What Kind of Cat is Dinah From Alice in Wonderland? Famous Cat Breeds Revealed

When people think of famous felines in the world of Alice in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat is probably the first cat that comes to mind. However, there’s another lovable cat that deserves just as much attention–Dinah, Alice’s red kitten.

While the Cheshire Cat belongs to a fantasy world, his look is inspired by the British Shorthair. In contrast, Dinah is an imagined red cat that isn’t based on a specific cat breed, despite belonging in Alice’s real world.

We can still take a guess at what kind of cat breed Dinah could be based on her appearance and temperament. We think that Dinah may be either a Maine Coon, an American Bobtail, or a Ragdoll. We’ve pieced some clues together that have helped us come to this conclusion.

Dinah’s Appearance

Dinah’s coat is mostly red, but she has lighter colored hair on her face, chest, and paws. She also has short fur and some medium-length hair around her face and chest.

Due to genetics, cats with red or ginger coats also have the tabby pattern. So, while Dinah’s coat is drawn with a solid color, she would have some sort of tabby marking in real life.

Dinah’s eyes are blue, which is common in kittens. This color can change to a completely different color as cats age. So, judging by the color of Dinah’s eyes, we can make a good guess that she’s either a kitten or a very small cat breed.

Dinah’s Personality & Temperament

We can obtain several clues from Alice as she talks about Dinah while she’s wandering through Wonderland. Alice states that Dinah is great at hunting and can catch birds and mice. We also see Dinah chasing the White Rabbit with Alice near the beginning of the movie. This information makes it pretty safe to say that Dinah has a strong prey drive and can be quite agile and quick.

Dinah is also very patient with Alice and allows Alice to place a flower crown on her head. Alice’s fondness for Dinah could also indicate that Dinah can be patient with children and is loyal to her family.

Dinah’s Possible Cat Breeds

From the clues we’ve gathered about Dinah, we can guess that she’s a red tuxedo cat with tabby markings. She could also be a cat breed that’s known for having a docile and patient temperament. She’s also playful and energetic and enjoys a nice chase.

Maine Coon

Dinah could be a Maine Coon because her temperament matches the expected temperament of this breed. She’s athletic and playful but also a loving companion, which is common behavior in Maine Coons. Some Maine Coons have been known to wait for their family members to come home.

Maine Coons can have the red tabby coat pattern with patches of white as well. They can grow up to be very large cats, and if we assume that Dinah’s a kitten, we can guess that she’ll grow much bigger as she reaches adulthood.

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American Bobtail

The American Bobtail is another cat breed that could match Dinah’s description. We chose the American Bobtail because you can find cats of this breed with medium-length red coats. Dinah is also often drawn with a shorter tail, which is a signature look for the American Bobtail.

American Bobtails are also known to be very intelligent and devoted to their families, which are all characteristics used to describe Dinah.

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Ragdoll

Ragdolls are another large, fluffy cat breed. They make excellent companion animals because of their love for people and their friendly personalities. They can also be really playful and enjoy spending a lot of time with their human companions.

Purebred Ragdolls also have bright blue eyes, which are the same color as Dinah’s eyes. Dinah also likes to be around Alice, which reflects the Ragdoll’s sociability.

Final Thoughts

Dinah wasn’t modeled after a specific cat breed, but there are still many cat breed possibilities for her. Our guesses indicate that she could be a Maine Coon, American Bobtail, or a Ragdoll. Regardless of her cat breed, we love that this cat is a great companion and friend to Alice, making her a great representative of all red cats.

See Also:

• What Kind of Cat Is Stryker? Famous Cat Breeds Revealed
• What Kind of Cat Is DJ Ravioli? Famous Cat Breeds Revealed

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Featured Image Credit: Characters by  Walt Disney Animation Studios,  The Walt Disney Company.  All rights reserved to the copyright owners.