Domestic Shorthair Cat Breed: Personality & More Information

I see you are planning to get the cat as a pet. Getting a cat is not that simple, also you won’t be even sure if it will really be your companion or will stay in attitude (like that high school chic). By the way, did anyone suggest you have a domestic shorthair cat or you read somewhere about them? So what are you waiting for? A piece of detail information on domestic shorthair cats? Let me provide you with that as well. Keep reading the article and you will get to know the things that every pet owner should know before adopting a cat.

What Is a Domestic Shorthair Cat?

It isn’t from any specific cat breed. There’s no end of category in the domestic shorthairs. They are a mixture of different breeds. This type of cat is bred specially to be accept as a pet in the family home.

As these cats have mix ancestry of different breeds, they are not recognize as purebred or pedigree. Even then they are one of the most popular like felines in the world. The reason is their behavior.

They have different names like DSH, house cats, shorthair household cat, moggies, alley cat, domestic shorthair house cat, and etc. Let’s read about its history, personality traits, grooming, and health care.

History : Domestic Shorthair Cat

Domesticate cats have a history that dates back to 2000 B.C. The place is none other than Egypt, where cats were believe to be one of their god and goddesses. And since then, they are bred freely around the globe.

In the 1600s, these cats were brought to the United States to control the overpopulation of rodents. Seems like they won over the hearts of many and now there are more than 95 million cats living in US households.

Many people mistake American Shorthair with the Domestic Shorthair, but the truth is they both are different. The former one was bred from the latter one when it was brought from Europe to reduce the botheration of rodents in the country. Even the European Shorthair was bred from domestic shorthair.

P.S: These domesticated kittens are cute, loving, and smart but there’s no certificate to prove that!

Physical Traits of Domestic Shorthair

• Every domestic shorthair has different physical traits, but there are few common ones as well. Which are they? Muscular body type, round-shape head & paws, and medium-length tail. Apart from these, they come in different colors and patterns as well.
• You will see them in colors like, black, white, tan, brown, red, orange and etc. As for patterns it can range from solid and tabby to bicolor and tricolor. The list of both is never-ending.
• The length of the coat is short (as its name suggests) with a soft and silky texture. And due to its length, the grooming needs are also low.
• This kitty has mesmerizing eyes that come in different colors like green, blue, gold, and hazel.
• Usually the male felines are larger than the females. The height of male and female cats is between 8 to 10 inches.
• The weight of male and female domestic shorthairs is around 15 and 12 pounds respectively.
• The domestic shorthair cat lifespan is about 12 to 14 years, it can live more than that as well with proper care.

FYI: The domestic shorthair cat breed has the hunting instinct and can spend hours finding prey.

Personality Traits of DSH

When we talk about the personality traits of the domestic shorthair, there’s not one or two to explain. Why is it so? As it is bred from the different breeds, the outcome is totally unexpect, some of the existing cats have a cute and loving personality as well as rough and patchy.

To name a few of the characteristics that you will find in domestic shorthair cats are: quiet, reserved, fun, quirky, all-ears, ignorant, clingy, distant, sweet, clever, sassy, and adventurous. Cats are known for their moody behavior, so you can’t complain about them being versatile in nature.

Fact: The domestic shorthair cat is bred with different ancestry but keeping in mind the final appearance of the cat.

This cat breed is active in nature, so keeping it busy with toys will help you a lot in coping up with the situations. However, the mood will always be one of the affecting factors.

Grooming of Domestic Shorthair Household Cat

As mentioned above the grooming need for domestic shorthair is low, but not NO. So here’s the guide on grooming your cute (and sometimes sassy) little feline.

• The best part about having the cat is they are prone to self-grooming, you don’t need to give it a bath. You will rarely find a dirty cat roaming around the street.
• You will need a weekly brushing on the short or medium length coat to maintain the softness and health of the fur and skin.
• Timely trimming of claws and brushing the teeth is most important to keep her in the modeling shape.
• So if you are someone who doesn’t have time to meet the grooming needs of a long-haired pet, this one is perfect for you.

Training of Domestic House Cat

Well, the cats are kind of pretty active, so you will need to let it do the part of the exercise it needs to maintain the health and trim body.

• Train it how to walk on a leash, follow you around the house, climb a wall or something, and adventurous activities like those.
• Normally, domestic shorthair cats go along with children, teens, adults, and other pets as well (including dogs). Still, it’s better to train them in socializing as early as possible.
• Well, make sure you make the laid back and comfortable introduction between two felines or you may fitness a real catfight.
• Cats can have behavioral issues due to stress when faced with boredom. They need to keep their mind sharp and active, it’s in the genes.

Tip: Don’t ever let your guard down with the felines at home, the behavioral issues they have can get worse resulting in the destruction of the house furniture.

Domestic Shorthair Cat Care and Health Issues

Every pet has health conditions, it can be a major genetic disease or normal ones. When getting a new cat or dog at home for the first time or the twentieth time, make sure to pay a visit to the Veterinarian for the perfect guidance on keeping it healthy.

This breed doesn’t have any serious health problems running in its genes, but yeah, it has a problem of over-eating resulting in obesity. So make sure whatever cat food you are picking is quality packed.

There’s a plus point in having a cat as a pet. Want to know what it is? – They live longer and that too a healthier life. Here are some health problems that it may face:

• Hyperthyroidism
• Tummy Upset
• Kidney Disease
• Diabetes
• Respiratory Issues
• Vomiting
• Urinary Conditions

What to do when that’s the case? Well, my opinion would be to contact the vet, no one will guide you better than him/her.

Conclusion

As you read, there are endless options in domestic shorthair cat breeds that you can adopt as a pet. They are fun to be surrounded with and also, less grooming, and fewer health problems. To add more good words, it will be there with you for a longer time. What else do you need in a pet? Hurry up and go to the animal shelter or the verified breeder and get that little kitty home.

Continue reading:

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