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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 recognized breed. Domestic longhairs come in all the standard cat colours including tabby, tortie, bi-colored etc. If their fur combines several shades of the same color they may be referred to as a smoke.
Some longhaired cats are not able to maintain their 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.
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Apparel
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Grooming
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Breeds
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Shorthair
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 A domestic shorthaired cat (DSH) is the proper name for a shorthaired cat that does not have a pedigree or belong to a recognised cat breed.
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. This can be any color or combination of colors. 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 Siamese or Tonkanese purebreds, while European and American varieties have a thicker, heavier build.
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Training
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A human with a good relationship to a cat, where there is trust and good communication, can find a cat to be as trainable as a dog. Like dogs and people, many cats have active minds that thrive on stimulation, exploration and learning. Many of the same basic methods of training a dog-- shaping behavior, giving treats for correct responses, and lavish praise and attention-- work extremely well when training a cat.
Teaching a cat to "sit" for treats or meals is quite easy and gives a good base for further training. When training a cat, it is important to remember that like humans, cats will not continue to obey commands if their attention is elsewhere. They may become frustrated or bored, as humans do when trying to learn something new or difficult. When the cat's attention starts to wander, training time is over. However, their fine memory ensures that further training can compound. Cats are social animals, usually living in family packs. In a domestic situation, the human family becomes their 'pack'. If the cat has a good emotional relationship with their owners, training can be a fun "game".
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Health
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In captivity, indoor cats typically live 14 to 20 years, though the oldest-known cat lived to age 36. Domesticated cats tend to live longer if they are not permitted to go outdoors (reducing the risk of injury from fights or accidents and exposure to diseases) and if they are neutered. Some such benefits are: castrated male cats cannot develop testicular cancer, spayed female cats cannot develop ovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk of mammary cancer.
Like some other domesticated animals, cats live in a mutualistic arrangement with humans. It is believed that the benefit of removing rats and mice from humans' food stores outweighed the trouble of extending the protection of a human settlement to a formerly wild animal, almost certainly for humans who had adopted a farming economy. Unlike the dog, which also hunts and kills rodents, the cat does not eat grains, fruits, or vegetables.
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Nutrition
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Cat food is food manufactured for consumption by cats from the age range of just a few months. Although cats are obligate carnivores, most commercial cat food contains both animal and plant material, supplemented with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Cat food is formulated to address the specific nutritional requirements of cats, in particular containing the amino acid taurine, as cats cannot thrive on taurine-deficient food and go blind when fed with dog food, for example.
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Litter-box
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Cat litter (often called kitty litter) is one of any of a number of materials used in litter boxes to absorb moisture from cat feces and urine, which reduces foul odors such as ammonia and renders them more tolerable within the home.
Several kinds of cat litter are commercially available, enabling consumers to decide which factors are most important. Some cat owners are concerned about litter being tracked throughout the house, while others may look for litters that are biodegradable. Absorbency, odor control, texture, safety and cost are other considerations.
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