Types of short hair cats: 10 Short Hair Cat Breeds Who Are Perfectly Suited to Sharing Life With
10 Short Hair Cat Breeds Who Are Perfectly Suited to Sharing Life With
person holding Devon Rex
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What’s in a name? For cats, it’s often pretty simple. Some of the most popular cat breeds are defined by the length of their luxurious locks—take the British shorthair or American shorthair (two of the 10 most popular cat breeds in the world) for example. For cats with unknown lineage, fur length also becomes a key descriptor.
“Traditionally cats have been divided into short haired and long haired,” says Bonnie Bragdon, DVM, president and co-founder of the Independent Veterinary Practitioners Association. “As a matter of fact, when a cat’s breed is unknown a veterinarian will list the cat as a ‘DSH’ (i.e. domestic short haired cat), ‘DMH’ (i.e. domestic medium haired cat), and ‘DLH’ (i.e. domestic long haired cat).”
Of course, a feline’s fur is just one feature that distinguishes them from other breeds. Short hair cat breeds, generally speaking, require less grooming and may shed less than other cats, but each breed is unique in their own right.
American Shorthair
multicolored american shorthair lying down
American shorthairs can have coats in essentially any color and pattern, but the breed is defined by its broad and muscular body.
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Thick-coated and strong, the American shorthair cat has long been enemy to vermin stalking American soil—early ancestors of the American shorthair made quite the mousers aboard the Mayflower. Today’s American shorthair cats are friendly family pets, fitting in well with children and furry friends alike. Much like the less-strictly-defined domestic short haired cat, American shorthairs range dramatically in coat and eye color. Nonetheless, their stout stature, short ears, and round faces serve as distinct identifiers of a proud purebred pedigree.
European Shorthair
European shorthair laying by window
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Like the American shorthair, the European shorthair is a muscular mouser well-recognized in their home continent, though they are rarer in other parts of the world.
They stand out from their “American” counterparts with a bit stockier build but also come in a variety of colors. Well-suited for family life, some European shorthairs may not take as well to strangers or other household pets, but with a long lineage, temperament differs depending on the cat. One thing these kitties have in common? They take a great deal of pride in their appearance, satisfying most of their grooming needs themselves—a weekly brush-through on your part should do the trick!
British Shorthair
Girl cuddles grey British Shorthair on shoulder
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Rotund and teddy-bear-esque, it’s no surprise British shorthairs rounded out the top five most popular cat breeds in the world this past year. Often carrying blue-gray coats, these beauties are affectionately called British blues. Cheery and chubby-cheeked, the British shorthair is a delightful family pet just as content to curl up on the couch as he is to chase after a favorite toy from time to time.
Exotic Shorthair
white exotic shorthair cat with different color eyes
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A double take may be required for these Persian doppelgangers. With their flat faces and round eyes, the exotic shorthair is nearly a dead ringer for the popular Persian breed, with one key distinction: short hair! Unlike their cousins’ considerable coats, these low-maintenance cats require little outside of a weekly brushing. In 2020, they nearly topped the list of most popular cat breeds in the world, snagging the number two spot, while the Persian ranked number four.
Oriental Shorthair
oriental cat with blue eyes from above
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Spoiler alert: If Dobby’s death in “Harry Potter” still brings tears to your eyes, the Oriental shorthair cat might catch you by surprise. Their long ears atop narrow noses draw adorable Dobby to mind. Much like the house elf, they are total chatterboxes, eager to be around you and let you know how they’re doing.
They prefer a pal over riding solo, so adding another pet to the home is a good idea.
Burmese
brown european burmese cat looking at camera
A Burmese cat’s big, round, gold eyes always seem to be looking up at you and asking, “do you want to play?”
| Credit: Vladimir Fedorov / Getty
Soft and silky, the Burmese is best recognized for a dark sable coat, but brown, blue, cream, and even red coats are possible, almost always as a single solid color. If dogs are more your speed, don’t count out the boisterous Burmese—highly social and craving companionship, they are often described as dog-like. These cats don’t like to be left alone for long periods of time and enjoy stimulating environments with their people, complete with toys, window access, and perhaps even a friendly game of fetch.
Devon Rex
person holding Devon Rex
Credit: Jaroslaw Kurek / Shutterstock
Speaking of cats resembling their canine counterparts, the Devon rex is the poodle of kitties, boasting fine, wavy fur well-suited for pet parents with allergies—curly coats are often easier on sniffle-prone owners.
However, the breed is a bit higher maintenance than other short hair cat breeds, with regular bathing recommended to combat greasy fur. Playful and active, toys, cat trees, and plenty of attention are the keys to a happy kitty.
Manx
white and orange manx outdoors standing in leaves
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Don’t panic—the case of the Manx with the missing tail is due to a naturally occurring genetic mutation in the breed, causing most of the descendants to have short, stumpy tails or no tails at all (adorably referred to as rumpies). What they lack on their behinds, they more than make up for with their thick double coats, best brushed daily to keep up with shedding, which the Manx does frequently compared to other short haired breeds.
Singapura
Singapura cat
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Weighing as little as 4 pounds and typically maxing out at no more than 8 pounds, the petite Singapura is the smallest domestic cat breed.
Their adorable daintiness is emphasized by their large eyes and ears, which steal the show atop their slim frames. Their personalities are also larger than life, demanding attention despite their demure appearance. Owners with a silly streak will appreciate a lifelong kitten-like companion by their side.
Tonkinese
Tonkinese Cats in a Laundry Barrel
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The Tonkinese is the offspring of Siamese and Burmese parentage, sharing many of the beloved qualities of these breeds, including the short, silky fur noted in the Burmese. Much like the Burmese, Tonkinese cats are people pleasers and love being at the center of attention, not aloof to guests as other breeds may be but rather fully immersed in the happenings of your home. Watch out though—if he feels ignored, he may stir up a little trouble just to keep things exciting. Plenty of cat toys, scratching posts, and cat trees should keep mischief at bay.
So, Do Short-Haired Cats Shed or Not?
As you may have gleaned by now, short-haired cats aren’t exempt from shedding, but certain breeds may be better for owners with allergies than others. Not to mention, most require minimal grooming to keep hair in line. Still, every cat is different.
“Wavy, curly, or short hair may cause less of a reaction because there is less hair to shed into the environment,” Bragdon says. “There is no scientific proof that any specific breed is less or more allergenic, and individual cats produce allergens in variable amounts.”
In short, it’s not always as easy as limiting the home to a specific breed. Bragdon recommends potential pet parents plagued by allergies start out with single cat ownership to minimize allergen exposure.
domestic shorthair | Colours & Facts
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domestic shorthair, also called British Shorthair, breed of domestic cat often referred to as a common, or alley, cat; a good show animal, however, is purebred and pedigreed and has been carefully bred to conform to a set standard of appearance.
Characteristics
Compare a Bengal cat with a Cornish rex, a British shorthair with a Scottish fold, and a Manx with an Ocicat
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The domestic shorthair is required by show standards to be a sturdily built cat with strong-boned legs and a round head with round eyes and ears that are rounded at the tips. The coat must be short and may be any of the colours recognized for the longhair, or Persian. Some colours, such as blue cream, are infrequently found in shorthairs; others, such as the tabby colours (silver, brown, blue, and red), are commoner. In Britain, the shorthair is called the British shorthair to distinguish it from other breeds classified as foreign shorthairs.
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Although the alley, or common, cat may resemble a pedigreed shorthair, it is not a purebred animal; rather, it is a combination of breeds and may differ considerably in build and coat from the purebred shorthair.
Selected shorthair breeds of cats
Selected shorthair breeds of cats are listed in the table.
| name | origin | characteristics | comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssinian | probably Egypt | regal appearance; lithe body with long slender legs | resembles the sacred cat of ancient Egypt | |
| American Shorthair | U.S. | broad muscular body; thick dense fur | hardy; natural hunter | |
| American Wirehair |
U. S.
|
medium to large in size; curly coat | rare outside the U.S. | |
| Bengal | U.S. | spotted coat; hind legs shorter than forelegs | cross between Asian leopard cat and American Shorthair tabby | |
| Bombay | U.S. | elegant appearance; resembles Indian black leopard | cross between Burmese and black American Shorthair | |
| British Shorthair | England | broad body with short legs; short thick tail | oldest natural English breed; many varieties | |
| Burmese | Burma (Myanmar) | medium-sized; glossy, thick coat | related to the Siamese | |
| Chartreux | France | robust; all shades of blue-gray | one of the oldest natural breeds | |
| Cornish Rex | England | curly short coat; large ears | named after the Rex rabbit | |
| Devon Rex | England | coat slightly coarser than Cornish Rex; pixie face | nicknamed “poodle cat” | |
| Egyptian Mau | Egypt | graceful body; distinct spot pattern and banded tail | mau is Egyptian for “cat” | |
| Japanese Bobtail | Japan | triangular head with large ears; rabbitlike tail | symbol of good luck | |
| Korat | Thailand | silver-blue coat; heart-shaped face | native name Si-Sawat; considered to be good luck | |
| Manx | Isle of Man | tailless or with stump; double coat (soft undercoat beneath longer, coarser hairs) | tailless gene can cause skeletal defects and stillbirths if not bred with a tailed cat | |
| Ocicat |
U. S.
|
typically cream coat with dark or light brown spots and markings | cross between Abyssinian, American Shorthair, and Siamese | |
| Oriental Shorthair | U.S., U.K. | long lithe body; vivid green eyes | numerous colours unique to the breed | |
| Russian Blue | Russia | blue with silver tipping; plush double coat; fine-boned but muscular | considered omens of good luck | |
| Scottish Fold | Scotland | typically folded ears; short, round, well-padded body | folded ear gene can cause crippling when two such types are mated | |
| Siamese | Asia | sapphire-blue eyes; long lean body | noted for its intelligence and unpredictable behaviour | |
| Sphynx | Canada | hairless; large ears | rare outside North America | |
| Tonkinese |
U. S.
|
blue-green eyes; medium-sized | cross between Siamese and Burmese |
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
90,000 what are and how to care for them. Breeds of short-haired cats with photos in alphabetical order.
What are the breeds of shorthair cats? In fact, there are a great many of them, and they live all over the world. In this section, we have tried to collect the most complete list of them, paying attention to each. The following breeds can be attributed to the shorthair, as an example.
American Curl
This cat breed can be not only short-haired, but also have semi-long hair. They are distinguished by an unusual structure of the ears, are very devoted to their owners, express great love and affection, and are great with children. These cats are able to quickly adapt to circumstances, smart and observant.
Bengal cat
These are medium-sized cats with stripes of various shades. They are very inquisitive, active, have a sharp mind and get along well with other pets. In the formation of a standardized breed, ordinary domestic cats and, in fact, a wild Bengal cat took part.
Devon Rex
These short-haired cats have a very exotic appearance, large ears, with a relatively small body size. They are very affectionate and strongly attached to their owner, friendly towards children and other pets. Devon Rex are playful and active, their intelligence requires knowledge of the world, observations and their own conclusions.
Egyptian Mau
It has a spotted color, and spots are also present on the skin, not only on the coat. These medium-sized cats have a good disposition, are very attached to the owner, playful and quick-witted. This breed is one of the most ancient, and has about 3000 years.
Korat
This blue cat comes from Thailand, from the Korat high plateau.
It is distinguished by good health and resembles a Russian blue cat, although it does not have such a dense coat. In its native country, the Korat enjoys a privileged position, and is considered a lucky cat. They are very active, inquisitive, can get along with other animals, but the inner nobility requires to maintain primacy.
Manx cat (Manx)
The breed comes from America, from the Isle of Man. It arose naturally, thanks to which these pets have excellent health and high intelligence. A distinctive feature is usually considered the absence of a tail, however, some representatives of the breed still have a tail. They are very affectionate and sociable animals. Well perceived by children and peaceful dogs, excellent hunters.
Ocicat
The breed originated in Michigan by crossing Abyssinian and Siamese cats. Ocicat has a small size, spotted color and a very affectionate disposition. These cats are playful, inquisitive, quick-witted and normally treat everyone.
Lykoi
A very unusual breed of hairless cats, although, in fact, they have hair. An interesting feature is that the amount of wool often depends on the season. These cats in appearance resemble werewolves from myths and legends, in fact, the name is taken from mythology. The coat mutation arose naturally, and today there are hardly more than a hundred such cats.
Russian Blue
A very famous and ancient breed that originated naturally in Russia. These cats are characterized by a soft, docile nature, high intelligence, excellent health, longevity and love for others. They are able to make friends not only with adults, but also with children. And their beautiful coat with a silvery sheen, grace and charm instantly captivate everyone.
Shorthair cats exist throughout the world, both as natural breeds and artificially bred. In this section, you can highlight a lot of useful information that will help you make the right decision when choosing a pet.
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Over the 10 thousand years that have passed since the first wild cat decided to settle in a human home, lovers of these graceful and self-sufficient animals have actively worked on their appearance and character. We decided to talk about the best and most popular shorthair cat breeds today
ALEKSADRA SOTNIKOVA
KP journalist
Today, according to felinologists, there are already 200 breeds of domestic cats in the world (although not all of them are recognized by international associations) and half of them are short-haired. All of them differ in size, shape of the body and muzzle, color, habits, and in order to understand exactly how they will get along in our house, we decided to talk about the best and most popular shorthair cat breeds today.
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1. British cat. British cats today top the list of the most popular breeds in the world and are considered one of the best shorthair breeds for keeping at home.
The ancestors of British cats sailed to England in the holds of the ships of the Roman conquerors and remained on the green islands. For centuries, they have crossed with local native cats, acquiring a purely English solidity in the body and an imperturbable British character.
In the Victorian era, cats became very popular, especially after the first cat show in 1871, and from barns and sheds where they exterminated rodents, they crossed the threshold of aristocratic living rooms. Breeders experimented quite a lot with the breed, splicing the British with the Russian blue, Persian cat, so a variety of colors and a special “plushness” of their short-haired coat appeared. Compliant, non-aggressive, affectionate yet independent, British cats are incredibly comfortable to keep in the house, and their thick short coat does not require special care, which makes British cats one of the best shorthair breeds in the world.
The British are not fussy eaters, it is desirable to avoid the obesity to which they are prone, they are distinguished by good health, allowing them to live happily ever after.
2. Scottish cat
Photo: pixabay.com
Scottish cats are another popular favorite among cat breeders from different countries. Not only their round muzzles with the same round, always surprised eyes, but also the plush coat, which does not require special care, makes them one of the best shorthair breeds for keeping in an apartment. Despite the fact that Scottish cats lived for centuries next to humans in Scotland, as their name implies, this breed was recognized only recently.
The lop-eared variety of the Scottish cat – the Scottish Fold – was officially recognized by international organizations as a new breed in 1994, and its straight-eared variety – the Scottish Straight – only in 2004. The shape of the ears does not affect the character of the Scottish cat at all – they are affectionate, not aggressive, independent enough to easily endure a long absence of their owners, not intrusive, they don’t even like being picked up, but they enjoy spending time next to the owners, calmly thinking about something of his own, feline.
Scottish cats do not need specific nutrition – they live perfectly on dry or wet food rich in proteins and useful minerals, they are distinguished by good health and a fairly long life of 14-18 years. The only caveat is related to the health of Scottish Fold cats.
Pretty curled forward and pressed to the head ears are the result of a gene mutation that nature has awarded the cat Susie, who appeared on one of the Scottish farms in 19961. This charming mutation also appeared in Susie’s kittens, and then breeders began to purposefully replicate it. But it turned out that the gene that is responsible for lop-earedness also affects the musculoskeletal system of cats, causing them serious problems. Therefore, when choosing a kitten of the Scottish Fold breed, you need to take care of his joints from childhood, purchasing food with special additives of chondroprotectors and preventing the animal from becoming obese. And with proper care and sincere care, charming Scots will not let their owners doubt that they are one of the best shorthair cat breeds.
3. Oriental cat
Photo: pixabay.com
Huge ears, a graceful long body, cheerful green eyes, inexhaustible energy and a smooth satin coat – all these are Oriental cats, one of the best short-haired breeds, recognized throughout the world . But before official recognition, oriental cats had to stay in the status of “wrong Siamese” for many decades.
The fact is that most experts did not want to consider this breed, brought to Europe and America from Thailand, to be independent, believing that it was just a marriage – Siamese cats with the wrong coat color and green eyes, instead of blue ones. Fortunately, several breeders in the USA and England did not want to give up and continued to breed oriental cats, crossing them with Russian blues, Abyssinians and domestic shorthair cats in order to achieve especially graceful lines of the body of an elongated muzzle resembling a heart shape, and most importantly – the correct shape and ear sizes.
Their enthusiasm, in the end, was rewarded, and Oriental cats were recognized as an independent breed at the end of the 20th century. Now, these graceful beauties with big ears have won the hearts of cat lovers around the world and occupy up to one of the leading positions among the most popular shorthair breeds.
The only thing that oriental cats need to be happy is always and everywhere to be near the owner, stick their elegant nose into all things and corners, immediately indulge in fun games and fuss. These Asian angels do not tolerate loneliness well, but they get along well with other cats or dogs. Orientation people do not tolerate human food well, but they are happy to eat ready-made dry or wet food. They take care of their fur coat on their own, are distinguished by good health and a cheerful disposition, even in old age. If you are looking for a loyal and purring friend, then the Oriental cat will be an excellent choice among the best shorthair breeds.
4.
Thai cat
Photo: pixabay.com
Who didn’t dream of owning a “kitten named Woof” as a child – a good Soviet cartoon brought Thai cats immense popularity in the USSR. Although Thai cats appeared in Russia much later than in Europe, only in the second half of the 20th century, they immediately won the hearts of cat lovers. Then blue-eyed cats with white fur and dark ears, muzzle, tail and paws were called “Siamese”. Their homeland is the Kingdom of Thailand – up to 19For 49 years it was called Siam, which gave the name to the graceful representatives of the feline family.
In Siam, white and black beauties with blue eyes lived in Buddhist temples, driving away evil spirits and quite prosaic rodents. These cats were endowed with a special ability to bring goodness and prosperity to the house where they live, so they were protected in every possible way and the export of Thai cats abroad was prohibited. King Sama violated the ban by giving a pair of cats to a British diplomat for his services to the country.
Thai cats made a splash in England, having learned about this, the King of Thailand presented several more graceful animals to the ruling royal family of Britain. So Thai cats first conquered the UK, and forget about the rest of the world.
And, if in Europe an amateur felinologist worked with rapture to improve the exterior of cats, in Russia Thai cats were simply crossed with each other, distributing or selling kittens. Such an “indifferent” attitude made it possible to preserve the classic breed, and in 1988 it was the Russian cats presented at the international exhibition that became the founders of a separate “Thai” breed, in which all the advantages of ancient animals were preserved, which are one of the best shorthair cat breeds in the world. 9Abyssinian cat a cat named Zula. She became the progenitor of one of the best shorthair cat breeds in the world – the Abyssinian, named after her homeland. Abyssinia has long been called Ethiopia, but the ancient breed has retained the ancient name.
It is believed that Abyssinian cats have a wild Libyan cat in their ancestors, and genetic analysis has confirmed the relationship of Abyssinian cats with ancient Egyptian cats, whose mummies date back to 200 BC. During the breeding work, Abyssinian cats have changed their color – before they were of the traditional tabi color (striped), and now from short hair, almost devoid of undercoat, can only be ticked, that is, along the entire length of each hair there should be dark and lighter stripes .
Abyssinian cats are incredibly affectionate, flexible, curious, friendly and easy to get along with other pets. Abyssinians have high intelligence and easily learn the rules of life next to a person.
6. Siamese cat
Photo: pixabay.com
Graceful beauties with bright blue eyes – modern Siamese cats serve as an adornment of any home and are rightfully included in the list of the best short-haired cat breeds. Their short coat should have a certain color, which is called “point”, when the ears, muzzle, tail and paws are much darker than the main color of the body.
The modern Siamese color standard recognizes four varieties: seal point, beau point, chocolate point and lilac point. The beautiful and fine coat of Siamese cats almost does not require additional care – born clean, Siamese cats do an excellent job of caring for a fur coat. And modern Siamese cats owe the elegance and grace of their body to European breeders who decided to “lighten” the body of classic Siamese cats (now most international felinological associations distinguish them as a separate breed – Thai cats), for which they were crossed with landmarks, Abyssinians. But from a change in appearance, the character of these beautiful creatures did not change at all.
Siamese cats are very attached to their owners, they love to communicate with people and are considered one of the most talkative breeds. Siamese cats are active, libra and playful, but at the same time they retain a sense of dignity. They are very jealous of the attention that a person gives them, so they hardly do it with other pets, preferring to be the only favorite of their owner.
Siamese cats have good health and with careful care can bring joy to people for a long time, leaving one of the best short-haired cat breeds.
7. Russian blue cat
Photo: pixabay.com
The official history of these beauties with blue velvet hair begins in England in the 19th century, when, following Queen Victoria, most aristocratic families began to have graceful affectionate pets. kitties with a devoted look of green eyes. It is not surprising that it was the queen who fell in love with this breed, because it is believed that the Russian blue cat came to England as a royal gift – the Russian Empress Catherine II presented a living curiosity to the English ambassadors.
Before becoming “royal” cats, graceful creatures with a velvety gray fur coat, shimmering in blue, lived in the cities and villages of Pomorie, caught mice, played with the children of fishermen and did not suspect that fate was preparing them for an aristocratic existence.
“Arkhangelsk” cats, as they were also called in England after the capital of Pomorye, the city of Arkhangelsk, were officially recognized as a new breed in 1912 and at the same time the blue beauties “ran up” all over the world, they were especially liked by US cat lovers, who immediately decided to improve the body cats and began to cross them with Asian breeds. And in their historical homeland, blue cats appeared only in the 80s of the twentieth century, but in Russia they began to actively cross with wild ancestors of the same color, bringing out wonderful lines that take prizes at international exhibitions.
The Russian blue cat, despite its backyard origin, has a truly intelligent character, she is affectionate, kind to her owners, perfectly trained and clean. The Russian Blue takes care of her luxurious fur coat herself, without requiring much effort from the owner – combing out the down once a week is enough. Possessing high intelligence, the Russian beauty is perfectly trained in the correct behavior in the house, and innate intelligence makes living with her a real pleasure, it is not for nothing that the Russian Blue is included in the list of the best shorthair breeds in the world.
8. Burmese cat
Photo: pixabay.com
In their homeland in Burma, strong but graceful chocolate-colored cats with round yellow eyes were considered the reincarnation of the souls of Buddhist monks and guides to the afterlife. Burmese cats, or, as they are also called, Burmese, conquered Europe with the beauty of their short dense fur coat and unusual brown color. For the first time, a cat from distant Burma appeared in England in 1930 with a breeder of Siamese cats. He immediately crossed this exotic handsome cat with a Siamese cat, which had a brown color, and their descendants became the ancestors of the Burmese breed, which was officially registered in 1936 year. Since then, graceful cats with strong bones and docile character are among the best shorthair breeds.
They say that the soul of a dog is hidden in the body of a Burmese cat, so Burmese become attached to their owners – they are ready to accompany them everywhere, “help” in any business, and if a person is not in a good mood, curl up in a ball in an armchair and not disturb him with suggestions to play.
Murmansk cats get along well with other pets, they are friendly to strangers who first come to their house.
The high intelligence of Burmese cats allows them to quickly learn the rules of life in the house and not upset their owners with unpleasant surprises. Clean Burmese take great care of their coat, and owners only need to brush it once a week to remove dead hairs. The only drawback of Murmansk cats is a really brutal appetite, but you should not go on about a cat that is always begging for food, otherwise the animal will gain excess weight, which will negatively affect the well-being of a representative of a completely healthy breed.
9. European Shorthair cat
Photo: pixabay.com
Surprisingly, one of the oldest aboriginal cat breeds officially turned out to be one of the youngest. The European Shorthair went or the Celtic cat, as it is also called, was recognized as a breed only in 1982, and until that time, the numerous efforts of Scandinavian breeders who decided to “legitimize” the familiar striped Muka to everyone were unsuccessful.
For thousands of years, European shorthair cats have lived side by side with humans, helped him save supplies from pests, brighten up life, curled up on his lap, but were considered just cats, not a separate breed, while most of their Asian native counterparts received official registration and participated in international exhibitions. But even today short-haired European cats are a rare guest at cat shows.
Unfortunately, this breed was not commercially viable, as most people who want to get a cat do not see much difference between this recognized breed and its counterparts walking the streets. Although, of course, there is a difference, because breeders intensively “removed” any Asian blood from a European shorthair cat, restoring an exclusively native type: a small muscular body with proportional paws and a long tail, a round head with a slightly elongated muzzle, small ears rounded at the ends, large slightly obliquely set eyes, and the colors of the European shorthair cat can only be those that are found in nature.
Over the centuries of existence on the street and self-sustaining food, European shorthair cats have acquired an outstanding intelligence that allows them to immediately get used to a human home, quickly realize the rules of living, they are unpretentious in food and care, affectionate and grateful to the person who feeds and loves them. Compliant nature and self-sufficiency make the European cat one of the best shorthair breeds.
10. Sphinxes
Photo: pixabay.com
Especially for those who do not tolerate even short hair in their home, and are also not ready to spend time caring for a cat’s coat, breeders from around the world brought out several bald or hairless cats, which they called sphinxes. Today, the company of sphinxes has several breeds: Kakov Sphynx, Don Sphynx, Ukrainian Levkoy, Peterbald, Elf, Bambino, Minskin. All these breeds are united by either a complete absence of wool, or a very short coat with a hair length of no more than 2 millimeters.
It all started in 1966 when a cat living in the Canadian city of Toronto gave birth to a hairless kitten. The reason for the lack of wool was a genetic mutation, the nature of which is still not clear, but cat breeders decided to fix this gene by selection, which they succeeded. The Canadian Sphynx breed was the first to appear, and Russian breeders took up the breeding of hairless cats. This is how the Don Sphynx and Peterbald appeared. In Ukraine, they brought out not just a hairless cat, its ears were bent on the sides, this charming creature was called the Ukrainian Levkoy. Next came a new kind of hairless cat called an elf – his ears are wrapped back like an American chair, from crossing with which a new breed originated. And the bald breeds of Bambino and Minskin are distinguished by their miniature size.
Unusual “leather” pets retain all the habits of ordinary cats: they love caressing and stroking warm skin, fun games, delicious food and are very attached to their owners.
Due to the lack of wool, sphinxes are very thermophilic and try to settle down next to warm radiators or climb under woolen blankets and bedspreads. Their suede skin requires almost no care – just rub it with a damp cloth. They are affectionate and loyal, making the Sphynx one of the best shorthair cat breeds in the world.
Having decided that a cat is needed in the house, the future owners, first of all, are guided by the appearance of the future tailed girlfriend, which is quite natural. But when choosing a suitable short-haired breed, it is necessary to take into account whether the lifestyle that the future owner of the cat leads will match the character and habits of the future pet.
- If you spend most of your time at work, and the apartment is empty at that time, then it is better to choose a short-haired breed that calmly endures loneliness without suffering from the absence of owners. This is a British cat, Scottish cat (both varieties: fold and straight), Russian blue cat, European shorthair cat.
- If there is always someone in the house: the owners lead a “sedentary” lifestyle, there are pensioners or children in the apartment, then such a world will be the most suitable for Asian shorthair breeds – sociable and attached to their owners: oriental cats, Abyssinian cats, Thai cats, Siamese cats, Burmese cats, Somali cats, all kinds of sphinxes that need constant communication with people.
- If you want a cat to be active and sociable, to be in constant contact with you and your children, then Asian cat breeds are best suited for this: Siamese, Thai, Abyssinian, Oriental, Burmese, Egyptian Mau, Bengal cat.
- If there are small children in the house who will treat a cat like a living toy, then it is worth getting a pet that can tolerate children’s pranks without showing displeasure: all types of sphinxes, Russian blue cat, Abyssinian cat, oriental cat, burmese cat.
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Cat breeds
“I’ll get a cat!” – you decided, drawing in your head touching pictures of a purring ball.