Mittens is a Domestic Short Hair Tabby!
A cat’s hair grows out during a 60 to 90 day cycle, rests during a 40 to 60 day cycle, and then falls out. This is mainly influenced by the length of day. During the longer days of spring, more hair falls out. As the days shorten, less falls out and the coat appears to thicken. Indoor cats are less affected and shed on a year round cycle. The hair of a long-haired cat does not grow faster; the growth stage is just more extended than for the short-haired cats.
The hair of a cat is not like human hair. We have a single hair growing out of each follicle. Cats have up to 6 primary hairs, (each surrounded by secondary down hairs), growing from each follicle. The cat also has arrector muscles, (muscles that lift or erect the hair), surrounding each follicle. They raise their hair in response to anger, fear and cold temperatures.
The short-haired breeds that have evolved to cope with hot climates have fewer secondary "down" hairs and shed what they do have at a faster rate. The Domestic Short-Haired cat is a self-sufficient, easy-going, no-nonsense cat. They are often seen in the show-ring in the USA and Canada, but not so much in other countries.
American shorthairs can become quite large and muscular. They arrived on the ships of the first European settlers; being used as rat catchers on board and "slipping off" after arriving. These early pioneers developed thick coats and increased in size from their European counterparts as a measure to protect themselves from the native predators.
We are pleased to welcome Mittens to our practice!
|
