Let's talk about cats. These beautiful animals are very popular. Many people prefer to have such a pet in their home. Of course, like other representatives of the fauna, cats have their own character, which leaves an imprint on their appearance and behavior.
Why is this breed so named?
The British cat breed first appeared in the UK - hence the name. It is known that their ancestors were Persian and Cartesian. As proof - a flat and round muzzle from the Persians, a strong powerful skeleton and a diverse range of shades.
By the way, the well-known Cheshire Cat from the tale of Lewis Carroll was from Cheshire. With his famous smile, he is very reminiscent of modern British.
Wool quality
The British cat breed is famous for its smooth and short hair. They are very dense, plush. Therefore, rarely insects can get in and gain access to the body. Due to the quality of their hair, cats can adapt perfectly to any climatic conditions. When they lived in the British Isles, they were mostly bred in order to rid the house of various parasites. They could be mice, rats, various insects. These animals are excellent pied pipers.
Stamina and strong physical strength are another advantage of the British cat breed.
Other breed features
They have good health. Therefore, hundreds of rodents can catch a day and behave like wonderful hunters. It is important to note that the British cat breed is unpretentious in food. Therefore, they can eat everything that will be prepared for them by the owner. But do not forget that poor-quality feed is one of the main causes of pet diseases.
Since the 19th century, cats of the British breed began to take part in exhibitions. The very first was organized in London in 1871. It was attended by almost all representatives of the "British". At the competition, certain standards were set that this cat should meet. Over time, the criteria changed, became tougher, a number of requirements were added. But this does not prevent them from taking prizes today and being considered one of the best.
Cats bred in the postwar years
We talked a bit about what are British cats. What breeds appeared after the war? About it further.
During the war, the number of these animals decreased, so at the end of the war it was urgently necessary to increase the number of livestock.
For this, several breeds were selected:
- Scottish
- chartset;
- Burmese;
- Russian blue;
- Persian.
In appearance, they are similar to each other. Therefore, it was quite easy to get a British breed mix by crossing. Cats of the British breed (their photo is presented in the article for clarity) are considered the closest to ordinary courtyards. And all because of its short coat.
Description of the British cat breed. Character
By their strong and independent character, these animals are very different from many other breeds. This is especially true of males. They are a little on their minds, have their own opinions, are not too accommodating, kind of loners. Many complain that they can not be picked up when you want. If the Briton is out of sorts, he will begin to rest and demand that he be left alone. They perfectly tolerate loneliness. Therefore, this is a great option for the owner, who spends a lot of time at work.
Such cats are very squat, quite large in size. They have highly developed chest muscles. Cats grow large, with a massive head and round body. They have a small nose, medium-sized ears and thick cheeks with a chic mustache.
The paws of the British cat breed are quite strong, although they look a bit short. It is believed that they have them from the ancestors of the sailors, who spent a lot of time on board, fleeing the pitching. On average, the mass of a cat of the British breed (her photo is presented above in the article) can reach four kilograms. A cat can weigh about six. Their tail is thick and massive, rounded at the end. Representatives of this species can safely withstand almost any physical activity, they are quite hardy, have excellent health.
There are many colors: gray-blue, black, chocolate, cream, silver. Moreover, there are not only monophonic, but also striped, marble, spotted, tortoiseshell, smoky, Siamese.
Learnability
Despite the fact that the character of the British cat breed is very strong, they are easy to train. They can be taught any commands and actions. If a person wants to have a smart animal nearby, able to clearly capture the behavior and mood of his master, then it is worth choosing this breed. They have a well-developed brain, they know very well what they want. But these are also quite tactful animals that will not annoy the owner with excessive attention when he is not disposed to communicate.
Acquaintance with the owner and features of the relationship
At the very first moment, the “Briton” will be very careful with his master. He will look closely, will not show affection and excessive caring attention. At first glance, it seems that this animal shows complete control over its feelings and is very restrained. But after a while the cat will fully show its love and will be the most devoted and affectionate pet. In response to kindness and affection, they reciprocate. And the relationship with the owner will only get better and kinder. The British have a calm and balanced character. These are playful animals, but they will not be too active. The cat is faithful, but sometimes not too attached to the owner. All this has its negative sides, which not all people may like. This should be considered when choosing a pet.
Need a nook
A separate corner should be allocated for them, where they can sleep, play with their favorite toys and spend some time there. As noted, the British do not like to be picked up. They will turn their heads, back and rest their paws on their master. If excessive perseverance is shown, then the cat can hide in a secluded place and spend a small amount of time there to calm down.
Relations with other animals
With a Briton, you can safely get another cat or dog. These animals will not be jealous of their master, will not engage in quarrels and fights. To a greater extent, some are even similar in nature to the dog. Therefore, it will be easy for them to get along in one living area.
Blue cat: description, character
The blue British cat breed is almost the most interesting. After all, these are not just beautiful creatures of the cat family. These are animals that are able to give affection, care and are very loyal to their master. The name was obtained due to the unusual blue coat color. This cat breed has characteristic round muzzles, large eyes. The blue cat is a gullible and very intelligent animal. Behaves at home quietly and calmly. Many dream of having just such a pet in their home.
This cat, whenever possible, likes to sit on the owner’s lap and purr. She likes nice strokes. The coat of this breed is smooth, elastic and dense in composition. Her care is required. You often need to bathe and carry out certain procedures. This is not difficult, as the British love to swim neatly. The main thing is that water does not get into the eyes and ears.
Because of their gullible nature, cats are completely subordinate to their owners. The description of the British cat breed practically gives a complete picture of the subspecies. But it is worth noting that blue also appeared in Britain. But, unfortunately, absolutely no one knows in which particular place. For many years, the blue breeds of the British participated in various exhibitions and held leading positions.
Lop-eared
The British lop-eared cat breed is another subspecies of the beautiful British. He appeared thanks to a breed mutation. The classic color of such a cat was a light blue color. In order to breed such a breed, scientists had to collect exotic representatives. But the British fold can be seen in other colors: brown, cream, chocolate, black.
Representatives of the British lop-eared cat breed have a round head with a flat forehead, but the ears are down. This is the main distinguishing feature of this species. The paws of this breed of cats are short and slightly dense. Cats are mostly large. The nature of the British fold cat breed is mild, they are calm. Such purrs are unpretentious. It’s easy to get along with them, it’s easy to teach something. This breed is very smart, smart. They do not accustom them to the tray for long. Fold Britons have one small feature. These animals do not like heights, which for cats looks very strange. They also like to stand on their hind legs, especially when they need to ask for something. This breed easily coexists with other pets in the house, it gets along well with new neighbors.
The negative qualities of the British fold
There are some negative points. But against the general background, they are invisible, so they will be easy to fix. The thing is that the lop-eared British are very whimsical in food. It is necessary immediately, starting from the first day, to determine the nutrition. If it is a dry food, then only it should always be available. If it's natural products - the same thing. Inattentive attitude to the nutrition of your pet can provoke problems with his health in the future.
British food
If the choice is made in favor of dry food, it is very important that it be balanced, of high quality. It is worth purchasing premium and super premium feeds. Lop-eared cats love meat, eggs, some types of cereals, boiled vegetables. It is recommended to give meat products, poultry to animals in a purified form. It is necessary to feed cats of this breed up to three times a day. Drinking water should always be in the cup. And every day it needs to be poured fresh.
Hair and Ear Care
When caring for fold British, it is worth paying attention to wool. It is important to comb out such cats very often - about three times a week.
Fold cats need to be washed once every six months. Water temperature should not exceed forty degrees. At the time of bathing, there should be no drafts; the animal can catch a cold. After swimming, you need to wrap it in a towel and give a little time to dry.
In lop-eared cats, of course, ears are an important part of the body. Therefore, it is important to wash and clean them as often as possible. This is best done once a week. To do this, you need to take a cotton swab, moisten a little with hydrogen peroxide and treat it with gentle movements.
Health and longevity of the breed
We have already compiled a description of the British cat breed, talked about the nature and care. Now let's talk about some of the features related to health. These gentle cats need care throughout their stay in the apartment of their owner. Like many others, they can hurt. It is important to remember that it is fold cats that are prone to serious bleeding. Therefore, in case of cat injuries, it is important to stop the bleeding as soon as possible. If the animal needed to have an operation, then it can begin immediately after it.
It must be remembered that the crossing of fold cats should occur only with erect representatives. Thus, in cats, the level of genetic abnormalities can be reduced.
Like many other breeds, the British live on average up to twelve years. It so happens that life expectancy increases. But it depends on many factors, including nutrition, ecology, conditions of detention and others.
To summarize
The article provides a description of the British cat breed, the nature and characteristics of the care, maintenance and nutrition of these animals. This information will be useful especially to those who are just planning to buy a Briton and still have doubts about the choice.