The longhaired cat is one of Mother Nature's most beautiful
creations. As colorful and diverse as their shorthaired kin,
these luxuriously furred cats come in every shape, size, color
and pattern. Hair length and texture vary greatly as well. While
the domestic longhair is not considered a breed as such, random-
bred or mixed breed longhairs, with their healthy mix of genes
and diverse personalities, coat types and body styles, make
champion companions. These longhaired beauties deserve just as
much love, quality care and respect as the finest grand champion
Persian. According to a new study sponsored by the Pet Food
Institute, the number of pet cats in America reached a new high
in the year 2000, and Americans owned more than 75 million pet
cats. Of those approximately one in 10 is longhaired, although
that can depend upon the area. That means Americans own
approximate 750,000 domestic longhairs. History and Origin
Although the first domestic cats were shorthairs, longhaired
domestics have been with us for th