Getting Started
TheCatAPI is a REST API for cat breed data, images and photo analysis. Use it to build pet profiles, health checks and breed content for owners, or to add breed data to an insurance, vet or pet food product.
1. Get an API key
Sign up and we email you a key. Send it in the x-api-key header on every request. Authorization covers the details, and Staging and production accounts explains how to test without touching live data.
2. Make your first request
curl -H "x-api-key: YOUR-API-KEY" https://api.thecatapi.com/v1/breeds/abys
{
"id": "abys",
"name": "Abyssinian",
…
}
Every endpoint lives under https://api.thecatapi.com/v1. If something goes wrong, Errors and limits explains each status code and when to retry.
3. Pick what you're building
| You want to… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Show breed details, facts and health tips | Breed data for owner content |
| Search cat images or let users upload their own | Images and Image uploads |
| Give each owner a profile for their cat | Create a pet, then Link pets to your users |
| Work out breed, age or weight from photos | Identify a breed, Estimate age, Estimate weight |
| Check body condition, with vet review | Body condition score |
| Recommend daily calories or a weight-loss plan | Daily calories and Weight-loss plan |
| Keep a health record over time | A pet's health history |
| Get results pushed to your server | Webhooks |
The guides overview lists every guide. The API Reference lists every endpoint and field.
Plans
The Free plan covers learning and hobby projects. The Startup plan adds a commercial licence, higher request limits and the full breed dataset for a low monthly fee. Enterprise plans unlock photo analysis, pet health records and the calculators.
Breed characteristics (temperament, origin, life span, coat and 1 to 5 trait scores) and facts come with Startup. Health tips, dietary risks and recommendations, allergens, grooming and exercise guidance, jokes, photo analysis and portraits are Enterprise.
To see what's switched on for your key, call GET /accounts/features, or read Choose what's switched on. Contact us about Enterprise access and pricing.