At home
They're hunting your ankles
Ankles ambushed from behind the sofa, and feet attacked under the duvet.
What's going onCats hunt many small meals a day. In a flat, the only thing that moves is you, so give them a wand toy they can catch.
Breed guide · Cats
Domestic Shorthair
She came in off the street. Now she won't sleep anywhere but my pillow.
- Lifespan
- 12 to 16 years
- Size
- Medium
- Grooming
- A weekly brush
Last updated 14 October 2026
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The Domestic Shorthair at a glance.
What is a Domestic Shorthair?A short-haired cat without a pedigree. Their parents could be anything, so take their personality from them, not a breed description.Can a cat be happy in a flat?Yes, with a hunt to finish. Two or three short play sessions a day, each ending in a meal.Why does my cat attack my ankles?They are hunting. In a flat, the only thing that moves is you. A wand toy they can catch helps.What health problems do Domestic Shorthairs have?Teeth and weight while they are young. Later, mostly their kidneys and thyroid.Is my balcony safe for a cat?Only if it is netted. Cats fall chasing birds far more often than pet parents expect.Why won't my cat drink water?They have a weak urge to drink. Wet food and a few bowls away from their food help.
Domestic Shorthair traits
What they brought with them.
Tap a card to see what is going on.
At home
Two cats, one tray
Two cats who never fight, but one only uses the tray when the other is asleep.
What's going onTheir ancestor lived alone and never shared. One tray per cat, plus one, in different rooms, settles most of it.
At home
They hide it when they hurt
Still eating and still purring, then gone under the bed.
What's going onA cat that looked weak was an easy target. The signs are small, like no longer jumping onto the bed.
At home
Top of the wardrobe, under the bed
The doorbell goes and they vanish into the nearest box.
What's going onHeight and cover are how they calm down. Give them a high place and a hiding place in every room they use.
At home
They drink from your glass
The water bowl ignored, and the glass on your bedside table emptied.
What's going onTheir ancestor got most of its water from prey. Wet food and a few bowls away from their food help.
At home
They swat the hand that strokes them
They want a fuss, then swat your hand thirty seconds later.
What's going onThey warned you first, with a flicking tail. Stroke their cheeks, and stop when they move away.
A Domestic Shorthair in Dubai
The bit nobody tells you.
Their day
Built for: Hunting many small meals, alone, on their own ground.
In Dubai: One floor of a tower, with their food in a bowl.
Their space
Built for: A territory they never had to share.
In Dubai: A flat, often with another cat and one tray.
Their water
Built for: Most of it from what they caught.
In Dubai: Dry food in air conditioning, and a bowl they ignore.
The 3am races, and some of the trouble at the tray, come from that gap.
A flat will never be their own hunting ground. What you can give them is a hunt to finish and enough of everything that they never have to share. The ten things below are how.
Your plan is built around what a Domestic Shorthair is prone to at every age, and the care that goes with each one.
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Daily care for a Domestic Shorthair
Ten things that make their life better.
If the carrier only comes out for the vet, they learn what it means, and the visit starts under the bed.
Every age, start as a kitten
Why
If the carrier only comes out for the vet, they learn what it means, and the visit starts under the bed.
What to do
Leave it out all the time, door open, with a blanket and the odd treat inside. Once a week, touch their paws, ears and mouth for a second, then give them a treat. On the day, cover the carrier with a towel and carry it level.
They hide pain, so a slow change in weight is often the first thing you can measure.
Every age
Why
They hide pain, so a slow change in weight is often the first thing you can measure.
What to do
Stand on the scales holding them, then without them, and write down the difference. Once a week, run your hands along their ribs, spine and hips. Notice if they stop jumping onto the bed.
A laser dot never lets them catch anything, so they end up wound up rather than satisfied.
Every age, most of all 7 months to 2 years
Why
A laser dot never lets them catch anything, so they end up wound up rather than satisfied.
What to do
Use a wand toy and move it like prey, away from them and behind the sofa. Five to ten minutes, two or three times a day. Let them catch it at the end, then feed them. Most cats groom and sleep afterwards.
Dental disease is the first thing to watch from their junior years, and cats keep eating with sore teeth.
Every age, start as a kitten
Why
Dental disease is the first thing to watch from their junior years, and cats keep eating with sore teeth.
What to do
Lift their lip and look at their teeth and gums. Start brushing as a kitten, a few seconds at a time, with cat toothpaste. Tell your vet if they drop food, chew on one side or go off dry food.
They were built to eat many small meals and earn each one. A full bowl in a flat is how indoor cats put on weight.
Every age
Why
They were built to eat many small meals and earn each one. A full bowl in a flat is how indoor cats put on weight.
What to do
Split their daily food into small meals. Put some in a puzzle feeder, or hide small portions round the flat. Weigh the day's food, so anything they hunt for comes out of it.
Their ancestor never shared a meal or a den. In a two-cat home, one cat can keep the other off the only tray just by sitting near it.
Every age, low-sided trays from 11 years
Why
Their ancestor never shared a meal or a den. In a two-cat home, one cat can keep the other off the only tray just by sitting near it.
What to do
For each cat, a litter tray, a water bowl, a food bowl and a scratching post, plus one spare. Spread them across different rooms. Keep trays somewhere quiet, away from food and water.
They have a weak urge to drink, and on dry food in air conditioning they get too little. Their bladder and, later, their kidneys pay for it.
Every age
Why
They have a weak urge to drink, and on dry food in air conditioning they get too little. Their bladder and, later, their kidneys pay for it.
What to do
Some wet food every day. Two or three wide, shallow water bowls around the flat, away from their food and their tray. If they like the tap, try a fountain. Wash the bowls daily.
Height and cover are how they cope when the doorbell goes.
Every age, add steps from 11 years
Why
Height and cover are how they cope when the doorbell goes.
What to do
A cat tree or a cleared shelf with a way up, and a box or covered bed, in every room they use. Never pull them out of a hiding place. As they age, add steps so they can still get up there.
Cats fall from balconies and windows far more often than pet parents expect, usually chasing a bird.
Every age, most of all kittens and juniors
Why
Cats fall from balconies and windows far more often than pet parents expect, usually chasing a bird.
What to do
Keep them off the balcony unless it is fully enclosed with cat netting, and check the netting for gaps. Fit restrictors or screens on every window that opens. Never leave them out there alone.
Bladder trouble shows up in the tray before it shows up anywhere else, and it is often mistaken for bad behaviour.
Every age, most of all 7 months to 6 years
Why
Bladder trouble shows up in the tray before it shows up anywhere else, and it is often mistaken for bad behaviour.
What to do
Scoop daily and notice the number and size of the clumps. Tell your vet if they go more often than usual, pass blood or pee on soft things like the bath mat. A male cat straining, crying or going in and out of the tray with little or nothing coming out may have a blocked bladder. That is an emergency: contact your vet now. If a female cat is straining, contact your vet the same day. A baseline urinalysis (a urine test) is in your plan in their junior years, so your vet knows their normal.
One of these is in your plan. The rest you can do at home.
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Domestic Shorthair health by age
Their health, at every age.
How old are they?
Their age
Domestic Shorthair Kitten health
the first six months
What to watch for
- Congenital defect screening (heart murmur, cleft palate, umbilical hernia)
- Dental eruption and juvenile gum disease
- Growth and nutritional evaluation
- Gastrointestinal and external parasites
- Gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infectious disease
The care that goes with it
- Core vaccinations, microchip and Dubai Municipality registration
- Deworming, and flea and tick prevention
- Growth and nutritional evaluation, and early socialisation
- Congenital defect screening (for anything they were born with)
- FeLV and FIV status testing (two viruses cats pass to each other)
The full care detail
- Core vaccination programme, microchipping and Dubai Municipality registration. Titre testing discussion where clinically appropriate; not a substitute for completing the core vaccine series
- Deworming and external parasite prevention tailored to Dubai exposure
- Body Condition Score (BCS, a check on whether they are the right weight), Muscle Condition Score (MCS, a check on their muscle), dental, growth and nutritional evaluation, and early socialisation
- Congenital defect screening including cardiac auscultation
- Faecal examination, parasite screen, and Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV, the feline leukaemia virus) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, the feline virus equivalent to HIV) status testing, especially for cats with indoor and outdoor or fully outdoor access
Their age
Domestic Shorthair Junior health
7 months to 2 years
What to watch for
- Early presentation of Dental disease
- Early presentation of Obesity
- Early presentation of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD, bladder and urinary problems)
- Early presentation of Trauma and road accidents
- Early presentation of Gastrointestinal parasites, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, the feline virus equivalent to HIV), Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV, the feline leukaemia virus)
The care that goes with it
- Neutering or spaying, with weight-management counselling
- Core vaccinations completed, and parasite control all year
- Annual dental evaluation, and brushing at home
- Baseline weight and urinalysis (a urine test)
- Baseline bloods, and FeLV and FIV status testing (two viruses cats pass to each other)
The full care detail
- Neutering or spaying, with weight-management counselling from the day of surgery
- Completion of the core vaccination programme and year-round parasite control
- Annual dental evaluation and a home dental-care routine started young
- Baseline weight, Body Condition Score (BCS, a check on whether they are the right weight) and urinalysis to set the adult reference point
- Baseline blood work, and Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV, the feline leukaemia virus) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, the feline virus equivalent to HIV) status testing
Their age
Domestic Shorthair Prime Adult health
2 to 6 years
What to watch for
- Dental disease
- Obesity
- Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD, bladder and urinary problems)
- Trauma and road accidents
- Gastrointestinal parasites, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, the feline virus equivalent to HIV), Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV, the feline leukaemia virus)
The care that goes with it
- Annual dental evaluation, and brushing at home
- Neutering or spaying, if not done yet
- Core vaccinations and parasite control
- Diet and body condition scoring (a check on whether they are the right weight)
- Baseline weight and urinalysis (a urine test)
- FeLV and FIV status testing (two viruses cats pass to each other)
The full care detail
- Annual dental evaluation and home dental care
- Neutering or spaying, with weight-management counselling from the day of surgery, where it was not done at the Junior stage
- Core vaccination and parasite control
- Diet and body condition scoring
- Baseline weight and urinalysis
- Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV, the feline leukaemia virus) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, the feline virus equivalent to HIV) status testing
Their age
Domestic Shorthair Mature Adult health
7 to 10 years
What to watch for
- Dental and periodontal disease
- Obesity
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD, long-term kidney failure), early
- Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD, bladder and urinary problems)
- Diabetes mellitus (diabetes)
The care that goes with it
- Annual dental scaling (a clean), as needed
- Weight and body condition monitoring
- Annual bloods and urinalysis (a urine test)
- Blood pressure measurement
- Blood glucose and fructosamine screening (for diabetes)
- Periodic cardiac auscultation (listening to the heart) and echocardiography
The full care detail
- Annual dental scaling as indicated
- Weight and body condition monitoring
- Annual bloods and urinalysis
- Blood pressure measurement
- Blood glucose and fructosamine screening
- Periodic cardiac auscultation and echocardiography
Their age
Domestic Shorthair Senior health
11 to 14 years
What to watch for
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD, long-term kidney failure)
- Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid)
- Dental disease
- Osteoarthritis (worn, painful joints)
- Neoplasia (cancer and tumours)
The care that goes with it
- Bloods, renal panel (a kidney check) and urinalysis, twice a year
- Thyroid hormone screening
- Blood pressure measurement
- Echocardiography (a heart scan) and cardiac monitoring
- Joint and mobility evaluation (joint and movement exam)
- Dental evaluation under anaesthesia
- Osteoarthritis evaluation and pain scoring (for worn, painful joints)
The full care detail
- Twice-yearly bloods, renal panel and urinalysis
- Thyroid hormone screening
- Blood pressure measurements
- Echocardiography and cardiac monitoring
- Joint and mobility evaluation
- Dental evaluation under anaesthesia
- Osteoarthritis evaluation and pain scoring
Their age
Domestic Shorthair Geriatric health
15 years and over
What to watch for
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD, long-term kidney failure)
- Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid)
- Neoplasia (cancer and tumours)
- Osteoarthritis (worn, painful joints)
- Systemic hypertension (high blood pressure)
The care that goes with it
- Physical examination twice a year, with weight, muscle, teeth and mobility
- Bloods, urinalysis (a urine test) and thyroid testing
- Neoplasia screening (for cancer), and any weight loss or lumps looked into
- Nutrition, hydration and grooming support
- Quality-of-life assessment, comfort care and end-of-life planning
- Echocardiography and blood pressure monitoring
The full care detail
- Biannual physical examination including weight trend, Body Condition Score (BCS, a check on whether they are the right weight) and Muscle Condition Score (MCS, a check on their muscle), and dental and mobility evaluation
- Complete Blood Count (CBC), biochemistry including renal parameters where appropriate, urinalysis including Urine Specific Gravity (USG), and total T4 according to age and risk
- Neoplasia evaluation including lymph nodes, oral cavity, skin and subcutaneous tissues, and abdominal palpation. Investigate unexplained weight loss, appetite change, masses or lymphadenopathy
- Nutrition, hydration and grooming support
- Quality-of-life assessments, a tailored palliative and comfort-focused care plan, and compassionate end-of-life planning with your veterinary team, available earlier should it become clinically evident
- Ongoing echocardiographic surveillance and blood pressure monitoring
Breed predispositions indicate an increased risk rather than certainty of disease. What is right for them always comes from their own history and an evaluation.
Getting a Domestic Shorthair in Dubai
Before they come home.
Not a breed
No breed temperament to lean on
One is a lap cat and the next barely tolerates being picked up. Take their personality from them, not from a breed description.
Colours
Any colour, any pattern
Tabby, tortoiseshell, solid, bicolour, or a bit of everything. A tabby is a coat pattern, not a breed.
From the street or a rescue
Start them in one quiet room
An adult with an unknown history may take weeks or months to settle. Give them their own tray, food, water and hiding place in one room, and let them choose when to explore.
A second cat
Introduce them over weeks
Separate rooms first, then swapped bedding, then food on either side of a closed door, then short supervised meetings. Rushing it is how tension starts, and it is hard to undo.
Before they meet your cat
Test for FeLV and FIV
A simple blood test for two viruses cats pass to each other. Do it before they share a room, a bowl or a tray with the cat you already have.
Before the clinics open
Join the founding families
AED 1,999 of essential care for AED 199. No payment now.
If it's a kitten: First 30 days with a new kitten · Kitten vaccinations in the UAE
When to see a vet
When it is not behaviour.
She'll still claim your pillow. If she stops coming to find you, call your vet.
Domestic Shorthair history
Before they were yours.
An African wildcat, the ancestor of every house cat. This one is the Arabian type, Gordon's wildcat. Photo: Vassil, CC0 (cropped). About 10,000 years ago
The Near East
Nobody bred your cat. Their ancestor is the African wildcat, which still lives in this region. About 10,000 years ago it moved into the first farming villages of the Near East, most likely because the grain drew mice.
What they still carryEvery hunting instinct. Living with people changed how close they let us come, and little else.
Cat statuette made to hold a mummified cat, Egypt, 332 to 30 BCE. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, public domain. 3800 BCE to Roman times
Egypt
Cats were kept for pest control, and later for religion. They were linked to the goddess Bastet and mummified in very large numbers.
What they still carryTwo family lines, the Near Eastern and the Egyptian, both run through the cats in Dubai today.
Street cats on the wall of Dubai Creek, the city's old trading port, 2014. Photo: Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0 (cropped). Medieval
Ships, ports and the Gulf
Cats went wherever the trade went. At the medieval port of Qalhat, in Oman, cat bones from a house and the Great Mosque show they lived largely on fish scraps. Genetic studies put Gulf street cats among the closest to the African wildcat.
What they still carryLean, used to the heat, and quick to take food from people long before they trust them.
A street cat in Dubai, 2010. Photo: Prakash Pancholi, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped). Today
The UAE street cat
Many UAE shorthairs are adopted as street kittens or rescued adults.
What they still carryAdult cats with unknown histories, and a risk of FeLV and FIV, two viruses cats pass to each other.
A Domestic Shorthair today. Today
Indoors, in a flat
Now they live indoors, often many floors up, with nothing to hunt.
What they still carryA hunter with nothing to catch, living on the 20th floor.
Domestic Shorthair questions
The ones you type at midnight.
What is a Domestic Shorthair?
How is a Domestic Shorthair different from a British or American Shorthair?
How long do Domestic Shorthairs live?
How big do Domestic Shorthairs get?
Are Domestic Shorthairs healthy?
What colours do Domestic Shorthairs come in?
Do Domestic Shorthairs need grooming?
Do Domestic Shorthairs meow a lot?
Are Domestic Shorthairs hypoallergenic?
Breeds like the Domestic Shorthair
If the Domestic Shorthair suits you, so might these.
Domestic LonghairThe same kind of cat: no pedigree and every kind of personality, in a longer coat that needs brushing a few times a week
Arabian MauThe same kind of cat: the Gulf's own street cat, made a breed in 2008, leaner and longer in the leg, with big ears
Maine CoonThe same mix of play and company, in a far bigger cat with a heavy coat that feels the summer
Russian BlueA similar size and the same easy weekly brush for flat life, in a quieter, shyer pedigree with a silver-blue coat