It is a bit challenging to choose a cat with a certain coat color. They are all so beautiful – the solid ones, bi-colored cats, and those with amazing coat patterns.
Still, you cannot go wrong with whatever color you choose, since each one of them is charming in its own way. There’s one thing you should also consider that’s far more important than your cat’s coat coloring.
This is your future pet’s coat length. It may not sound like such an important choice for you at the beginning, especially if you’re a novice cat owner.
However, a cat’s hair length is a determining factor for its grooming needs and shedding levels. So, this is definitely important, particularly for allergy sufferers.
Now, let’s look up the issue of a long hair vs short hair kitten. Learning about the main characteristics of both of these cat coat types can help you decide which one is a better fit for you.
Long Hair Vs Short Hair Kitten Overview
Hair Length
As suggested by the cat hair length chart, long-haired cats are those breeds whose hair can be long up to six inches.
On the contrary, cats with fur long up to two inches are considered short-haired. Their short hair sits very close to their skin, making it look flat.
Short-haired felines usually have shiny and sleek coats. Cats with long hair typically have fine, silky outer coats.
Grooming Needs
Short-haired cats in general have lower grooming needs in comparison to long-haired ones.
They usually don’t experience tangles and it’s enough to brush them once a week approximately. A slicker brush is an ideal one for cats with this type of fur. It will keep their coat shiny and evenly distribute the natural oils in their fur.
Cats with long hair have higher grooming needs and require brushing more often. Usually, it’s necessary to brush them daily or at least once in two days. This way it’s possible to prevent knots from forming in their furs.
A pin brush is the best kind for a long-haired cat. This type of brush has small bristles that untangle knots and neatly glide through the cat’s hair.
A deshedding tool may also be necessary for some felines with long hair prone to tangling.
Shedding Levels
Short-haired cats in general shed far less than their long-haired counterparts.
However, in some situations, like during a season change, even a short-haired cat may shed more. This can sometimes require owners to brush their kittens a bit more often.
Also, a lack of basic nutrients in a cat’s diet can cause both a short and long-haired kitten to shed more than usual.
Additional essential factors here are age and health. Senior cats usually become less mobile and less capable of grooming their own coats like they used to.
Sometimes you won’t even notice so much shedding in a cat, and this will be thanks to their amazing grooming capabilities. Once a cat starts growing old, this can change a lot.
Health concerns like obesity and diabetes can also limit a cat’s ability to groom.
In conclusion, long-haired cats tend to have higher shedding levels, but it's important to note that short-haired cats can also experience excess shedding under certain conditions.
Which One Is A Better Choice For Allergy Sufferers?
You’ve probably heard that a cat with shorter hair is a far better choice than one with longer hair for people with allergies.
The truth is that you’re more likely to see the hair of a long-coated beauty all around your floor.
However, as explained by Allergy Partners of Pittsburgh, the belief that long-haired cats are more likely to cause allergies could be just a misconception. The cat allergen is found in its hair, but also in its urine, skin dander, saliva, and sweat.
As a cat grooms itself, it spreads the allergen all over its coat by licking it. Therefore, even short-haired cats can cause allergic reactions in humans.
Still, they are less likely to shed and this is why it’s believed that they are more suitable for allergy sufferers.
No matter if you decide to live with a short-haired or a long-haired kitten, there are some ways to minimize the cat allergen in your home. They are the following:
• Keeping the cat out of your bed
• Minimize carpeting
• Vacuum floors and furniture daily
• Bathe the cat more often
• Use an air purifier
For some people, medication such as antihistamines will be necessary. In cases of severe allergies, it might be best to consider giving up on the idea of living with a cat, regardless of its fur length.
What Cat Breeds Have Long Hair?
Now that you have the picture of both cat coat types, I’m sure you’d like to know which are some of the most popular long and short-haired breeds.
Let’s first look at those beauties with long hair.
1. Himalayan
This is a beautiful cat mostly recognized for its creamy body with darker points. It inherited the colorpoint markings from its Siamese parent. For the rest of its appearance, especially the facial and body build – it resembles more to its Persian parent.
The Himalayan has a long and straight fur with a dense undercoat. Its coat is thick, glossy, and lustrous.
Its base color is always cream or white, while its points can be black, lilac, red, or chocolate. Also, they can come in patterns such as tabby and tortoiseshell.
2. Maine Coon
This extremely popular breed isn’t only known for its large size, but also for its lavish coat.
The Maine Coon has a three-layer coat which is very silky and heavy. It’s longer behind its legs and on the stomach, while it’s shorter over the shoulders.
This type of coat requires regular brushing to avoid mats and tangles.
Maine Coon’s coat comes in a wide variety of colors, numbering more than 75 color options.
3. Norwegian Forest Cat
This is another breed with a long coat that makes it look even larger than it actually is!
The Norwegian Forest Cat boasts a glossy and water-repellent coat with a wooly undercoat. The fur makes a natural insulation for this cat.
Many solid colors, as well as bi-color, calico, tabby, and tortie patterns, are present with this breed.
4. Persian
This breed is medium-to-large in size and muscly.
According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, the Persian cat’s coat is long, glossy, and thick, and it stands off from this cat’s body.
It can also come in various solid colors, as well as parti-colors and the tortie pattern.
5. Siberian
The Siberian cat has a long, water-resistant, and triple-layered coat. These layers include guard hair, awn hair, and down hair.
The most common coat color in this breed is the tabby pattern, which can be brown, orange, black, white, or gray. These colors can be seen in spots, swirls, or stripes.
What Cat Breeds Have Short Hair?
If long-haired beauties just aren’t your cup of tea, I’m sure you’ll like the following breeds with short hair.
Let’s look at some of the most popular cats with this coat type.
1. Abyssinian
The Abyssinian cat’s coat is short, glossy, and dense.
It has a specific fur appearance that makes it stand out from the rest. As Daily Paws explains, this cat’s coat has a nuanced, complex ticking pattern. It looks lighter at the cat’s body, then alternates between bands of lighter and darker shades out to the tip of its tail.
The original coat color in this breed is a reddish-brown base with black ticking, but fawn is also common.
2. American Shorthair
This breed with a dense, short coat, is most commonly seen in gray and brown tabby patterns.
However, more than 80 varieties of coat colors, combinations, and patterns are possible with the American Shorthair cat.
3. Bengal
The Bengal cat looks like a wild cat with its coat markings.
This breed has a short, dense coat that doesn’t shed too much. It’s enough to brush it once a week to keep its coat in good condition.
The recognized Bengal colors are Brown, Silver, and Snow.
4. British Shorthair
This adorable breed with a round appearance has a short, thick, and plush coat.
Although it doesn’t shed much normally, the British Shorthair shows a moderate amount of shedding during spring and fall.
Solid colors with this breed are black, blue, cream, chocolate, and lilac. Bi-color coats and patterns are also possible.
5. Egyptian Mau
The last breed on our list of short-haired felines is the Egyptian Mau. This cat’s fur has a fine, silky texture.
It’s fairly easy to groom. Smoke, bronze, and silver are the permitted coat colors with this breed.
Conclusion
What coat type is a wiser choice for you?
Well, this will ultimately depend on your own preferences. If you find low maintenance as an essential trait for your future feline friend, then a cat with short hair will be more suitable for you.
In case you want a luxuriant and elegant cat, and you don’t mind grooming it often, then a long-haired kitten will fit you great.
The coat type may not seem like a too important factor in the beginning. However, shedding levels are essential, especially for people who are struggling with allergies.
Therefore, it’s good to be well-informed before welcoming a new pet into your household.
Which coat type do you prefer? And which of the mentioned breeds do you find appealing as your future cat?
Looking forward to hearing from you!
