Mack A. Damia wrote:

After the cuteness of kittenhood passes, many people will abandon
cats. I find this to be especially true of longhairs as they need a
lot of care as far as grooming is concerned.

Over the decades, I have rescued two longhairs from the streets, and
they were both in dreadful condition with filthy, matted hair. With
proper care and love, they both turned out to be beautiful cats and
were a pleasure to have.

Yep! A good example of "the best things in life are free".