CATS

Persian cat

2010-06-18T13:06:00.001-07:00

Persian cat ideal weight and nutrition

A female Persian cat weighs 8 - 12 lbs (3.5 - 5.5 kg) and a male Persian cat weighs more than 12 lbs (5.5 kg). A balanced and rich in vitamins, protein and fiber nutrition will prevent most of their health problems, such as obesity and will help them develop a rich and shiny fur. Specifically, Omega fat acids help maintain a shiny and beautiful long coat, and soluble and insoluble fibers increase digestive activity to eliminate hairballs naturally.

Moreover, dry food and particularly almond shaped kibbles are ideal because they make food easier to grasp. The "peke-faced" Persian cat with flat facial characteristics uses the lower side of its tongue to pick up kibbles which is why almond-shape kibbles are easier for eat.

If you want to control the amount of dry food your Persian cat eats on a daily basis, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Persian cat daily food intake

Persian kittens care

When you introduce persian kittens to your home let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the persian kittens from escaping.

Kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kittens to adopt to the new environment and other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to baby cats, because they confront them as competitors and therefore as enemies.

Talk to your kitty and encourage it to play with a cat toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Persian kittens need warmth, because they miss their mother. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you' d better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

When they are one month old they can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of persian kittens meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of persian kittens dry food, consult the table below:

Persian cat grooming

The average total length of the hair on a Persian cat is over 230 miles, no wonder why their fur needs to be brushed daily with the help of a metallic brush. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate as the Persian cats' skin is highly irritable. To get rid of tight knots, use a brush with wide-teeth first and dissolve them gradually. If you neglect daily cat grooming, your Persian cat will develop tight knots and become aggressive during the next cat grooming. Besides, regular cat grooming will improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Persian cats care

A Persian cat has a rich and long-haired coat and therefore runs a high risk of developing hair balls. To find out more check out our hair ball treatment guide.

Another issue you should take care of on a monthly basis is fleas. Find out more in our flea treatment guide.

Always keep tapeworm pills at home and give them as prescribed to your cat every 3 months. To find out more check our tapeworm treatment guide.

To protect your Persian cat from infections, you should clean its ears once a week. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Cat teeth should be checked periodically and brushed with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. The Persian cat is very very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for them; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that cat toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Persian cat health and lifespan

A Persian cat usually lives 15 years or more. The modern brachycephalic Persian has a large rounded skull and a shortened face and nose that cause some health problems. This facial conformation makes the breed prone to breathing difficulties, skin and eye problems and birthing difficulties.

Stress sometimes affects the Persian cat, causing Feline Hyperesthesia. The symptom is extremely sensitive skin and treatment can be carried out by the use of antidepressants or by simply separating the cat from its stressful environment. Enriching the cat's environment with toys, climbing equipment and providing a room with a view, may also help.

Persian cat history

Persia is the ancient name of Iran, which of course implies the breed's origins and age. The Persian people considered them very valuable and treated them like true treasures.

The Persian cat was first brought to Europe by the Italian Pietro della Valle. Mr. Della Valle had spent many years in the Middle East witting about it and when it was about time to return to Italy, he realized that he had to take some gifts with him. And since jewels, spices and silk had become more than a common Middle East souvenir, he came up with a more unique idea. He took with him four pairs of gray longhair cats and that is how the first Blue Persian cats entered the Western civilization.

Persian cat personality

The Persian cat is very affectionate and loyal. It craves attention and likes to be played around with. Though not very demanding, it loves to be petted. It will sit on your lap, follow you around the house and sleep in your bed during cold nights.

Its playful and in the meantime calm nature, makes it ideal for families with children or other pets. The Persian cat does not mind new members in the household, on the contrary they are very adaptable and accommodating.

Although it gets attached to all family members, the Persian cat usually shows special affection for a particular individual in the house. It is sweet and gentle, but needs to feel secure in its environment. It prefers an atmosphere of serenity, love and reassurance.

Finally, the Persian cat is very dramatic. It loves to pose and will drape itself like Royalty on your furniture, enhancing the decor and covering it with their signature long hair.

Persian cat breed standards

According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, the Persian cat is heavily boned, well-balanced with a sweet expression and soft, round lines. The large round eyes set wide apart on the large round head contribute to the overall look and expression. The long thick coat softens the lines of the cat and accentuates the roundness in appearance.

The head is round and massive, with great breadth of skull, well set on a short and thick neck The face is round with round underlying bone structure. The skull structure is smooth and round to the touch. When viewed in profile, the prominence of the eyes is apparent and the forehead, nose and chin appear to be in vertical alignment.

The nose is short, snub and broad, with a “break” centered between the eyes.

The cheeks are full and the muzzle not overly pronounced, smoothing nicely into the cheeks.

The jaws are broad and powerful and their chin is full, well-developed and firmly rounded, reflecting a proper bite.

The ears are small, round tipped, tilted forward, and not unduly open at the base. They bear long tufts and are set far apart and low on the head, fitting into the rounded contour of the head.

The Persian cat has brilliant, large, round and full eyes. They are set far apart, giving a sweet expression to the face. Their color varies as per the coat color and pattern.

The body is large or medium sized, with a good muscle tone. It is of cobby type, low on the legs, broad and deep through the chest, equally massive across the shoulders and rump, with a well rounded mid-section and level back.

The legs are short, thick and strong. The paws are large, round and firm, with long tufts.

The tail is short, but in proportion to the body length and their coat is long and thick, standing off from the body. It has a fine texture, a glossy appearance and it is full of life. It is long all over the body, including the shoulders. The ruff is immense and continues in a deep frill between the front legs.

Regarding the officially recognized coat and eye colors, check the table bellow:

coat color and pattern	eye color
solid white	deep blue or brilliant copper
solid blue	brilliant copper
solid black	brilliant copper
solid red	brilliant copper
solid cream	brilliant copper
solid chocolate	brilliant copper
solid chocolate	brilliant copper
shaded silver	green or blue-green
blue shaded silver	green or blue-green
shaded golden	green or blue-green
blue shaded golden	green or blue-green
shell cameo	brilliant copper
shaded cameo	brilliant copper
shell cream	brilliant copper
shaded cream	brilliant copper
blue cream smoke	brilliant copper
silver tabby	green, hazel or brilliant copper
silver patched tabby	green, hazel or brilliant copper
blue - silver tabby	green, hazel or brilliant copper
blue - silver patched tabby	green, hazel or brilliant copper
red tabby	brilliant copper
brown tabby	brilliant copper
brown patched tabby	brilliant copper
blue tabby	brilliant copper
blue patched tabby	brilliant copper
cream tabby	brilliant copper
cameo tabby	brilliant copper
cream silver tabby	brilliant copper
chocolate tabby	brilliant copper
chocolate patched tabby	brilliant copper
lilac tabby	brilliant copper
lilac patched tabby	brilliant copper
tortoiseshell	brilliant copper
blue cream	brilliant copper
chocolate tortoiseshell	brilliant copper
lilac cream	brilliant copper
calico	brilliant copper
dilute calico	brilliant copper
chocolate calico	brilliant copper
lilac calico	brilliant copper
bicolor	brilliant copper
smoke and white	brilliant copper
calico smoke	brilliant copper
patched tabby and white	brilliant copper
other tabby and white	brilliant copper

British cat

2010-02-14T03:13:00.000-08:00

British Shorthair ideal weight and nutrition

The British cat weighs 8 - 18 lbs (4 - 8 kg) and needs an average of 300 kcal per day (70 gr of dry food) to stay fit and healthy.For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - British Shorthair daily food intake

Obesity can become a problem for middle-aged British Shorthairs. Their fondness of a good nap definitely doesn't help burn off excess calories, but this can be combated by serving a well-balanced nutrition. Nowadays, you can find in the market cat meals specially designed for British Shorthair. These meals provide all essential vitamins and minerals, as well as optimal levels of protein to help maintain their muscle mass and support their joints, high levels of L-carnitine, chondroitin, glucosamine and omega 3 fatty acids. In addition, they boost their oral hygiene and support their cardiac function.

British Shorthair kittens care

When you introduce british shorthair kittens to your home, let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent them from escaping.

Kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kittens to adopt to the new environment and other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cats, because they confront them as competitors and therefore as enemies.

Talk to your kittens and encourage them to play with cat toys, but do not overwhelm them with extreme attention.

British shorthair kittens need warmth because they miss their mother. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you should better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month British shorthair kittens can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - British Shorthair kittens daily food intake

British cat grooming

The British cat requires minimal grooming to maintain its short crisp coat. Normally all that is needed is a quick brush through the coat once a week. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through her fur from head to tail to remove dead and loose hair. Be extra-gentle near the chest and belly to avoid injuring your cat. Take under consideration that the extremely plush coat of this breed sheds considerably during the seasonal change. Extra brushing is beneficial at this time to remove as much loose hair as possible before your cat swallows it and develops hairballs.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hair balls

When a cat grooms itself by licking its own fur, it will swallow some of its own hair. Most of the hair passes all the way through the digestive tract with no problems. But if some hair stays in the stomach, it can form a hair ball.

To find out more, check our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

Even clean cats can pick up fleas, especially during the summer months. They get fleas through the contact with infested pets or through the contact with fleas in the environment (e.g. from an infected bedding).

To find out more, check our flea treatment guide.

British cat care

You should clean your cat's ears once a week to prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Their teeth should also be checked periodically and brushed with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. British cats are very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for them; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that cat toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.  

British cat health and lifespan

British cats do not have serious congenital health problems, while their known for their longevity; They live up to 20 years, so expect this relationship to be long term.

The commonest health issues of the British cat are heart diseases.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the commonest form that affects young to middle aged British cats. It is usually discovered during a routine annual health checkup as your vet will hear a faster heart rate, and perhaps congestion sounds in the lungs. If left undiagnosed, the most common indication of HCM is pain, associated with blood clot formation in the aorta. HCM is treated with diuretics, such as furosemide, diltiazem and nitroglycerine ointment. Some cats respond to Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) supplements and the antioxidants Selenium and vitamin E.

Other heart diseases that affect cats are:

Thromboembolism, a blood clot in the aorta where the latter divides into the femoral arteries taking blood to the hind legs. Affected cats cry out and cannot use their hind-limbs, which are cool to the touch.

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) that causes small blood clots in the body, is most likely triggered by other diseases and can be treated by finding and eliminating the cause.

Increased heart rate be can caused by an overactive thyroid. The heart's chambers dilate and the blood pressure increases. The treatment should concern the whole cat, not just the hyperthyroid state.

British cat history

The ancestors of the British Shorthair cats were brought to England during the Roman period. Originally they were used as working cats, catching rodents.

In 1870, Harrison Weir, father of the Cat Fancy conceived the idea to hold a Cat Contest. Arrangements were settled and in 1871 the first official cat show was held in Chrystal Palace. The Best in Show prize was awarded to a 14 years old female blue tabby British Shorthair, owned by Mr. Weir himself.

World War I brought a dramatic slowdown to the cat fancy in England. By its end, the interest in pedigreed British cats was regained, but breeders had difficult time finding worthy registered British Shorthair cats to work with. They therefore began to out-cross them with Persian cats. However, since the British Shorthair was an established breed, the Council of the Cat Fancy objected and ruled that these hybrids could not be registered or shown as British Shorthair cats. It took three generations of breeding for these cats to regain the official breed standards and be eligible for registration as British Shorthair cats.

During World War II the breeds drama repeated and it wasn't until 1980 that the Cat Fanciers Association granted the British Shorthair Championship status and its popularity started regaining ground.

British cat personality

The British cat is an easygoing breed. They have a stable character and take well to being kept as indoor cats, making them ideal for apartment living. They are especially gentle and placid around children and other domestic animals and do not make noise, unless there is something really wrong, like they are hungry.

The British cats are wonderful cats for people who work full-time, as they are fairly independent and happy to amuse themselves while you are out. As kittens they are playful, however adult British Shorthairs tend to be less active than the other breeds. Although quiet, these intelligent creatures are very affectionate, confident and good natured.

British short hair can be quite shy to begin with, but when they become more familiar with their surroundings they are extremely loyal pets. Many cats of other breeds tend to bond with just one person in a family rather than everyone, but British Shorthair cats show their affection to the whole household.

British cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the British cat possesses a medium to large overall appearance. Its head is round and massive with a broad skull and a strong chin. The nose is short, broad and straight with a slight indentation, however not with a stop as in the Exotic Shorthair cats. The ears are small and slightly rounded at the tips, set wide apart.

The eyes are large, round and wide opened set also wide apart. The recognized eye colors are copper or deep orange, blue, odd eyed and green or blue-green, however green is preferred.

The British cat has a muscular and cobby body with a broad chest and strong and solid shoulders and back. The neck is short, still very strong and well-developed. In addition the legs are short and strong, ending up to round and firm paws.

The tail is short and thick, with a slightly rounded tip and their coat is short and dense, with a good undercoat and fine texture.The recognized coat colors and patterns are the following:

· White
· Black/ Blue/ Chocolate/ Lilac/ Red/ Cream
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/ Lilac tortie
· Smoke
· Black/ Blue/ Chocolate/ Lilac tortie
· Golden shaded/ shell
· Tabby
· Silver tabby
· Golden tabby
· Van/ Harlequin/ Bicolor
· Van/ Harlequin/ Bicolor smoke
· Van/ Harlequin/ Bicolor tabby
· Van/ Harlequin/ Bicolor silver tabby
· Colorpoint
· Tabby point colorpoint

Chinchilla cat

2010-02-08T22:57:00.000-08:00

Chinchilla cat ideal weight and nutrition

The Chinchilla cat weighs 8 - 12 lbs (3.5 - 5.5 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Chinchilla cat daily food intake

A balanced and rich in vitamins, protein and fiber nutrition will help prevent most health problems such as obesity and moreover develop a rich and shiny fur. In the market there is now available food specially designed for longhair cats that aid in the natural purging of hairballs, contribute to their oral health and help maintain skin integrity and combat hair loss and dandruff. You could even try formulas specially designed for Persian cats. These formulas contain Omega 6 to meet the nutritional demands of maintaining a shiny and beautiful long coat and soluble and insoluble fibers that increase digestive activity to eliminate hairballs naturally.

Chinchilla kittens care

When you introduce a kitten to your home let it find its own way out of the basket and allow it to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the kitten from escaping.

Kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Kittens need warmth, since they miss their mother and litter mates. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you' d better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month they can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Chinchilla kittens daily food intake

Chinchilla cat grooming

The Chinchilla cat should be brushed daily to avoid the coat knotting and matting. Special attention needs to be paid to the underarms and under the tail and tummy, areas where the fur may rub and knots occur more commonly. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through her fur from head to tail to remove dead and loose hair. Be extra-gentle near her chest and belly to avoid injuring your Chinie.

If cat grooming is neglected, even for a few days, the coat can become very tangled and unless the cat is extremely tolerant, it may not appreciate the discomfort involved in restoring the coat to a knot-free condition. Besides, if loose hair is not removed on a daily basis, it will be swallowed by the cat, creating hairballs in the stomach.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hairball treatment

To find out more, check our hairball treatment guide.

Fleas

To find out more, check our flea treatment guide.

Cat care

Eyes can become runny and must be wiped with a soft, clean cloth or tissue to keep clear of debris. Tear ducts can become blocked while foreign bodies such as dust in the eyes can cause corneal ulcers. Both conditions need veterinary attention.

You should clean your cat's ears once a week to prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

More tips

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. The Chinchilla cat is very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give a cat any drugs that have not been prescribed for it; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.  

Chinchilla cat health and lifespan

The Chinchilla cat lives 12-15 years. Their commonest health problems are cardiomyopathy, a heart condition which can develop early in life and is usually fatal and polycystic kidney disease that affects cats between 3-10 years and is also usually fatal.

Chinchilla cat history

Chinchilla cat is one of the first cat breeds that human ever developed. The idea was to create a Persian breed of a paler coat and this was carried out by patient, selective breeding over many years. Whereas the early Silver Tabbies and Smokes possessed the essential characteristics of the present day cats the earliest recognizable progenitors of the Chinchilla would hardly be recognized as ancestors of the cats that are currently to be seen on the show bench.

The origin of the cat breed was a female called Chinnie, born in 1882. It was uncertain whether the name "Chinnie" was given to this cat because the term "Chinchilla" was already in use or whether the later term was introduced as a variant of her vague resemblance of the Chinchilla rabbit or the rodent of that name.

Chinie’s parents were both prize winning cats. Unfortunately no photographs of her or her parents have survived. It seems likely that she was a mackerel striped Silver Tabby or even a long-haired spotted tabby. Weak markings in such patterns would give something vaguely resembling the product of a cross between today's Chinchilla and Blue.

Chinnie was bred by Mrs. Hurt of Sandal Mayner near Wakefield, UK. She was bought by Mrs. Vallance and was apparently regarded as sufficiently unusual by the standard of the day for her owner to try to perpetuate her coloring by mating her to a suitable male. Such a mate was found in Fluffy I a very pure Silver with undecided tabby markings, who won first prize and medals in the Silver Class at Maidstone, Cheltenham and Ealing, and second prize at Ryde. The record of the next few years is a catalogue of hopes raised only to be wrecked by fate that must be familiar to many who have ever laid plans for breeding.

The mating of Fluffy I and Chinnie in 1885 produced a male, Vezzoso and a female, Beauty, later to be known as Beauty of Bridgyate. Vezzoso became Best in Show at the Albert Palace in 1885, was first in the Silver class at Louth and Maidstone, second at Frome and third at Lincoln.

The mating between Chinnie and Fluffy in 1886 produced Fluffy II, who took first place at crystal Palace, Best in Show at Brighton and second place at the Albert Palace and Ealing shows.

Beauty, who had been bought as a kitten by Miss Howe of Bridgyate, after selective breeding had three litters of kittens.

The first litter did not meet the breeders expectations. However, from that time onwards, greater success attended these efforts and the next mating of Beauty, which was with a Smoke, Mrs. Shearman's Champion Perso, gave the legendary Ch Silver Lambkin, who is generally regarded as the first Chinchilla cat. Once this cat matured the breeding and perfection of the Chinchilla was undertaken with enthusiasm, with the result that the first class for this breed alone was instituted at the Crystal Palace Show in 1894.

Chinchilla cat personality

The Chinchilla cat shares almost the same personality with the Persian cats. It has a very sweet nature and would suit better to quiet and peaceful households. It is mostly a decorative cat and prefers to lie around all day.

As a matter of fact, Chinchillas are lap cats and prefer to spend most of their day inside. Their easygoing and gentle personality makes them ideal for city apartments. However, they don’t mind change and adjust quickly to any new environment in which they might be placed.

It is very affectionate and can become quite attached to their human family. Actually it enjoys spending time with its owners and participating in daily activities. It is a loyal partner and though it is not very demanding, it loves to be petted and would often want to sit on the lap of its owners.

Despite of its easy going demeanor, the Chinchilla cat hates to be left alone. As a matter of fact, Chinies hide an extrovert nature and enjoy attracting attention. They are social creatures and make great pets for people of all ages. However, some breeders do not recommend them as pets for very young children who may be tempted to pull the hair, which the cat is unlikely to tolerate.

Chinchilla cat breed standards

The Chinchilla cat possesses a round open head, with a broad firm and well developed chin. Its ears are medium sized with round tips, well tufted and set wide apart.

The eyes are large, round and wide open, set well apart. Their color can be either emerald or blue/green, which is highlighted by a black or dark brown contour.

The nose is medium in length and broad with a slight break in profile. There should be adequate nose leather and nasal apertures, however the nose should not be snub.

The Chinchilla cat possesses a short neck and a medium sized body, not as strong as the Persian cats', but with a better bone structure. Their legs are short and thick and their paws are round, firm and tufted.

The tail should be well furnished, while its length should be in proportion to the body.

As for the coat, this should be dense and long on body, with full ruff and brush. The hair should be shorter on the head and the forelegs. The texture should be fine, soft and silky, glossy in appearance and standing away from the body.

The undercoat's color, finally, should be pure white and the coat on the back, legs, flanks, head, ears and tail should be tipped with black. This tipping should be evenly distributed giving the characteristic sparkling silver appearance. The face and legs may be very slightly shaded with the tipping but the chin , ear tufts, stomach and chest must be pure white.

The Persian Cat Breed

2010-02-08T22:55:00.000-08:00

Persian cats ideal weight and nutrition

Female Persian cats weigh 8 - 12 lbs (3.5 - 5.5 kg) and males more than 12 lbs (5.5 kg). A balanced and rich in vitamins, protein and fiber nutrition will prevent most health problems such as obesity and moreover help them develop a rich and shiny fur. In the market you will find meals specially designed for Persian cats. I highly recommend Persian 30 by Royal Canin. Its formula contains Omega 6 to meet the nutritional demands of maintaining a shiny and beautiful long coat and soluble and insoluble fibers that increase digestive activity to eliminate hairballs naturally.

I also recommend Royal Canin because of its shape. Dry food and particularly almond shaped kibbles are ideal for Persian cats, because they make food easier to grasp. Cats with flat facial characteristics use the lower side of their tongue to pick up kibbles which is why an almond shape kibble is easier for them to eat.

For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Persian cats daily food intake

Persian kittens care

Talk to your kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Kittens need warmth, since they miss their mother and litter mates. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you' d better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - Persian kittens daily food intake

Persian cats grooming

The average total length of the hair on a Persian cat is over 230 miles, no wonder why their fur needs to be brushed daily with the help of a metallic brush. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate as the Persian cats' skin is highly irritable. To get rid of tight knots, use a brush with wide-teeth first and dissolve them gradually. If you neglect this daily routine, your Persian cat will develop tight knots and become aggressive during the next grooming. Besides, regular grooming will improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Persian cats care

Persian cats have a rich and long-haired coat and therefore run a high risk of developing hairballs. To find out more, check our hair ball treatment guide.

Another issue you should take care of on a monthly basis is fleas. To find out more, check our flea treatment guide.

Always keep tapeworm pills at home and give them as prescribed to your cat every 3 months. To find out more check our tapeworm treatment guide.

You should clean their ears once a week to prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Their teeth should be checked periodically and brushed with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

Never give a cat any drugs that have not been prescribed for it; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Persian cats health and lifespan

Persians cats usually live 15 years or more. The modern brachycephalic Persian cat has a large rounded skull and a shortened face and nose that cause some health problems. This facial conformation makes the breed prone to breathing difficulties, skin and eye problems and birthing difficulties.

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) affects the 36%-49% of adult Persian cats and causes kidney failure. Symptoms include excessive drinking and urination, reduced appetite, weight loss and depression.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM) is a heart disease that affects young to middle aged cats. It is is usually discovered during a routine annual health checkup, as the vet will hear a faster heart rate and perhaps congestion sounds in the lungs. The pulse also feels weak.

If left undiagnosed, the most common indication of HCM is pain, associated with blood clot formation in the aorta. HCM is treated with diuretics, such as furosemide, diltiazem, and nitroglycerine ointment. ACE inhibitors, can be beneficial, while some cats respond to essential fatty acid (EFA) supplements and the antioxidants selenium and vitamin E.

Epiphora, meaning excessive tearing due to chronic eye irritations and infections is a disease met quite often in Persian cats. The case can be treated with the use of antibiotics such as Tetracycline.

Stress sometimes affects Persian cats, causing Feline Hyperesthesia, a case similar to Psychogenic Alopecia. The symptom is extremely sensitive skin and treatment can be carried out by the use of antidepressants or by simply separating the cat from its stressful environment. Enriching the cat's environment with toys, climbing equipment and providing a room with a view, may also help.

Persian cats history

Persia is the ancient name of Iran, which of course implies the breed's origins and age. The Persian people considered them very valuable and treated them like true treasures.

They were first brought to Europe by the Italian Pietro della Valle. Mr. Della Valle had spent many years in the Middle East witting about it and when it was about time to return to Italy, he realized that he had to take some gifts with him. And since jewels, spices and silk had become more than a common Middle East souvenir, he came up with a more unique idea. He took with him four pairs of gray longhair cats and that is how the first Blue Persian cats entered the Western civilization.

Persian cats personality

Persian cats are very affectionate and loyal. They crave attention and like to be played around with. Though they are not very demanding, they love to be petted. They will sit on your lap, follow you around the house and sleep in your bed during cold nights.

Their playful and in the meantime calm nature, makes them ideal for families with children or other pets. They do not mind new members in the household, on the contrary they are very adaptable and accommodating.

Although they get attached to all family members they usually show special affection for a particular individual in the house. They are sweet and gentle, but need to feel secure in their environment. They prefer an atmosphere of serenity, love and reassurance.

Finally, Persian cats are very dramatic. They love to pose and will drape themselves like Royalty on your furniture, enhancing the decor and covering it with their signature long hair.

Persian cats breed standards

According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, Persian cats are heavily boned, well-balanced cats with a sweet expression and soft, round lines. The large round eyes set wide apart in their large round head contribute to the overall look and expression. The long thick coat softens the lines of the cat and accentuates the roundness in appearance.

Their head is round and massive, with great breadth of skull, well set on a short and thick neck Their face is round with round underlying bone structure. The skull structure is smooth and round to the touch. When viewed in profile, the prominence of the eyes is apparent and the forehead, nose and chin appear to be in vertical alignment.

Their nose is short, snub and broad, with a “break” centered between the eyes.

The cheeks are full and the muzzle not overly pronounced, smoothing nicely into the cheeks.

Their jaws are broad and powerful and their chin is full, well-developed and firmly rounded, reflecting a proper bite.

Their ears are small, round tipped, tilted forward, and not unduly open at the base. They bear long tufts and are set far apart and low on the head, fitting into the rounded contour of the head.

The Persian cats possess brilliant, large, round and full eyes. They are set far apart, giving a sweet expression to the face. Their color varies as per the coat color and pattern.

Their body is large or medium sized, with a good muscle tone. It is of cobby type, low on the legs, broad and deep through the chest, equally massive across the shoulders and rump, with a well rounded mid-section and level back.

Their legs are short, thick and strong. The paws are large, round and firm, with long tufts.

Their tail is short, but in proportion to the body length and their coat is long and thick, standing off from the body. It has a fine texture, a glossy appearance and it is full of life. It is long all over the body, including the shoulders. The ruff is immense and continues in a deep frill between the front legs.

Regarding the officially recognized coat and eye colors, check the table bellow:

coat color and pattern	eye color
solid white	deep blue or brilliant copper
solid blue	brilliant copper
solid blacd	brilliant copper
solid red	brilliant copper
solid cream	brilliant copper
solid chocolate	brilliant copper
solid chocolate	brilliant copper
shaded silver	green or blue-green
blue shaded silver	green or blue-green
shaded golden	green or blue-green
blue shaded golden	green or blue-green
shell cameo	brilliant copper
shaded cameo	brilliant copper
shell cream	brilliant copper
shaded cream	brilliant copper
blue cream smoke	brilliant copper
silver tabby	green, hazel or brilliant copper
silver patched tabby	green, hazel or brilliant copper
blue - silver tabby	green, hazel or brilliant copper
blue - silver patched tabby	green, hazel or brilliant copper
red tabby	brilliant copper
brown tabby	brilliant copper
brown patched tabby	brilliant copper
blue tabby	brilliant copper
blue patched tabby	brilliant copper
cream tabby	brilliant copper
cameo tabby	brilliant copper
cream silver tabby	brilliant copper
chocolate tabby	brilliant copper
chocolate patched tabby	brilliant copper
lilac tabby	brilliant copper
lilac patched tabby	brilliant copper
tortoiseshell	brilliant copper
blue cream	brilliant copper
chocolate tortoiseshell	brilliant copper
lilac cream	brilliant copper
calico	brilliant copper
dilute calico	brilliant copper
chocolate calico	brilliant copper
lilac calico	brilliant copper
bicolor	brilliant copper
smoke and white	brilliant copper
calico smoke	brilliant copper
patched tabby and white	brilliant copper
other tabby and white	brilliant copper

Ragdoll cat

2010-02-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

Ragdoll cat ideal weight and nutrition

A Female Ragdoll cat weighs 8 - 12 pounds (3.5 - 4.5 kg) and a male one 12 - 18 lbs (5.5 - 8 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Ragdoll cat daily food intake

A balanced and rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber nutrition will help prevent most Ragdoll cat health problems. You may want to try meals specially designed for Maine Coon cats with adapted levels of magnesium, sodium, potassium, arginine, EPA and DHA, taurine, L-carnitine, and antioxidants (vitamins E and C and green tea and grape polyphenols) that support and maintain their cardiac (heart) function. Moreover, they reinforce the barrier role of the skin and reveal the natural beauty and color of their coat. They also encourage a good oral-dental hygiene and support the joints of their heavy skeleton.

Ragdoll kittens care

When you introduce ragdoll kittens to your home let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the kittens from escaping.

Talk to your kitten and encourage it to play with a cat toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Kittens need warmth because they miss their mother and litter mates. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month they can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage ragdoll kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of ragdoll kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - Ragdoll kittens daily food intake

Ragdoll cat grooming

The Ragdoll cat needs a thorough grooming at least twice weekly and ideally on a daily basis in order to maintain their coat in top condition. Regular grooming will improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies. Special attention needs to be paid to the underarms and under the tail and tummy, areas where the fur may rub and knots occur more commonly, however note that the Ragdoll cat coat usually does not mat. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through her fur from head to tail to remove dead and loose hair. Be extra-gentle near her chest and belly to avoid injuring your Ragdoll.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hair ball treatment

To find out more, check our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

To find out more, check our flea treatment guide.

Ragdoll cat care

You should clean their ears once a week to prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper ear cleaning solution for your Ragdoll cat and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Their teeth should be checked periodically and brush with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

More tips

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. Ragdolls are very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for them; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Ragdoll cat health and lifespan

Ragdolls are generally healthy cats and live to be 12 years old or even more. Their most severe threat is feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disease that affects young to middle aged cats. It is is usually discovered during a routine annual health checkup, as the vet will hear a faster heart rate and perhaps congestion sounds in the lungs. The pulse also feels weak.

If left undiagnosed, the most common indication of HCM is pain, associated with blood clot formation in the aorta. HCM is treated with diuretics, such as furosemide, diltiazem, and nitroglycerine ointment. ACE inhibitors, can be beneficial, while some Ragdolls respond to essential fatty acid (EFA) supplements and the antioxidants selenium and vitamin E.

Hip dysplasia can also affect a Ragdoll cat. Symptoms include swaying or waddling walk, and/or knock-kneed. Due to his difficulty in moving, your cat may appear to be lazy.

The condition begins as Ragdolls are growing, caused when the hip joint develops improperly and results in a loose fitting and malformed ball-and-socket joint. Hip Dysplasia is aggravated by excessive use of the joint and it eventually develops into arthritis.

An X-ray is required to make a definite diagnosis.

Although the case is not curable, you can take measures at home to make Ragdolls more comfortable. Keep the environment warm and dry, don't let your cat jump or exercise heavily, neither become overweight. In severe cases, you may consider joint surgery.

Nonsurgical options include giving your cat painkillers whenever his pain becomes severe, acupuncture and gold bead implantation. The combined use of nutritional anti-oxidant supplements and glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate are very helpful in treating the condition and reducing joint pain.

Ragdoll cat history

Back in the 1960's in the state of California, Ms. Pennels had a white longhair cat named Josephine. Josephine, a semi-feral cat of Persian/ Angora type, once got hit by a car. Thanks to the UCLA hospital's vets, the poor creature not only survived but completely recovered.

However, when Josephine returned home she had lost her feral attitude. Instead she was calm, peaceful and rather sociable and so were the kittens of all of her following litters.

Mrs. Ann Baker, a neighbor and breeder noticed Josephine's "mutation" and decided to reproduce her. Baker actually believed that Josephine was subject to a secret government genetic experiment during treatment at the hospital and claimed that it made Josephine docile, relaxed when picked up, and immune to pain.It was her who named her Ragdoll due to this tendency to go limp and relaxed when picked up.

The Ragdoll cat was selectively bred over many years for desirable traits, such as large size, as well as the striking pointed coloration.

Mrs. Baker, in an unusual move, spurned traditional cat breeding associations to set up her own registry, the International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA). She even registered the name Ragdoll cats and enforced stringent standards on anyone who wanted to breed or sell cats under that name. The Ragdoll cats were also not allowed to be registered in other breed associations.

In 1975, a group led by Denny Dayton broke rank with IRCA with the aim of gaining mainstream recognition for the Ragdoll cat. This group eventually developed the Ragdollcat breed standards currently accepted by major cat registries.

In 1994, a second group decided to leave the IRCA and form their own group due to increasingly strict breeding restrictions. This group later established the Ragamuffin breed. Because Baker owned the rights to the name "Ragdoll", no offshoot groups could call their cats Ragdolls until the trademark on "Ragdoll" was not renewed in 2005.

Today there are over 500 breeders worldwide and the Ragdoll cat breed stands on solid ground, despite its controversial early years and development.

Ragdoll cat personality

The Ragdoll cat is very loving and devoted. It is loyal and affectionate and prefers spending their time with their human family. Ragdoll cats are so laid-back that they are considered about the most non-aggressive breed, so much so that they will even refuse to fight when attacked. For this reason, it is advisable to keep them indoors.

Ragdoll cats are known for allowing you to hold them like a baby and going completely limp in your arms like a rag doll. They are known for their intelligence and can be trained to fetch or act tricks. They respond at the hearing of their name and love to greet strangers at the door.

Families with Ragdolls will tell you that they are perfect companions. They are known to be so gentle that they will play without using their claws, which makes them ideal for children. They are also very well mannered cats and very easy to handle. Docile but in the meantime playful, Ragdolls can adopt to all kinds of families and become a loving member.

Ragdoll cat breed standards

According to the Cat Fancier's Association, the Ragdoll cat is medium to large, moderately longhaired and blue-eyed. The point markings may be covered by a range of white overlay patterns. Ragdoll cats are slow maturing, reaching full coat and color when they are three years old.

Their head is proportionately large with a broad, modified wedge that is equilateral in shape, where all sides are of equal length as measured from the outside of the base of the ear to the end of the gently rounded muzzle. It forms a flat plane between ears, while the cheeks are in line with the wedge. When the whiskers and fur are smoothed back, the underlying bone structure is apparent.

Their eyes are large and oval. They are set wide apart and moderately slanted, complementing wedge. Their color can be nothing but clear blue.

Their ears are medium-sized, set wide apart and moderately flared, continuing the line of wedge. They are wide at base with rounded tips and tilted forward.

Their profile is slightly curving; ending in a straight, medium-length nose.

Their chin is well-developed, strong and in line with the nose and the upper lip.

Their body is large, long, broad and solid, with a heavy boning. It should be firm and muscular, not fat. It has a rectangular shape, with a heavy and strong neck, a full chest and equal width across shoulders and hindquarters.

Their legs are heavily boned and moderately long. The hind legs are longer than the front ones. The fur is shorter on the front legs and longer on the hind, with full, feathery britches.

The paws are proportionately large, round and feather-tufted.

The typical Ragdoll cat tail is long, with full plume.

The coat is moderately long, characterized by abundant guard hairs and minimal woolly undercoat. It flows with the body and appears short on face, longer on the ruff, shorter on the shoulder blades and lengthening toward the tail.

The recognized Ragdoll cat coat patterns are the following:

The colorpoint: The points include the mask on the face, the ears, the legs and the tail. The colour of these points is of a darker shade than the body colour and a clear contrast is seen between the point colour and that of the body.
The van: Color on the crown of the head and the tail only.
The bicolor: White fur combined with another color.
The mitted: Same as pointed, but with white paws and abdomen.

Finally, the officially accepted point colors are seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream. Consequently, there are 19 officially accepted pointed patterns:

· Seal point
· Chocolate point
· Lilac point
· Red point
· Cream point
· Seal lynx point
· Chocolate lynx point
· Blue lynx point
· Lilac lynx point
· Red lynx point
· Cream lynx point
· Seal-tortie point
· Chocolate-tortie point
· Blue-cream point
· Lilac-cream point
· Seal-tortie lynx point
· Chocolate-tortie lynx point
· Blue-cream lynx point
· Lilac-cream lynx point

Siamese cats

2010-01-24T03:46:00.000-08:00

Siamese cats ideal weight and nutrition

Male Siamese cats weigh 8 - 12 lbs (4.0 - 5.5 kg), while females weigh less. For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Siamese cats daily food intake

Dry food is ideal for Siamese cats, since it stimulates chewing and therefore slows the ingestion rate of food.

In order to maintain the lithe, muscular build of Siamese cats, as well as their dynamism and agility, their nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat. In the market there are available formulas specially designed to meet the needs of Siamese cats. These meals contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. In addition they provide them with Omega 6 fatty acids and L-tyrosine to enhance the color contrast and beauty of the coat.

Siamese kitten care

When you introduce a siamese kitten to your home let it find its own way out of the basket and allow it to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the kitten from escaping.

Siamese kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your siamese kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Siamese kittens need warmth, since they miss their mother and litter mates. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop. Even when adult, a short haired cat should never be left alone in an unheated room at night or in cold weather without some basket or bed with warm bedding in it.

During the first month of their life, siamese kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month they can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage siamese kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - Siamese kittens daily food intake

Siamese cat grooming

A Siamese cat generally has smooth fine hair, so grooming and maintaining the coat is not an issue and it does a good job of keeping themselves clean. Occasional brushing, however, helps with shedding. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through the fur from head to tail to remove dead and loose hair. Be extra-gentle near her chest and belly to avoid injuring your Siamese cat. Grooming will also improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Siamese cats care

Siamese cats have short, fine hair, however they still run the risk of developing hairballs. To find out more check our hair ball treatment guide.

Another issue you should take care of on a monthly basis is flea treatment. To find out more check our flea treatment guide.

You should clean their ears once a week to prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Always keep tapeworm pills at home and give them as prescribed to your cat every 3 months. To find out more check our tapeworm treatment guide.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. Siamese cats are very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for it; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, because they do not show up on an X-ray.

Siamese cats health and lifespan

Siamese cats lifespan is 8-12 years. They do not have particular health issues. However, there are few records of breed-specific diseases:

Psychogenic Alopecia is described as abnormal hair loss resulting from excessive self grooming. The root is extreme stress caused by other cats in the same house, people whom the cat dislikes, separation anxiety or even early history of abuse. Treatment includes antidepressants or simply separating the cat from its stressful environment or even enriching the cat's environment with toys and climbing equipment. Be sure to determine first though, if your cat's alopecia is psychological and not caused by parasites, ringworm, pregnancy, or a hormonal imbalance.

Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome is similar to Psychogenic Alopecia, however, in this case, excessive stress leads to extremely sensitive skin. The treatment is also similar to Psychogenic Alopecia.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disease that affects young to middle aged cats. It is is usually discovered during a routine annual health checkup, as the vet will hear a faster heart rate and perhaps congestion sounds in the lungs. The pulse also feels weak.

Thromboembolism, a blood clot in the aorta, where the latter divides into the femoral arteries taking blood to the hind legs. Affected cats cry out and cannot use their hindlimbs, which are cool to the touch. The prognosis is poor.

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) causes small blood clots in the body. It is most likely triggered by a disease, such as feline infectious peritonitis. DIC is treated by diagnosing and curing the cause.

Hypothyroidism, a deficiency of the cat’s thyroid hormone can be prolonged by a gradual thinning of the coat, which may also appear dull and lifeless. Other signs include lethargy, constipation, weight gain, mental dullness and a disproportionate type of dwarfism characterized by an enlarged broad head with short neck and limbs. Diagnosis requires a thyroid blood test, while hypothyroidism requires a lifetime treatment with daily hormone replacement therapy.

Vestibular Disease. The vestibular system is a network of nerves in the ear, brain, and spinal cord that govern balance and orientation. Symptoms include loss of balance, dizzyness, head tilting, eye drift and falling. There is no known cause and the condition is hereditary. In some cases the symptoms will disappear within 1 to 6 weeks with little or no treatment, although motion sickness medication may be prescribed. Determining treatment for more serious cases requires extensive testing.

The Siamese cats legend

Once upon a time there was a Siamese Princess. The Princess went to have a bath in a stream and being afraid of losing her rings while bathing she looked around for somewhere convenient to place her jewellery. She then noticed that her favorite cat had crooked his tail for her benefit. Ever since that time all Siamese cats have been born with a tiny kink at the end of their tails to hold the Princess' rings.

The Siamese cat history

The pointed cat known in the West as "Siamese cat" is one of several breeds of cats from Siam (now called Thailand) described and illustrated in manuscripts of the 18th century, called "Tamra Maew" (Cat Poems). However, apart from these poems, there is no clear record of Siamese cats as a breed until late 1800s.

In 1884 the departing British Consul-General Gould was given a pair of Siamese cats by the Siamese king as a farewell gift. The gift was considered a great honor since the cats came from those bred in the palace by the royal family. The General brought the two cats, Pho and Mia, back to Britain as a gift for his sister, Lilian Jane Veley. The descendants of these cats, 'Duen Ngai', born March 1885 and 'Kalohom' and 'Khromata', born July 1885, were exhibited by Mrs. Velvey at the 17th Crystal Palace Show in October 1885. In 1886, another pair of Siamese cats and two kittens were imported by a Mrs. Vyvyan and her sister in Britain. The Siamese cats were so extraordinary that they captured immediate attention and in 1902 England founded its first Siamese cat fancier's club.

Regarding USA, in 1878, President Rutherford B. Hayes received "Siam", a gift from the American Consul in Bangkok. This cat was the first documented Siamese to reach the United States, and predates the Siamese's arrival to the UK by 6 years. In April 1909, The Siamese Cat Society of America was founded and the first standard for the Siamese Cat was approved.

During the 1950s and 1960s the breed's popularity reached its peak and Siam cats appeared in movies or animations such as 'Bell, Book and Candle', 'That Darn Cat', 'Incredible Journey', and 'Lady and the Tramp', making the Siamese cats breed even more famous.

Siamese cats personality

Warm and affectionate, the Siamese cats bond with their chosen humans very closely. However social, they are very dependent upon them and crave for active involvement in their lives. Siamese cats need to be treated with respect and patience and require lots of affection if they are to develop a caring relationship with their human companions. They will follow them wherever they go and may get depressed if left too often alone.

Siamese cats are vocal and demanding, capable of conveying their wants in a range from mews to loud raspy calls. They are capable of communicating their desires clearly to their chosen humans starting a dialogue with them. In case their attempts to communicate won’t work out, they will start an endless monologue. If you prefer quiet, lap cats, the Siamese cats are not for you, actually you might find them annoyingly talkative and wish they came with a mute button.

On the other hand, Siam cats can be unpredictable in their behavior and can appear aloof and disinterested. Nonetheless, that’s all an act, for Siamese cats are curious and active. Highly intelligent, this breed can be trained to perform commands and tricks and has proven to be a viable competitor in feline agility. They love the challenge of these feats, and will find creative and unusual ways to get into trouble.

Siamese cat breed standards

According to the Cat Fanciers's association, the ideal Siamese cat is medium sized, svelte and refined cat with long tapering lines, very lithe but muscular.

Their head is medium sized and forms a long tapering wedge. The total wedge starts at the nose and flares out in straight lines to the tips of the ears forming a triangle, with no break at the whiskers. When the whiskers are smoothed back, the underlying bone structure is apparent.

The breed's skull is flat and in profile, a long straight line is seen from the top of the head to the tip of the nose. There should be no bulge over the eyes nor dip in the nose.

Their ears are strikingly large, pointed and wide at the base, continuing the lines of the wedge.

Their eyes are medium sized and almond shaped. They are neither protruding nor recessed, slanting towards the nose in harmony with lines of the wedge and the ears. The distance between them has to be equal at least with the width of an eye.

Their nose is long and straight, continuing the lines of the forehead with no break.

Their muzzle is fine and wedge-shaped and their chin and jaw are medium sized. Tip of the chin lines up with tip of nose in the same vertical plane. It should be neither receding nor excessively massive.

Siamese cats possess a medium sized, graceful, long and svelte body, with a distinctive combination of fine bones and firm muscles.

The shoulders and the hips continue the same sleek lines of their tubular body. The hips should never be wider than the shoulders, while the abdomen should be tight.

Their neck is long and slender.

Siamese cats possess long and slim legs, with the hind legs being higher than the front.

Their paws are dainty, small and oval, with five toes in front and four behind.

Their tail is long and thin, tapering to a fine point.

Their coat is short, fine textured and glossy, lying close to the body.

Regarding their colors, there are 4 different patterns:

Seal point
· Body: even pale fawn to cream, warm in tone, shading into lighter color on the stomach and chest.
· Points: deep seal brown
· Nose leather and paw pads: deep seal brown
· Eyes: deep vivid blue

Chocolate point
· Body: ivory with no shading
· Points: milk chocolate, warm in tone
· Nose leather and paw pads: cinnamon pink
· Eyes: deep vivid blue

Blue point
· Body: bluish white, cold in tone, shading gradually to white on stomach and chest
· Points: deep blue
· Nose leather and paw pads: slate colored
· Eyes: deep vivid blue

Lilac point
· Body: glacial white with no shading
· Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone
· Nose leather and paw pads: lavender pink
· Eyes: deep vivid blue

Kurilian Bobtail

2010-01-10T03:22:00.000-08:00

Kurilian Bobtail History

The Kurilian Bobtail is a natural breed that existed in isolation for approximately 100 to 150 years on the Kuril Islands, a volcanic chain of islands strung between Russia and Japan. All of these islands are under the Russian jurisdiction, although the southernmost four are claimed by Japan as part of their territory. However they are mostly uninhabited.

There are several Russian documents referring to cats with a short tail, which were brought home from the islands by the members of the military or scientists in the middle of the 20th century. The character of these cats made them very popular, however the lack of a Russian cat club delayed their being registered and consequently promoted as a pedigreed cat.

Besides, most people considered that the Kurilian was just a Japanese Bobtail of heavier type. Even today, it cannot be said that the Kurilian Bobtails and the Japanese Bobtails have an entirely different genetic background. In fact, it is probable that the Kurilian Bobtail was the original source of mutation for the short tail in the Japanese Bobtail. The difference is that the Japanese Bobtail is a non-natural breed with a similar tail.

Actually, the Kurilian are cats of the wild type with a wild origin. Russian Breeders have kept this distinction in the Kurilian, while others have created the elegant Japanese Bobtail.

The Kurilian Bobtail cats were first shown in 1991. This led the Soviet Felenology Federation to adopt the first breed standard. The breed was officially recognized by the World Cat Federation in 1995 and by the Fédération Internationale Féline in 2004.

Kurilian Bobtail cat Personality

Kurilian Bobtail cats are blessed with a very well-balanced character. Their wild look is not reflected in their temperament, since they possess a serene nature and require a lot of cuddling and caressing. Friendly and sociable, they are devoted to their human family and when allowed are either on the lap of or sleeping in bed with them. They get on well with other cats, children, dogs or other household pets. They are also gentle and adapt well in the apartment life.

In addition, Kurilian Bobtail cats are highly intelligent, inquisitive and clever cats. They seem to understand everything their owner desires and are easy to train to respond to voice command alone.

Besides, they are inoffensive and curious, not only towards people but also other animals. Being excellent jumpers and are inclined to survey their domain from the highest point available to them.

Furthermore, the Kurilian Bobtail cats are notorious for their fishing abilities. They are excellent swimmers and love to play in a bathtub with a dripping tap. They have also developed great hunting skills, especially towards rats and flies.

Kurilian Bobtail Breed Standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Kurilian Bobtail cats possess a large, trapezium shaped head, with rounded contours. The head is wide at the cheekbone level and slightly rounded in profile. Their chin is well developed and wide and their nose is medium, long and straight. The nose bears a gentle dip from the forehead to the broad, without a definite stop.

The ears are medium sized, wide at the base and slightly pricked forward. Their tips are rounded and their base is open. They bear lynx-like tufts and long hair out of the ears. The ears are set wide apart and medium height, while the distance between them is equal to the width of their base.

The eyes are oval on top and round at their base, set wide apart and slightly slanted. All eye color varieties, from yellow to green are allowed, except for the white Kurilian Bobtail cats and those with coat patterns that bear white that may only possess blue or odd eyes.

Their body has a compact structure, with well developed musculature and solid bones.

Their back shows a delicate curve from the shoulders to the rump, with the rump being higher.

Their legs are medium in length, strong and sturdy, with rounded paws. Note that the hind legs are longer than the forelegs.

As for the tail, this is composed of one or more angles or curves or any combination. The result is that of the pom pom look. The direction of the curves is of minor importance. The tail may be rigid or flexible, while its visible length without the coat varies from 3 to 8 cm (1.5 - 3.5 inches). It is important though that the size and shape of the tail harmonizes with the overall appearance of the cat.

The coat should short for the Shorthair variety and semi-long for the longhair variety. The texture of the Shorthair cat coat should be soft and silky, laying flat. It should possess a moderate undercoat and be resilient without a plush dense feel. As for the Longhair's coat texture, this should be fine and silky, laying flat with a moderate undercoat.

All coat color varieties are allowed with the exception of colorpoints, chocolate, cinnamon, fawn, lilac and the same combined with white. However, any amount of white is allowed, i.e. a white blaze, white locket, white chest, white on the belly, white on the paws, etc.

More specifically, the recognized color varieties are the following:
· White
· Black/Blue/Red/Cream
· Black/ Blue tortie
· Black/Blue/Red/Cream/Black tortie/Blue tortie smoke
· Black/Blue/Red/Cream/Black tortie/Blue tortie agouti
· Black/Blue/Red/Cream/Black tortie/Blue tortie silver/golden agouti
· Black/Blue/Red/Cream/Black tortie/Blue tortie with white
· Black/Blue/Red/Cream/Black tortie/Blue tortie smoke with white
· Black/Blue/Red/Cream/Black tortie/Blue tortie agouti with white
· Black/Blue/Red/Cream/Black tortie/Blue tortie silver/ Golden with white

Maneki Neko cat

2010-01-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

Also known as Welcoming Cat, Lucky Cat, Money cat or Fortune Cat, the Maneki Neko cat is an Asian charm believed to bring good luck to the owner.

Maneki Neko literally means Beckoning Cat, and depicts a Japanese Bobtailcat beckoning with an upright or up-left paw. It is usually displayed at the entrance of shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors or other businesses.

The Maneki Neko cat gesture

To Europeans and Americans the Maneki Neko cat seems to be waving rather than beckoning. This is due to the difference between gestures and body language recognized by Westerners and Japanese, with Japanese beckoning by holding up the hand, palm out, and repeatedly folding the fingers down and back up, thus the cat's appearance. Some Maneki Neko made specifically for Western markets will have the cat's paw facing backwards, in a beckoning gesture more familiar to Westerners.

Nonetheless, the gesture of the Maneki Neko cat is that of a cat washing its face. Note that cats wash their face before a rain because they can feel the changing weather pattern. The keen sensory of cats can detect the minute environmental changes, which make them uneasy. This is why they wash their face, they are trying to ease their anxiety.

The Maneki Neko cat can be found with either the right or left paw raised. The significance of the right and left raised paw differs with time and place. The most common belief is that the left paw raised brings in customers, while a right paw brings wealth and good luck, although some believe the opposite. Still others say that a left paw raised is best for drinking establishments, the right paw for other stores.

It is commonly believed the higher the raised paw, the greater the luck. Consequently, over the years Maneki Neko's paw has tended to appear ever higher. Another common belief is that the higher the paw, the greater the distance good fortune will come from.

The Maneki Neko cat history

The Maneki Neko cat is believed to have first appeared during the later part of the Edo period (1603-1867) in Japan. However the earliest documentary evidence comes from the 1870s, during Japan's Meiji Era. Actually in a 1876 newspaper article is mentioned that kimono-clad Maneki Neko were distributed at a shrine in Osaka during that time. By the turn of the century they had become rather popular and were being advertised.

The Maneki Neko cat legends

The Maneki Neko cat is the subject of numerous legends, however three of them are the most popular:

The temple cat

In the 17th century, there was a rundown and poverty-stricken temple in Tokyo. Nonetheless, this didn't stop the temple's priest from sharing what little food had with his pet cat, Tama.

One day, a wealthy man was caught in a storm while hunting and took refugee under a big tree near the temple. While he waited for the storm to pass, the man noticed a cat beckoning him to come inside the temple gate. The man left the shelter of the tree to have a closer look at this unusual cat and at that very moment, the tree was struck by a lighting.

Therefore, the wealthy man and the poor priest became friends and the temple became prosperous. When Tama died he was buried in the Goutokuji Temple's cat cemetery with respect and love and a Maneki Neko was made in his honor.

The geisha

During the Edo Period, in the eastern part of Tokyo called Yoshiwara, lived a Geisha named Usugumo. The Geisha loved cats and constantly kept her feline pet by her side. One night, on her way to the powder room, the cat began tugging her kimono violently, refusing to let go. The owner of the amusement house thought that the cat was bewitched and lopped off its head with his sword. The head then flew to the ceiling and killed a snake poised to kill Usugumo. Usugumo, being terribly distraught by the wrongful death of her beloved cat, collapsed. To make her feel better, one of her customers gave her a wood-carved image of the cat, which later gained popularity as the Maneki Neko cat.

The old woman

During the 19th century,in Imado (eastern Tokyo) there was an old woman who was extremely poor and had a cat that she loved dearly. Eventually, she could no longer care for the cat and had to sell her. That same night, her cat appeared to her in a dream telling her to make her image out of clay and that this clay image would bring her good fortune. The old woman followed the cat’s instructions and soon after a visitor offered to buy the clay cat. The old woman went on making clay cats that more and more people bought, and soon she became prosperous and wealthy.

The Maneki Neko charm

Maneki Neko are typically made of porcelain or ceramic. However, cheaper Maneki Neko can be made of other materials such as plastic, wood, papier-mâché and clay, while expensive Maneki Neko may be made of jade or gold.

Maneki Neko usually bare a collar, a bell and a decorative bib around their neck. These items are an imitation of what was common attire for cats in wealthy households during the Edo period. Red collars were made of a red flower, the hichirimen, while small bells were attached for decoration and also for keeping track of the cat's whereabouts.

The bib might also be related to the bibs often decorating statues of the divinity Jizō Bosatsu. Protective statues of Jizō can be found guarding the entrances to Japanese shrines and graveyards. Jizō is the protector of sick and dying children and grateful parents of children recovered from illness will place a bib around Jizō as a gift of thankfulness.

Maneki Neko are also depicted holding a gold coin called koban. The koban was used during the Edo period in Japan and equals to 1K USD, though some historians claim more.

The coin is related with the cat's bringing good fortune and wealth. No surprise that Maneki Neko are used as banks, much like the Western piggy bank.

Sometimes, pennies and other small coin denominations are left on the Maneki Neko cat as offerings. This is a practice somewhat related to that of leaving coins in a fountain or wishing well.

Japanese cat

2010-01-04T01:36:00.000-08:00

Japanese cat History

The earliest written evidence of the domestic Japanese cat indicates that it arrived from China at least 1,000 years ago. A diplomatic delegation from China brought the first five cats as a gift to the Japanese Emperor Ichijo in his palace at Kyoto.

Besides, the fact that the Japanese Bobtail has existed for many centuries in Japan, is obvious from being featured in many ancient prints and paintings.

Until the seventeenth century, Japanese cats were treasured by the aristocracy. Under a 1601 edict forbidding the ownership of cats, Japanese Bobtails were put into service to guard granaries and silkworm cocoons. While reduced to the status of street cats, Japanese Bobtails were embraced by artisans, and then by the masses.

The Japanese Bobtail is mentioned in Kaempfer's Japan. First published in London in 1701/02, it is the first book written by a Westerner about the flora, fauna, and landscape of Japan. Engelbert Kaempfer, a German doctor, wrote: "there is only one breed of cat that is kept. It has large patches of yellow, black and white fur; its short tail looks like it has been bent and broken. It has no mind to hunt for rats and mice but just wants to be carried and stroked by women."

In 1968 the late Elizabeth Freret imported the first three Japanese Bobtail cats to the United States from Japan. In 1971 they were given provisional status in The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) and were accepted for championship competition in 1976.

n 2001 the first registered litter of Japanese Bobtail cats was born in the UK under the Solstans prefix.

Japanese Bobtail Personality

Once you adopt one, you will shortly ask for another, for the Japanese cat is an elegant and beautiful cat that will win your heart. Loyal and outgoing, they absolutely require companionship. They love humans and will greet them at the doorstep. In addition they get on with other cats and being fearless, they don't mind dogs. They adapt well to most situations and are particularly good with children. They are talkative without being noisy, and their soft voices have a large vocabulary of chirps and meows.

They are stable characters, good travelers and do not panic at shows.

While some may wonder if the Japanese cat might be uncoordinated because of its lack a tail, this isn't so. It is an athletic cat, excellent jumper, agile and powerful, especially in the rear legs. The Japanese cat is also very intelligent, energetic and strong willed. It remains playful even as adult and enjoys playing fetch.

Japanese Bobtail Breed Standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, Japanese Bobtail cats should present the overall impression of a medium sized cat with clear lines and bone structure, well muscled but rather elongated and rather slender than massive built. The unique set of its eyes, combined with high cheekbones and a long parallel nose, lend a distinctive Japanese cast to the face, especially in profile, quite different from the other oriental breeds. Its short tail should resemble a bunny tail with the hair fanning out to create a pom-pom appearance, which effectively camouflages the underlying bone structure of the tail.

Although the Japanese bobtail head appears long and finely chiseled, it forms almost a perfect equilateral triangle with gentle curving lines, high cheekbones and a noticeable whisker break.

Their nose is long and well defined by two parallel lines from tip to brow with a gentle dip at or just below the eye level. Their muzzle is fairly broad and rounding into the whisker break, neither pointed nor blunt.

Their ears are large and expressive. They are placed upright and set wide apart, however in such an angle that do not flare outward. This way they give the impression of being tilted forward in repose.

The Japanese bobtail cats have large and oval eyes, nonetheless wide open and alert. When viewed in profile their eyes are set into the skull at a rather pronounced slant. The eyeball shows a shallow curvature and should not bulge out beyond the cheekbone or the forehead. All color varieties are permitted for the Japanese cat, including blue and odd eyes.

The Japanese cat has a long, slender and elegant torso, however not tubular. Its musculature is well developed and strong, but not coarse. Its body should not show any inclination towards flabbiness or cobbiness, instead it should maintain an overall balance.

The legs in proportion to the body should be long, slender and high, still not dainty or fragile. The front legs when standing should form two continuous straight lines with the shoulders. The hind legs are noticeably longer than the front legs, but deeply angulated to bend when the cat is standing relaxed, so that the torso remains nearly level rather than rising towards the rear. They end up to round paws.

The furthest extension of the tailbone from the body should be approximately 5-8 cm, even though the tailbone, if straightened out to its full length, might be 10-13 cm long. The tailbone is usually strong and rigid rather than jointed (except at the base), and may be either straight or composed of one or several curves and angles. The tail is usually carried upright when the cat is relaxed. The hair on tail is somewhat longer and thicker than the body hair, growing outward to create a pom-pom or bunny tail effect which appears to commence at the base of the spine and which camouflages the underlying bone structure of the tail.

The coat finally is short, soft and silky, but without a noticeable undercoat. It is relatively non-shedding. The recognized color varieties and patterns are listed bellow:

·White/Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Red/Cream/Cinnamon/Fawn
·Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn tortie
·Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Red/Cream/Cinnamon/Fawn with white
·Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Red/Cream/Cinnamon/Fawn agouti
·Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn tortie agouti
·Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Red/Cream/Cinnamon/Fawn agouti with white
·Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn tortie agouti with white

German Rex cat

2010-01-02T03:54:00.000-08:00

The German Rex cat history

The ancestor of the current German Rex cat was a blue tomcat named Kater Munk. He was born in 1930 (some claim it was 1931) in a village near then Königsberg, German Reich (today's Kaliningrad, Russia).

Munk belonged to the family of Ms. Erna Schneider and was the son of an Angora cat and a Russian Blue. It is said that there was at least another curly kitten in the same litter, which was soon castrated. Munk spread his genes plentifully among the village's cat population and many years later, in 1947 a female German Rex cat was found in Berlin.

She wondered around a hospital and was cared by patients and nurses for a couple of years. In the summer of 1951, Dr.Rose Scheuer-Karpin noticed her and took her home. She even named her Lämmchen, the German word for "little lamb". Dr. Scheuer-Karpin supposed that the cat's "lamb" appearance was the result of a mutation and decided to start a new breed, the current German Rex cat.

Lämmchen during the next ten years just got smooth-haired kittens. It was only when her partner Blackie died that she allowed to be serviced by one of her sons. This resulted to a litter of two smooth-haired and two curled kittens. In this way it was proven that the lamb appearance concerned a recessive gene, meaning that both mates should have the recessive gene in order to deliver German rex kittens.

In 1960, thanks to French Professor Letard, German Rex cats began to be shown on exhibitions. The cats drew a lot of attention and Dr. Scheuer-Karpin received more foreign requests. A couple of cats even traveled to the USA.

During the 1970's there was a recession to the German Rex cat popularity, which led to the breed's reduction. Nowadays the breed has been officially recognized by the Fédération Internationale Féline and the S.C.F.F., and efforts are made to prevent it from extinction.

The German Rex cat personality

The Rex cats are generally considered extremely lively and playful, which applies also to the German Rex. Active and quite athletic, they are capable of surprising feats of agility and speed. In addition their adventurous and mischievous nature will bring joy to every family they join.

Besides, the German Rex cats are not loners. They are very friendly and tolerant creatures and they get along with humans, as well as with other cats. They are also very affectionate and they need to be loved and taken care of.

The German Rex cats are also very intelligent creatures. They can be easily trained (or they can easily train you) and the show a unique willingness to become a useful member of their human family.

The German Rex cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the German Rex cat has a rounded head with a good breadth between the ears. The cheeks are well developed and the chin is strong. The nose has a slight indentation at the base and the whiskers shorter than usual and curly.

The ears are medium large, wide at the base and slightly rounded at the tips. The outside part of the ears is well covered with fine hair, while the inside part is slightly covered with hair.

The typical eyes are medium in size and well opened. They are set at a good distance from the nose, beginning at the outer rather than the inner edge of the nose outline. Their color should be brilliant and harmonized with the coat color.

The body is of medium length, strong and muscular, but not massive or coarse. Their chest is particularly strong and in profile it looks rounded, while the back is straight from the shoulders to the rump.

The German Rex legs are of medium length and rather fine and the paws well developed and rounded.

Their tail is of medium length, beginning from a substantial base and tapering to a rounded tip. It is also well covered with fur.

The German Rex cat coat, finally, is short and velvety, soft and very silky. Its density varies from a thin and soft to a thick upper-coat. In addition it is wavy and without guard hairs. This last feature is the main characteristic of the certain breed.

All coat color varieties and patterns are recognized for the German Rex cat, including those with white.

Faults

The commonest faults that can disqualify a cat from being registered as a German Rex are the following:
· too long or too pointed head
· lack of muscle tone
· short of bare tail
· shaggy coat or not wavy enough coat or a coat that bears bare patches

Mau Egyptian cat

2009-12-29T06:17:00.000-08:00

Mau Egyptian cat history

The first elements that indicate the existence of the certain breed are traced back in Ancient Egypt, meaning 3.000 years ago. Studying the artwork of the ancient Egyptians, one can easily note the distinguishιng role of the Egyptian cat in the religion, mythology and everyday life. They were worshiped as deities, protected by the law and mummified and mourned upon their death.

The Egyptian Mau is therefore thought to be related to a spotted subspecies of the African Wild Cat.

The origins of the modern Egyptian cat are traced back in 1953 and specifically in Italy. There, the exiled Russian Princess Natalie Troubetskoy happened to meet the cat of the Egyptian Ambassador in Italy. The Princess, amazed by the looks and the expression of the certain breed, convinced the Ambassador to obtain several cats from Egypt in order to breed them.

It is said that the first Mau kitten was a female, given to her by a young acquaintance in a shoebox. The Princess named her Baba and in 1956 she took her and another two Maus with in the States. Shortly afterwards, she started her cattery, Fatima, and set off to establish the Egyptian cat as a recognized breed in North America. Her efforts were more than successful, since the breed was registered in the Cat Fanciers' Federation in 1968, and accepted for championship competition in 1977.

Egyptian cat personality

The Egyptian cats are primarily known for their intelligence, which combined to their high speed makes them excellent hunters. They are the epitome of the curious, active and playful cat. They will climb up the refrigerator, stalk anything that moves and decimate any mouse or rat population in their catch.

In addition, the egyptian cats are notorious for their close bonding with their owners, under the condition that these are affectionate and loving. Many owners report that their Egyptian Mau will eagerly greet them at the door, showing its loyalty and devotion. However, they usually bond with no more than one or two members of their human families.

On the other hand Egyptian cats are not social with strangers,including other cats. Actually they will fight trespassing cats with astonishing ferocity and uncannily disappear from strange and loud humans.

Egyptian Mau cats aren’t overly talkative but they do make their desires known, particularly if those wishes involve food. When communicating with their favorite humans, Maus wiggle their tails, tread their feet, and make a variety of musical chortling and trilling sounds rather than typical meows.

Egyptian cat breed standards

The Egyptian cat is the only naturally spotted cat breed, meaning that the spots are not only on the coat. A shaved Mau has spots on its skin, too.

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Egyptian Mau cats possess a slightly rounded wedge shaped head, of medium length and without flat planes. In profile it shapes a gentle contour with a slight rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead. The cheeks are not full, while the entire length of nose evens in width when viewed from the front. The muzzle is neither short, nor pointed.

The ears are medium to large and broad at the base. They are alert and moderately pointed. The inner ear is of a delicate, almost transparent shell pink. The ears may be tufted, while their hair is short and lying close. They are placed upstanding with an ample width between them, continuing the planes of the head.

The eyes are large and almond shaped, neither round nor oriental, with a slight slant towards the ears. Their expression is always alert, while the only accepted color is the "gooseberry green" (light green). The younger Maus however are allowed to possess amber colored eyes untill they become 18 months old.

The body is of medium length and graceful. Its musculature is well developed and strong. On the other hand some loose skin flap extends from the flank to the knee of the hind leg. Regarding the certain breed a general balance of the body is more preferable than its size alone.

The legs are in proportion to the body, with the hind ones being longer. This gives the appearance of being on tiptoe when the Egyptian cat is standing upright. The paws on the other hand are small, dainty and slightly oval.

The tail is medium long, thick at the base and slightly tapering. The coat's structure, finally is short, however long enough to show 2-3 bands of ticking, with a lustrous sheen. In the smoke varieties the hair is silky and fine in texture, while in the silver and bronze ones the hair is dense and resilient in texture.

The Egyptian cat coat pattern is that of a spotted cat .The spots are randomly scattered over the torso with variance in size and shape. They can be small or large, of the same or of different shape, round or oval or irregular in shape. In any case the spots must be distinct and clearly separated from the ground color.

The recognized color varieties are the following:
· Bronze spotted
· Black silver spotted
· Black smoke

The commonest faults that can disqualify a cat from being registered as Egyptian cat are small, round or Oriental type eyes, a short or round, oriental type head with full cheeks and a massive or oriental type body.

Devon Rex cat

2009-12-28T05:22:00.000-08:00

Devon Rex cat weight and nutrition

The ideal weight for a male Devon Rex cat is 8 - 10 lbs (3.5 - 4.5 kg) and for a female Devon Rex cat is 5 - 8 lbs (2.0 - 3.5 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Devon Rex cat daily food intake

In order to maintain the fit build of the Devon Rex cat, as well as the active nature, its nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat, as well as Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. Although cat food companies have not yet developed special food formulas for Devon Rex, you might want to try meals specially designed for active cats or even better formulas for Siamese cats.

Devon Rex kittens care

When you introduce a Devon Rex kitten to your home let it find its own way out of the basket and allow it to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the kitten from escaping.

Devon Rex kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Devon Rex kittens need warmth. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, kittens should be breastfeeding. That is why you shouldn't take them away from their mother before they are one month old.

When the devon rex kittens are one month old, they can start eating kitten food. I prefer dry kitten food, because it helps develop stronger gum and teeth. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten food that comes in small kibbles and encourages devon rex kittens to crunch.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - Devon Rex kittens daily food intake

Devon Rex cat grooming

The Devon rex cat does not moult heavily and its coat is easy to care for. A weekly going over with a baby brush is usually sufficient, while a firm stroking with the hand from head to tail will emphasize the waves of the coat. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate. Brushing will also improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hairballs

Find our more in our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

Find our more in our flea treatment guide.

Devon Rex cat care

Devon Rex cat ears require a great deal of hygiene as they are prone to serious infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. The Devon Rex cat is very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give a cat any drugs that have not been prescribed for it; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Devon Rex cat health and lifespan

The Devon Rex cat usually lives up to 9 - 13 years of age. There are no breed-related health problems. Because of their poor coat, they might suffer from easy loss of body heat. Other health problems that a Devon Rex cat might confront are various heart issues and hip dysplasia.

Devon Rex cat history

In 1959, Ms. Beryl Cox of Devonshire England found that a stray cat in her care had given birth to a rather odd looking curly-haired male kitten. The sire thought to be a curly-haired tomcat seen in the area. Delighted with the kitten's elfin features and wavy curls, she named him Kirlee, the founding father of the unique and wonderful breed of cats known today as the Devon Rex cat.

Ms. Cox having seen pictures of the Cornish Rex cat, assumed that Kirlee was related to that breed. She contacted Mr Stirling-Webb, a Cornish Rex breeder, and allowed him to use Kirlee in a breeding program with Cornish queens.

Much to their surprise, the whole offspring had straight coats. Repeated attempts to mate Kirlee to Cornish Rex queens continued to produce straight haired offsprings. The conclusion was that Kirlee's genotype was different to that of the Cornish Rex. The two recessive genes were named: Gene 1 (Cornish Rex) and Gene 2 (Devon Rex).

When Kirlee was bred with one of the straight coated kittens born from himself and a Cornish Rex, three kittens were born two of them with straight coats and one with curly coat later "qualified" as Devon Rex. However it was only in 1967 that the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) recognized Devon Rex cat as a separate breed.

In 1979 the Devon Rex cat was accepted for championship status in the Cat Fanciers Association.

Devon Rex cat personality

The Devon Rex cat personality has been aptly described as a cross between a cat, a dog and a monkey. They are highly active, alert, mischievous and playful. Powerful jumpers, they love climbing to high places and will go to great lengths to get to the highest spot in a room. They are also extremely agile cats with an inquisitive nature and will explore every corner of their homes.

Besides being a very busy breed, Devons are very affectionate and people-oriented. They thrive on human companionship and love to be close to their owners. Most Devon Rex cats have one central person to whom they devote their love. They will follow him from room to room, showing their love and loyalty.They will sit on his lap, snuggle up with him in bed or even ride on his shoulder.

Devon rex cats, finally are very intelligent creatures and easy to take care off.

Devon Rex cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Devon Rex cat has a short wedge shaped head with a forehead lying back to flat skull when viewed in profile. The forehead is round and cheekbones are prominent with full cheeks.

The nose is very short, while the combination with the rounded forehead gives the impression of a stop. The muzzle is short, bearing a strong chin and "whisker break". The whiskers and the eyebrows are crinkled, rather coarse and of medium length.

The typical Devon Rex cat ears are very large, wide at the base and tapering to rounded tips. They are well covered with fine hair and in some cases hair growing from a crease behind the ears to form ear muffs. They are set low on the head.

The eyes are also large oval in shape. They are set well apart, sloping towards the outer edges of the ears. Though there are no restrictions regarding the color, this should definitely be bright, pure and clear.

The Devon Rex cat neck is long and slender, leading to a medium length body. The body's structure is hard and muscular, however slender. The chest is broad, and the legs are long and slender. The length of the hind legs is emphasized, while the front legs are set on the body so as to give a slightly bandy look. The paws on the other hand are small and round.

The tail is long, fine and tapering, while well covered with short hair. The coat, finally is very short and fine, soft in touch and wavy and/or curly, with or without guard hairs. All color varieties and patterns are permitted, including those with white.

The commonest faults that can disqualify a cat from being registered as a Devon Rex cat are the following:

Faults

Head: narrow, long oriental typed or broad British type
Ears: small and/ or high set ears
Body: cobby body or lack of firm muscle
Tail: short and/ or bare or bushy tail
Coat: straight hair and/ or shaggy coat. Any amount of bare patches is only permitted in kittens.

Rex cat

2009-12-27T02:45:00.000-08:00

Cornish Rex cat ideal weight and nutrition

The ideal weight for a male Cornish Rex cat is 8 - 10 lbs (3.5 - 4.5 kg) and for a female Rex cat is 5 - 8 lbs (2.0 - 3.5 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Cornish Rex cat daily food intake

In order to maintain the fit build of the Cornish Rex cat, as well as their active nature, their nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat and also Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. Although cat food companies have not yet developed special food formulas for the Cornish Rex cats, you might want to try meals specially designed for active cats or even better formulas for Siamese cats.

Cornish Rex kittens care

When you introduce cornish rex kittens to your home let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the kitten from escaping.

Cornish Rex kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Cornish Rex kittens need warmth. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, cornish rex kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month cornish rex kittens can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage cornish rex kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - Cornish Rex kittens daily food intake

Cornish Rex cat grooming

The Rex cat does not moult heavily and its coat is easy to care for. A weekly going over with a baby brush is usually sufficient, while a firm stroking with the hand from head to tail will emphasize the waves of the coat. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate. Brushing will also improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Although rex cat coat does not shed considerably during the seasonal change, extra brushing is beneficial at this time to remove any loose hair before your cat swallows it and develops hairballs.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hair ball

To find out more, check our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

>To find out more check our flea treatment guide.

Cornish Rex cat care

Cat ears require a great deal of hygiene as they are prone to serious infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. A Rex cat is very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give a cat any drugs that have not been prescribed for it; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that cat toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, because they do not show up on an X-ray.

Cornish Rex cat health and lifespan

The Cornish Rex cat usually lives up to 12 years, but with the proper care and nutrition can live up to 14 years of age. There are no breed-related health problems with cornish cat. Because of its poor coat, cornish cat might suffer from easy loss of body heat. Other health problems that a Cornish cat might confront are various heart issues and thyroid deficiency.

Cornish Rex cat history

On July 21, 1950 Ms. Nina Ennismore of Bodmin Moor, a rocky, windswept highland in Cornwall, discovered an unusual kitten among her tortie and white cat "Serena's" latest litter. A little cream-colored male, later named Kallibunker, was covered with tight rows of tiny curls, giving him the appearance of a miniature lamb. Nina who had formerly bred and shown Rex rabbits knew that the spiral coat was the result of a mutated gene, a gene also responsible for the curly heads among rats, mice and horses.

As the kitty grew, his difference from his littermates became more dramatic and Nina thought he should be neutered. Luckily, the vet realized that this cat was something special and advised her to consult with noted British geneticist A.C. Jude. Dr. Jude recognized that Kallibunker was a genuine mutation, and suggested that he should be bred back to his mother to perpetuate the look. As expected, two curly kittens were produced in the litter of three.

Nina, thanks to her experience from breeding and showing Rex rabbits, she made the connection in the coat types and named the new cat breed Rex.

The following year, Frances Blancheri of California imported two Rex cats from Ms. Ennismore.

The Cornish Rex cat was a straightaway success in North America. In 1963 the breed was accepted for championship competition by the Canadian Cat Association and the American Cat Fanciers Association. Eventually all the other cat registries in North America recognized the Cornish Rex cat as a separate breed.

For a time, however, the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) did not acknowledge the difference between Cornish Rex cat and Devon Rex cat, despite genetic evidence to the contrary. CFA registered all Rex cats as Cornish Rex cats until 1979, when it finally agreed to create a separate breed designation for the Devon Rex cat.

Cornish Rex cat personality

The Cornish Rex cat is active, affectionate, curious and playful. It is also extremely mild and devoid of aggression, making it ideal for children. It attaches to all households equally, still its cohabitation with other cats depends on those cats’ character, temperament and attitude.

The Cornish Rex cat is highly social and demanding of attention. It needs people and given a choice will spend most of its time with humans. If left home alone, it can become depressed. A second Rex is usually the answer and making life twice as entertaining for you!

A Rex cat does not have a hallmark sound, such as Siamese cats do, but a wide variety of voices, from gutteral rumbling meows to sqeaks and prrrrts.

The Cornish Rex cat is one of the few breeds that enjoy the crowds and excitement found at a cat show. Where other cats are frightened or annoyed by the many onlookers and the noise, the Cornish Rex watch with interest.

Truly a study in contrasts, a Cornish Rex cat is one of the most versatile pets with a mood to match every occasion. The very same Rex who has just been gracefully flying through the air will be very happy to cuddle up on its owner's lap or, even better, right under his chin.

Cornish Rex cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Cornish Rex cat is distinguished by its slender and graceful appearance.

It has a small, egg shaped head. The head is slightly longer than wide, while when viewed from profile, it reveals a flat skull, straight nose and strong chin. A narrow or very broad head is considered a fault, while the whiskers and eyebrows should be crinkled or curved. Furthermore, the neck is more than elegant and slender.

The ears are large, wide at the base and tapering to rounded tips. Well covered with fine hair they are set high on the head and always held alert.

The eyes are oval shaped, of medium size, slanting slightly upward (slanted almond shaped eyes are considered a fault). There are no restrictions regarding the color, nonetheless this should be bright, clear and pure.

The breed's typical body is of medium length and thanks to its fine and delicate bone structure, very elegant. On the other hand, due to its well developed musculature, especially in the hips and thighs, the body is surprisingly heavy.

The legs are long, straight and slender and the paws small, oval and dainty.

The tail is long, fine and tapering, well covered with wavy hair. It shouldn't bare patches nor be bushy.

The majority of the cat breeds possess three layers types of hair in their coats:

· the outer fur or "guard hairs", which is about 5 cm long in short hair cats and 10cm+ long in long hair cats
· the middle layer called the "awn hair"
· the down hair or undercoat, which is very fine and about 1 cm long

A Cornish Rex cat only has the undercoat.

So, Rex are short hair cats, with a non shaggy coat (undercoat), which is slightly plush and dense, lying close to the body. Its waves distinguish the Cornish from the Devon Rex cat. As for the colors and patterns, all of them are allowed, including varieties with any amount of white.

Chartreux cats

2009-12-26T05:32:00.000-08:00

Chartreux cats history

Legend has it that the Chartreux cats derive from cats brought to France by Carthusian monks to live in the order's head monastery, the Grande Chartreuse, located in the Chartreuse Mountains north of the city of Grenoble. Nonetheless in 1972, the Prior of the Grande Chartreuse denied that the monastery's archives held any records of the monks' use of any breed of cat resembling the Chartreux.

Legend also has it that the Chartreux cats descend from the "Cat of Syria," described in the 16th century as a stocky cat with a woolly ash-gray coat and copper eyes, which was first brought to Europe during the Crusades.

People probably began to use the name "Chartreux" for these cats during the 17th century. By the beginning of the 18th century, trade dictionaries and encyclopedias listed "Chartreux" as the common name of a type of blue cat whose pelt was prized by furriers.

Right after World War I, French cat breeders became interested in preserving this ancient breed for posterity. They put together a breed standard based on the 18th century naturalists' descriptions and were careful to utilize only those cats that bred true to the standard. Chartreux cats from these breeding programs were exhibited in European shows beginning in 1928.

Nowadays the Chartreux cats are ranked 26th in popularity among the breeds listed by the Cat Fanciers Association.

Chartreux cats naming

By tradition, all chartreux kittens born in a given year are named beginning with a specific letter of the alphabet for that particular year. Breeders use only 20 letters, omitting K, Q, W, X, Y and Z.

Chartreux cats personality

Chartreux cats tend to be quiet, rarely making noises such as mewing or crying, in fact some do not meow at all. Nonetheless, they do purr with great enthusiasm.

Neither gregarious nor shy, Chartreux cats are calm and tend to hang back and observe, rather than rushing in. They are tolerant and gentle with strangers, children and other animals. They are very affectionate and tend to bond with one person in their household. They will follow him everywhere and comfort him when he is sad or ill. Their supportive, cheerful presence can be wonderful for elderly people and people living alone.

Yet this devotion is never obtrusive. Chartreux cats do not demand attention, and are content to sit quietly when you are busy. They have a strong sense of proper behavior and likewise appreciate courtesy from others.

Chartreux cats tend to withdraw from conflict rather than becoming fearful or aggressive. They accommodate themselves to most situations without complaint. They even tolerate traveling without forgetting their good manners. Chartreux neither mind being left alone for long periods. Finally being creatures of habit, they enjoy the same games and rituals day after day.

Chartreux cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Chartreux cat has a trapezium shaped head, meaning wide at the base and narrow at the top, with a narrow flat space between the ears.

The nose of the chartreux cat is broad and straight, with the the extremity of the muzzle jutting out from the jowls in some cases. Note that a snubbed nose is considered a fault.

The Chartreux cat ears are medium sized and slightly flaring. They are set high on the head giving the cat an alert look.

The Chartreux cat has large and open eyes. Their shape is not too rounded, with the outer corner being slightly turned upwards. Their color has to be pure and vivid, varying from deep yellow to deep copper. Any traces of green or watery (i.e. faded color tones) are considered a fault.

The body of the Chartreux cat is solid, firm and muscular, with a broad, well developed chest. The legs are of medium length, with strong muscles, ending to large paws.

The Chartreux cat tail is of medium length, sometimes tapering, however the tip must be rounded and of the same color as the body. The nose leather, as well as the paws can only be of blue-gray color.

The Chartreux coat, finally, should be glossy and dense, slightly woolly at the base, with a luxurious growth. Its double coat makes the hair stand out. All shades of blue are permissible, ranging from pale blue-gray to a deeper blue-gray. However, pale blue-gray is by far preferred.

Burmilla cat

2009-12-25T03:32:00.000-08:00

Burmilla cat ideal weight and nutrition

Burmilla cat

The ideal weight for a Burmilla cat is 8 - 10 lbs (3.5 - 4.5 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Burmilla cat daily food intake

In order to maintain the lean build of the Burmilla cat, as well as its playful nature and muscular build, its nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat, as well as Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. Although cat food companies have not yet developed special food formulas for Burmilla cat, you might want to mix meals specially designed for Siamese and Persian cats, meaning the not so far ancestors of the breed.

Burmilla kittens care

When you introduce a Burmilla kitten to your home let it find its own way out of the basket and allow it to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the kitty from escaping.

Burmilla Kitten - Photo by http://cats-pictures.org/

Kitties are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the burmilla kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kitty and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Burmilla kittens need warmth. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, kitties should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month they can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage Burmilla kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - Burmilla kittens daily food intake

Burmilla cat grooming

A Burmilla cat has smooth fine hair, so grooming and maintaining the coat is not an issue and it does a good job keeping itself clean. You will have to brush them once a week, as this helps with shedding. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through the fur from head to tail to remove dead and loose hair. Be extra-gentle near her chest and belly to avoid injuring your Burmilla.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hair ball

To find out more, check our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

To find out more check our flea treatment guide.

Cat care

You should clean Burmilla cat's ears once a week to keep them clean and prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Your Burmilla cat teeth should be checked periodically and brushed with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. A Burmilla cat is very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give a cat any drugs that have not been prescribed for it; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that cat toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous because they do not show up on an X-ray.

Burmilla cat health and lifespan

A Burmilla cat usually lives up to 13 years of age, but with the proper care and nutrition they can live up to 15 years of age.

The Burmilla cat does not have particular health issues, although it is possible to suffer from allergies. There are few records of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), a disease that causes kidney failure and derives from its Persian ancestors. PKD symptoms include excessive drinking and urination, reduced appetite, weight loss and depression.

Burmilla cat history

The Burmilla breed was originally created accidentally in the United Kingdom. Early in 1981, Miranda Bickford-Smith bought a male Chinchilla for her husband. Shortly before he was due to be neutered, Jemari Sanquist met Bambino Lilac Fabergé, a lilac female Burmese cat, who had escaped from purdah. It soon became evident that kittens were on the way and on September 11th, four Black Shaded Silver females were born.

Soon after, the four kittens' spectacular look and superb temperament prompted their owners to try and establish a new breed. A mating between Sanquist and another of Burmese cat was arranged forthwith, which resulted in a single male kitten.

The cross-mating between Chinchilla and Burmese cats kept on to create a new breed that was officially registered in 1984 and gained championship status in the United Kingdom in the 1990s.

A name had to be found for the new breed. There were two options:

· CHIN(illa-burm)ESE was obviously most inappropriate

· BURM(ese-chinch)ILLA!

Burmilla cat personality

The Burmilla cat has the best features of both ancestor breeds. It bears the demanding and mischievous character of the Burmese cat mixed with the easy-going, relaxed nature of the Chinchilla. Impish and fearless when young, a Burmilla cat matures into intelligent and extremely affectionate adult cat.

The Burmilla cat is outgoing, friendly and sociable. Not as noisy nor demanding as Burmese cats, nonetheless more adventurous and inquisitive than Chinchillas.

The Burmilla cat is playful without being overly active, however quiet, with a laid back nature. Dribbling ping pong balls and retrieving pom poms is its favorite activities, which can suddenly come to a stop and your Burmilla comes to rest in your arms with a deep throated purr and a contented grin, not to mention an angelic look into its eyes, which is so much in character. It enjoys being a part of the family, actually it is great with children. This, combined with its low maintenance and wonderful disposition make it ideal family pet.

Due to this unique personality, extremely good nature and gorgeous looks, Burmilla cat is becoming increasingly popular.

Burmilla cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, Burmilla is an elegant cat of foreign type.

The head is gently rounded on top and has a medium width between the ears. It is rather wide at the eyebrow level with wide cheekbones tapering to a short, blunt wedge.

The shows a gentle nose break when viewed in profile, however a bump nose is considered a fault. The chin should be firm with good depth, while the tip of the nose and the chin should be in line.

The ears are medium to large, broad at base with slightly rounded tips. They are set with a slight forward tilt when viewed in profile. When viewed from the front, their outer line continues that of the face. Nonetheless, this may not be so visible in mature males that develop fuller cheeks.

Their eyes are large and expressive, placed well apart in a slightly oblique setting. The upper lid forms a broken line angled towards the nose while the lower lid is fuller and rounder. Any shade of green is allowed, but clear green is by far preferred. In addition a yellow tinge is acceptable in Burmilla kittens and young Burmilla cats less than 2 years of age. Moreover in red, cream and tortie varieties amber is allowed.

The body is medium sized, with a rounded chest of medium width and a straight back. The bone structure is very good and though covered with firm muscles gives an impression of great elegance. The legs are strong and slender, with the hind ones being slightly longer than the forelegs. They end up to neat and oval paws.

The tail is medium to long, with a medium thickness at its base, tapering slightly to a rounded tip. The coat finally is short, dense, with a silky and smooth texture. It also bears sufficient undercoat to give it a slight lift. All recognized Burmilla cats are silver shaded or silver shell and can possess one of the following colors and patterns:

· Black
· Seal/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn
· Red/Cream/Tortie

Burmese cats

2009-12-24T04:33:00.000-08:00

Burmese cats ideal weight and nutrition

The ideal weight of Burmese cats is 8 - 12 lbs (4 - 6 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Burmese cats daily food intake

In order to maintain the fit build of Burmese cats, as well as their playful nature, their nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat, as well as Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. Although cat food companies have not yet developed special food formulas for Burmese cats, you might want to try meals specially designed for active cats or even better formulas for Siamese cats, their not so far ancestors.

Burmese kittens care

When you introduce burese kittens to your home let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent them from escaping.

Burmese kittens - Photo by http://www.burmese-cats-alliance.com/

Burmese kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the burmese kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kittens and encourage them to play with a toy but do not overwhelm them with extreme attention.

Burmese kittens need warmth, for they miss their mother and litter mates. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, burmese kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

For the suggested daily intake of burmese kittens dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Burmese kittens daily food intake

Burmese cats grooming

Burmese cats generally have smooth fine hair, so grooming and maintaining the coat is not an issue and they do a good job of keeping themselves clean. You will want to occasionally brush them, as this will help with shedding. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through her fur from head to tail to remove dead and loose hair. Be extra-gentle near her chest and belly to avoid injuring your Burmese cat. Grooming will also improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Burmese cats coat sheds considerably during the seasonal change. Extra brushing is beneficial at this time to remove as much loose hair as possible to prevent cats hairballs.

Tapeworms in cats

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our cats tapeworms treatment guide.

Cats hairballs

When cats groom themselves by licking their own fur, they will swallow some of their hair. Most of the hair passes all the way through the digestive tract without problems. If some hair stays in the stomach, it will form cats hairballs.

To find out more, check our cats hairballs treatment guide.

Fleas on cats

To find out more, check our fleas treatment guide.

Burmese cats care

Special attention should be paid to their eyes hygiene, as Burmese cats are prone to developing eye disorders such as the cherry eye. Keep the eyes clean by removing any discharge accumulating in the inner corner of the eye. Flushing the eye with a mild boric acid solution is also advised.

Cat ears also require a great deal of hygiene as they are prone to serious infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Cat teeth should be checked periodically and brush with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. Burmese cats are very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give Burmese cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for them; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that cat toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Burmese cats health and lifespan

Burmese cats live to be 14 years old on average and are generally healthy cats.

Burmese cats commonest health issue is Cherry Eye, a condition that occurs in cats when the gland located at the base of the third eyelid breaks lose from its attachment to the lid and visibly pokes outward. Treatment options include your vet removing part of the gland or forcing the gland to stay put by tacking down the migrating portion to the inner part of the third eyelid. You can keep the eye clean by removing any discharge accumulating in the inner corner of the eye. Flushing the eye with a mild boric acid solution is also advised.

Cleft Palate is a birth defect of the nasal and oral cavities commonly associated with harelip. It is caused by failure of the palate bones to develop and fuse. This results in an opening from the oral to the nasal cavity. It is usually impossible for the Burmese kitten to nurse and survival depends on tube feeding. This problem is primarily cosmetic, and can be corrected with plastic surgery.

Finally Hypokalemia is capable to affect Burmese cats as well. The condition is developed when blood potassium levels drop, initially causing cramping, then paralysis. Hypokalemia can be treated with oral supplements.

Burmese cats history

The earliest of Burmese cats existence in a series of 17 illustrated poems written in Siam , today known as Thailand, during the period of the Ayutthaya. In the certain poems are mentioned three types of cats, the Vichien Mat (Siamese cat), the Si-Sawat (Korat), and the Thong Daeng (Copper, now known as Burmese). These cats are thought to have remained in Thailand until it was invaded by the Burmese in the 18th century. The Burmese soldiers upone their return to Burma seem to have taken the temple cats with them.

In the early 1930’s, Dr. Joseph Thompson of San Francisco imported an attractive walnut-brown female from Burma, which he named Wong Mau. Through selective breeding to Siamese cats, it was established that Burmese cats were a distinct breed.The breed was accepted for CFA studbook registration in 1936 and for championship status in 1957.

The 21 years of delay for the breed to be accepted for championship status, is due to a real paradox. Burmese studbook registration in CFA was suspended from 1947 to 1953 , because of a "temporary" opposition to he practice of out-crossing between Burmese to Siamese cats. Interestingly enough, cross-breeding Siamese and Burmese cats is what later produced the Tonkinese breed. The ironic part about this is that Wong Mau, the mother of the Burmese breed, is now widely believed to have been a Burmese-Siamese cross herself.

Burmese cats personality

Burmese cats are social, intelligent and extremely sweet-natured cats. They are people oriented, forming strong bonds with their owners. In addition, they are well known to need a reasonable amount of human attention and hate being left alone for long periods of time. Therefore, in case the owners spend all day at work, it is advisable to buy two Burmese kittens, ideally from the same litter.

Burmese cats are very friendly and inquisitive, with an outgoing and loving nature. They are alert and curious, interfering and gregarious. They love to explore the environment, while anything that is mechanical and moves makes an ideal game for them.

As kittens, Burmese are quite lively. They often seem to be clumsy,especially when they attempt feats beyond their capabilities. The will also remain playful into adulthood. They are good with children, will tolerate the family dog and if introduced to at an early age as something pleasant, most will enjoy traveling in a car.

Burmese cats breed standards

As a result of separate breeding programs, there are two Burmese cat types, the British Burmese and the American Burmese. Bellow we will examine the British version.

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, Burmese distinguishes itself as an independent breed by its unique genetics of color. The striking characteristics of this lively breed are its silky coat texture as well as their expressive eyes.

So the Burmese cats have a wedge shaped head, wide at the cheekbones, tapering to a blunt finish at the muzzle. The top of the head is broad and high, wide between the ears and slightly rounded when viewed in profile. The tip of the nose and the chin form a vertical live. The nose bears a distinct break at the base and the jaws are wide at the hinge. The chin is strong and when viewed in profile, it shows a strong lower jaw.

Burmese cats have medium sized ears, broad at the base, with slightly rounded tips. The ears are set wide apart. Their outer line continues the upper part of the face. In profile they have a slight forward tilt.

Their eyes are large and set wide apart. The top line of the eyes is straight with a slight oriental slant towards the nose. The eyes' lower line is rounded. Their color can be all shades of yellow, from chartreuse to amber, however golden yellow is the ideal. In any case the color should be lustrous, particularly alert and bright.

Burmese cats have a medium length, muscular and compact body. It is much heavier than it looks, that is why their nickname is "Bricks wrapped in Silk". The chest is strong and rounded in profile and the back is straight. The legs are rather slender and in proportion to the body and the paws are small and oval.

Their tail is of medium length, of medium thickness at its base and tapering to a rounded tip. The coat, finally is fine, glossy and silky. It is short, lying close to the body, with almost no undercoat. The recognized colors and patterns are the following:

· Brown
· Blue
· Chocolate
· Lilac
· Red
· Cream
· Seal tortie
· Blue tortie
· Chocolate tortie
· Lilac tortie

Bengal cat

2009-12-20T11:56:00.000-08:00

Bengal cat history

Bengal cat name derives from the Latin name of its wild ancestor, Felis Bengalensis (Asian Leopard Cat). This also indicates the breeds origins: In 1963, Jean S. Mill crossed a domestic cat with an Asian Leopard Cat, a spotted five to twelve pound shy wild cat species from Asia. This was the first effort to create a breed of domestic cat with the loving nature of a favored fireside tabby and the striking look associated with Leopards.

However, the modern Bengal cat breed traces to cats bred by Mrs. Mill beginning in the early 1980's and as the number of breeders and owners grew, this led to the formation of The International Cat Association's (TICA) Bengal Breed Section. T.I.C.A. adopted the first written breed standard in 1986 and the first Bengal Bulletin was published in Nov/Dec 1988.

Bengal cat personality

The Bengal cat combines a "wild" appearance with a gentle temperament.

Bengal cat is busy by nature. It is an intelligent and interactive cat with whom you can develop a very genuine two-way relationship. It is neither a distant cat that ignores you with arrogance, nor a dull quiet cat.

It is also amazing athlete. It can rush around with great joy, climb doors and cupboards, and leap to huge heights. When a Bengal cat is in full play mode, it's rather like trying to hold on to running water!

A Bengal cat might enjoy water and may join you in brushing your teeth or taking a shower. However if you’re after a swimming cat, you’d be better off with a Turkish Van.

Finally a Bengal cat is very affectionate and can be a "lap cat" whenever it wants to.

Bengal cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, a Bengal cat has a slightly small in proportion to the body head. The head is also broad, shaping a modified wedge with rounded contours. It is longer than it is wide and when viewed in profile it is obvious that it shapes a gentle curving forehead.

The nose is large and wide with a slightly puffed nose leather. When viewed in profile, the bridge of the nose extends above the eyes. It also bears a very slight concave curve.

Bengals cat muzzle is full and broad, with large and prominent whisker-pads. The cheekbones are high and prominent and the chin is strong, aligning with the tip of the nose in profile.

The ears are medium to small. They are rather short with a wide base and rounded tips. A light horizontal furnishing is acceptable, however any amount of tufts is undesirable. They are set wide apart, following the contour of the face in the frontal view and pointing forward in the profile view.

The eyes are oval and maybe a little almond shaped,large but not bugged. The recognized eye colors are the green, brown, gold, blue-green, aquamarine and blue. Their eyes are set wide apart, with a slight slant towards the base of the ears.

A Bengal cat possesses a medium to large body with a long and substantial torso, but not oriental or foreign. The bone structure is robust and never delicate and the musculature well developed. However, the most distinguishing characteristic of its body is that the hindquarters are slightly higher than the shoulders.

The legs are of medium length, with the hint slightly longer than in the front ones. In addition they are very muscular and not at all delicate. The paws are obviously large and round.

Their neck is thick, muscular and long. The tail on the other hand is of medium length, thick, tapered at the end and with a rounded tip.

Bengal cat coat is of short to medium length. The kittens sometimes have a little longer coat, however that changes later. The texture is thick, luxurious, unusually soft to the touch and preferably glittering. The recognized patterns and colors are the following:

Patterns
· Spotted Pattern: Random, horizontal or diagonal. Rosettes showing two distinct colors or shades are preferable to single spotting, but not required. The shape is similar to a paw print. The belly must also be spotted.
· Marbled Pattern: Markings, while derived from the classic tabby gene, and the horizontal pull of the non-domestic giving a uniquely different pattern with as little "bulls-eye" similarity as possible. The pattern should instead be random giving the impression of marble or the impression of chaining with an horizontal flow when the cat is stretched.

Colors
· Brown (black) marbled
· Seal sepia/ Seal mink marbled
· Snow marbled
· Brown (black) spotted
· Seal sepia/ Seal mink spotted
· Snow spotted

Abyssinian cats

2009-12-19T13:58:00.000-08:00

Abyssinian cats ideal weight and nutrition

The ideal weight for Abyssinian cats is 8 - 12 lbs (3.5 - 5.5 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Abyssinian cats daily food intake

In order to maintain the active nature and lean muscular build of Abyssinian cats, their nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat, as well as Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. Fortunately, nowadays most cat meal companies have developed special formulas for active cats. You might want to try meals designed specially for Siamese cats. After all, Siamese and Abyssinian cats share the same requirements.

Abyssinian kittens

When you introduce Abyssinian kittens to your home let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent them from escaping.

Abyssinian kittens - Photo by http://adorablekittens.tumblr.com/

Abyssinian kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adapt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kittens and encourage them to play with a toy but do not overwhelm them with extreme attention.

Abyssinian kittens need warmth. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, Abyssinian kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month Abyssinian kittens can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Abyssinian kittens daily food intake

Abyssinian cats grooming

Abyssinian cats generally have smooth fine hair, so grooming and maintaining the coat is not an issue and they do a good job of keeping themselves clean. You will want to occasionally brush them, as it will help with shedding.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hair ball

Find out more in our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

Find our more in our flea treatment guide.

Abyssinian cats care

You should clean your Abyssinian cats ears once a week to keep them clean and prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Their teeth should be checked periodically and brushed with special wipes to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. Abyssinian cats are very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for them; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that cat toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Abyssinian cats health

Abyssinian cats live 12-15 years and are generally healthy cats.

However, Renal Amyloidosis has been associated with Abyssinian cats and is thought to be genetic. This is a rare disease caused by deposits of abnormal proteins in the kidneys, resulting in decreased function and eventual organ failure. There are a number of tests veterinarians use to diagnose amyloidosis, such as measuring the amount of protein in urine and urinalysis to determine uremic poisoning. Blood chemistry panels may also be administered to help identify the levels of chemicals, minerals and proteins in the feline bloodstream.

Currently, there is no cure for amyloidosis, however treating the symptoms of the disease may help an affected Abyssinian cat lead a longer, more comfortable life.

Some Abyssinian cats are also prone to gingivitis, a gum diseases brought on by poor dental hygiene and viral infections. Common signs are bad breath and a red line bordering the teeth. Early treatment prevents the development of more serious periodontal disease.

Abyssinian cats history

Most breeders claim that Abyssinian cats are the most ancient of breeds and that they were worshiped as gods by the Ancient Egyptians. Others believe that they were imported to England by Captain Barrett Leonard when he returned from service in the Abyssinian wars in the 1860's. However, there is no record of any Abyssinian cat imported in England, so there is no doubt that Abyssinian cats were developed there.

The British breeders began the new breed’s development with the British Shorthair. The earliest records indicate that the main requirement for the breed was a ticked coat. In the beginning there was a great range of colors, extending from the wild silver agouti ticking to an intense yellow ticking. However it is more than obvious that the silver color predominated in the early Abyssinian cats; names such as Aluminium, Quicksilver, Silver Memelik and Silver Fairy hardly could have been given to ruddy-colored cats.

In the beginning, Abyssinian cats were, thus, silver cats accompanied by remnants of tabby markings. At a time when silver and brown tabbies were truly popular in England, breeders tried to produce a totally distinctive cat. They introduced a little red to warm up the coat and they bred out the tabby markings. This kind of work took a long time and required great effort.

The first Abyssinian cats registrations occurred in 1896, while 12 more Aby registrations followed during 1900-1905. Soon, a male and female Abyssinian were imported in the US.

World War I caused a considerable delay in the establishment of the Abyssinian cats, as the nucleus of the new breed was small in both the United States and Britain. Just when the period of intensive breeding began in the United States in 1938 to 1939, the great tragedy of World War II occurred. By the end of the war, only 12 or so Abyssinians were left in England.

In 1950 Abyssinian breeders increased and hard efforts were made during the next years to restore the breed’s glory. In January 1989 the Cat World Magazine devoted itself to the Abyssinian cats indicating the great popularity of the breed at that time.

Nowadays, the Abyssinian cats are recognized by all associations, while many of them are devoted to the promotion, protection and preservation of the Abyssinian breed.

Abyssinian cats personality

Once you have acquired an Abyssinian cat as a companion, you will never be able to complain that no one understands you.

Abyssinian cats are extroverted, extremely active, playful, willful and intelligent. They adore toys and can play for hours with their favorite ball. Surprisingly, some of them play fetch.They are very people oriented and extremely good at training people to do just what they want them to do.

Abyssinian cats need a great deal of interaction with the family to remain happy and can get depressed without daily activity and attention. They generally get along well with other cats, although they need their space and the females can sometimes be irritable around other cats. They love exploring and playing and make excellent hunters.

Abyssinian cats breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, Abyssinian cats possess a wedge shaped head of medium proportions and soft and graceful contours. Their nose is of medium length. When viewed in profile the head shows a soft curve, with neither a stop nor a straight nose. Their muzzle is not sharply pointed nor square. A shallow indentation forming the muzzle is desirable, however a pinch is a fault. In addition, their chin is firm and well developed.

The Abyssinian cats' ears are relatively large and pricked. They are broad at the base and slightly rounded at the tips. They bear a thumb print and desirably tufts of hair at the tips. They are set well apart and should follow the head wedge.

Their eyes are also set well apart. They are almond shaped and of large size. Their color should be either amber, green or yellow. The color should moreover be pure, clear and intense, brilliant and expressive.

Their body is of medium length, firm, lithe and graceful. Its musculature is well developed, however without coarseness. The neck is also graceful and the tail fairly long, broad at the base and tapering. The legs in proportion to the body are slender and elegant, ending up to oval paws.

The Abyssinian cat coat finally is soft, silky and fine in texture, however dense to the touch and with a lustrous sheen. It is medium in length but long enough to accommodate two or three dark bands of ticking.

When describing the Abyssinian cat coat color, we do not only refer to the body color but also to the ground color. The ground color is underside of the body, the color of the chest and inner sides of the legs which should be in harmony with the upper parts of the body.

So the acceptable coat colors of Abyssinian cats are the following:

Ruddy
Body color: warm ruddy brown/red brown with black ticking
Ground color: deep apricot/orange

Blue
Body color: warm blue-gray with dark steel blue-gray ticking
Ground color: pale fawn/cream

Sorrel
Body color: bright warm copper red with chocolate-brown ticking
Ground color: deep apricot

Beige-fawn
Body color: dull beige with deep warm cream ticking
Ground color: pale cream

Black silver
Body color: pure silver-white with black ticking
Ground color: pure silver-white

Blue silver
Body color: pure silver-white with dark steel blue-gray ticking
Ground color: pure silver-white

Sorrel silver
Body color: pure silver-white with red-brown ticking
Ground color: pure silver-white

Beige fawn silver
Body color: pure silver-white with deep warm cream ticking
Ground color: pure silver-white

Cat American curl

2009-12-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

American curl cat history

The history of cat American curl begins in June 1981, in Lakewood, California. Then, two stray cats with unusual curled ears wandered up to the doorstep of cat lovers, Joe and Grace Ruga. One suffered an unfortunate accident soon after arriving, but the other, a long-haired black female, was adopted by the Rugas. The cat was named Shulamith, a variation of a Hebrew term that means "black but comely”.

The Rugas at first paid little attention to Shulamith’s curled ears, as they assumed that other curly-eared cats existed somewhere. However, after consulting many cats breed books and journals, they realized that there was no reference to cats with such unique ears.

In December 1981 Shulamith delivered her first litter of four kittens. Out of these four kittens had curled ears.

The Rugas didn’t know much about genetics at the time, thus this indicated that the gene governing the trait was dominant, since a local long-haired tom named Mr. Grey, did not have curly ears or the gene for them. A geneticist who was contacted to study this phenomenon confirmed this assumption. He also attributed the curled ears gene to a spontaneous genetic mutation in the domestic cat population.

Since the curl gene was (and still is) dominant, only one parent needs to possess it in order to deliver curled ears kittens, which was a big advantage for the breeding program. Unlike a recessive gene, a dominant gene will always be expressed in the cat's physical appearance. If a cat doesn't have curled ears, she doesn't have the curl gene. A spontaneous genetic mutation in the domestic cat population was very likely responsible for the unique ears.

Shulamith continued to mate with the local toms, adding to the local American Curls. The kittens appeared in many colors, hair lengths and patterns, including pointed. The Rugas gave away kittens to friends and family, including Grace's sister, Esther Brimlow.

Esther gave two American Curl cats to former Australian Shepherd breeder Nancy Kiester, who showed her American Curls to cat judge and Scottish Fold breeder Jean Grimm. Grimm told Kiester that American Curl cats were unknown to the cat fancy and teamed up with the Rugas to start an official breeding program and edit the first breed standard. It was then that they named the breed American Curls.

They first exhibited the American Curl cats at the October 1983 CFA show in Palm Springs, California. Cat fanciers immediately recognized that the American Curl cats unparalleled ears were unique and acceptance quickly followed. American Curl cats were officially accepted for CFA registration in 1986 and for championship competition in February 1993.

American curl cat personality

American Curl cats are very sociable and people-oriented. They will join you when watching your favorite TV show, help you with dinner preparation, get into the shower with you and finally they will sleep in your bed. Affectionate and caring, they will become your soul-mates. They also get on very well with children and other pets as well and they do not mind guests in the house.

Although fearless and courageous cats, when introduced into a new home American Curl cats seem to have an inherent respect for the current pet occupants giving them plenty of space and time to adjust to the new kid on the block. They are never aggressive, on the contrary they are gentle and polite.

Intelligent and curious, American Curls can be taught to act tricks and even fetch. They are also very playful, while their favorite toys are anything that makes a crinkling sound. Not overly talkative, they express themselves through little trill-like cooing sounds when they want to comment or would like an opinion on something that's momentarily confounding to them.

American curl cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline the distinct feature of the American Curls Shorthair is their attractive, uniquely curled ears. The curls are well balanced, moderately muscled, svelte rather than massive in built. They are alert, active, with gentle, even dispositions.

Their head is of medium size. It shapes a modified wedge without flat planes, moderately longer than wide and with smooth transitions. The nose of the American Curl cats is moderate in length and straight, rising slightly from the bottom of the eyes to the forehead. The muzzle should be rounded with gentle transitions and the chin firm, in line with the nose and the upper lip.

The American Curl cat ears are moderately large, wide at the base and open, curving back in a smooth arc when viewed from front and rear. Actually the tips of the ears should create a minimum 90 degree arc of curl with an imaginary horizontal line, which should not exceed the 180 degrees. They should also be well furnished (desirably) and their tips rounded and flexible. The ears should be placed erect, set equally on top and side of the head.

The American Curl cats possess moderately large, oval on top and round on bottom eyes. They are set width apart on a slight angle, between the base of the ears and the tip of the nose. Their color has no relation with the coat color, except for the Himalayan varieties where only blue is officially allowed. In any case, the color should be clear and brilliant.

Their body is medium sized, flexible and with a moderately strong musculature. Their legs, in proportion to the body are of medium length and of medium boning, set straight when viewed from front or rear. They end up to medium sized and rounded paws.

Their tail is equal to the body length and flexible, wide at its base and tapering. Their coat is short, soft and silky. All color varieties and patterns are allowed for American Curl cats, as quoted bellow:

· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn with White
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn Agouti
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn Golden
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn Agouti and White
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn Golden and White
· Red/Cream/Tortie Solid/ Agouti
· Red/Cream/Tortie Golden
· Red/Cream/Tortie Solid/ Agouti with White
· Red/Cream/Tortie Golden and White
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Red/Cream/Cinnamon/Fawn Smoke/Silver Agouti
· Tortie Smoke/ Silver Agouti
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Red/Cream/Cinnamon/Fawn Smoke/Silver Agouti with White
· Tortie Smoke/ Silver Agouti with White
· White
· Pointed
· Tabby Pointed
· Smoke Pointed
· Silver Tabby Pointed
· Golden Tabby Pointed
· Pointed with White
· Tabby Pointed with White
· Smoke Pointed with White
· Silver Tabby Pointed with White
· Golden Tabby Pointed with White

Exotic Shorthair cat

2009-12-16T05:22:00.000-08:00

Exotic Shorthair cat ideal weight and nutrition

A Female Exotic Shorthair cat weighs 8 - 12 lbs (3.5 - 5.5 kg) and a male Exotic Shorthair cat weighs more than 12 lbs (5.5 kg).

A balanced and rich in vitamins, protein and fiber nutrition will help prevent most health problems of an Exotic Shorthair cat, avert obesity and moreover develop a rich and shiny fur. In the market there are now available meals specially designed for Persian cats. These formulas contain Omega 6 to meet the nutritional demands of maintaining a shiny and beautiful long coat and soluble and insoluble fibers that increase digestive activity to eliminate hairballs naturally.

For the suggested daily intake of dry food for an Exotic Shorthair cat, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Exotic Shorthair cats daily food intake

Exotic kittens care

When you introduce exotic kittens to your home, let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent them from escaping.

Exotic kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Exotic kittens need warmth. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, exotic kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - Exotic kittens daily food intake

Exotic Shorthair cat grooming

The Exotic Shorthair cat is easy to groom, though it requires more grooming than many other shorthaired cats. That is because they have as much hair as Persian cats do, as well as a rich, full undercoat. Figure on a grooming session with a good quality steel comb twice a week to keep your Exotic free from mats.

During the molting season it is absolutely necessary to groom them every day in order to prevent them digesting loose hair and getting hair balls.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hair ball

To find out more, check our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

To find out more, check our flea treatment guide.

Exotic Shorthair cat care

You should clean their ears once a week to keep them clean and prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper ear cleaning solution for your Exotic Shorthair cat and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. The Exotic Shorthair cat is very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for them; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that cat toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Exotic Shorthair cat health and lifespan

An Exotic Shorthair cat has an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years. Its squashed face can lead to some eye problems. Blocked tear ducts and discharge from the eyes is common so keep the eyes clean with a tissue or wet washer.

In addition an Exotic Shorthair cat is prone to Epiphora (excessive tearing), meaning chronic eye irritations and infections that produce tearing and staining of the hair below the eyes. Epiphora can be cured with the use of antibiotics.

Infection of the frontal sinuses (Sinusitis) can occur with some frequency, as a secondary effect of a respiratory infection. Watch for a nasal discharge (often just on one side) accompanied by frequent sneezing and sniffling. Sinus issues are usually confirmed with an X-Ray showing increased density in the sinus and are treated with an appropriate antibiotic. If this is not successful, a surgical procedure to make an opening into the sinus through the skin to aid in drainage may be required.

Finally, the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) known to affect the 36%-49% of adult Persian cats, is common among the Exotic Shorthair cats as well. This causes kidney failure, while the symptoms include excessive drinking and urination, reduced appetite, weight loss and depression.

Exotic shorthair cat history

The history of Exotic Shorthair cat can be tracked in the late 1950s when American Shorthair breeders, motivated by the popularity of Persian cats, secretly began to mix them into their American Shorthair bloodlines. Their objective was to improve the body type, as well as introduce the beautiful and impressive silver Persian color into the American Shorthairs. Because of this hybridization, the American Shorthair conformation went through a period of remodeling in the 1960s: their boning grew heavier, their head rounder, their nose shorter and their coat became denser, softer and longer.

Since the Persian cats were more than popular, the hybrids did well in the shows, however they still had not achieved their official registration as a separate breed. Actually, some American Shorthair breeders were outraged by the changes occurring to the breed and were determined to ‘sabotage’ any American Shorthair cats that showed signs of hybridization.

Ms Jane Martinke, judge of the CFA, however had other plans. She was the first to suggest in 1966 that these hybrid American/ Persian mixes should form a distinct category and therefore be registered as a new breed.

The Exotic Shorthair cat was first accepted for Championship status by the CFA in 1967.

However, few breeders adopted the new trend, since there still was an obstacle to skip. They had to establish the shorthair gene, which although it was dominant to the longhair one, it still had not managed to definitely abolish it from the hybrids. The exotic breeders then introduced Burmese and Russian Blues in addition to American Shorthairs to be crossed with Persian cats. They used these shorthaired breeds only long enough to inculcate the shorthair gene into the bloodlines. Once it was inculcated, crossing back to shorthairs was unnecessary and thus made less frequent. In 1987 the CFA completely banned Exotic to shorthair out-crosses.

Even with the slow start, the Exotic shorthair cat made a steady progress with the help of the devoted advocates of the breed who saw that a Persian in a Shorthair's clothing would make a valuable addition to the cat fancy. In 1971 the first Exotic Shorthair achieved the status of Grand Champion. In 1991 an Exotic was the CFA's Cat of the Year and in 1992 the CFA's Best Kitten was also an Exotic.

Exotic Shorthair cat personality

Just like the Persian cat, the Exotic Shorthair cat is very affectionate and loyal. It craves attention and like to be played around with. Though not very demanding, it loves to be petted. It will sit on your lap, follow you around the house and sleep in your bed during cold nights.

Its playful and in the meantime calm nature makes it ideal for families with children or other pets. The Exotic shorthair cat does not mind new members in the household, on the contrary it is very adaptable and accommodating.

Although Exotic Shorthair cat gets attached to all family members, it usually shows special affection for a particular individual in the house. It is sweet and gentle, but needs to feel secure in its environment. It prefers an atmosphere of serenity, love and reassurance.

Obviously, the Exotic Shorthair cat appeals to people who like the personality of a Persian cat but do not want the hassle of grooming a long-haired cat. It also retains some of the energetic spark of their American Shorthair forebear and that makes it even more playful and a good mouse hunter.

Exotic shorthair cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Exotic Shorthair cat is medium to large cat. It has a round and massive, well balanced head. Its forehead is rounded and cheeks are full. The nose is short and broad, with a definite stop, however not snub. The nose bridge and the nose leather must be wide and the nostrils well open, allowing free and easy passage of air.

The Exotic Shorthair cat has a strong chin and broad and powerful jaws. Its ears are small, round tipped and of course tufted. They are set wide apart and rather low on the head.

Its eyes on the other hand are large, round and open. They are set wide apart and their color can be one of the following: deep blue, copper or deep orange, one eye deep blue and one copper or deep orange (odd eyed) and green.

The Exotic Shorthair cat body should be cobby, with a broad chest, massive shoulders and a well muscled back. The legs should be short, thick and strong, ending to large, round and firm paws with tufts between the toes. The tail finally is short, well furnished and slightly rounded at the tip.

As for the Exotic Shorthair cat coat, this should be dense, plushy and soft in texture. Its density causes its standing out from the body. The recognized color varieties are the following:
· White
· Solid
· Tortie
· Smoke
· Silver shaded/shell
· Golden shaded/shell
· Tabby
· Silver tabby
· Golden tabby
· Van/Harlequin/Bicolor
· Van/Harlequin/Bicolor smoke
· Van/Harlequin/Bicolor tabby
· Van/Harlequin/Bicolor silver tabby
· Colorpoint
· Tabby point colorpoint

The Tiffany cat

2009-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Tiffany cat history

The Tiffany cat breed history begins in 1967. Back then, Jennie Robinson who owned "Neotype Cattery" in New York adopted two Foreign Chocolate-Brown Longhaired cats with golden eyes. The two cats, Thomas and Shirley, had an unknown background and were being sold as part of an estate sale. Mrs Robinson judged that the two cats probably derived from the same parents, however they were not litter-mates. In 1969 nature took its course and their first litter of 6 kittens was a fact. All six of them were identical, bore the same chocolate longhair coat and above all, amazed both Mrs. Robinson and her vet. Mrs Robinson intrigued, undertook a breeding program that led to the ACA registration of Thomas, Shirley and their decedents as Foreign Longhair cats.

Robinson’s cattery was later purchased by a Burmese breeder, Sigyn Lund, who began using the reference "The Tiffany Cat", a reference to a well-known theater in Los Angeles that was famed for its elegance during the 1920s. The new name was easily adapted by the rest of the breeders, as all believed that Foreign Longhairs was a very generic name. Later, in order to differentiate the breed from British cats also named Tiffany, the name Chantilly was added to it.

The Tiffany cat personality

The Tiffany cat is loyal and devoted to its owners. It will follow them around the house, from room to room and will converse with them in quiet "chirps" and thrills. It is not demanding and gets on well with children and other pets. Gentle and affectionate, it makes the perfect companion for people working full time.

The Tiffany cat breed standards

The Tiffany cat is a medium-sized cat of striking appearance. Its head is medium sized, broad, wedge shaped with gentle curves. The nose is gently sloped, bearing a short, broad muzzle that is softly squared with gentle contours and carries a break. Its chin is firm and cheekbones are broad and high.

The eyes should be preferably of golden and yellow amber color, oval shaped and very expressive.

The ears of the Tiffany cats are medium sized, broad at the base and with rounded tips. They bare long streamers and are titling forward and outward.

Its body is medium sized with a moderate musculature and bone structure. Its legs are long and slender, ending to small and round paws.

The Tiffany cat coat is semi long, silky, soft and smooth. The lack of undercoat usually makes grooming simpler than that of cats with an undercoat. Originally found only in the color of chocolate, Chantilly/ Tiffany now occurs in a range of colors including chocolate, blue, cinnamon, lilac, and fawn. Accepted patterns are solid, mackerel, ticked, and spotted tabby. The color is rich while shading in solids may occur toward the underside.

Javanese cats

2009-12-13T01:06:00.000-08:00

Javanese cats history

The history of Javanese cats begins in the late 1970s. Then a group of Balinese cat breeders began experimenting to create a new colorpoint variety.

In 1978 Barbara Harr who was editing the newsletter of the Progressive Colorpoint Cat Club, received numerous letters from various south american cat breeders, informing her that they were all breeding a Pointed Balinese cat of different colors and therefore needed to subscribe to the newsletter, since its contents were more than useful. They were also asking her for advice in getting their cats recognized in the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA).

Although Harr at first demurred this initiative, she finally gave in.

Of all the breeders, Maureen Davies was the leader of the new-color Balinese cats. She and her partner Ann Sandner were already achieving a type superior to that of most standard-color Balinese cats.

Harr, Davies and Sandner launched a campaign that would lead to the new cat breed’s official recognition and registration. On October 1979 Harr, Davies and a few more breeders appeared before the CFA Board in Chicago in order to show them a lynx pointed named Pippi and a tortie pointed named Free Spirit.

The CFA board granted registration status to these cats with exotic colorpoints, but requested that they were given a new name as the Balinese cats were considered a natural mutation, while the Javanese cats were hybrids created by deliberately crossing Balinese cats and Colorpoint Shorthairs and then breeding them with Siamese cats, Abyssinian cats, American Shorthair cats and red domestic shorthair cats to create unique qualities of colorpoints and coat. And since the Balinese cats were named after the island of Bali, the new breed was named after Bali's border island Java.

On May of 1986 that the CFA officially accepted the Javanese cats for championship competition.

Javanese cats personality

Javanese cats are sociable and very people oriented. They love to play with their human fellows and participate in their everyday activities. Intelligent and by far demanding, Javanese love being at the center of every activity. They are very quick learners and can be taught to perform tricks. Fetch is their favorite activity, while they can jump amazing heights.

Inquisitive and mischievous, they like investigating closets, drawers, shopping bags and in particular purses. They can be very determined when they want something, as well as curious about what goes on behind closed doors. They will use apply their sharp and agile skills to find a way in.

Javanese cats become loyal and affectionate companions while they get on well with the entire family. They love playing with children and do not mind other pets.

They are by far active, so they wouldn’t fit in a household with elderly people. They would obviously drive them crazy. On the other hand, their craving for attention makes them inappropriate for people who travel a lot or spend all day at work. The same goes for people who would like a pet that can be seen and not be heard, since they will find the Javanese distinctive yowl more than annoying. On the other hand, if you are looking for a playful and active friend, who will join you in every activity and even discuss with you, Javanese are more than ideal.

Javanese cats breed standards

According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association standards, Javanese cats have a long, medium sized head that forms a tapering wedge. The wedge starts at the nose and flares out in straight lines to the tips of the ears forming a triangle, with no break at the whiskers. When the whiskers and face hair are smoothed back, the under- lying bone structure must be apparent.

Their skull is flat. When viewed in profile, a long straight line is felt from the top of the head to the tip of the nose. There is neither a bulge over the eyes, nor a dip in the nose.

Their ears are strikingly large, wide at the base and pointed at the tips. They continue the lines of the wedge.

Their eyes are deep vivid blue, medium sized and almond shaped, neither protruding nor recessed. They are slanted towards the nose in harmony with the lines of the wedge and the ears and the distance between them is no less than the width of an eye.

Their nose is long and straight, forming a natural expansion of the forehead with no break. The muzzle, is fine and wedge-shaped.

Their chin and jaw are medium sized. The tip of the chin lines up with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane. They are neither receding nor excessively massive.

Javanese cats possess a medium sized, graceful, long, and svelte body, with a distinctive combination of fine bones and firm muscles. The shoulders and the hips continue the same sleek lines of tubular body, and the hips are never wider than the shoulders. Their abdomen is tight, and males can be somewhat larger than the females.

Their neck is long and slender.

The bone structure of their legs is long and slim, while the hind legs are higher than the front. Their paws are dainty, small and oval, and they should possess five toes in front paws and four in the hind.

Their tail has a long bone structure. It is also thin and tapering to a fine point. The tail hair is spread out like a plume.

Their coat is medium long, and a bit longer on the tail. It has a fine and silky texture without downy undercoat lying close to the body, which makes the coat appear shorter than it is.

The body coat color is even, with subtle shading when allowed. There is a definite contrast between body color and points (mask, ears, legs, feet and tail). The mask covers the entire face including the whisker pads and is connected to the ears by tracings. It does not extend over the top of the head. The points are of the same shade and do not bear ticking or white hair.

The following colors and patterns are officially recognised for Javanese cats:

Solid red point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver) 
The body is clear white with any shading in the same tone as the points. The points are bright apricot to deep red. At the cat shows the deeper shades with lack of barring are preferred. The nose leather and paw pads are flesh or coral pink.

Solid cream point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is clear white with any shading in the same tone as the points. The points are pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, preferably without barring. The nose leather and the paw pads are flesh or coral pink.

Seal lynx point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver) 
The body is cream or pale fawn, shading to a lighter color on the stomach and chest. The shading may take the form of ghost striping. The points bear seal brown bars, distinct and separated by a lighter background color. The ears are seal brown with a paler thumbprint in the center, the nose leather is seal brown or pink edged in seal brown and the paw pads are seal brown.

Chocolate lynx point (including smoke and silver)
The body is ivory, and the shading takes the form of ghost striping. The points bear warm milk-chocolate bars, distinct and separated by a lighter back- ground color. The ears are warm milk-chocolate with paler thumbprint in the center, the nose leather is cinnamon or pink edged in cinnamon and the paw pads are cinnamon.

Blue lynx point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is bluish white to platinum gray, cold in tone with shadings to lighter colors on the stomach and chest. The shading takes the form of ghost striping. The points bear deep blue-gray bars, distinct and separated by a lighter background color. The ears are deep blue-grey with a paler thumbprint in the center, the nose leather is slate-colored or pink edged in slate and the paw pads are slate-colored.

Lilac lynx point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is glacial white, and the shading takes the form of ghost striping. The points are frosty grey with pinkish tone bars, distinct and separated by a lighter background color. The ears are frosty grey with a pinkish tone and a paler thumbprint in the center, the nose leather are lavender-pink or pink edged in lavender-pink and the paw pads are lavender-pink.

Red lynx point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is white, and the shading takes the form of ghost striping. The points bear deep red bars, distinct and separated by a lighter background color. The ears are deep red with a paler thumbprint in the center and the nose leather and paw pads are flesh or coral pink.

Cream lynx point Javanese cats (including smoke silver)
The body is clear white, and the shading may take the form of ghost striping. The points bear bars of pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, distinct and separated by a lighter background color. The ears are pale buff cream to light pinkish cream with a paler thumbprint in the center and the nose leather and the paw pads are flesh to coral pink.

Seal - tortie lynx point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is cream or pale fawn, shading to a lighter color on the stomach and the chest. The body shading takes the form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. The points bear seal brown bars, distinct and separated by a lighter background color. The ears are seal brown with a paler thumbprint in the center. A random mottling of red and/or cream overlays the markings of the points. The nose leather is seal brown or pink edged in seal brown, and flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. The paw pads are seal brown or seal brown mottled with flesh or coral pink.

Chocolate tortie lynx point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is ivory, and the body shading may take the form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. The points bear warm milk-chocolate bars, distinct and separated by a lighter background color. The ears should be warm milk-chocolate with a paler thumbprint in the center. A random mottling of red and/or cream should overlay the markings of the points. The nose leather is cinnamon permitted or pink edged in cinnamon, while flesh or coral pink mottling may be present and the paw pads should be cinnamon, or cinnamon mottled with flesh or coral pink.

Blue cream point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is bluish white to platinum grey, cold in tone, shading to a lighter color on the stomach and chest. The body shading may take the form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. The points bear deep blue-grey bars, distinct and separated by a lighter background color. The ears are deep blue-grey with a paler thumbprint in the center. Random mottling of cream overlays the markings of the points. The nose leather is slate-colored or pink edged in slate, while flesh or coral pink mottling may be present and the paw pads are slate colored or slate mottled with flesh or coral pink.

Lilac cream lynx point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is glacial white, and the shading takes the form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. The points are frosty grey with pinkish tone bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color. The ears are frosty grey with a pinkish tone and a paler thumbprint in the center. A random mottling of cream should overlay the markings of the points. The nose leather are lavender-pink or pink edged in lavender-pink, while flesh or coral pink mottling may be present and the paw pads should be lavender-pink or lavender-pink mottled with flesh or coral pink.

Seal-tortie point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is pale fawn to cream, shading to lighter color on the stomach and chest, and the body color is mottled with cream in older cats. The points are seal brown and randomly mottled with red and/or cream. The nose leather and paw pads are seal brown, preferably with flesh or coral pink mottling.

Chocolate-tortie point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver)
The body is ivory. The points are warm milk-chocolate randomly mottled with red and/or cream. The nose leather and paw pads are cinnamon, preferably with flesh or coral pink mottling.

Blue-cream point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver) 
The body is bluish white to platinum grey, cold in tone, shading to lighter a color on the stomach and chest. The body color is mottled in older cats. The points are deep blue-grey randomly mottled with cream. The nose leather and paw pads are slate-colored, preferably with flesh or coral pink mottling.

Lilac cream point Javanese cats (including smoke and silver) 
The body is glacial white, and there might be some mottling in the shade of the points. The points are frosty grey with a pinkish tone, randomly mottled with pale cream. The nose leather and the paw pads are lavender-pink, preferably with flesh or coral pink mottling.

American curl cat

2009-12-09T05:34:00.000-08:00

American curl cat history

The history of the American curl cat begins in June 1981, in Lakewood, California. Then, two stray cats with unusual curled ears wandered up to the doorstep of cat lovers, Joe and Grace Ruga. One suffered an unfortunate accident soon after arriving, but the other, a longhaired black female, was adopted by the Rugas. The cat was named Shulamith, a variation of a Hebrew term that means "black but comely”.

The Rugas at first paid little attention to Shulamith’s curled ears, as they assumed that other curly-eared cats existed somewhere. However, after consulting many cat breed books and journals, they realized that there was no reference to cats with such unique ears.

In December 1981 Shulamith delivered her first litter of four kittens. Out of these four kittens, two had curled ears.

The Rugas didn’t know much about genetics at the time, thus this indicated that the gene governing the trait was dominant, since a local long hair cat named Mr. Grey, did not have curly ears or the gene for them. A geneticist who was contacted to study this phenomenon confirmed this assumption. He also attributed the curled ears gene to a spontaneous genetic mutation in the domestic cat population.

Since the curl gene was (and still is) dominant, only one parent needs to possess it in order to deliver curled ears kittens, which was a big advantage for the breeding program. Unlike a recessive gene, a dominant gene will always be expressed in the cat's physical appearance. If a cat doesn't have curled ears, it doesn't have the curl cat gene. A spontaneous genetic mutation in the domestic cat population was very likely responsible for the unique ears.

Shulamith continued to mate with the local cats, adding to the local Curl cat population. The kittens appeared in many colors, hair lengths and patterns, including pointed. The Rugas gave away kittens to friends and family, including Grace's sister, Esther Brimlow.

Esther gave two Curl cats to former Australian Shepherd breeder Nancy Kiester, who showed them to cat judge and Scottish Fold breeder Jean Grimm. Grimm told Kiester that Curl cats were unknown to the cat fancy and teamed up with the Rugas to start an official breeding program and edit the first breed standard. They also named the breed the American Curl cat.

They first exhibited the American Curl cat at the October 1983 CFA show in Palm Springs, California. Cat fanciers immediately recognized that the Curl's unparalleled ears were unique and acceptance quickly followed. The American Curl cat was officially accepted for CFA registration in 1986 and for championship competition in February 1993.

American curl cat personality

The American Curl cat is very sociable and people-oriented. It will join you when watching your favorite TV show, help you with dinner preparation, get into the shower with you and finally it will sleep in your bed. Affectionate and caring, it will become your soul-mates. It also gets on very well with children and other pets, and it does not mind guests in the house.

Although fearless and courageous cats, when introduced into a new home the American curl cat seems to have an inherent respect for the current pet occupants giving them plenty of space and time to adjust to the new kid on the block. It is never aggressive, on the contrary it is gentle and polite.

Intelligent and curious, it can be taught to act tricks and even fetch. The American curl cat is also very playful; its toys can be anything that makes a crinkling sound. Not overly talkative, it expresses itself through little trill-like cooing sounds when it wants to comment or would like an opinion on something that's momentarily confounding to it.

American curl cat breed standards

According to the Fédperation Internationale Féline, the American Curl cat is well balanced and moderately muscled. It is svelte rather than massive in built and has always an alert expression.

It has a medium sized and wedge shaped head, without flat planes. The head is moderately longer than wide and bears smooth transitions.

The American curl cat nose is moderate in length and straight, rising slightly from the bottom of the eyes to the forehead. The profile continues with a gentle curve to the top of the head, flowing into the neck without a break.

The muzzle is rounded with gentle transitions and no pronounced whisker breaks.

The chin is firm, aligned with the nose and the upper lip.

The ears, which are apparently responsible for the breed's name, are wide at the base with rounded and smooth tips and ideally should be furnished. They curve back in an arc of minimum 90 degrees, however not exceeding the 180 degrees. The ears also bear a firm cartilage, extending from their base to the 1/3 of them. They are moderately large and set erect, equally on top and side of the head.

The eyes are moderately large, oval on top and rounded on the bottom. They are set wide apart, on a slight angle between the base of the ears and the tip of the nose. Their color should be clear and brilliant and there does not have to be a relation between the eyes color and the coat color. The only exception concerns the Curls with pointed patterns, whose eyes can only be clear blue.

The American Curl cat has a graceful neck and a medium sized and well balanced body.

The legs are medium in proportion to the body, set straight when viewed from the front or rear and the paws are medium and rounded.

The tail is flexible wide at the base and tapering towards the tip. Its length is equal to the body's length and its coat is full and plumed.

The Longhair American Curl cat has a semi long, fine and silky coat that lies flat. There is very little undercoat and the officially recognized color varieties are the following:
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn with White
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn Agouti
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn Golden
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn Agouti and White
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Cinnamon/Fawn Golden and White
· Red/Cream/Tortie Solid/ Agouti
· Red/Cream/Tortie Golden
· Red/Cream/Tortie Solid/ Agouti with White
· Red/Cream/Tortie Golden and White
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Red/Cream/Cinnamon/Fawn Smoke/ Silver Agouti
· Tortie Smoke/ Silver Agouti
· Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac/Red/Cream/Cinnamon/Fawn Smoke/ Silver Agouti with White
· Tortie Smoke/ Silver Agouti with White
· White
· Pointed
· Tabby Pointed
· Smoke Pointed
· Silver Tabby Pointed
· Golden Tabby Pointed
· Pointed with White
· Tabby Pointed with White
· Smoke Pointed with White
· Silver Tabby Pointed with White
· Golden Tabby Pointed with White

Siberian cats

2009-12-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

Siberian cats history

Despite the fact that Siberian cats breed is natural and is the national cats breed of Russia, finding written information in Russia is fairly difficult.

Siberian cats were common cats roaming the Russian markets and the countryside of their homeland of Siberia. Cats were first brought into Russia by Nobles because they were considered to be exotic pets. The domestic cats mated with the European and Asian wild cats (Felis Silvestris) that were already there. Only a few of those cats who were strong adapted to the harsh Siberian climate and survived Russian immigrants were said to have carried this breed with them as they journeyed to cold Moscow and St. Petersburg leaving the cold inhospitable climate of the North. The breed continued to survive the harsh winters and climate and developed a thick fur and waterproof, oily coat. During this time no one bothered to develop the Siberian into a pedigreed cat. Russia did not allow citizens to own any kind of household pet, pedigreed or otherwise, because of the food shortage.

The Siberian cats breed was first noted in Harrison Weir's late nineteenth century book, "Our Cats and All About Them", as one of the three longhairs represented at the first cat show held in England in 1871. The second written proof was in 1925 from the book "Brehms Tierleben" where a stocky longhaired red cat named Tobolsker originating from Caucasus is mentioned. Siberians can also be found in Russian paintings that are hundreds of years old.

The reason why such an old breed was not officially registered until recently was that ownership was not allowed by the Russian Communist regime. In later years after the end of the cold war in Russia, cat clubs became fashionable, and citizens were allowed to own pets. Many cat clubs developed, among which St. Petersburg Kotofei (pronounced COT-ah-fay), a division of ACFA. Kotofei was established in 1987 and was named after a fabled Russian character that had the head of a cat. Breeding records, therefore, started being kept and the first cat show in Moscow was held in 1988.

The Siberian cats were brought to the US in 1990 and on February 6, 2000 were accepted into the Miscellaneous class by CFA.

Siberian cats personality

Siberian cats are gentle and affectionate creatures. They get on very well with children, they will readily accept other household pets and will stand by the door to greet the guests. They are very people-oriented cats and love blending in every family activity. On the other hand, they become depressed if left alone for a long time. So if you are a workaholic or have to travel a lot, it is highly recommended to get another pet to keep your Siberian company.

Siberian cats are also very smart cats and can easily be trained to respond to the calling of their name or even perform tricks. They are also very playful, retaining their kitten personalities throughout their whole life. They like high places and are powerful leapers. Their sharp wit and muscular bodies enable them to be good hunters and excellent mousers. However, without regular physical and mental stimulus they can become bored and mischievous.

If not given cause to fear water, they love fresh running water and will drink from a running faucet, preferring it to a water bowl. Siberian cats even invent water games, such as throwing their toys in their water bowl or finally supervising your bath or shower.

Siberian cats breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, Siberian cats are medium to large sized with the females possessing a generally smaller body than the males.

Their head is a little bit longer than broad, softly rounded and massive.

Siberian cats have a broad and slightly rounded forehead, and their cheekbones are well developed.

Their nose is of medium length and broad, showing a slight indentation in profile.

The chin is slightly slanting back, creating a curve from the upper line of the nose when viewing the Siberian cat in profile.

The ears are medium sized, well open at the base, with rounded tips and well-developed hairs and tufts. They are set well apart, tilting slightly forward.

Siberian cats possess large and slightly oval shaped eyes, set widely apart. All eye colors are permitted.

Their body has a well boned and muscled structure, with a powerful neck and a broad chest.

The legs are strong and of medium height, adding to the body a rectangular effect. The paws are large, round and well tufted between the toes.

Siberian cats possess a medium length and thick tail that ends to a rounded tip.

As for Siberian cats coat, this is semi-long, well developed and very dense. The undercoat is not flat, actually it sticks out of the body to insulate it, while the overcoat is water repellent and a bit hard to touch.

All coat colors and patterns are permitted for the Siberian cat, except for the pointed patterns with chocolate, lilac, cinnamon and fawn.

Somali cats

2009-12-02T03:16:00.000-08:00

Somali cats ideal weight and nutrition

Somali cats weigh 8-12 lbs (3.5 - 5.5 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Somali cats daily food intake

In order to maintain their lean built, as well as their active nature and muscular build, Somali cats must consume meals with high quality protein and reduced fat, as well as Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. Forunately, nowadays most cat meal companies have developed special formulas for active cats, while you might want to try meals designed specially for Siamese cats. After all, the two breeds share the same requirements.

Somali kitten - Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/

Somali kittens care

When you introduce Somali kittens to your home let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent them from escaping.

Somali kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adapt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Somali kittens need warmth, since they miss their mother and litter mates. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, Somali kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month Somali kittens can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Somali kittens daily food intake

Somali cats grooming

A regular grooming is essential for keeping Somali cats hair looking plush and beautiful. A routine of brushing and combing your Somali cat about once or twice a week should be sufficient for removing loose hair, debris and dander, except for the shedding season when a daily grooming is absolutely necessary.

The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through the fur from head to tail. Be extra-gentle near the chest and belly to avoid injuring your cat and pay particular attention to the area around the neck and the tail where hair is longer and can become tangled and gnarled rather quickly.

Grooming will also improve the Somali cats blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hair ball

To find out more, check our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

To find out more, check our flea treatment guide.

Somali cats care

You should clean their ears once a week to keep them clean and prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. Somali cats are very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for them; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Somali cats health and lifespan

Somali cats live to be around 12 years old and are generally healthy cats. The only health problem connected to the certain breed is gingivitis, a gum diseases brought on by poor dental hygiene and viral infections. Common signs are bad breath and a red line bordering the teeth. Early treatment prevents the development of more serious periodontal disease.

Somali cats history

No one knows for sure when and where the first Somali cat appeared. There is a story going on about the Somali cats originating as an undesirable product of a recessive gene in the Abyssinian cats. However, genetic studies indicate that the Somali cats first appeared in the beginning of the past century in England when breeders, low on breeding stock, used long haired cats in their Abyssinian cats breeding programs. Actually, in the late 1910s and in the late 1940s, when so many breeds had dwindled to near extinction as a result of the two World Wars, breeders were forced to mate other breeds with their Abyssinian cats to keep the breed going.

When long haired kittens cropped up in Abyssinian litters (possible whenever two Abyssinians carrying the recessive gene for long hair were bred together), the kittens were quietly disposed of, since no breeder wanted to be thought to have Abyssinian lines that were 'tainted' with un-Abyssinian genes. It wasn't until the 1960s that breeders, seeing the appeal of a long haired version of a breed that was rapidly gaining popularity in the United States, began seriously trying to turn these castaways into a breed of their own.

Actually in 1963, CCA Allbreed Judge Ken McGill was asked to judge a show in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As a practical joke, Abyssinian breeder Mary Mailing put a longhaired Aby in the cage amongst the class of Abys. Ken took out the cat, looked down to describe how the cat fit the standard, and was surprised to see the longhaired Aby in his hands. The exhibitors had a good laugh, but Ken was so taken with this beautiful cat that he asked Mary for one to breed. With this cat, Ken founded the oldest Somali line in Canada.

Some Abyssinian breeders wanted nothing to do with these long haired nonconformists and did not want to encourage the tenuous connection that the name 'Longhaired Abyssinian' would produce. Abyssinian breeder Evelyn Mague, one of the first U.S. breeders to work with the developing long haired cat breed, came up with the name 'Somali' because Somalia borders Ethiopia, the country formerly called Abyssinia for which the Abyssinian was named.

In 1972 Mague founded the Somali Cats Club of America and began bringing the Somali enthusiasts together. In 1975 the CFA's International Somali Cat Club was founded and in 1978 the Somali breed earned Championship status in the CFA. Since then, the breed has steadily gained popularity and has won over the opposition. Today, the Somali breed has Championship status in all the North American registries.

Somali cats personality

Extremely affectionate and devoted, Somali cats crave for human company. They are very extrovert creatures that love being around people. They will follow them around the house, join them in their everyday activities and finally groom them as an act of love and caring.

Somali cats get on very well with children or other pets, provided that they share their high energy. On the other hand, they wouldn’t suit to households with elderly people, since they would drive them crazy. Whilst apartment living is not ideal for such vivid creatures, they will adapt provided there is ample room for them to run and exercise. They enjoy hunting and an enclosed yard would probably be more suitable for this breed.

Active and more than playful, most Somali cats can be taught to fetch, while some are good at walking on a leash. They are highly intelligent and mischievous and have been known to open cupboard doors and faucets. In addition they love attention and are not the type of cat that will sit quietly in a corner

Finally, an unusual feature of this breed is that they have a fascination with water; not only will they play with a dripping tap, they will also turn the tap on themselves to provide running water!

Somali cats breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Somali cats possess a wedge shaped head of medium proportions. Their head is wide at the top and its contours are soft and graceful.

Their nose is medium long. When viewing a Somali cat in profile the head shows a soft curve, with neither a stop nor a straight nose. Their muzzle is not sharply pointed. A shallow indentation forming the muzzle is desirable, but a pinch is a fault.

Their chin is firm and well developed.

Their ears are relatively large, broad at the base, and slightly rounded at the tips. They bear a thumb print, while tufts of hare at the tips are more than desirable. The ears are set well apart and pricked.

Somali cats have large, almond shaped eyes that are set well apart. The eyes should be brilliant and expressive and regarding the color, they should be amber, green or yellow. In either case, the color should be pure, clear and intense and the eyes should be outlined with the color of the ticking.

Though their neck is graceful, their body is firm, lithe and muscular. It is also medium built and medium long, giving a firm feeling.

Their legs are sinewy, fine and long and the paws should be small and oval.

Their tail should be well furnished, while their coat is extremely fine and very dense, actually the denser the better. The coat texture is very soft to touch and the hair is of medium length, except for the shoulders, where it can be a little shorter. At the shows, preference is given to Somali cats with well-developed frill and breeches.

Regarding the color and patterns, the following are officially recognized:
· Ruddy
Body color: warm ruddy brown/ red brown with black ticking
Ground color: deep apricot/ orange
· Blue
Body color: warm blue-grey with dark steel blue-grey ticking
Ground color: pale fawn/ cream
· Sorrel
Body color: bright warm copper red with chocolate-brown ticking
Ground color: deep apricot
· Beige - fawn
Body color: dull beige with deep warm cream ticking
Ground color: pale cream
· Black silver
Body color: pure silver-white with black ticking
Ground color: pure silver-white
· Blue silver
Body color: pure silver-white with dark steel blue-grey ticking
Ground color: pure silver-white
· Sorrel silver
Body color: pure silver-white with red-brown ticking
Ground color: pure silver-white
· Beige - fawn silver
Body color: pure silver-white with deep warm cream ticking
Ground color: pure silver-white