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Indian Domestic Cat
India's own everyday cat — the hardy, short-coated "billi" seen on streets and in homes across the country.
How to spot it
Not a formal pedigree but India's native landrace — a lean, agile, medium cat, usually 3–4.5 kg, with a short low-maintenance coat in every colour and pattern (tabby, black, white, tortoiseshell and more), large alert ears and a long tail. Generations of natural selection, not a breed standard, shaped it.
Personality
Intelligent, resourceful and adaptable — often more independent and street-smart than pedigree cats, but affectionate and loyal once it trusts a household. Temperament varies widely from cat to cat.
Grooming & coat care
The short coat is about as easy as it gets — an occasional brush, and it keeps itself clean.
Health & lifespan
Typically hardy and long-lived when cared for — often 12–18 years — thanks to a broad gene pool, though street life brings the usual risks of parasites, infection and injury. Vaccination, deworming and neutering make all the difference.
Living with one in India
The best-adapted cat there is for Indian conditions — used to the heat, the monsoon and local food, and cheap and easy to keep. Adopting a healthy local kitten, spayed or neutered and vaccinated, is often the kindest and most practical choice of all.
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