10 Smallest Domestic Cat Breeds (Ranked)

10Balinese cat

Weight Range: 6-11 pounds

Weighing in at 6-11 pounds, the Balinese cat is sitting pretty on our list at number ten. These alluring cats also have a Siamese ancestry and share similar traits -- but are packaged in long, silky fur that may grow to be two inches in length. They can be a bit pushy and vocal but they couple those traits with heart-melting adoration of their people. The traditional dancers of Bali are their namesake -- very fitting for these graceful and beautiful cats.

9Japanese Bobtail

Weight Range: 6-10 pounds

Coming in in our ninth spot is the Japanese Bobtail. These little cats have a big history! The Japanese Bobtail has popped up in Japanese lore and art for nearly a millennia. The trait that sets them apart from most domestic cats is their tail -- or lack of one. Like the North American wild bobcat, the Japanese Bobtail has a very short tail. Unlike the bobcat, however, their tail fur is distinctly longer than the rest of their fur. The result is an affectionate, very-"pettable" little cat -- complete with a puffball!

8Cornish Rex

Weight Range: 6-10 pounds

An unusual kitten was born in Cornwall, England around 1950 and immediately caught the attention of its owner. What was so unique? Unlike its siblings, it had curly-looking fur! And so the Cornish Rex breed began. This 6-10 pound cat is now known for its short, white, wavy fur. The curly coat packages a smart and companionable kitty that keeps its youthful figure by remaining busy and fun-loving well into maturity.

7American Curl

Weight Range: 6-10 pounds

The American Curl -- it sounds like a movie or an Olympic sports team, but it's really the next small cat in our countdown. Our number seven petite cat has a very unique look, as suggested by its name. This black, seal point, or tortoiseshell colored cat doesn't have the curly fur of a Cornish Rex, though. It's not its fur that curls...but its ears! The American Curl's somewhat stubby ears curl backward at the tips from its face.

The 6-10 pound cat also has a great personality to pair with its always-stylish looks. Gentle and friendly, it is at home with adults, children, and other animals alike.

6Devon Rex

Weight Range: 6-9 pounds

The Devon Rex looks like it could be the long lost brother to our number eight cat, the Cornish Rex; but as far as anyone knows, the only thing they have directly in common beyond their looks is a British heritage. The Devon Rex (6-9 pounds) is pure white with curly fur that is very fragile. Its whiskers are also very delicate and can easily be broken. Its disposition is not fragile, though! Fun-loving and active, this little cat likes to rumpus with and entertain its people.

5Bambino cat

Weight Range: 5-9 pounds

The Bambino is a miniature cat, a cross between the Sphynx and the Munchkin breeds–a type of feline sometimes called a dwarf breed. But despite their small size, this is one social and outgoing cat!

The breed is so new that not too much is known about them as yet, but their development has been courted by a lot of controversies.

4Napoleon cat

Weight Range: 5-9 pounds

Our next little cat can be almost any color or pattern and can have long or short fur. It can't be one thing, though, and that's tall! The Napoleon is a newer breed developed in recent years from the Munchkin (more on the Munchkin in a bit when we get to our number three spot). Short like its namesake, the Napoleon is small but (also like its namesake) doesn't have a small personality. The 5-9 pound cat (also known as the "Minuet") can cuddle and play with the best of them.

3Munchkin cat

Weight Range: 5-9 pounds

What kind of cat sits on its haunches like a meerkat, runs like a rabbit, and has the build of a sausage dog? A Munchkin, of course! Our number three little cat may resemble other creatures in certain ways, but there's no mistaking these adorable and sweet-tempered kitties. Short legs don't slow down these 5-9 pound energetic love bugs!

2Dwelf cat

Weight Range: 4-9 pounds

Our number two petite cat has a very unique look, as suggested by its name. Like most dwarf cats, the hind legs of the Dwelf cat are slightly longer than the forelegs. This is the characteristic they got from the Munchkin. An adult cat can weigh up to 4-9 lbs and be half the size of an average-size cat.

The name comes from a combination of the words “dwarf” and “elf,” since the Dwelf is both short and has curled, elf-like ears. If your family is looking for a hypoallergenic companion that’s going to want to be cuddled and nurtured, this is it!

1Singapura cat

Weight Range: 4-8 pounds

Drum-roll, please, for our number one smallest domestic cat breed...but don't drum too loudly, because they are known for having an aversion to sharp noises! At a diminutive 4-8 pounds, the Singapura tops our list. These short-haired cats are generally sable brown with dark edges on the tips of their tails. As with most of our little cats, they are inquisitive, energetic, and very attached to their owners.

Some say the breed originated in Singapore (the name "Singapura" comes from the Malaysian word for Singapore) but others are not so sure. The Singapura's heritage may always remain mysterious, but the people of Singapore have claimed them, anyway. The words "cat" and "love" make up their special name for the Singapura ("kucinta" in Malay), and nothing could be more appropriate!