longhair

longhair, breed of domestic cat noted for its long, soft, flowing coat. Long-haired cats were originally known as Persians or Angoras. These names were later discarded in favour of the name longhair, although the cats are still commonly called Persians in the United States. The longhair, a medium-sized or large cat with a cobby (stocky), short-legged body, has a broad, round head, a snub nose, and a short, heavily haired tail. The large, round eyes may be blue, orange, golden, green, or copper-coloured, depending on the colour of the cat. The soft, finely textured coat forms a heavy ruff about the neck.

The longhair is bred in a number of colour varieties. The solid, or self, colours are white, black, blue, red, and cream. Patterned coats include shaded silver and black (smoke); silver, brown, blue, or red with darker markings (tabby); white finely ticked with black (chinchilla); cream, red, and black (tortoiseshell); calico, or tortoiseshell and white; blue-gray and cream intermingled (blue cream); and bicoloured. The colours of tortoiseshells, calicos, and blue creams are genetically linked with the sex of the cat. Almost all are females, and most of the few males are sterile. Blue-eyed white cats may be deaf.

Longhairs with Siamese markings (i.e., pale body and dark face, ears, legs, and tail) are Himalayans, or colourpoints. Similarly marked longhairs with white paws are called Birmans. Peke-faced longhairs have short, pushed-in, Pekingese-like faces.

Longhair cats, although generally considered more languorous than short-haired cats, are, like shorthairs, noted for playfulness, affection, and the ability to defend themselves if necessary.

See the Table of Selected Longhair Breeds of Cats for further information.

Selected longhair breeds of cats

	name	origin	characteristics	comments
	Balinese	U.S.	long svelte body; sapphire-blue eyes	mutation of Siamese; tail sways when walking, resembling Balinese dancers
	Birman	Burma (Myanmar)	deep blue eyes; bushy tail; white-gloved paws	known as the “Sacred Cat of Burma”
	Cymric	Canada	stout with heavy chest; tailless	a longhair Manx
	Himalayan, or Colourpoint Longhair	U.S., Europe	cobby body; short full tail; sapphire-blue eyes	cross between Siamese and Persian
	Javanese	U.S.	graceful with long lithe body; silky coat	cross between Balinese and Colourpoint Shorthair
	Maine Coon	U.S.	large and well-muscled; shaggy coat	oldest American breed
	Norwegian Forest	Norway	robust muscular body; double coat	a favourite of the goddess Freya in Norse mythology
	Persian	exact origin unknown, possibly Iran	cobby body; massive head	one of the oldest and most popular breeds; many varieties
	Ragdoll	U.S.	heavy and powerful build; blue eyes	relaxes muscles when picked up, resembling a floppy rag doll
	Somali	U.S.	lithe and muscular body; green or golden eyes; full brush tail	a longhair Abyssinian
	Turkish Angora	Turkey	long plumed tail; large pointed ears	one of the first longhair cats in Europe