Page 137 - The Complete Cat Breed Book (DK)

L ONGHAIRS 135

LONGHAIRS

It is thought that long hair in domestic cats arose as a natural
genetic mutation, most likely in response to cold climates. Where
this advantageous gene was passed on among cats living in
isolated areas, such as mountain regions, longhaired populations
would have arisen. Wild cats with long coats are a rarity and
The curly coated Selkirk Rex
have no role in the ancestry of domestic longhairs. longhair is an unusual variation

Types of longhair native to North America. Huge and appearance. Frequent grooming—
The first longhaired cats seen in handsome, this breed has a shaggy a daily session may be needed in
Western Europe arrived some time look due to the variable length of some breeds—keeps loose hairs to
in the 16th century. These were the the hair in its topcoat. Almost equally a minimum and prevents the thick
Angoras, a slender, silky-coated Turkish striking is the big blue-eyed Ragdoll, undercoat from matting.
breed that enjoyed a certain popularity while the brush-tailed Somali has
until they were usurped by a new type the graceful lines of the Abyssinian MAINE COON
of longhair, the Persian, in the 19th cat from which it was developed. This American breed was once
an outdoor farm cat. Its naturally
century. Sturdier than the Angoras, More in the style of the original
thick coat gave protection
Persians had longer, thicker fur, Angoras is the beautiful Balinese— in bitter New England
immense tails, and round faces. By a semi-longhair version of the winters.
the end of the 19th century they were Siamese—which has silky, flowing,
the longhair of choice for cat lovers. close-lying fur.
The Angora vanished, not to be seen Striving for yet more variety,
again until the breed was re-created by breeders have crossed longhairs
enthusiasts in the 1960s (p.159). with some of the more unusual
The Persian remains a steady shorthairs. Bobtails, curled-ear
favorite, but since the 20th century and folded-ear breeds, the
other longhairs have been attracting wavy-coated Selkirk Rex, and
attention. These include cats described the LaPerm with its fleecelike
as semi-longhaired, which have curly fur are all now found
medium-long coats but a less dense, with luxuriantly long coats.
fluffy undercoat than the Persian.
One of the most magnificent of the Grooming longhairs
semi-longhairs is the Maine Coon, Many longhaired cats
shed their coats heavily,
especially in the warmer
seasons, when they can
have a much sleeker

PERSIAN
For more than a hundred
years the extravagantly
coated Persian has been
the most popular longhair.