Chefs, step away from your stations. Tonight's mystery basket isn't truffles or turbot. It's whiskers. A brand-new cook-off has opened on Morfi asking the most dangerous question in any kitchen with a sunny windowsill: what is the best cat breed? Five contestants walked onto the floor, judged on personality, looks and temperament, and the crowd is already sharpening its knives.

Here's the pass so far. The Maine Coon is out in front with 26% consensus, carried by 30 holders. Close behind with the silver cloche is the Persian cat at 21%, backed by 22 holders. Also on the menu: 3 other sides. All told, 31 unique traders have put $89,862 behind their opinions in this opinion market, and the oven has been on for less than a day.

Where the crowd stands
  • Maine Coon26%
  • Persian21%
  • Ragdoll19%
  • Bengal18%
  • Siamese16%

Read those numbers the way you'd read a soufflé that has only just started to rise. The Maine Coon has the early lead, but this early in service a lead is a promising crust, not a finished dish. The Persian is close enough to smell the butter. And the three still waiting in the wings, the vocal Siamese cat, the floppy Ragdoll and the wild-patterned Bengal, haven't had their full tasting yet.

Now my verdict, and it's only my opinion, so put down the ladle. The Maine Coon is a slow-braised short rib of a cat: generous portions, deep flavour, falls apart into a purr the second you touch it. The Persian is crème brûlée, gorgeous, fussy, and it demands a blowtorch's worth of grooming. Delicious, sure, but would I serve it every night? Pause. Swirl. Sniff. No. The big shaggy comfort dish takes my plate. That said, I'd keep an eye on the Ragdoll. That cat goes limp like perfectly rested pasta, and no judge in history has turned down a good carbonara.

Pixel-art kitchen stage where a big fluffy cat in a chef's hat faces a white long-haired cat on a platter while three other cats watch
The braise versus the brûlée, and three more dishes peeking over the counter.

What to watch next: can the Persian close the gap before the Maine Coon's lead sets like a cooling caramel, and will one of the underdogs crash the final? Plenty of trading days are still ahead of this kitchen. Think the crowd has its tasting notes wrong? Join the market on Morfi, back your favourite breed, and bring your own seasoning to the judges' table.

Consensus over time
0%25%50%75%100%16 Oct, 19:1417 Oct, 00:12
  • Maine Coon 25.8%
  • Persian 20.5%
  • Ragdoll 19.2%
  • Bengal 18.2%