Short-haired cats come in all shapes and sizes, with their only shared characteristic being their short coats without undercoats to catch any shedding. These cats require less grooming, so they can be great for busy families who don’t have time for daily brushing. However, it’s possible that short-haired cats will shed more, so be prepared for more vacuuming and sweeping up after them.
Plenty of cat breeds are characterised by having short hair, so you can find big, small, active, lazy, etc. short-haired cats. There isn’t a set length of fur to welcome breeds into the short fur club, but you’ll generally be able to tell a short-haired cat just by looking at them. These cats look much leaner and muscular than cats with semi-long or long hair, as they only have a thin layer of hair covering their bodies.
Short-haired cats aren’t the same as hairless breeds, as these are two separate breed groups with their own characterisations. Short-haired cats will often need infrequent grooming and very rarely need a bath, as they can generally groom themselves. However, they tend to shed more thanks to the thin, silky nature of their hair.
Short-haired cats are generally sought out by the majority of cat lovers thanks to the convenience or infrequent grooming. There are more short-haired cats than long-haired breeds, so they tend to be easier to find and cheaper to adopt or buy. Here are ten of Australia’s favourite short-haired cats right now:
Weight: 1.8 to 2.7 kg
Lifespan: 9 to 15 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
Singapuras are considered low maintenance with short coats that need very infrequent grooming. They’ll need a brush every now and then, but you don’t have to worry about buying lots of fancy equipment beforehand. These cats have seemingly endless amounts of energy and are known to never grow out of the ‘kitten phase’, so their low-maintenance coats are a godsend when your cat loves running a million miles an hour!
Weight: 4.5 to 6.8 kg
Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
Toyger cats have dense coats that need grooming once a week to avoid too much hair falling out around your home. This will also prevent tangles and mats from annoying them. These cats are incredibly intelligent and love lots of mental stimulation, but they also love spending time with their humans and involving you in their playtime. They’re high-maintenance cats, so make sure you have enough time to give them enough energy and TLC!
Weight: 5 to 7 kg
Lifespan: 12 to 15 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
Thai Lilac cats tend to be low-shedding and therefore pretty low maintenance, but they’ll still need to be brushed once a week to prevent any mats from forming. These cats are a bundle of joy and love playtime, so including a brush into your routine while they’re still kittens will make your life easier in the long run. Adult Thai Lilacs who aren’t used to the brush will often play around with it and bite it, making the entire process harder on you. They’ll love playing with the brush, but it’ll take much longer to get their hair smooth and silky!
Weight: 3.2 to 7.2 kg
Lifespan: 13 to 16 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
The Desert Lynx is very self-reliant and will take care of the majority of grooming efforts on their own, but you should still introduce a brush as early as possible to make sure they’re used to it. These cats are incredibly agile and love spending time outside, so they’re bound to get dirty and mats in their hair! A high-quality brush will be able to get these out without too much tugging, and the Desert Lynx’s faithful personality should make this process easier. While they look big and intimidating, they’ll often let you groom them without any issues.
Weight: 4 to 5.5 kg
Lifespan: 14 to 20 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
The Brazilian Shorthair is considered a hypoallergenic cat breed, so they shed very little even during the changing seasons. This means that you shouldn’t need to groom them very often at all, with one brush every few weeks being more than enough to keep their coats soft and strokable. These cats are very friendly and need lots of attention, so make sure you give them plenty of TLC that they deserve. Without enough attention, the Brazilian Shorthair might become agitated and resort to biting and scratching, so they’re not excellent for busy families who are away from home a lot.
Weight: 3.5 to 5.5 kg
Lifespan: 8 to 12 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
Oriental Bicolour Cats are pretty self-sufficient when it comes to grooming. Their hair is super short, and they can mostly look after it on their own. However, if you find that your cat keeps getting hairballs, it’s best to give them a brush every one or two weeks to keep the shedding at bay. These cats are incredibly social and love spending time with their owners, so brushing them might even become a relaxing bonding activity for you both to enjoy.
Weight: 3.6 to 6 kg
Lifespan: 15 to 20 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
Russian Blue cats require very little maintenance thanks to their short, dense coat. However, this does mean that they’re prone to shedding – ask any RB owner, they’ll tell you! Brush them more during the spring and autumn to keep shed hair at bay and prevent your home from filling up too dramatically. Russian Blue cats are extremely loyal and love to follow you around, so keeping up with their grooming needs shouldn’t be too difficult at all. They tend to prefer one family member over the others, so it’ll be easier for the lucky chosen one to handle all grooming efforts.
Weight: 3.2 to 7.7 kg
Lifespan: 15 to 20 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
British Shorthairs have gorgeously plush coats that are easy to groom. However, you’ll need to brush them weekly to keep up with the amount of hair they shed. You might also want to take them to a professional to have their coats trimmed to perfection, as these cats are known for their full fur and perfectly round faces. British Shorthair cats aren’t very active, so they should be more than happy for you to groom them while they’re sat on your lap. Females might fight back slightly more though, as they tend to be sterner than male British Shorthairs.
Weight: 4 to 6 kg
Lifespan: 12 to 16 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
Bengal cats tend to shed a lot less than other cats tend to, so they’re perfect if you’re looking for a hypoallergenic breed that isn’t too difficult to clean up after. They’re also loving with a great personality, and their intelligence makes them super easy to train. However, this does mean you’ll need to challenge their brains every day, so make sure you have enough puzzle toys to keep them excited! Bengals have super powerful physiques and even a mischievous side.
Weight: 2.7 to 4.5 kg
Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Temperament:
Health issues:
Korats have a single-layered coat which helps them keep shedding to a bay, which is amazing news for anyone who hates having to clean up cat hair! They’ll generally need a good brushing every few weeks, but other than that, their coats are simple enough to be left alone. Korat cats have a history of being a good luck breed and therefore love being the centre of attention, so they make excellent lap cats. Their silky coats are lovely to stroke, too, and this will help keep their healthy shine.
Welcome to Pets Online, a team of pet parents, animal lovers and veterinarians devoted to providing you with everything you need to know about pets.
