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- Also called:
- house cat or domestic cat
News •
Hawks stay unbeaten after impressive comeback win, Lions claim thriller against Cats
• Mar. 29, 2025, 1:53 AM ET (ABC News (Australia))
Pet cats and dogs to be allowed on Hong Kong’s light rail trains from May in two-month trial
• Mar. 26, 2025, 11:10 PM ET (Straits Times)
'Wasn't Harlem Globetrotter stuff': Cats rue slow start in loss to Saints
• Mar. 22, 2025, 4:17 AM ET (ABC News (Australia))
Cat owners asked to share pets’ quirks for genetic study
• Mar. 20, 2025, 3:59 AM ET (The Guardian)
Viral posts cause panic among Kashmir cat owners
• Mar. 4, 2025, 1:07 AM ET (Taipei Times)
A selection of shorthair breeds of domestic cats is given 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 |
