Moggy

A moggy is any cat that has not been intentionally bred.

Unlike purebred cats, moggies do not follow a specific standard for their appearance. They lack a consistent look because they do not have a controlled pedigree. A pedigree is a recorded genealogy that tracks a cat's ancestors. While most people think of cats as specific breeds, the vast majority of cats worldwide lack any pedigree ancestry. This makes moggies the most common type of cat on the planet.

In professional settings, moggies are often categorized by their coat length. Veterinarians and shelters frequently use terms like domestic short-haired (DSH) or domestic long-haired (DLH). Some organizations even use terms like domestic medium-haired (DMH) or domestic semi-long-haired.

These are considered "pseudo-breeds." This means they are used for registry and rescue classification rather than representing a specific breed. In different regions, people use different names for them. In British English, they are often called moggies, while in American English, they might be called alley cats.

Domestic short-haired cats represent a massive portion of the feline population. In the United States, DSH cats make up 95% of all cats. In the United Kingdom, between 89% and 92% of cats are of non-pedigree lineage.

These cats show incredible physical diversity based on their gene pools. For instance, DSH cats in Asia often have a build similar to a Siamese or Tonkinese. In contrast, varieties in Europe and America tend to have a thicker and heavier build. They often express their coats as a natural tabby pattern after a few generations.

Domestic long-haired cats are the third most common type of cat in the United States.

These cats possess a coat of semi-long to long fur that can reach up to six inches in length. They may display unique features like a mane, toe tufts, or ear tufts. Their colors are genetically diverse, including tabby, tortoiseshell, bicolour, and smoke patterns. Because they come from such a wide gene pool, they are not predisposed to many genetically inherited problems. However, some may require frequent grooming to prevent their fur from matting.

Even though they are not bred as show cats, moggies can sometimes participate in competitions. Many cat shows include "Household Pet" divisions for non-purebred cats.

Rules for these divisions vary by organization. The Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) is very inclusive. They permit any eye color, coat color, pattern, texture, or tail length. However, the World Cat Federation is more restrictive. They do not recognize certain colors like chocolate or cinnamon. They also do not recognize the pointed pattern in their competitions.

The history of long-haired cats is a subject of scientific interest. They likely originated in Western Asia and were imported to Europe during the 16th century.

Scientists believe the long coat may have resulted from a recessive mutant gene. When a long-haired cat mates with a short-haired cat, the kittens appear short-haired. However, their offspring can produce a proportion of long-coated kittens. These cats were likely more successful in the cooler European climates. By 1521, when they were documented in Italy, the variety had become fixed after only a few generations.

There have been many theories about where these cats came from. In the late 18th century, Peter Simon Pallas suggested the manul, or Pallas's cat, was an ancestor. He believed female manuls could produce offspring that could reproduce with domestic cats. However, in 1907, zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock refuted this. He used studies of skull differences to show that manuls and cats like the Persian were different. This highlights how complex feline genetics can be, as seen in modern hybrids like the Savannah cat. While many modern breeds are new, with 85% appearing since the 1930s, moggies represent the ancient, natural diversity of the species.