Short-haired cats: breeds and types

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Short hair for wild cats is the most suitable. It is easier to keep clean, easier to get rid of parasites and prevent tangles. Long fur appeared on the wild ancestors of our pets only in cold climates, when the animal had to live at very low temperatures. Short fur is a genetically dominant feline trait, so short haired cats will always exist.

There are quite a few types of short fur: the soft and fine hair of the Rex, the smooth, shiny hair of the Siamese, the thick coat of the Manx. But in general, no matter what breeds of shorthair cats we consider, there are only three main categories: American, British, Oriental. We are most familiar with the British and European Shorthairs.

British Shorthair

Short-haired cats of the British breed are favoritesall cat lovers. The breed was first bred in Great Britain at the end of the 18th century. To obtain a new breed, an English domestic cat and a Persian were crossed. But that long-bred breed has nothing to do with the current British cats.

Modern British Shorthair cat breed has a rather large body size, massive paws, a large and round head with a large leather fold. Low ears, a wide, short nose, a short plush coat and a thick straight tail - these are the external signs that can generally characterize this breed.

But what this breed is rich in is a large selection of colors. British shorthair cats have over 200 different varieties! This is a solid color of white, blue, red and even lilac without any spots and patterns. For female cats, a tortoiseshell mixture of multi-colored spots is characteristic. There are smoky British and with a distinctive color of the protruding parts of the body (ears, muzzle, paws, tail). In some species, the combination of white with the main color is clearly emphasized, and it is funny, but one ear of the animal is always painted in a different color. There are cats with a brindle pattern, with a chinchilla color and many others.

Shorthair British cats are great for living in a city apartment. They are beautiful, spectacular, smart, calm, clean. One can endlessly wonder how affectionate and sociable they are, kind and understanding. The British do not require complex care, they are not neededcomb out. But although they are selective about food, they still love to eat! Therefore, if they are not restrained, then very soon they will turn into fat and lazy.

European Shorthair

Short-haired European cats were bred in the middle of the 20th century. At first glance, it will seem that this is a completely ordinary domestic cat. But she has an amazing ability - she is a very good hunter. The qualities of an excellent rat catcher were obtained as a result of selection. And outwardly, she does not represent anything special: a strong muscular body of medium size, a rounded head with round cheeks, medium-sized ears and the most diverse colors: from the most banal black and white, to cream or silver.

The European Shorthair cat breed differs from others in its balanced character. These are stately and beautiful, affectionate and faithful, playful and independent animals. European cats are not prone to vagrancy, are very attached to their owners and can perfectly live in a city apartment and in a rural house.

It is said that the wild African cat was the progenitor of the modern European Shorthair. Since the breeding of the breed, a lot of water has flowed, but neither in appearance nor in the structural features of these animals have there been any changes. They are still graceful and beautiful.