With their ancient-looking appearance, cats with long faces are truly among the most refined and elegant felines out there.
Unlike the common fluffy cats you see online, long-faced cats are slender and more regal-looking.
In addition, most long-faced cats are very active, intelligent, and needy. With all these similarities, one may argue that long-faced cats are genetically related to one another. But is this true?
If you’re curious to learn more about cats with long faces, read on until the very end of this guide. By doing so, you’ll discover all cat breeds with long faces and five fascinating facts about them.
What Breed of Cat Has a Long Face?
Many cat breeds have naturally long faces. These long-faced cat breeds include the modern Siamese cat, Oriental Shorthair, Oriental Longhair, and Havana Brown.
Moreover, Sphynx and Cornish Rex cats also have faces that are relatively longer than wide. Yet, the elongated faces of these breeds are less pronounced in front view.
All of these breeds are recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) and The International Cat Association (TICA).
Occasionally, mixed-breed cats born from any of the above-mentioned breeds may also possess long faces. However, mixed breeds are usually not recognized by major catteries.
If you’re interested in getting a long-faced cat, you will surely benefit from knowing the costs of owning one. To get you started, read our price guides for the Siamese, Oriental Shorthair, and Sphynx.
Other cats with long faces are not officially acknowledged by CFA as distinct breeds. These include the Russian Donskoy and Peterbald cats. However, they are recognized by TICA and the World Cat Federation (WCF).
5 Interesting Facts About the Long-Faced Cat
In the preceding section, you already know the breeds of cats with long faces. But aside from this, pet parents should be aware of other details about long-faced cats, especially if they have the plan to get one.
Check out the five fascinating facts about long-faced cats listed below to help you decide if you should get one:
1. Many cats with long faces are related to Siamese cats
Siamese cats are notable for their long faces and various point colors that come in shades of seal, chocolate, lilac, tortie, blue, flame, and many more. But did you know that many long-faced cat breeds originated from them?
Specifically, Siamese cats are among the foundation stocks of the Oriental breeds Havana Brown and Cornish Rex.
Meanwhile, the first Peterbald cat descended from a crossbreed of a female Oriental Shorthair and a male Donskoy.
2. Most long-faced cats have comparable temperaments
As established earlier, many cat breeds with long faces originated from Siamese cats. Hence, most of these breeds also exhibit typical Siamese temperaments. They are very talkative, intelligent, social, and active.
Because of these, long-faced cats are ideal for active pet parents and homes with enough space to play. Surprisingly, these can also be observed in Sphynx cats, even if they are not directly related to Siamese cats.
If you’re interested in owning a Sphynx cat, visit our guide on some reputable Sphynx cat breeders in the United States.
3. Long-faced cats that are related to Siamese and Oriental cats may be predisposed to amyloidosis
Amyloidosis is a rare health issue in most cats, except for Siamese and Oriental breeds. This disease involves the accumulation of a protein called amyloid in tissues and organs, eventually leading to organ failure.
Amyloidosis usually affects the kidneys. However, in Siamese cats, Oriental breeds, and their relative breeds, the amyloid protein may deposit in their liver.
Because they are common in Siamese and Oriental cats, other long-faced cat breeds may also be predisposed to this condition.
Jaundice, lack of energy, vomiting, anorexia, swollen limbs, excessive thirst and urination, and joint pain are among the symptoms of amyloid deposits in the liver.
4. Long-faced cats are typically more slender than most cats with round and square faces
Cats with long faces usually have slender and more elegant physiques than cats with chubby or square faces. However, this doesn’t mean that they are less active or weaker than other cat breeds.
In fact, despite their slim bodies, most long-faced cats are muscular and relatively more athletic than round or square-faced cats. They are also excellent jumpers and climbers, as most of them have long limbs.
Watch the video below to see Eliza, a long-faced Oriental cat, playing fetch:
Oriental Cat Playing "Fetch" With Her Teddy<a href="https://youtu.be/MyKfnDJ-LTY" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.bubblypet.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FMyKfnDJ-LTY%2F0.jpg" alt="Oriental Cat Playing &quot;Fetch&quot; With Her Teddy" width="1280" height="700" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>
5. Most long-faced cats are low-shedding
Most long-faced cats shed little to no amount of hair throughout the year. Hence, they require fewer grooming sessions than other cat breeds do. Some long-faced cats are even considered hypoallergenic.
Cat breeds such as the Russian Blue, Siberian, Siamese, Oriental, Cornish Rex, and Sphynx produce less Fel d 1 allergen in their saliva, urine, and skin. As a result, they are more suitable for allergy sufferers.
Watch the video below to see some low-shedding cats and see if you can spot cat breeds with long faces:
10 Cat Breeds That Don't Shed Or Smell/ All Cats<a href="https://youtu.be/nV7ofCPL__U" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.bubblypet.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FnV7ofCPL__U%2F0.jpg" alt="10 Cat Breeds That Don&#039;t Shed Or Smell/ All Cats" width="1280" height="700" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>
What Face Shapes Do Cats Have?
Face shapes are among the most noticeable differences among cat breeds. Some even subjectively link a cat’s charm to the shape of its face. In addition, some pet researchers believe that the cat’s face shape can tell its personality. Although there is no solid evidence to prove this claim, anecdotes from several cat owners suggest that it can be true.
Typically, many people find round-faced cats to be cuter than others. Meanwhile, others swear by long-faced cats. But what are the other face shapes in cats?
The following are the three facial shapes that cats can have:
Square
Cats with square faces have pronounced jaws and medium-length muzzles. Additionally, they have square chins that are neither round nor pointed. Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats have this face shape.
Likewise, some varieties or relatives of these two breeds may have square faces. These include black Norwegian Forest Cats, black, orange, gray, and tortie Maine Coons.
Moreover, crossbreed cats like the Ragcoon and the Russian Blue Maine Coon mix can also possess a square-shaped face.
Square-shaped cats are labeled as “the Retrievers of the cat world.” This is because they are often compared to Golden Retrievers, thanks to their very affectionate and loving personalities.
If you’re interested in a square-faced cat, read our price guides for Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats to learn more.
Round
Unlike the previous face shape, round-faced cats have less pronounced jaws, circular heads, chubby cheeks, and rounded chins.
Due to their quiet, docile, and less active nature, round-faced cats are generally good lap cats.
Among the breeds with round faces are Persian, Himalayan, Burmese, Birman, Scottish Fold, Munchkin, American, British, and Exotic Shorthair cats.
Varieties and mixes of these cats may also have round faces. These include Scottish Kilts, Kinkalows, white, gray, and orange Persians, and white British Shorthair cats.
To know the cost of some of these round-faced breeds, check out our price guides for Persian, Burmese, Birman, Scottish Fold, Munchkin, American, British, and Exotic Shorthair cats.
Triangular
Known as jocks or herders of the feline world, triangle-faced cats are generally active, athletic, vocal, and intelligent. Physically, they have a head that looks like a wedge — wider at the top and tapering toward the chin.
All previously discussed long-faced cats have triangular faces. Yet, not all triangle-faced cats have long faces.
Some have less pronounced triangular heads with rounded contours, giving the impression of having round faces.
These include Abyssinian, Ragdoll, Siberian, Ocicat, Devon Rex, Bengal, Lykoi, Savannah, and Russian Blue cats. Among these breeds, only the Ragdoll cat is quiet and less active. The rest are very athletic and energetic.
If you’re curious about the costs of owning a triangular-faced cat breed, read our price guides for Abyssinian, Ragdoll, Siberian, Ocicat, Devon Rex, Bengal, Lykoi, Savannah, and Russian Blue cats.
Final Thoughts
While there are many kinds of face shapes in cats, long-faced cats are among the most unique-looking pets out there. Their overall regal look is perfectly complemented by their slender bodies and wedge-shaped heads.
Siamese, Oriental, Sphynx, Cornish Rex, Donskoy, and Peterbald cats are among the most notable feline breeds with long faces.
These feline varieties are ideal for active families, as they are extremely energetic, athletic, and intelligent.
Additionally, many cat breeds with long faces are low shedders, and some are even considered hypoallergenic.
With all the information in this guide, which cat is your favorite? Let us know your thoughts about long-faced cat breeds in the comments below!
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