Cat Fancier's Association designates 33 different cat breeds, ranging from the lush longhaired Persian to the tall, skinny short-haired Oriental. If you seek a specific look, a ravishing purebred will be your answer.
Appearance is quite predictable among pure breeds.
And while temperaments among varying cat breeds aren't quite as wide ranging as those of dog breeds, individual cat breeds do have their specific personality quirks. The Ocicat, for example, can be taught to fetch like a dog, and the Egyptian Mau is well known for their distinctive, speedy tail wagging. Purebred cats are the most expensive, and are more likely to suffer from various genetic ills. However, there's no research to indicate that their life expectancy is any shorter than that of mixed breeds. There's no average life expectancy for cats of specific breeds.