Domestic long-haired cat
Domestic long-haired cat | |
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A brown mackerel tabby domestic long-haired cat | |
Alternative names | Domestic Longhair (DLH) House Cat, Longhair (HCL) Longhair Household Pet |
Common nicknames | Long-haired moggie |
Variety status | Not recognised as a formal breed by any major registry. |
Notes | |
Like the domestic short-haired cat, this is not a breed, but a non-breed classification of mixed-breed cats. | |
Domestic cat (Felis catus) |
A domestic long-haired cat (or long-haired moggie in British English) is a cat of mixed ancestry – thus not belonging to any particular recognised cat breed – possessing a coat of semi-long to long fur.[1] Domestic long-haired cats should not be confused with the British Longhair, American Longhair, or other breeds with "Longhair" names, which are formal breeds recognised by various registries. Domestic long-haireds are the second most popular cat in the United States after the domestic short-haired;[1] one in ten of the ninety million cats in America is a domestic long-hair.[1] Another generic term is long-haired house cat.
In the cat fancy, domestic long-haired cats cats may be classified with organisation-specific terminology, such as Domestic Longhair (DLH),[1] House Cat, Longhair (HCL),[2][3] or Semi-Longhair Household Pet.[4] Such a pseudo-breed is used for registry classification purposes, since while not commonly bred as show cats, some mixed-breed cats are actually pedigreed and entered into cat shows. Show rules vary, and may permit "any eye colour, all coat colours and patterns, any coat length or texture, and any length of tail" (i.e. anything at all, as long as the cat is well-proportioned and healthy)[3] or may be more restrictive (e.g. "The colours chocolate and cinnamon, as well as their dilution (lilac and fawn) are not recognized in any combinations...[and t]he pointed pattern is also not recognized"[4]).
Domestic long-haireds come in all genetically possible cat colours including tabby, tortie, bi-coloured, and smoke.[1] Domestic long-haireds can have fur that is up to six inches long.[1] They can also have a mane similar to a Maine Coon's, as well as toe tufts and ear tufts.[1] Some long-haired cats are not able to maintain their own coat, which must be frequently groomed by a human or may be prone to matting.[1] Because of their wide gene pool, domestic long-haireds are not predisposed to any genetically inherited problems.[1]
History
In the mid 17th century as the plague destroyed much of London's population, the cat made its first strives of recovery from centuries of persecution. Despite being outlawed by the catholic church, during this time cats were encouraged as protectors from flea carrying rats. The Crusaders having already brought back plague and pestilence from the East brought the first long coated cats into Europe returning from the Holy Wars. How they developed in the first instance is still a matter of speculation. It is believed that the long coated effects were the result of a recessive mutant gene. When a long coated cat is mated to one with a short coat only short coated kittens can result; however, their offspring when mated inter SE, will produce a proportion of long coated kittens. Successive litters produced more and more of the cats with coats very suited to the cold climate in which they lived. The long coated offspring were more likely to survive in cold climates so the variety became fixed after a few generations. Some zoologists have advanced the hypothesis that the MANUL, also known as Pallas's cat might be the ancestor of the long coated domestic cat. Our present day long haired cats were formerly known as Persians and Angoras and were said to have come from those two areas. [5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Domestic Longhair (Video). Cats 101. Animal Planet.
- ↑ "Breed Standards". FIFeWeb.org. Luxembourg: Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe). 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Housecat / Hauskatze / Chat de Maison" (PDF). FIFe. 1 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Semi-longhair: Household Pet". WCF-Online.de. Essen, Germany: World Cat Federation (WCF). 1 January 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013. PDF version: http://www.wcf-online.de/WCF-EN/library/HHP_en_2010-01-01.pdf
- ↑ World Encyclopedia of Cats (Book) : Angela Sayer pg 40 - pg 41 Chartwell Books Secaucus, New Jersey
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