Description

domestic shorthair cat

The domestic shorthair cat is competing for most popular pet in the U.S. with an approximate 80 million in the states out of the estimated 600 million around the world. In fact, the great majority, almost 95%, of U.S. cats are considered domestic shorthairs.

Keep in mind that the domestic shorthair is not really a breed. Known as moggie by the English, the cats have a blended ancestry and may be more akin to mutts in the dog world than their own unique breed. Since domestic shorthair cats are a combination of different breeds, they vary greatly in fur color, personality and other traits meaning adopting a domestic shorthair uniquely your own is easy!

These cuddly and playful cats are easy to love and are great for a variety of households and lifestyles.

Personality

The domestic shorthair personalities are as varied as they get. From playful to calm or vocal to quiet, no matter the personality, these cats are social when raised with humans and make great pets for most families, including those with other pets or children.

While they are descendants of cats who used to hunt mice, all cats are individuals and that means not all domestic shorthairs are going to want to chase mice or want to bring their parents gifts.

Physical Attributes

Body

Domestic shorthairs range in appearance, without one color or pattern being predominant. Some have spots, some have patches and others may have a different colored tail than the rest of their body. Their smooth, shiny coats come in a variety of colors: brown, orange, black, white, and so on. Their eyes can be hazel, blue, green or gold.

All variety aside, some common physical traits amongst domestic shorthairs include their round head and paws, muscular bodies and medium tail-length. They tend to have a varied stature and can range anywhere from 6 to 16 pounds, though the females tend to be smaller than the males. Fun fact: their nighttime vision is six times better than humans!

These cats tend to stay healthy and live a fairly long life of 12 to 14 years. Routine veterinary care is, as always, recommended and be careful of equating food with love for these kitties they can get overweight.