Aphrodite Giant
Also called Aphrodite, Cyprus cat, Cypriot cat, Saint Helen cat, Saint Nicholas cat
From Cyprus, from the island's mountain highlands1
At a glance the quick version
TICA figures per Wikipedia (15-18 lb males, 10-14 lb females); CatTime gives males up to about 11 kg (24 lb). Takes 3-5 years to reach full size.
Coat and looks how to spot one
shorthair or semi-longhair
A big, strong, heavy-boned cat with solid muscle. The coat comes in a short and a semi-long version, both soft with a woolly feel, and it grows fuller with an undercoat in the colder months.12
Personality what they are like
Warm, people-focused and easygoing. It tends to attach closely to its family, likes company and is often described as behaving a little like a dog around the home.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
An athletic cat that enjoys an active household with room to climb and play.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Shorthaired cats need only a regular brush; semi-longhaired cats do best with brushing every second day to keep the coat tidy and reduce hairballs.2
Home where they are happiest
Being a large cat, it appreciates sturdy, roomy scratching posts and climbing furniture.2
Company who they like around
Thrives with plenty of family contact and generally fits in well with children in an active home.2
The story where it all began
Cats have lived on Cyprus for thousands of years, and the local cats developed largely on their own in the island's mountains. Breeders began writing a standard in 2006, WCF granted full recognition in 2012, and TICA followed with preliminary status in 2017 under the shorter name Aphrodite.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
A burial of a cat alongside a human at Shillourokambos on Cyprus is about 9,500 years old, older than the famous Egyptian cat art.1
- 2
Local legend says Saint Helen sent cats to the Saint Nicholas monastery around 328 AD to keep snakes away, which is why the breed is also called the Saint Nicholas or Saint Helen cat.1
- 3
A 2012 genetic study found Cyprus cats form their own distinct group among Mediterranean cats.1
- 4
The breed is slow to finish growing and can take three to five years to reach full adult size.1
Recognised by the official bits
- WCF
- Fully recognised as Aphrodite's Giant from 1 July 20121
- TICA
- Preliminary new breed status under the name Aphrodite since September 20171
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Aphrodite Giant. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Nail trimevery 3 weeks
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- Litter scoopevery day
- Litter changeevery week
- PlayDaily playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 11every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Cyprus cat - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for names, origin, recognition, weight, coat, colours, history, facts
- Aphrodite Giant Cat Breed Information - CatTime cattime.comused for weight range, lifespan, grooming, personality
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.