The Domestic Long Hair is the same breed of cat as the Domestic Short Hair, but with longer fur. It is descended from cats that were brought to America aboard ships to hunt rats and was selectively bred in America into today’s Domestic Long Hair. The name Domestic Long Hair is given to cats whose parentage is in question; otherwise, it is referred to as an American Long Hair and only American Long Hairs can be show cats.

This long haired cat does require regular grooming if it does not like to groom itself and must be bathed every one to two weeks as part of the grooming process. For this reason, and many others, Domestic Long Hair cats do not make good outdoor cats – their coats are prone to matting which, if not attended to properly, can lead to infections.

Domestic Long Hair coats can come in a wide range of colors and patterns – there is no standard or predictability in color. This breed of cat also has almost as many different personalities so it is relatively easy to find a suitable cat for any environment and family. There is no average weight for this breed, but Domestic Long Hairs tend to be a medium sized cat. On average, they will live for twelve to twenty years.

Domestic Long Hairs are a hearty breed of cat (as part of their 'working cat' heritage) and do not have any specific medical problems or concerns, but they can be prone to obesity so it is important to monitor their diet.

There is a website that has great information on the Domestic Long Hair and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2006

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