Some of the better known feline breeds are classified as championship breeds, including the longhaired American bobtail; the American curl, which features ears that curl back and out; the hairless sphynx, from Canada; and the American wirehair, originated in upstate New York. European breeds include chubby-faced British shorthair, the long-eared Devon rex, and the longhaired Norwegian forest cat. The Russian blue, the Singapura, and the Turkish angora are some feline breeds with Asian origins.
The advanced new breeds refers to Chausie and Savannah breeds, which are the second level of the Championship Advancement Class Program, according to the International Cat Association, Chausies are shorthaired, tall and have long bodies, ranging from brown ticked and grizzled tabby to solid black. Savannah felines have dark spots, short fur, long necks and large, tall ears.
Mixed breed, half-pedigree cats or other cats that do not meet breed standards are called nonchampionship breeds or simply household pets, according to the International Cat Association. These felines show the higher level of genetic variation among all cats, featuring long or short hair with any color and pattern possible for a feline, strong or thin bodies, as well as very distinct temperaments.
Preliminary new breeds refers to the beginning level in the Championship Advancement Class Program of the International Cat Association, including 10 breeds, as June 2011. The preliminary new breeds are donskoy, an hairless Russian breed; highlander and highlander shorthair, a strong muscular breed developed in the last decade; kurilian bobtail and kurilian bobtail long hair, shorttailed breeds originated from the Russian island of Sakhalin; minskin, with very short legs in relation to body size; ojos azules and ojos azules longhair, Spanish for "blue eyes," the breed's main characteristic; and sokoke, a native breed in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in Kenya, Africa.