England is one of the few countries where for several centuries they have been breeding various breeds of cats. Today they are the most demanded in the world, as these animals are distinguished by their special charm, unique grace and excellent health. A brief description and a photo with the names of English cat breeds can be found in this article.
General information
Since time immemorial, cats have been living next to people, and their attitude towards them has not always been unambiguous. There are such periods in history when cats were literally idolized, considering them heavenly messengers. There were also moments when they fiercely hated them, considering them the fiends of hell and the harbingers of all kinds of misfortunes. Then they mercilessly destroyed. But in spite of everything, they are still with us, granting peace, joy and love to their owners.
Shorthair and long-haired animals will be listed here. The first appeared much earlier. In most cases, caring for their hair will be as simple as possible: it needs to be combed out only once a week. Most often, short-haired cats are very mobile and playful.
Their long-haired relatives are lovers of a more measured life, since their behavior and character indicate that they prefer peace, and sometimes even loneliness. But there are exceptions. You probably should not say that cute fluffy pets bring an atmosphere of warmth and coziness with them to the house. However, do not forget that you must always be ready to care for such a chic coat, which can take a lot of time.
British Shorthair
This breed appeared more than a century ago. Over the years, its popularity has only grown. There is no reliable information about its origin, but there are many legends associated with it. Looking at the photo of cats of the British breed, you can not help falling in love with them at first sight.
The color of animals can be different, but the most popular is a monophonic blue. In addition to it there is also black, purple and chocolate. There are other colors, such as tabby in different combinations. Their eyes are most often bright orange or yellow, a little less common blue and green. A distinctive feature of these animals is a wide head with a flattened muzzle.
The nature of British breed cats can change over time. Until one year, they lead a very active lifestyle, and then abruptly switch to the so-called sofa mode. This means that cats become very lazy and can sleep for several hours in a row. That is why the breed is best suited to those families where there are no children, because it greatly values peace. We can say that the British love to be alone, but they will not refuse to caress the owner either.
Asian tabby
This English breed of cats was bred relatively recently - in 1982. Already in the 90s, its popularity went up sharply. And this is not surprising, since the animal looks simply gorgeous. The breed was bred by crossing a Persian chinchilla and a Burmese cat. The Asian tabby inherited the color from the first, and the body structure from the second.
A feature of the breed is a dark edging around the nose, eyes and mouth. There are four types of color: marble, spotted, brindle and marquee. In addition, these cats should have a kind of necklace in their neck, which is dark thin stripes. The animal has straight ears and distinctly visible cheekbones. In the photo of the English cat breed, the Asian tabby clearly shows that her forehead is decorated with the so-called scarab sign, which has an unusual color.
It is worth noting that these pets are very friendly, adore children and get along well with their own kind, as well as with other types of animals. This is partly due to the fact that they have a truly iron patience. It’s easy to take care of the tabby, as they are unpretentious. Representatives of this breed usually live from 15 to 20 years.
Burmilla Shorthair
Like the previous English cat breed, it was formed from the crossing of a Burmese with a Persian chinchilla, however, unlike the Asian tabby, this happened by accident. The peculiarity of this animal lies in the silver or golden hue of its coat. It should be preserved in any color and color. The latter can be a lot: chocolate, lilac, cream and others. There are only four colors: brindle, smoky, solid and shaded.
Burmilla's eye color can only be yellow or emerald. Representatives of this breed of both sexes have well-developed muscles. They are energetic and playful, but over the years they become calmer. Burmills are quite curious, so they spend most of their time looking for something interesting. They have good health, but have a predisposition to polycystic kidney disease.
Devon rex
The breed was registered in 1960. It came about by chance, without any human intervention. Its first representative was discovered in Devonshire. A distinctive feature - huge ears with a low rise. The unusual appearance of cats resembles fairy elves. Devon Rex is a short-haired English cat breed. It has a soft curly cover, which does not require special care.
Cats are very mobile, so most of the time they run, jump and look for something. These are not “sofa” cats who prefer a measured and calm lifestyle. Many note that the behavior of the Devon Rex is not entirely cat-like, but more like a dog’s, because they also wag their tail, love to swim and accompany their owners everywhere.
Cornish Rex
The breed appeared in the middle of the last century due to an accidental gene mutation. The coat of these animals is incredibly dense and thick, and also has unusual curliness. Because of this, cats need to be bathed often in order to avoid possible problems with both hair and skin. Despite the thick coat, they can freeze, so hypothermia should be avoided. For Cornish Rex in the house it is necessary to organize the most warm corner, where he could warm up at any time. When it's cold outside, walking with such a cat becomes impossible.
Cornish Rex is agile, energetic, and very fond of various games. They cannot stand loneliness and strive to be with their master all the time. Therefore, people who appreciate peace, such pets will not work. This breed of cats is distinguished by great intelligence and the ability to quickly learn. Due to their increased activity, their body needs more energy, and therefore more food. Unlike an ordinary cat, their diet should be approximately doubled.
Oregon rex
It has been documented that this breed was bred in 1955, but it is reliably known that it appeared much earlier. It has a cross with a British cat. The description of the breed will start with the color. His Oregon Rex was inherited from a short-haired American cat. Their colors can be different, with the exception of colorpoint, tonkins, lilac and chocolate. Their hair, eyebrows and mustaches curl. Caring for a cat is easy, as you don’t have to comb it out. Her tail is long and thin. Health and immunity at a high level.
For families with children, Oregons are well suited. These cats have truly inexhaustible energy. Never show aggression towards children. They behave a little arrogant with adults, because they are sure that they are the housewives in the house.
Manx
It is believed that this breed has been around for several centuries. Specialists are still arguing about her ancestors. Some of them are sure that these cats came from the British, while others associate their appearance with a short-haired representative who once lived on the Isle of Man.
We will begin the description of the breed of the English cat with its main feature, due to which it is easy to recognize - it does not have a tail. The coat of the Manxes, like the British, is very soft and plush. Color can be any, but there are exceptions - it is Siamese and Burmese. Having talked with the Manxes, we can say with confidence that they are the most loving and charming animals. In addition, unlike other breeds, these cats simply adore swimming, it is almost impossible to drive them out of the water.
British blue cat
The classic solid color has made the breed extremely popular. At the same time, her hair can have different shades - from light blue to deeper. Thick cheeks and large yellow eyes give a specific expression to its muzzle. The tip of her nose and paw pads are painted in tone of wool. This breed of English Shorthair has one feature that distinguishes it from all the others. We are talking about wool. It is unusually thick, but also short and very soft. It requires special care, for which you will need a special set of devices for grooming.
This breed is one of the oldest, as it was bred more than a hundred years ago. When it was created, the British used both thoroughbred animals and ordinary street vagrants. The English blue cat breed is distinguished by a calm affectionate character and devotion to its owner. At the same time, intelligence, pride and obstinacy are inherent in her.
Scottish fold
These cute creatures belong to the Scottish or British fold cat breed. However, breeders claim that the second name is incorrect. They are convinced that the British can only be straightforward. By the way, these cats are the most popular breed, while Scottish folds take second place in popularity.
The cute expression of the muzzle they owe to the unusual shape of the ears, downcast. Because of this feature, even in adulthood they look like little kittens. This touching appearance of the representatives of the lop-eared English cat breed is perfectly complemented by a balanced character, devoid of even the slightest manifestation of aggression. Cats love peace, they are obedient and can be easily trained. Often they stand on their hind legs for a long time.
The first kitty, with ears down, was born in 1961 in Scotland. As it turned out, a similar feature was due to a gene mutation, which became a characteristic feature of the whole breed. An English cat, the photo of which is presented in this article, can have five types of color: tortie, patterned, clarified, chinchilla and one-color. The most common coloration of Scottish Folds is blue.
Scottish Straight
As you know, the Scots are fold and erect. Now we will talk about the latter. Straight Scottish cats are very similar to the British. However, they have two differences: firstly, smaller size, and secondly, lighter weight. Due to this, they are much more graceful and active. Their muzzle is round and slightly flattened.
They also practically do not differ from the fold scots, however, the English Scottish Straight cat breed is very important. The fact is that when breeding Scottish folds you can’t do without it. If two Scots are brought together, then their kittens may show malformations of the skeletal system, in particular cartilage. That is why one of the parents should be Scottish Straight in order to ensure a healthy life for the future offspring.
British longhair
The breed was obtained by crossing Persian and British cats. Despite the thick and long coat, they do not need special care. However, this applies only to purebred animals. The rest of the standards of behavior are no different from the shorthair British.
Himalayan cat
She was taken out in 1940. This English breed of cats came from mating Siamese Shorthair and Persian. From her parents, she inherited only the best features: beauty, sophistication, charm and intelligence. The eyes of a cat in the literal sense of the word are bewitching - sky blue, large, bright and deep. Very rarely come across bright blue.
The Himalayan cat inherited fluffy and thick hair from its Persian ancestor, and its characteristic tan from the Siamese one. The most common colors are redpoint, forcepoint, and bluepoint. The elegant coat of Himalayan cats requires daily and thorough care in the form of combing, otherwise it will be very difficult to untangle the formed mats. As for water procedures, you need to bathe the animal at least once a week.
The temperament of these beauties is rather calm. However, they require a lot of attention, because they do not like to be alone. People who are constantly busy outside the home are not recommended to have such a pet. Loneliness causes a cat suffering, which can cause health problems. With proper care, she will delight her master for 15-20 years.
Burmilla Longhair
The appearance of the breed dates from the 80s of the last century. Obtained by knitting burmese and Persian. The powerful and at the same time graceful and flexible body of a cat has a small size. Her behavior completely coincides with the habits of the shorthair burmilla.
Special care is required for her coat, but it is not very difficult. Very important is the nutritional quality of the cat. This largely determines how her coat will look. Together with food, the animal should receive the set of various vitamins and minerals it needs, but at the same time it is necessary to limit the amount of carbohydrates, because they contribute to overweight and, in some cases, obesity.
When choosing pets, you need to take into account your own degree of employment, the presence of other animals, as well as children in the house. In a family where there are babies, you should not bring cats that love peace. Also, do not start too active pets if you can not stand the noise and din. You need to approach the choice of an animal responsibly, otherwise you will not be able to find a common language with your cat.