A domestic longhaired cat is the proper name for any cat with medium or long fur, if it is not a pedigreed member of a recognised breed. They make excellent family pets for people who are prepared to give their coat the extra care it needs.
Domestic longhairs come in all the standard cat colours including tabby, torty, bi-coloured etc. If their fur combines several shades of the same colour they may be referred to as a 'smoke'.
A longhaired cat is not able to maintain its own coat - they must be groomed for at least half an hour per day, and preferably bathed every week or two. The cat may not enjoy the bathing process, but if it is bathed and groomed regularly from kittenhood it will accept it as a standard part of its routine.
Very long-haired cats do not make good outside animals, as their coats are extremely prone to matting. In extreme cases, the mats come to resemble wings, leading to stories of winged cats.
For each domesticcatbreed, there is an official standard of perfection registered with different cat associations that describes the ideal cat of that breed and its distinctive features; lists desirable and undesirable characteristics; and mentions faults that, in a cat show, could result in penalty or disqualification.
A female cat is spayed (altered by removing the uterus and ovaries); a male cat is neutered (altered by removing the testicles).
Cats that are allowed outside have some degree of freedom and independence, and may enjoy hunting small animals and interacting with other cats; they get plenty of exercise and are unlikely to become bored or lonely.
Cats have a third eyelid, the nictitating membrane, which is a thin cover that closes from the side and appears when the cat's eyelid opens.
The wild cat, ancestor of the domesticcat, is believed to have evolved in a desert climate, as evident in the behavior common to both the domestic and wild forms.
Some environmentalists claim that the domestication of cats is harmful to the environment or ecosystems, and that excessive cat populations result in the overhunting of many small animals and birds in both urban and rural areas, possibly disrupting the food chain and limiting local species' populations.
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