COAT COLOR: White, black, blue, red, cream
COAT PATTERNS: Tabby, bi-color, parti-color (including tortoiseshell), parti-color and white (including calico), shaded, smoke, and shaded/smoke and white
EYE COLOR: Varies according to coat color, but may be green, gold, green-gold, copper, blue or odd-eyed
LIFE SPAN: 12 to 15 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: United States
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Norwegian Forest Cat
Like the Maine coon, the Norwegian forest cat developed naturally in a cold environment, which led to a thick, waterproof double coat. Though very fluffy, the Norwegian forest cat’s coat is not hard to keep up. Weekly brushing or combing is usually sufficient as the coat is not prone to matting.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Friendly, interactive, independent, adventurous
WEIGHT: Up to 18 pounds
LENGTH: Up to 36 inches, nose to tail
COAT LENGTH: Long hair with a dense undercoat
COAT COLORS: Almost any color with or without white markings
COAT PATTERNS: Most patterns except colorpoint; tabby is common
EYE COLOR: Shades of green, gold, green-gold, copper, or blue (in white or partially white cats)
LIFE SPAN: Up to 16 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
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Persian
The Persian's fluffy coat is long and dense, with an immense ruff of fur around the neck like a lion’s mane. Persians notoriously have one of the most difficult coats to maintain. Daily brushing and combing are necessary to catch tangles and prevent mats. Because the coat is so dense, the daily brushing can be rather time-consuming. Persians need daily facial care to wipe and clean around the eyes and the folds of skin around the nose.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Sweet, gentle, affectionate
WEIGHT: 7 to 12 pounds
LENGTH: 14 to 17 inches
COAT LENGTH: Long all over the body and thick, with an immense ruff around the neck, deep frill extending between the front legs and very full brush tail
COAT COLOR: Blue, black, white, red, cream, chocolate, lilac, silver, golden
COAT PATTERNS: Shaded and smoke (including cameo and tortoiseshell patterns), tabby, parti-color, calico and bicolor, and Himalayan (pointed colors)
EYE COLOR: Varies according to coat color, but may be copper, blue, green, blue-green, hazel and odd-eyed
LIFE SPAN: 15 to 20 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: Persia and Iran
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RagaMuffin
The ragamuffin is an expensive cat, usually priced around $1,500 on average. Their medium-long coat is very dense and fluffy with a silky and soft texture and a ruff of fur around the neck. They can be any color or pattern other than the pointed pattern found in the Siamese. The ragamuffin is exceptionally sweet and loving, calm and gentle with children, and a wonderful companion.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Sweet, gentle, affectionate, calm
WEIGHT: 12 and 20 pounds (males); 8 and 15 pounds (females)
LENGTH: Up to 33 inches long
COAT LENGTH: Long and silky
COAT COLOR: White, black, blue, red, lavender, cinnamon, chestnut, platinum, and chocolate
COAT PATTERNS: Any pattern except colorpoint
EYE COLOR: Amber, blue, green, gold, odd-eyed
LIFE SPAN: Up to 18 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: United States
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Ragdoll
The ragdoll's fluffy double coat is moderately long, with very little undercoat. The coat naturally resists matting, making it easy to keep up with weekly brushing. Most ragdolls are great snugglers, so the breed is a good choice for those who want a lap cat.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Friendly, easygoing, cuddly, social
WEIGHT: Up to 20 pounds
LENGTH: Up to 40 inches nose to tail
COAT LENGTH: Medium-length hair
COAT COLOR: Chocolate, red, seal, blue, lilac, cream
COAT PATTERNS: Mitted, color point, bicolor, tortoiseshell, lynx
EYE COLOR: Blue
LIFE SPAN: Up to 17 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: United States
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Selkirk Rex
The Selkirk rex has one of the most unique hair coats in the cat world—soft, plush, and curly. The breed comes in both short and long coat lengths, and both are very fluffy. The short coat has deep waves with curled ends, while the long coat has loose individual curls.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Laid-back, friendly, affectionate, medium-energy
WEIGHT: Up to 16 pounds
LENGTH: Up to 30 inches
COAT LENGTH: Short or long hair
COAT COLORS: Any genetically possible color or combination
COAT PATTERNS: Tabby, shaded, tortoiseshell, chinchilla, smoke, calico, bicolor, tricolor, pointed, mink, sepia
EYE COLOR: Any color
LIFE SPAN: Up to 15 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: United States
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Siberian
With their unique, triple-layer coat, the Siberian cat is one of the fluffiest cat breeds around. Each layer—undercoat, middle layer, and outer coat—contributes additional warmth, insulating the Siberian from the cold. They're surprisingly easy to groom, needing only occasional brushing. Many people who are allergic to cats find they can live comfortably with Siberian cats, something that is attributed to the breed’s naturally low levels of FelD1, the protein that causes cat allergies in humans.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Friendly, mellow, gentle, calm
WEIGHT: 15 to 20 pounds
LENGTH: 17 to 25 inches
COAT LENGTH: Varies from coarse to soft; moderately long to longhaired triple coat with a full collar ruff
COAT COLOR: Any color
COAT PATTERNS: Any pattern
EYE COLOR: All colors
LIFE SPAN: 10 to 18 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: Maybe
ORIGIN: Russia
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Turkish Angora
The Turkish Angora comes from Turkey, where it’s considered a national treasure. Though the length of the finely textured single coat varies from cat to cat, all Turkish Angoras should have long, full tails and a ruff around the neck. The coat, which is very soft, with a silken sheen, is not prone to matting and doesn’t require extensive brushing.
Breed Overview
PERSONALITY: Playful, social, intelligent, mischievous, occasionally bossy with other pets
WEIGHT: Up to 9 pounds
LENGTH: Up to 18 inches
COAT LENGTH: Long hair
COAT COLORS: Any color except those showing hybridization (chocolate or lavender)
COAT PATTERNS: Any patter except the Himalayan (pointed) pattern
EYE COLOR: Blue, green, green-gold, amber, odd eyed (one eye is blue and the other is green, green-gold or amber)
LIFE SPAN: Up to 15 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: Yes
ORIGIN: Turkey
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Scottish Fold
Scottish folds stand out because of their ears, which are folded down rather than upright. These unique cats could cost as much as $3,000. They have a lush coat that can be short or long. The dense fur is soft and easy to groom, as it just requires a weekly brushing to prevent mats. If your Scottish fold is a long-haired cat, though, you may need to brush them a few times a week.
Breed Overview
OTHER NAME: Fold
PERSONALITY: Affectionate, easygoing, sociable
WEIGHT: Up to 11 pounds
LENGTH: Up to 30 inches
COAT LENGTH: Short or long hair
COAT COLORS: Black, brown, gray, white, cream, red
COAT PATTERNS: Tabby, calico, tortoiseshell
EYE COLOR: Gold, green, blue-green
LIFE SPAN: 14 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: Scotland
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Somali
With a medium-length, dense, double coat, ruff, tufts of hair between the toes, and a long and fluffy tail, the Somali is another gorgeous cat breed that makes a lovely family pet. Their soft and silky fur also isn’t difficult to keep in good condition, as you just have to brush it regularly, such as once or twice weekly, to keep it smooth and tangle-free.
Breed Overview
OTHER NAME: Fox cat
PERSONALITY: Active, sociable, curious, playful, affectionate
WEIGHT: Up to 12 pounds
LENGTH: Up to 26 inches
COAT LENGTH: Medium hair; fluffy tail with longer fur; tufts of hair between toes
COAT COLORS: Red, ruddy, fawn, sorrel, blue
COAT PATTERNS: Ticked
EYE COLOR: Green, gold
LIFE SPAN: 14 years
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: Australia
Breed Characteristics
Cat breeds might be considered fluffy if they have hair that’s more than about 1 inch long, but some fluffy cat breeds have even longer hair. Many fluffy cat breeds have double coats, with two layers of hair—a longer outercoat and a shorter, denser undercoat. One breed, the Siberian, even has a triple coat with three layers of hair. Multiple layers of hair keep fluffy cats warm in the cooler winter months.
Cats with double or triple coats typically lose much of their undercoat ahead of the warmer summer months during a period of heavy shedding. With the undercoat mostly gone, air can circulate down to the skin, helping to keep the cat cool in the summer heat. As fall and winter approach, the coat grows back, becoming thick and dense in time for the cold weather.
