Meet the Most Adorably Fluffy Cat Breeds

1. The Persian

Eric Isselée/Adobe Stock

When one mentions “fluffy cat,” the first image that likely comes to mind is the Persian. With their long coat, short body, and their large, round eyes set wide apart in a large, round head, this breed is the epitome of elegance. Their flowing coat reaches down to the floor (although having short legs helps with that…) and can be in any colour and/or pattern. Their personality is sweet and gentle, and they love to lounge around.

Love the sweet look of the Persian, but afraid of all that long hair? Look no further than its short-haired hybrid, the Exotic! It was developed by breeders to have the same short body and round features of the Persian, but with a short coat. But what a coat! Dense and plush and full of life, the coat still requires regular grooming, but not to the extent that the Persian does. The Exotic’s personality is very similar to the Persian’s. This is a sweet, quiet, gentle, and affectionate cat.

2. The Maine Coon Cat

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You say that you love long hair AND a large cat? The Maine Coon Cat is all that and more! The Maine Coon Cat is CFA’s largest breed, with males averaging 20 to 23 pounds and females proportionally smaller. The Maine Coon’s coat is unique in that it grows in layers—you can readily see the visibly shaggy coat. This breed’s easygoing nature make the Maine Coon easy to love, especially as they like to follow their owners around. They come in many colours and patterns. The icing on this shaggy cake are enormous whiskers and (often) irresistible tufts of fur at the ear tips.

3. The Norwegian Forest Cat & The Siberian

L: Norwegian Forest Cat by Eric Isselee/Shutterstock; R: Siberian Cat by Just-Mila/Shutterstock

Two other densely coated fluffy cats are from WAY up north! Both the Norwegian Forest Cat (native to Norway, of course) and the Siberian (from Russia) have incredibly dense coats. In fact, the Siberian has a triple coat to insulate them against the snow and ice. Both are large cats that come in a wide range of colours and patterns, but the similarities end there. The Norwegian Forest Cat has a triangular head consisting of flat planes, and their ears continue along those planes. It is the only breed which can go down a tree headfirst. They are extremely outgoing, playful, and sweet. The Siberian is a slow to mature cat, not reaching full maturity until four to five years old. They have a muscular, barrel-chested body and a head which is a modified wedge with a fully rounded muzzle. They are loyal and affectionate cats that love cuddling.

4. The British Shorthair

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Shorthaired breeds can ALSO be fluffy, and a great example is the British Shorthair. This breed’s coat is the densest of all breeds with about 300 hairs per square inch. You can run your hand through their coat, and it will spring right back, leaving notrace of a handprint. Although solid blue is the most popular colour, the British Shorthair comes in a wide variety of other colours and patterns. Their dense coat does require regular combing to remove the dead hair it sheds (just as all cats do). This large-bodied cat has a gentle disposition and an intelligent nature—so intelligent that they’ve often been used in TV and movies.

5. The Selkirk Rex

Katsiaryna Pakhomava/Shutterstock

Another fluffy breed with a dense coat is the Selkirk Rex. They come in both a long and a shorthair version with a body structure very similar to that of the British Shorthair (which was used to help create the breed from its original spontaneous mutation). The Selkirk Rex’s coat forms plush, unstructured curls all over the body. The shorthair coat is often likened to looking like a sheep’s, while the longhair coat has looser curls due to the length. Like their British Shorthair relative, they are laid-back cats who enjoy being with their people. 

• Find out how to properly care for fluffy cat coats at moderncat.com/articles/fluffycoatcare/