A cat whose ancestors are all of the same breed, or whose ancestry includes crossbreeding that is allowed in the breed standard.
In order to be considered a true purebred, a cat must first have its pedigree verified by an official cat breed registry.
The American shorthair cat breed was originally named the domestic shorthair breed, but the name was changed to minimise confusion among cats.
If the breeding history is unknown, a domestic shorthair cat cannot be called an American shorthair cat even if it looks like one.
Depending on their genes, nutrition, and care, domestic cats may range in size from very little to very enormous.
They come in a wide variety of coat colours and patterns, from black and white to grey and orange, and every shade in between.
Tabby, calico, tortoiseshell, and tuxedo are just a few examples of the many possible coat patterns.