Domestic shorthaired cat

Domestic Shorthair
Tabby Coloured Shorthair
Origin	USA
Cat (Felis catus)

A domestic shorthaired cat (DSH) is a cat fancy term used to describe a shorthaired cat that does not have a pedigree or belong to a recognized cat breed. The domestic shorthair should not be confused with the American Shorthair or British Shorthair, which are Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) recognized breeds.^[1]

Domestic shorthaired cats are characterised by a wide range of colouring and typically 'revert to type' after a few generations, which means they express their coats as a tabby cat. This can be any colour or combination of colours. They also exhibit a wide range of physical characteristics and, as a result, domestic shorthaired cats in different countries tend to look different in body shape and size, as they are working from differing gene pools. DSH cats in Asia tend to have a build similar to a purebred Siamese cat or Tonkinese cat, while European and American varieties have a thicker, heavier build.^{[citation needed]} DSH cats have a form of hybrid vigor due to their diverse gene pool, so that they are much less vulnerable to the genetic problems for which purebred cats must be carefully screened.

See also

• Domestic longhaired cat

References

1. ^ http://www.cfa.org/breeds.html CFA Recognized Breeds