A recent study conducted by All About Cats ranked various cat breeds based on their appearance, determining that the Himalayan breed is the least attractive. This assessment comes amid a broader fascination with cats, of which there are approximately 600 million globally, with over 200 million living as pets.
Read More
In the United States, nearly 32 million households own cats, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Cats have been companions to humans for about 3,700 years. While many cat owners prefer aesthetically pleasing breeds, the study's methodology, described by 24/7 Tempo, involved measuring facial proportions using the Golden Ratio, a concept originating from ancient mathematician Euclid.
Breeds such as the Norwegian Forest, Russian Blue, and Manx scored closely to the ideal ratio of 1.62, at 1.65 and 1.59, with just slightly higher numbers.
In contrast, the Himalayan cat was found to have a significant deviation of 56.87 from the ideal ratio. The Peterbald and Persian breeds also ranked poorly, with differences of 18.16 and 5.87, respectively. Notably, the Himalayan and Persian share a lineage.
According to Pet Finder, the Himalayan is a hybrid of the Persian and is distinguished by its striking coloration and blue eyes, closely resembling the Siamese breed. Despite receiving the title of least attractive, Himalayans can be expensive, with kittens costing up to $3,500. This suggests that even perceived 'ugly' cats can come with a hefty price tag.