Cat breed identifier
What type of cat is this? Identify your cat's breed from a photo
What type of cat is this, and what will it be like? Upload one cat photo: the cat breed identifier names the likely breed or type and gives a Cat Profile on size, coat care, energy and home life.
The result
What the cat breed identification gives you
One cat photo, one Cat Profile. It is based on the features your cat's photo shows and general breed data, not on papers or a DNA test. A photo is always an estimate, not a final answer.
Up to three different breeds or types, with how close each match is, or domestic shorthair or longhair when that fits best.
The features behind each match: ears and tufts, coat length and pattern, tail, paws and build.
Typical adult size for the type, and how long it takes to grow up; for a kitten, what to expect.
How often to brush, how much it sheds, and what the coat needs through the seasons.
How active, vocal and social the type tends to be, and what that means for play and time alone.
Notes on children, other pets, a flat and allergies, and a comparison with similar breeds.
Most cats are not a breed, and that is fine
The vast majority of cats worldwide have no pedigree ancestry. Shelters and vets call them domestic shorthair or domestic longhair, by coat length. The cat breed identifier says when your cat is most likely one, and still gives a Cat Profile from its coat and build.
Method
How the cat breed identifier works
- 01
Upload a clear cat photo
The whole cat, sitting or standing, with the face, ears, coat and tail in focus. If the face is not sharp, retake it and run it again.
- 02
See the likely breeds
The cat identifier lists up to three likely breeds or types with how close each one is, and the features behind them: ears, coat length, pattern, tail and build.
- 03
Read the Cat Profile
Written automatically from the likely type: typical adult size, coat care, energy, how vocal and social the type tends to be, and suitability notes for children, flats and allergies, in an easy, short read.
- 04
Compare and decide
See it side by side with similar breeds, talk it over with family and friends, and take the questions to your vet, the shelter or the breeder.
Photos
How to take a cat photo for breed identification
A cat will not pose for long. Wait for a calm moment in good light and take a few shots.
Do
Whole body
The entire cat sitting or standing, including the tail, so the size and build show. A cat holds still for a few seconds only: take several shots.
Face and ears
Shoot at the cat's eye level, ears up, so the ear tufts, muzzle and eyes show.
Daylight
Near a window or in cool shade, out of direct sun: the coat colour and pattern show as they are, especially a tabby's stripes.
Something for scale
A door frame or a chair beside the cat helps judge its size.
Don't
No flash
Flash flattens the coat and can turn the eyes into glowing dots.
No fluffed-up kitten close-ups only
A kitten's coat and ears change as it grows; add a whole-body photo.
No other cats in the frame
One cat per photo, so the breeds are about that cat.
Reference
What does a Maine Coon look like? Maine Coon cats up close
The Maine Coon is a large domesticated cat breed from the US state of Maine. These are the features a cat breed identification checks first.
One of the largest breeds of domesticated cat, with a solid, muscular body, a broad chest and a rectangular shape.
Long or medium hair, soft and silky, shorter on the head and shoulders and longer on the stomach and flanks; some have a ruff around the neck.
Long, tapering and heavily furred, almost like a raccoon's tail.
Heavily furred ears with extra long tufts inside, large paws often compared to snowshoes, and tufts of fur between the toes.
Any colour other cats have; the most common pattern in the breed is the brown tabby.
Many of the original Maine Coons had polydactylism, one or more extra toes on a paw; most show standards do not allow it.
Source: Wikipedia (Maine Coon), as of
Reference
How to tell if my cat is a Maine Coon
A long coat and tufted ears are not enough on their own. Other long-haired cats share them.
- A breed means papers
- By definition, a cat of a specific breed is pedigreed, with a known ancestry formally registered with a cat registry.
- Look-alike breeds
- The Siberian and the Norwegian Forest Cat share the thick long coat, ear and toe tufts, big bodies and big feet. That comes from similar harsh climates, not from close relation.
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- A large breed from Northern Europe with a long glossy top coat over a woolly undercoat, long legs and a bushy tail.
- A domestic longhair
- A cat with no pedigree and a long coat. Such cats lack the consistent look of a breed bred to a standard.
Source: Wikipedia (Moggy; Maine Coon; Norwegian Forest Cat), as of
Reference
How to tell if my cat is part Maine Coon
Without papers, part Maine Coon is a guess from looks. The cat identifier says which Maine Coon features your cat shows, and which it does not.
- Features it shares
Size and build, a long shaggy coat, ear tufts, a ruff, a long furry tail and big tufted paws.
- Features it lacks
A short coat, small ears without tufts or a short thin tail point away from the breed.
- What it means at home
A long coat still needs brushing, and a big cat needs a bigger litter box, a sturdy cat tree and room to climb.
- What only papers settle
A cat of a specific breed has a formally registered pedigree. Looks point to a breed; the registry's paperwork settles it.
Reference
Cat breed or coat pattern? Facts a cat profile uses
Many questions about a cat's type are about its coat. A coat pattern is not a breed.
- Tabby
Not a breed but a coat pattern, common among non-pedigree cats: an M-shaped mark on the forehead and stripes by the eyes, on the cheeks, back, legs and tail.
- Mackerel, classic, ticked, spotted
The four distinct tabby patterns, each linked to its own genetics.
- Domestic shorthair, longhair
What vets and shelters call a cat with no pedigree, by coat length; sometimes domestic medium-haired too.
- Bengal
A hybrid breed created by crossing the Asian leopard cat with domestic cats; its tabby coat ranges from spots to rosettes and marbling. Owning one is legally regulated in several countries.
- Hypoallergenic
No cat breed is completely free of allergens. The main cat allergen, Fel d 1, comes mostly from saliva and skin glands and causes a reaction in sensitive humans; kittens and females produce less of it, unneutered males higher levels.
Source: Wikipedia (Tabby cat; Moggy; Bengal cat; Siberian cat; Fel d 1), as of
Scope
What a cat breed identifier can and cannot tell from a photo
A photo can show
- The likely breed or type from the cat's features
- Whether it looks most like a domestic shorthair or longhair
- Its coat pattern, such as a tabby, and what that means
- What the type means for size, coat care, energy and home life
Only an expert with it in hand can tell
- A pedigree or registration: that is the breeder's paperwork
- The cat's ancestry for certain: that takes a DNA test
- A price or value of a cat, or whether a sale price is fair
- Any diagnosis of illness or allergy: ask a vet or a doctor
A breed name is the start. The cat breed identifier also gives a Cat Profile: what the likely type means for size, coat care, energy and home life.
Next
After the cat breed identification
- 01
Buying a pedigree cat?
Ask the breeder for the registration papers from a cat registry: a pedigree cat, by definition, has one. Looks alone do not make a breed.
- 02
Living with allergies?
Spend time with the cat, or the kitten's parents, before you decide. No breed is allergen-free.
- 03
Plan the home
A litter box, scratching posts and a cat tree sized to the adult cat, and a brushing routine for a long coat.
- 04
Talk to your vet
A first check, vaccines, and what the likely type means for health as the cat grows.
Free cat breed identifier: no card, no trial
Trying the cat breed identifier here is free and fast: one image from your phone's gallery, no card, no account and no trial, and nothing to cancel. This page shows no ads.
Limits
What a cat breed identifier cannot promise
Cat breed identification from a photo is an estimate from the cat's features, not a DNA test, a pedigree or a valuation. The Cat Profile is for planning, not veterinary advice: for any health sign, call your vet.
FAQ
Cat breed identifier: frequently asked questions
How to identify a type of cat?
Look at the coat length and pattern, the ears, the tail and the build. Most cats are domestic shorthairs or longhairs with no breed. The cat breed identifier reads these features from a photo and names the likely breed or type.
How can I tell what kind of cat I have by picture?
Upload a clear cat photo of the whole body and the face. The cat identifier compares its features with different cat breeds and types and gives the closest matches with what each one means.
Is there an app to identify cats?
This cat breed identifier works like an app in your browser, with nothing to download: identify cat breeds from a photo on a phone or a computer. Trying the form is free.
Can AI tell me what breed my cat is?
AI can say which breeds your cat looks most like, based on its features. It cannot read papers or genes, so it can give a likely type, not proof.
Can I identify my cat's breed online?
Yes. Upload a photo in your browser, on a phone or a computer, and get the likely breed or type with a Cat Profile.
How accurate is the AI detection?
It depends on the photo and the cat. A breed bred to a standard has a consistent look, while a cat with no pedigree does not, so a mixed cat gets a likely type and a note on what the photo cannot settle. A better photo gives a better match.
Got a mixed breed cat?
Then the cat breed identifier says so: once the type is identified as a domestic shorthair or longhair, the Cat Profile still covers its coat, size and the play it will enjoy. An expert at a shelter or your vet can tell you more.
Can I use a photo of a cat that belongs to a friend?
Yes, any cat works, yours or a friend's. It is fun to compare cats too: each one gets its own Cat Profile. Find out what type each cat is, one photo at a time.
Is my cat a purebred or just a domestic shorthair?
Most likely a domestic shorthair or longhair: the vast majority of cats have no pedigree ancestry. A purebred cat has registered papers; looks alone do not make one.
Is my cat a Maine Coon?
Check the breed's features: a large, rectangular body, a long shaggy coat, tufted ears, big tufted paws and a long furry tail. Even with all of them, a Maine Coon in the breed sense has a registered pedigree.
Is my cat part Maine Coon?
Without papers it is a guess from looks. The cat breed identifier says which Maine Coon features your cat shows and which look-alike types fit too, such as a domestic longhair.
How to tell if your cat is part Maine Coon or just a long-haired cat?
Long hair alone does not tell. Look for the ear tufts, the ruff, the snowshoe paws and the size. Other long-haired breeds and domestic longhairs share some of them.
How to identify a Maine Coon kitten?
It is harder than with an adult cat: a Maine Coon is slow to mature, often reaching full size only at three to five years. Look at the ear tufts, the paws and the tail, and ask the breeder for the papers.
What do Maine Coon kittens look like?
Like small Maine Coons, with tufted ears, big paws and a long tail, but their coat and size keep changing for years. A clear whole-body photo with the face in focus gives the identifier the most to work with.
How to tell if a kitten is a Maine Coon from a photo?
Upload a clear photo of the kitten standing, with the face in focus. The identifier names the features that fit the breed and how sure the match is; for a kitten it is a lead, not a verdict.
Can my cat's coat color or pattern tell me its breed?
Not on its own. Tabby, for one, is a coat pattern common among cats with no breed. A pattern helps the match only together with the build, ears and coat length.
Things I should know before getting a cat?
Its likely adult size, how much brushing the coat needs, how active and social it is, and whether anyone at home has allergies. The Cat Profile lists these for the cat in your photo.
How to prepare for a cat and choose between a kitten and an adult?
An adult cat's size and coat are already set, so what you see is what you get. A kitten keeps changing. Either way, plan the litter box, scratching posts, a vet visit and time to play.
Is a Bengal or a Siberian a good choice if I have allergies?
No cat breed is allergen-free. The Siberian is often called hypoallergenic because it is said to make less Fel d 1, the main cat allergen. Meet the cat or the kitten's parents first, and ask your doctor.
Can the cat breed identifier tell me what my cat is worth?
No. It gives the likely breed or type and a Cat Profile, never a price.
Wondering what type of cat you have?
Upload one clear photo and see the likely breed or type, with a Cat Profile on size, coat care and home life.