The Top Cat Breeds of 2010

Speaking from the purrspective of a passionate felineophile, there is no such thing as an ugly cat breed.

With the grace and agility for which cats are famous, each and every one of these delightful creatures is uniquely beautiful. However, I must admit I prefer the company of the short haired variety; my own personal favorite cat breeds being the Siamese and Oriental Shorthairs, of course followed closely behind with the American Shorthair classic silver tabby. But when it comes to the most popular cats in the USA, according to a recent survey made by the Cat Fanciers Association, the American Shorthair cat breed was not on the list.

So without further amew, here's the scoop concerning CFA's recent announcement of the top seven of their 41 registered cat breeds for 2010:

Since the 1970's and once again Persians topped the charts this year. Jerry Hanza, the President of CFA who has bred Persians for 15 years said, "Persians are clearly good friends, they want to be with their people. Mine enjoy my lap while watching the (New York) Jet's game." CFA Vice President and chair of outreach and education, Joan Miller, added, "Of course, they know how beautiful they are. Persians are just glorious. Some are so beautiful they can make your heart stop."

Since the 1990s Maine Coons have hovered between numbers two and three in cat breed popularity.

Maine Coon cat lovers will be happy to know this year; this sturdy and beautiful cat breed came in second. Miller attributes this to their enchanting personality, and ability to get along with other species, since many households also share their homes with dogs. She said, ""They're big and bold. Some men want a macho cat". And even though Maine Coons can tip the scales at around 20 pounds, since they are gentle and loving, they make excellent children's pets.

Coming in third is the Exotic Shorthair. With breed standards closely resembling the Persian, these lovely kitties, with plush medium coats, are most appealing to folks who might want to be owned by a Persian, but without the extensive grooming the Persian requires.

The affectionate and lovely Ragdoll cat breed ssumed fourth place this year, followed in number five by the Sphynx; a cat that many folks consider to resemble "Yoda". Dropping from number five to six is the Siamese. It makes me wonder what caused this breed to apparently drop out of favor with the cat loving public, since years ago, at all the major cat shows across the country, the Siamese cat classes were filled to the brim.

Following in seventh place is the intelligent and playful Abyssinian. Both the Siamese and Abyssinian cat breeds are extremely active. Explaining a possible reason for the decline in the popularity of these two breeds, Miller said, "Maybe people don't want all that activity."

So what is your favorite cat breed? Leave a comment and let us know.