Domestic short-haired cat

Domestic short-haired cat
Tabby male domestic short-haired cat
Other names	Domestic Shorthair (DSH) House Cat, Shorthair (HCS) Shorthair Household Pet
Common nicknames	moggie, mutt
Origin	Worldwide
Variety status	Not recognised as a standarised breed by any major breed registry.
Notes
Like the domestic long-haired cat, this is not a breed, but a non-breed classification of mixed-breed cats.
Domestic cat (Felis catus)

A domestic short-haired cat is a cat of mixed ancestry – thus not belonging to any particular recognized cat breed – possessing a coat of short fur. In British English, they are often referred to as moggies. Domestic short-haired cats should not be confused with the British Shorthair, American Shorthair or other standardized breeds with "Shorthair" names, which are breeds recognized by various registries. Domestic short-haireds are the most common cat in the United States, accounting for around 90–95% of their number. Other generic terms include house cat and alley cat (the latter may be used more specifically to refer to feral specimens). The term tabby cat technically refers to a coat pattern, but is also often used as a general term for cats of this sort.

In the cat fancy, and among veterinarians and animal control agencies, domestic short-haired cats may be classified with organisation-specific terminology (often capitalized), such as Domestic Shorthair (DSH), House Cat, Shorthair (HCS), or Shorthair Household Pet. Such a pseudo-breed is used for registry as well as shelter/rescue classification purposes. While not bred as show cats, some mixed-breed cats are actually pedigreed and entered into cat shows that have non-purebred "Household Pet" divisions. Show rules vary, and may permit "any eye colour, all coat colours and patterns, any coat length or texture, and any length of tail" (i.e. anything at all, as long as the cat is well-proportioned and healthy) or may be more restrictive (e.g. "All classic colours are permitted. Any amount of white is permitted. The colours chocolate and cinnamon, as well as their dilution (lilac and fawn) are not recognized in any combinations (bicolour, tricolour, tabby). The pointed pattern is also not recognized. The description of colours is listed in the general list of colours").