Short-haired cats are your cat’s great-great-great-grandmother. In fact, even if your pet has long hair, the family tree of the fluffy cat starts with the Libyan cat. Almost 10 000 years ago the Libyan Cat (aka Nubian, aka North African steppe cat), having spotted funny creatures in its field of vision, decided to tame them.
It must be said that the years of domestication didn’t go in vain, a man if not deified the cat, at least, adores it, takes care of it, feeds it and at the same time cannot even rationally explain – why he does it! The independent cat just allows itself to be loved, giving the human an opportunity to admire itself and from time to time to stroke its lovely self (but not against the fur!)
The nubian cat gene turned out to be so strong that even today short-haired cats (both domestic and wild) are more common than long-haired cats. The domination of the shorthair gene is easy to explain – a cat with short hair is more independent in natural conditions than its long-haired sister. This coat scratches less, it is easier to catch parasites, and skin diseases bypass these cats.
So, Mother Nature and the wonders of breeding have provided short-haired cats prize-winning first place for the number of breeds with this trait.
By the way, from all other breeds, short-haired cats are distinguished not only by the length of their hair, but also by its quality!
Globally, experts divide short-haired cat breeds into such groups:
- European
- Oriental
- American
Short-haired cat breed list with pictures and names. European group
British Shorthair Cat
For the formation of this breed fans should thank Harrison Weir, who saw the prospect of developing a breed that combined the appearance of aristocrats and the virtues of the aboriginal cat with a short coat. The British cat turned out to be, traditionally, an independent creature, but also very balanced and gentle. The breed is optimally suited for an apartment or home. It is interesting that the British is the only short-haired cat breed, perhaps, for which a specialized food is produced!
The coat of the British cat is particularly soft, it is double, but not fluffy.
Scottish Shorthair Cat
Short-haired Scottish Straight cats are genetically related and even have some resemblance to the British, but you can’t call them twins – Scottish cats have their own “face”. Brits are big, Scots are lighter, Brits are cheeky, and Scots have softer muzzle shape. The coat is naturally short, plush, with a good undercoat.
Scottish short-haired cats are big weirdos! They are one of the few cats that stand on their hind legs frequently and happily.
European Shorthair Cat
The European Shorthair Cat may be familiar to you both as a domestic and an outdoor cat. It is assumed that this cat is the most common breed in yards all over the world. By the way, in 1997 there was an attempt to name this breed “Celtic Cat” but the name did not stick and European Shorthair cats continue to conquer the world and hearts, especially being famous for their virtuoso abilities in catching rodents.
This cat differs from non-breed street bullies by several parameters, one of which is the quality of hair. Thick, close to the body (and short!) hair is an obligatory component of European Shorthair Cat image.
In many encyclopedias one can meet the definition of this breed: “the only real cat”!
Oriental smooth-haired cats
Asian short haired cat breeds are distinguished by their intelligence, shrewdness. Photos of this breed represent the special grace and sophistication of oriental cats. Separately, we will focus on 4 breeds of this group.
Oriental Shorthair Cat
The first mentions of this breed are found in manuscripts of ancient Thailand. In Europe the cat could become mega-popular already at the end of the XX century. But it yielded the palm to Siamese cats, from which Oriental cats are distinguished by solid color and eye color. Eyes of Oriental Cats are usually green. The white color of the coat is in harmony with the blue eyes, but gray and yellow iris colors almost never occur. The coat itself is very smooth and shiny.
Siamese Shorthair Cat
This breed is unique because the Siamese have never been crossed with European cats. As a result, we have a pristine oriental breed!
Wool is shiny and tight to the body, almost without an undercoat. The specific sign of the breed is a dark “mask” that covers the front part of the muzzle, joins the ears, but does not go over the cranial part of the head.
Bombay Shorthair Cat
The combination of glossy black fur and hypnotic glitter of copper eyes makes representatives of this breed look like miniature panthers.
Bombay’s fur is dense in itself and it also adheres to the body very tightly. Overall, the coat of these cats leaves the impression of being lacquered.
Egyptian Mau
It was the Egyptian Mau in ancient times that personified for Egyptians the Goddess Bastet, the same one who was able to give joy of life. Today it is quite a rare breed, in Europe only three kennels are officially engaged in breeding Egyptian Cat, and it’s a pity – the breed is very interesting.
Did you know, for example, that Egyptian Mau can run at a speed of 58 km per hour?
American short-haired cats with photo and description
This group of cats is distinguished from the previous one by its large size and special “long legs”.
American Shorthair Cat
For the New World, this breed is not at all new. The ancestors of the American Shorthair cat settled in America several centuries ago, but they officially received citizenship only at the beginning of the last century.
The black color of the Buster Brown cat in 1904 conquered the connoisseurs of beauty and Buster Brown became the ancestor of the breed. Americans turned out very beautiful and just as lazy. To ensure that the pet does not lose its waistline, owners are advised to exercise regularly with their animal. The coat of the American cat is thick and very soft, unlike the following breed.
American Wirehair Cat
Their name kind of hints at something. Yes, the hips, head, backbone and outer part of the tail of this breed have coarser hair than the rest of the body, which has given rise to the myth of a different quality of hair.
In fact, for the most part, the coat of these Americans is not different from that of the common short-haired American breed (which became the basis for the wire-haired cats). Their undercoat is thick, and even though some of the hairs are heavily curled, overall their coat is pretty soft. And the character is also soft and friendly. This breed is great for children, as American curly-haired cats know how to really take care of human cubs.
American Curl
This uncut diamond was discovered in 1981 in California and named Sulamith. Sulamith gave birth to 4 kittens, whose ears bent freakishly a few days later. This exotic appearance has led to the fact that the American Curl is valued very highly. Literally – the price for a kitten reaches $3000!
The wool of this breed is characterized by the fact that they have almost no undercoat, and the hair itself as if flowing down the body of the cat.
Of course, a story about domestic short-haired cat breeds would not be complete without mentioning such breeds as:
- Abyssinian Cat,
- Anatolian Cat,
- Bengal Cat,
- Brazilian Shorthair,
- Burmilla,
- Korat,
- Cornish Rex,
- Munchkin,
- Russian Blue Cat,
- and more.
You will find a story about them in our other articles. But now – a few words about the care of short-haired cat breeds.
Care tips for domestic short-haired cat breeds
All short-haired cats are roughly divided into three types:
- cats, which have short coats that fit tightly over the body;
- cats, which are characterized by plush hair;
- cats with curly hair.
If your cat belongs to the group of short-haired cats with closely fitting fur, then we congratulate you – the care of such a beauty is minimal! Once a week brush it against and through the coat and treat it with protein conditioner which helps to keep the shine of the coat.
“Plush” cats should be combed out with a medium-frequency brush, use a massage brush and a rubber mitt as well. The latter is designed to remove frozen hairs.
Curly beauties like to be wiped with a silk cloth or a piece of natural suede. Frequent bathing of this breed’s representatives is not recommended. And certainly in no case you should not brush the cat after bathing – this careless step can damage the delicate curls.
And before we finish the story about the short-haired cat breeds – good news! It turns out that the progenitors of modern cats, the Nubian, have survived to this day and can be found everywhere in Africa and China.