A recent study has identified the Himalayan cat as the ugliest cat breed in the world, based on a methodology that evaluates feline beauty using the Golden Ratio. The study measured various facial features, including the distance between the eyes, nose, and mouth, to assess the aesthetics of different cat breeds.
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According to the findings, the Himalayan cat scored a ratio of 58.49, indicating a significant deviation of 56.87 from the ideal ratio of 1.62. Other less favorable breeds include the Peterbald, with a ratio of 19.78 and a difference of 18.16, and the Persian, which had a ratio of 7.49 and a difference of 5.87. Notably, the Himalayan and Persian breeds share genetic ties.
In contrast, some of the most aesthetically pleasing breeds include the Norwegian Forest, Russian Blue, and Manx, all of which scored close to the ideal ratio, with the Manx at 1.59 and the others at 1.65.
The study, conducted by All About Cats, has been met with mixed reactions; many cat enthusiasts may not agree with its conclusions due to its unconventional approach. The report highlighted that there are approximately 600 million cats globally, with about 200 million being pets.
Pet ownership trends show that the most popular breed in the United States is the domestic shorthair, whereas exotic breeds like the Persian and Bombay are less common. Interestingly, Himalayan kittens can cost as much as $3,500, indicating that perceived ugliness does not always correlate with affordability.