Red British cats: description, rules of keeping and breeding

Red British cats quickly spread throughout the world at the end of the XIX century from England. Animals have gained popularity with aristocrats plush wool and the royal look of big eyes. Compared with other breeds, the British are distinguished by a large muscular physique, but, despite their dense structure, they do not lose their grace. With proper observance of the rules of content, a pet can live from 13 to 16 years.

The most popular red British cats with golden, honey, turquoise and green eyes. Wool is colored red with a possible pattern in the form of stripes on the forehead, paw tips and tail of silver or light shade. Paw pads and nose have a brick color. A monochromatic color without spots and lines is rare - this kind of wool is typical for kittens. As they mature, 97% of British red wool patterns appear on the coat.

The head of cats of this breed has a rounded regular shape. On the front of the wide skull there are large eye sockets, a small straightened nose, an even chin. For classic Britons, the presence of full cheeks or flesh is characteristic.

The head is located on a short massive neck. The ears of British cats differ in small size, their tips are rounded and set low. There are no lop-eared cats among the British.

A healthy pet has a dense build with developed skeletal muscles. Large rib cage smoothly into short strong legs. Thick tail tapers towards the tip. The coat is short and thick.

In addition to the red shade of wool, there are at least 30 colors of British cats. The most common colors are:

• creamy;
• chocolate;
• purple or pink-blue;
• red, red;
• black
• blue or smoky;
• whites.

The color of the coat does not have to be solid - a patronizing color may consist of several shades, for example, as in the case of a tortoise. In such cats, the wool over the whole body consists of patches of 2 colors. It can be combined black and red, there is an alternation of cream and white.

British cats are distinguished restrained sweet temper. They lead a sedentary and calm lifestyle, trying to demonstrate their independence to the host. Pets like attention. Cats often lazily and detachedly observe what is happening, rarely showing playfulness and affection.

Despite the cold temper, the British quickly adapt to living next to a person. They are easily taught to the tray, place, method and time of feeding. At the level of intuition cats understand what to do is prohibited. To avoid unpleasant surprises of an ill-bred pet, it is recommended to buy kittens and train them from childhood. Adult cats are hard to teach.

Animals do not show aggression towards a person or other pets, so they easily live near dogs and patiently treat children. In a good mood, the British can play with a small child. At the same time, they do not like strong noise and turmoil, prefer to be alone in an empty room. Like all other cats, the British are cleanly and spend a quarter of their time on washing.

The British kitten requires special care and constant care, but an adult pet can live on its own. The first items of use will be a tray, as well as a bowl and a scraper. To accustom to the toilet of the pet should be in childhood. It is recommended to purchase a large tray to make the cat easier to adapt. It is important to remember that the British are actively digging filler, so the capacity for the natural needs of the pet should be quite deep.

If the claw is not interested in the pet, claws should be trimmed with special scissors 1 time in 2 weeks. The procedure must be carried out before the mating or before the exhibition. To comb and remove excess wool, you will need a rubber or hard lint brush.

The cat will need a bed and toys. At the same time after the purchase of various things you need to constantly use them. A cat will quickly get bored playing with objects without another animal or person. With the British you need to constantly communicate and spend a lot of time.

The most significant shortcoming of the British cat is a heavy molt at least 2 times a year. Because of this, the pet requires careful grooming. Kotov should be combed once a week. The number of procedures increases with the arrival of winter, as in cold weather, the cat's hair begins to grow rapidly. It is recommended to comb the animal every day.

The British do not like bathing, but in order to maintain the health of the wool, it is necessary to arrange washing at least 2 times in 6 months. During the bath, you need to ensure that the water does not get a pet in the ears or eyes. To do this, hold your pet at the base of the neck. Need to buy special shampoos for animals with soft wool. It is strictly forbidden to use a dryer for drying.

To woolen lump, trapped inside the pet during self-washing, did not lead to digestive upset, you can use special pasta. The tool easily removes wool from the body without harm to the pet. Tears in the ears and around the eyes should be cleaned with cotton swabs or wipes pre-moistened with hydrogen peroxide. Every day you need to wipe the eyes of kittens - small pets have a high lacrimation.

It is necessary to regularly inspect the pet's claws for the presence of a fungal infection. To reduce the risk of developing diseases, you should drive a cat for vaccination every year. De-worming should be done every 3 months. One of the procedures for the elimination of parasites should be done 10 days before vaccination.

Cats are forbidden to give food prepared for humans. For the nutrition of the pet, you can purchase dry food or prepare food from natural ingredients. It is recommended to determine the type of diet - the alternation of dry and natural food can lead to eating disorders.

When buying a store product, the owner provides the cat with all the necessary vitamins and minerals, but their pet needs more water to absorb them. It is recommended to purchase premium and super premium products in order to provide the cat with high-quality food and not to worry about any problems with digestion. The water in the bowl needs to be changed every morning. Do not fill the container from the tap.

If it was decided to prepare food for the pet on your own, you must take into account the age of the British. Kittens need to eat at least 4 times a day in small portions. Their diet should include the following ingredients:

• meat products - lean parts of beef, poultry;
• fermented milk products (milk is prohibited to give): cottage cheese, cream, kefir and sour cream;
• low-fat fish fillets only once a week;
• raw quail eggs;
• boiled egg yolk;
• grated or boiled vegetables - cabbage, carrots, greens;
• cereal porridge.

Meat can be given to a pet in the form of raw minced meat or cut into boiled pieces. To avoid damage by worms, you need to freeze the product or disinfect it with boiling water. For a balanced diet, you should add vitamins to your pet's food. Offal in the form of hides, skins or paws should not be given to them.

From 6 to 8 months should limit the number of meals up to 3 times per day. An adult Briton should eat 2 times a day for 150-300 g of food. The basis of the diet should be meat, to which as a side dish add vegetables or cereals. Fermented milk products are not prohibited to replenish calcium.

During pregnancy, the cat needs more minerals. For this reason, the female consumes 2 times more dairy products.

Puberty in British cats begins at the age of 10 months. The readiness for reproduction is indicated by an increased excitability of the pet: the animal often screams, starts scratching furniture, and can bite. During this period, the owner is faced with a difficult choice: to sterilize the pet or give him the opportunity to continue his race. In some cases, sedatives in the form of drops help. Sedatives can be given to a pet at the age of 1 year for 7-14 days before the onset of the mating season.

The first mating should take place not earlier than the pet will be 1.5 years old. Until this time, the cat's body continues to evolve. Mating before reaching the age of 1.5 years can lead to severe pregnancies and maternity in females, the birth of weak kittens, and in cats - to erectile dysfunction.

Knitting is carried out on average for 2-3 year of life of a pet:

• the cat must be brought into the territory of the domestic cat and give her time to adapt to the new conditions for 3-4 days;
• after getting used to it, the cat will let the cat close to him and give him the opportunity to sniff himself;
• more effective to arrange the mating for 2-3 days after the start of estrus.

A potential pet partner must be vaccinated and healthy. Cats are not recommended to admit to young cats, as they can harm them. It is important to remember that uncatched cats actively mark their territory. Because of this feature, the apartment begins to smell like urine.

Despite a strong immune system, with the wrong content of the cat may face some diseases.

1. Obesity. Excess weight appears in conditions of physical inactivity on the background of abundant nutrition, excessive consumption of fat and protein foods. To get rid of body fat, you should play more with the cat, let your pet out for a walk, adjust the diet.
2. Nail fungus. Preventing the disease will help timely trimming claws, constant care for their condition.
3. Loss of wool. Allergy or damage to internal organs can provoke molting.
4. Tartar As a preventive measure, you can periodically give your pet dry food. It is necessary to monitor the cat's oral hygiene: brushing her teeth. If symptoms of tartar (bleeding gums, excessive salivation, putrid smell from the mouth) appear, the help of a veterinarian will be required. In the absence of treatment, the pet will begin to fall out.
5. Irritation of the eyes. Redness of proteins indicates the development of an allergic reaction, injury or the appearance of conjunctivitis. For this reason, the cat needs the help of a veterinarian - an expert will write out eye drops.
6. Gastrointestinal disorders. It is necessary to monitor the quality of food and the state of the cat. If the pet is sluggish, you should pay attention to his chair. In the feces can be blood clots, which indicate the development of internal bleeding. Together with food, various parasites can enter the cat's body.

From inherited diseases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is distinguished. In such a situation, it is recommended to sterilize the cat in order to reduce the risk of developing such a pathology in kittens. In individuals of advanced age, urolithiasis, distemper, and calcivirosis may develop.

About British Shorthair, see below.