THE MESSYBEAST.COM CAT BREED LIST (L)

Cat Breeds (Recognized/Unrecognized, Common/Obscure), Variants, Mutations, Hybrids, Archaic/Alternate Names.

1994 - 2024 Sarah Hartwell

About the Messybeast Breed List

A - Z Breeds Index

GLOSSARY

With so many different registries with different views, the exact status of some breeds is hard to define. I have used the following terms:

Alternative Name: An alternative name still in use; might have been a proposed name while breed was being developed.
Archaic Name: Historical name no longer used.
Crossbred: Informal variety always created by crossing 2 other breeds.
Current: A currently recognised breed (means recognition by at least one registry in the world)
Experimental: Early stages of development. Some have provisional or preliminary recognition, but others do not seek or achieve registry recognition.
Extinct: No individuals of the breed exist e.g. Mexican Hairless
Fake: An attempt to decieve the public by representing a cat as something it is not.
Fictional: "Breeds" such as cabbits, squittens, Chinese Hairless and Egyptian Hairless that exist only in fiction or folklore (but people believe they are real).
Local Variety: Unrecognised distinct strain of cats found in a particular locality e.g. Buckfast Blue.
Mutation: Distinct strain that occurred through mutation; some are incorporated into similar-looking breeds (e.g. different Rex strains with the same gene mutation).
Proposed: Not even off the drawing board!
Unknown: Reported by reputable source, but with no other information, possibly a one-off.
Variant: Purebred cats that do not meet the breed standard due to hidden genes e.g. longhaired Bengals. Some are recognised in other countries under a different name.

A further region-specific classification is out of the scope of this list: Banned. In parts of Europe certain breeds are prohibited because their breed traits are considered harmful deformities. These include Manx/Cymric (spinal problems related to tailless mutation), Munchkin (dwarfism), Scottish Fold (skeletal problems), Sphynx (hairlessness is considered detrimental to the breed) and Blue-Eyed Whites in any breed (deafness).

BREED NAME

STATUS

DESCRIPTION

Lady O'Malley's Breed

Archaic

A late nineteenth century name for the seal point Siamese (Royal Siamese).

La-Lang

Unknown

Ancient Asian breed? No information.

Lambkin

Crossbreed

Selkirk Rex x Munchkin cross, shortlegged with dense curls.

LaMerm

Alternative Name

LaPerm x Munchkin (curl-haired Munchkin).
See Skookum.

Laotian Lynx

Archaic Name

Appears to be identical to Siamese/colourpoint; breed allegedly used in early Birman/Khmer development.

LaPerm (Dalles LaPerm)

Current

Rex-type cat of American domestic shorthair type, strongly curled coat, short/semi-longhair. Dominant gene, some kittens born bald or straight haired, most will go bald and then grow the curled coat.

LaPerm x Manx Crossbreeds

Crossbreed

Tailless and bobtailed LaPerms resulted from an accidental mating between a Manx and a LaPerm. All were neutered. See also: Poodle Cat, Pudelkatze

Layanese

Crossbreed

Tonkinese x Himalayan. (Australia) Semi-longhair with mink colour. See also: Burmalayan, Himbur, Iranese, Mink Longhair, Mink Persian, Silkanese, Tibetane, Tonkalayan

Legend Cat

Crossbreed / mythical

Reputed the offspring of natural bobcat x domestic crosses and used as the basis for Pixie-Bobs.

Legend Leopard

Experimental

Experimental, registered with TICA 2015.

Leopardette

Archaic Name

See Bengal

Leopold

Experimental

Strong, powerful looking cat, bred to resemble the wild Snow Leopard. The only accepted pattern is light silver background with large black rosettes over the entire body of the cat. Medium-long, plush fur 9not silky). It should be long-bodied, not cobby, and have higher hind end when at rest. and is considered on the long side, with hindquarters higher than forequarters, though the back appears horizontal when the cat moves. Relatively large, rounded head, with small ears and slightly hooded eyes. Fairly long muzzle, but rounded with minimal whisker pad protrusion and a distinct "stop" below the eyes. Very long, thick tail.

Limau Kohlum

Extinct

Limau Kohlum (and Wild Abyssinian) were started off in 1987 by Jerry Mayes of Marietta, Georgia. He went to Singapore to find additional foundation Singapuras. As well as 2 Singapuras (Burmese expression brown ticked tabby) he found black ticked tabbies (non-Burmese expression) and red ticked tabbies. The blacked ticked tabbies were bred for a while as "Wild Abyssinians" and the red ticked cats were dubbed "Limau Kohlum" (Malay for "red cat"). Interest in these appears to have waned.

Li Hua Mao

Current

Chinese name for the "Dragon li". See Dragon Li.

Lion Cat

Archaic Name

An old Chinese name for the Persian Cat; alludes to the mane-like neck ruff.

Little American

Extinct?

Advertised by IRCA (no details) and presumed extinct following death of Ann Baker (IRCA founder). At a guess, an attempt to breed a miniature cat.

Longhair (UK)

Current

See Persian

Longhaired Cornish Rex

Variant

A breeding programme is ongoing for longhaired/semi-longhaired versions of the Cornish Rex, but so far these cats have not sparked much enthusiasm. Longhair is due to a recessive gene and longhaired cats occur naturally.

Longhaired Devon Rex

Variant

A Devon Rex with a shaggy, curly coat. Thus far it has not been seriously developed as a breed. Longhair is due to a recessive gene and longhaired cats occur naturally.

Longhaired German Rex

Variant

There is a breeding programme ongoing in Germany. Also called Angora German Rex. Longhair is due to a recessive gene and longhaired cats occur naturally.

Longhair Rex

Variant

Most longhair rexes were not perpetuated as the longhaired coat is unmanageable when affected by gene for Rex. However, semi-longhaired Rex-types are bred - LaPerm, Selkirk Rex, Bohemian Rex.
See also Angora German Rex, Czech Curly Cat/Bohemian Rex

Longhair Sphynx

Fictional

April Fools Joke hoax breed.

Lop­Ear

Extinct

See Scottish Fold, Sumxu

Louisiana Creole Cat

Archaic Name

See Munchkin.

Lowlander

Experimental

See British Longhair.

Luchsie

Extinct / Alternative name?

Cats Magazine (USA) in 1977 mentions the Luchsie - a lynxpoint longhair cat. It was alleged to be a cross between an American Shorthair and a Bobcat, but wasmore likely due to the recessive longhair gene in colourpoint cats.

Lykoi

Current

A sparse-haired mutation. Lykois are are hairless around the eyes, nose, muzzle and sparse-haired on the extremities. The hairless areas feel leathery. The coat is a 50/50 mix of coloured hair to white hair which known as roan, a colour not currently recognised by cat registries; Lykois are registered a solid colour with amelonistic hair dispersed through the coat.

CAT BREEDS TIME-LINE - A list of dates when breeds and varieties (i.e. populations which bred true) were discovered or recognised (now held on its own webpage due to the increasing size of this list).

CAT COLOURS & PATTERNS  - A plain English guide to cat colours and patterns, including breed-specific colours/patterns.

About this List of Breeds and the Breeds Time-Line
This file was originally started for my own interest back in the 1980s. Information on currently recognised cat breeds is readily available in books, from registries/governing bodies (GCCF, FIFe, ACFA etc), breed societies or on the Internet. Breed recognition and breed descriptions vary between registries and countries. This "layperson's list" contains general descriptions only and is not (nor will it ever be) specific to any single registry, breed society or cat-breeding country. It will not link to, nor name, any breeder pages or cattery pages as this would compromise its independence. It comprises information and trivia from diverse sources worldwide including historical texts and personal correspondence. I wish to express my gratitude to the various contributors who have helped me keep it up-to-date.

MESSYBEAST.COM CAT RESOURCE ARCHIVE

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