Why Are There Fewer Cat Breeds Compared to Dogs?
Have you ever noticed that there seem to be fewer cat breeds than dog breeds? According to statistics, there are currently over 300 recognized dog breeds, whereas cats have only around 60 breeds. Even more interesting is the fact that dog breeds vary dramatically in size, from tiny Chihuahuas to giant Great Danes, but cats, regardless of breed, tend to have a similar body size. Why is that?
Japanese pet columnist SHIHO explains that this difference is related to the domestication history and temperament of cats. Unlike dogs, whose domestication was shaped by selective breeding for various purposes such as work, hunting, and companionship, cats were domesticated primarily for pest control and have retained much of their wild nature. This has resulted in fewer distinct breeds and less variation in size among cats.
Why Are There Fewer Cat Breeds Than Dog Breeds?
Reason 1: Cats Have Been Domesticated for a Shorter Time Than Dogs
Dogs began to be domesticated by humans approximately 15,000 years ago, giving them a significantly longer history of coevolution with people. In contrast, cats were only domesticated around 9,500 years ago, meaning the time gap allowed dogs more opportunity for selective breeding and variety development.
Over this extended period, humans bred dogs for different purposes—such as hunting, herding, and guarding—resulting in diverse breeds with distinct appearances and temperaments like hunting dogs and shepherd dogs. Cats, however, were domesticated relatively late and primarily served a single functional role: rodent control. Their domestication focused on this one use, so there has been less pressure or necessity to develop a wide variety of breeds with specialized traits.
This difference largely explains why dogs exhibit far greater breed diversity compared to cats, whose domestication and selective breeding have been more limited in scope and timespan.
Reason 2: Why Cats Don't Follow Commands Like Dogs
One key reason cats do not respond to commands the way dogs do is rooted in their natural instincts and the short period of their domestication compared to dogs. Cats have an inherent "lone ranger" personality, which is a major factor. Unlike dogs, which are naturally social animals and tend to obey their leaders (owners) to carry out tasks, cats lack this submissive nature. They do not recognize humans as leaders, nor do they view people as "bosses". Their behavior of catching mice is motivated purely by personal benefit, not by a desire to help humans.
Even though people historically appreciated cats for their sharp reflexes and wanted them to perform other tasks, cats would typically just roll their eyes and walk away. This temperament prevents cats from developing specialized breeds with distinct working roles the way dogs have.
Why Is There Little Size Variation Among Cat Breeds?
As mentioned above, the domestication history of cats is relatively short, and they tend to lack the same degree of submissiveness seen in other animals. This naturally makes it more difficult to develop a wide variety of breeds. Additionally, the biological traits of cats influence how much variation in body size can actually occur.
Cats are fundamentally carnivores with strong fighting capabilities. If their size became too large, they would essentially turn into tigers. This would not only cause them to lose the agility advantage necessary for catching mice but would also make peaceful coexistence with humans impossible—potentially, cats might even view people as prey. Under such circumstances, who would dare to keep them as pets?
Of course, there are some larger breeds, such as the Maine Coon and the Singapura cat, but the size differences among cat breeds are minimal compared to the vast variations seen in dogs.
Why Are There Still Around 60 Cat Breeds?
Since cats mainly need to catch mice, why are there still about 60 different breeds?
The answer is simple: cats are just too adorable.
As cats evolved from expert mousers into beloved household pets, people began to experience healing and companionship through them. At the same time, they wanted cats to look even cuter. This led to selective breeding focused on facial features, coat colors, and other traits.
This is why the number of cat breeds has gradually increased over time, even though their overall body size hasn't changed much.
The Unique Evolution and Charm of Cats
The evolutionary process of cats is completely different from that of dogs. Through this, we can observe their wild nature, independence, and distinctive lifestyle habits.
After learning about these traits, don't you find the charm of cats even more fascinating?
