General Breeds and Characteristics

Introduction

Although cats kept as pets come in many different colors, hair lengths and sizes, they are the same species. Experts believe that all domestic cats are descended from a common ancestor, the African wildcat.

Over time, isolated locations and human intervention resulted in different breeds of cats with distinctive characteristics. Offspring of purebred cats typically match the size, color, hair coat and body type of their parents, also referred to as “breeding true.”

Most cats kept as pets are not pedigreed purebreds and are considered “mongrels” or mixed breeds. Most pet stores and veterinary clinics classify these cats by the length of their hair coat, referring to them as Domestic Shorthair (DSH) or Domestic Longhair (DLH); a designation of Domestic Mediumhair (DMH) is used less commonly.

Cats can range greatly in size from breed to breed, but male cats generally will weigh more than females of the same breed. For the purpose of this chapter, cats are classified by size as follows:

• Small—Less than 7 lbs.
• Medium—7 to 10 lbs.
• Large—More than 10 lbs.

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