How many different cat breeds in the world?

How many?

"While Encyclopedia Britannica only lists fifteen cat breeds, The International Cat Association, the world's largest genetic registry of pedigreed cats, recognizes seventy-three different kinds." (Source)

"Selective cat breeding has historically been focused on aesthetic features (coat color, coat texture, and other traits defined by a single gene variant), rather than genetically complex body structure or functional/behavioral traits (as is the case in dog breeding). This has resulted in some cat breeds being defined by a single gene variant (responsible for a curly coat, for example) while sharing a multitude of other variants associated with common life history and geographic origin with other, visually different cat breeds." (Source)

I want to adopt a cat, which one should I pick?

Here are some candidates.