Shorthaired Cats

Domestic cats belong to either the longhair or the shorthair categories. Although longhaired cats are prized for their showy appearance, shorthaired cats do not require as much grooming, and shedding of hair present less of a problem.

Particular breeds of shorthairs include the Siamese, the Abyssinian, and the Burmese cats. The Siamese has very short hair and blue, slightly crossed eyes. Its evenly colored coat is marked by points, darker patches of color on its face, ears, paws, and tail. The Abyssinian is a large, slender cat with a ticked reddish coat, that is, each hair has two or three distinct bends of color. The Burmese, bred partly from Siamese, is of medium size and rich, sable brown color.

The Havana Brown, the Japanese Bobtail, the Korat, the Russian Blue, and the Manx are all shorthairs that are relatively rare but nevertheless popular. Although the Maine coon cat has medium long hair and is believed to have Persian ancestry, it is sometimes considered a shorthair.

The best known American domestic shorthairs are the tabby cats, which have striking of stripes or whorls on their brown, red or silver coats, the tortoiseshell, with patches of red, black, and brown and the calico, which has patches of while mixed in with the red, black, and brown patches. Other American domestic shorthairs include cats having pure black, white or blue coats of fur.