Longhaired Cats

All longhaired cats are frequently, but incorrectly, called Persian or Angora Cats because those are two of the oldest and best known types. The Persian type longhair is believed to have originated in Persia (Iran), but the evidence is inconclusive. A Persian type longhair has a short, compact body, a short tail and a large, rounded head with a short nose and small ears. Its coat tends to stand away from its body. Persian cats, officially called longhairs in Britain, are bred in a wide variety of coat colors and patterns. The Angora type longhair is believed to have originated in Turkey and is presumbly name for the superficial resemblance of its coat to that of the Angora goat. The Angora is finer boned and longer bodied than the Persian, with longer legs and a longer tail. Its head is relatively smaller and more tapered, and it has larger ears. Its coat is usually white and not quite as long or as dense as that of the Persian, and it tends to lie closer to the body.

Another longhaired breed from Turkey is the Van cat or Turkish cat. Its white coat lacks an underfur and is not as dense as that of the Persian. Its head is wedge shaped, with large ears and a medium length nose. A fourth asiatic breed is the Birman cat of Burma. It is somewhat heavy bodied like the Persian but has a longer head and tail. Its coloring is unique. Like the Siamese, its has dark points, face, ears, legs, and tail, but its body is cream colored and its paws white.

A relatively old U.S. longhaired breed is the Mainecoon cat, believed to be derived from random breedings (late 1800s) of Angora type cats, particularly in Maine. It is large and Angora like, with a variety of coat patterns. A new breed of longhair is the Balinese, which is essentially a longhaired Siamese. It differs from the Himalayan, which is a Persian type cat.