All about British cats and cats

The British breed of cats today is one of the most popular throughout the world. Such animals are highly valued not only for their extremely attractive appearance, but also for their very pleasant character. At the same time, the uniqueness and aristocracy of this breed requires that its representatives be cared for in a special way - suddenly a royally beautiful animal needs some unusual care.

If you have long been interested in the possibility of having such a pet, our brief excursion will certainly help you to finally decide on whether this is a good choice specifically for you.

The exact answer to the question of where the modern British cat came from is impossible to find today - there are at least two versions. The first of them says that the cats, by that time already homely and quite pretty, were brought to the British Isles two thousand years ago by the Romans. At that time, the Roman Empire was already a developed civilization, and the colonial administration insisted on bringing from the south domesticated animals, effectively caring for the preservation of barns from the invasion of mice.

The sailors did not intend to deliberately export animals to the islands, they simply brought them with them for the same purpose - to protect ship supplies from unwanted eaters, but apparently, such pets sometimes ran off at the port of destination.

Howbeit, in the territory of modern Britain, cats were led for many centuries, however, they were not considered decorative for a long time. They even moved to people's homes relatively recently - before that, they were, at best, kept in barns, that is, where they had the most benefit.

Only in the nineteenth century, the British breeder Harrison Fair took notice that even street, roving individuals, despite all the troubles of life, still look pretty good.

For many years, this man selected the most beautiful and healthy kittens, until in 1871 a new breed came to the exhibition of decorative cats. The British immediately gained a certain popularity, and after a few years, uniform principles were developed for classifying an animal to this breed. During the Second World War, these handsome men almost sunk into oblivion, because the British were not in a state of purposeful breeding.

Therefore, it was even decided to cross the remains with Persian cats for the sake of the survival of the breed. As a result, The modern Briton has changed somewhat in appearance, but has gained a useful calmness along with composure.

In our country, the first British cats appeared in the last century, but they began to climb the peak of popularity only in recent decades, and it is possible that the bright future of this breed is still ahead.

Contrary to the great fame of the breed, it is impossible to say exactly what its typical representative looks like, it is impossible - it affects the street origin of the animal and the presence of impurities.

The head of such an animal is planted low, there is practically no neck.The correct shape of a purebred pet's face is almost perfect round, such a cat has well-defined cheeks and smiles as it were. The cat's nose is short, has a considerable width and neat straight, has a small recess in the nose. The ears of the quadruped mustache are low, they are very far from each other, which is a well-marked distinctive feature.

Complement the look of a handsome big and clean round eyes, set at a considerable distance from each other. As in the case of coat color, eye color may differ significantly, but it is usually considered correct if the shades coincide in many ways.

Kids grow up and gain weight for quite a long time - it can take 3-5 years for a young individual. This is not surprising, because the body weight of an adult cat is 5-8 kilograms, while the cat is only slightly lighter - 4-6 kilograms. The torso of any Briton is crowned with a rather short tail, which narrows closer to the base.

It should be noted that the concept of a British cat still does not indicate a breed, since there are usually two such cats: the short-haired and the long-haired. There is no fundamental difference between these two species, except what is indicated in the name. At the same time, long-haired animals actually have medium-length wool, they are very fluffy and attractive, but their breeding completely excludes extraneous impurities, except, perhaps, short-haired relatives.

In general, the character of a British cat is typically feline - all those stereotypes that we know from literary works fit this animal. First of all, this is a fairly good-natured creature - it is sweet, not only in appearance, but also in its basic habits. In relation to the owner of such a beast is very affectionate, but it knows the measure - without being too annoying, the pet loves to be in the room where its owner is located.

The pet does not show hostility towards the guests, but on the whole its attitude towards the new arrivals is clearly visible - they can either please the animal or arouse cold interest. If you came to visit and did not like such a cat, you can not count on his affectionate behavior - he will dodge any attempts to stroke him, and will definitely show that he is independent and self-willed.

The aristocracy of the animal is also expressed in the fact that it is accustomed to a certain respectful attitude towards itself. This is by no means a dog that catches every word of its owner and gladly executes orders - on the contrary, the British cat is extremely negative perceived mandative tone, and instead of the expected performance, can show all his cat stubbornness.

Communicate with a pet preferably in a friendly manner. - then the probability to get the desired result and not to quarrel with the pet greatly increases. It should be noted that the cat tries to choose for itself one owner, which for him is the maximum authority. The rest of the family members are already less significant figures for him, and he will be less likely to obey them.

In this case, the pet does not go crazy, while you are not at home - his calm nature does not allow his pet to make a mess in the apartment.

The same innate calm makes the representatives of the breed very patient with children - despite the fact that the animal may not like too arrogant attitude towards itself, it will not show aggression towards the child to the last. Finally, even to other cats and dogs, such a cat is quite tolerant.

Representatives of the British breed by nature have quite good health, due to which they are less susceptible to the effects of various ailments, and therefore live on average longer. Another reason for the comparative longevity compared to other breeds is that modern representatives of the British have impurities of other breeds - this has allowed to ensure genetic diversity and once again protect pets from diseases.

The average life expectancy of the British is about 12-15 years, but this figure is only approximate. In practice, it all depends on the characteristics of the cat itself, and on how properly it was cared for throughout life.

In particular, if there are several long-livers in the pedigree of a pedigree individual, it is likely that your individual will reach a milestone of 15 years. There are cases when representatives of the breed lived to be 17-19 years old.

Also for the animal is highly undesirable stress in any form. A common cause of early death of a pet are various injuries, because it is important to monitor where the cat walks.

In general, the extension of the life of the British includes five main tasks that the owner must perform with all severity:

• nutrition of the animal should be moderate, but at the same time timely, sufficient and balanced;
• a cat is a predator; for a normal state of the body, it needs constant movement, without walks, it can temper;
• cats do not have diseases that are treated according to the principle of “self-passing”, especially among healthy British people - if there is any bad symptom, you should immediately contact a veterinarian;
• no matter how effective the treatment is, it is better not to get sick or cure at all - for this you need to carry out regular prevention of major ailments, which consists in timely vaccination and some other procedures;
• it is necessary to ensure that the beast does not encounter any negative phenomena, be it boredom or hostile attitude from the household - all this stress, so dangerous for the animal.

Due to the fact that the real British do not have too strict description of their breed and are not devoid of impurities, to determine what is a complete breed, and that - only a specific color, is quite difficult. The varieties of the British breed in terms of coat color are numerous and varied, therefore, among them are often isolated individual breeds that are not recognized by all.

The main difference between a British woman and a Scottish cat is that the first one is straight and the second one is lop-eared. In all other respects, these two breeds are very much alike: here both the overall fluffiness, and shades, and sizes. Because of this, it is easy for an inexperienced person to confuse them. In general, British cats can be divided into separate breeds except for the length of the wool, as mentioned above.

Wool color, like eye color, in most cases is not considered a sign of a separate breed - not so important, with blue eyes a Briton, green or lavender, from this he still does not begin to be considered a separate breed. A relatively rare color can make a pet unusual and more interesting, but it still does not give grounds for its selection as a separate subspecies.

Contrary to the expectations of some people without the experience of breeding cats, the exquisite Briton is not pretentious to care - it affects his street origin. Practically all that is necessary to ensure for normal maintenance is to take care of the wool in time, since this beast has become the universal favorite thanks to its beautiful fur coat.

To keep the woolen coat soft, smooth and silky, you need two or three times a week to carefully comb it. A comb for this purpose is not suitable for everyone - you should buy a special puhoder brush at the pet store. This tool has a massage effect, because it not only helps to remove all excess hair, but also allows the animal to relax, and also stimulates increased hair growth, which is why the pet looks even more beautiful.

The claws of the British are growing very quickly - practice shows that the efforts of a single scraper cannot cope with such a problem. For this reason, every two weeks, you must trim the claws, removing about half of the regrown length.

In the corners of the pet's eyes, mucus may be collected, which is a potential breeding ground for various pathogens. Such discharges are removed with a moistened cotton pad, in gentle movements, towards the nose. In addition, every two weeks it is necessary to inspect the ears of the pet - if there is earwax or any other dirt there, you need to remove it with similar means. In this case, wet cotton discs preferably in a special solution that can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy.

What your pet definitely won't like is the need to daily examine the oral cavity for any problems of a dental nature. Experienced cat owners advise from a young age to teach a kitten to brush their teeth with a special toothpaste every day - if such a procedure becomes a habit, it will no longer seem so unpleasant.

In terms of training, the British are quite clever - at least, you can train them to the tray quickly and effortlessly. To do this, you need to monitor the kitten immediately after he has eaten - within the next few minutes he will begin to show some concern, showing that the baby does not mind going to the toilet.

At this point, you need to grab it and carry on the tray, and then sit down and not let go until all things are done. Pretty soon, the beast will remember the location of the latrine in the apartment, and it will come there itself, just keep in mind that the cat is a clean animal, because the dirty tray will scare it away, and it will choose a different latrine.

By the way, remember that The British are very proud. When you punish an animal for misdemeanor, you are unlikely to find understanding - the animal will not understand what the punishment was for, and simply thinks you are not a very good person, which can ruin the relationship between the pet and the owner. For this reason, finding a pet for an indecent deed, resort to the so-called remote punishment - instead of beatings, fire the animal from a spray gun.

Over time, the cat develops a causal association, and it will understand that it is doing something wrong, and you will not be perceived by it as a hangman.

Attractive appearance and overall health of an animal depends largely on how well it eats. The menu of the British cat is not fundamentally different from the correct diet of other feline breeds, so just repeat the truths well known to any experienced cat owner.

First of all, the cat is a ground predator, and although most cats will not refuse fish, the basis of their diet should not be it. Both store feeds and a self-made diet should consist of about three-quarters of meat products, preferably beef or poultry. The beast should not give too fat meat, but when it comes to offal, they can be obtained from any animal.

About a quarter of the animal's diet can be side dishes - as such, vegetables and cereals are well suited. Potatoes are a controversial product - some cat owners do not recommend giving it, others indicate that they have never noted any special negative consequences.

It is believed that in order to supplement the daily menu with vitamins and minerals, the Briton should issue a chicken egg weekly. In addition, periodically it is necessary to introduce dairy products, such as kefir, cottage cheese, ryazhenka or cheese, into meals. Earlier, the cats had to be given the opportunity to walk outside so that they could find the right greens, but today all the necessary substances can be purchased in tableted vitamins.

Dry feeds are allowed as the basis of the diet., but they usually require that quality should be no lower than premium. This product is good because it already contains everything you need, and in itself is a balanced diet, so when a mixed diet, the emphasis is usually placed on dry food.

For an adult animal, usually two meals per day are enough; babies are fed three to five times daily. At the same time, it must be remembered that some products that seem to be normal to a person, and therefore getting into a cat's bowl, can often cause some problems with the pet's health. These include the following types of food.

• Milk. Despite the fact that many quadrupeds do not refuse this product, they, like many other animals, develop lactose intolerance as adults. Apparently, this is how nature protected children's food from adult encroachment.
• Sweets. Purebred cats are particularly prone to obesity, and the British are fully concerned with this statement. In order to avoid problems with the cardiovascular system and motor activity, such delicacies are not recommended for cats.
• Salt and spices. The abundant presence of seasoning adversely affects digestion, the same acids adversely affect the walls of the cat's stomach. Salt is often blamed for another problem - it retains moisture in the feline body, causing puffiness.
• Coffee and alcohol. Everyone knows about the negative effects of these products on the human body - they are dangerous to pets to the same extent.

Purebred animals are often purchased for subsequent breeding in order to profit from the sale of kittens. In addition, many owners believe that this is much more humane than castration and sterilization.

The female British cat reaches sexual maturity by about 8-10 months, but experts usually do not advise immediately to carry her for breeding - the young body is still not strong enough to bear offspring, the consequences of haste may not be the best. Ideally, a ready-to-breed cat showing a serious interest in this is being taken to visit the cat. It is necessary to select a partner carefully.

For breeding kittens need to choose a representative of the same breed, do not advise also experimenting with the mating of animals of different colors. Despite the fact that the British usually have good health, it will not be superfluous to double-check how healthy the future father is.

If the female is still quite young, she may not get pregnant by the results of the first mating, but this is usually not a reason for panic - you just need to wait until the next time and repeat the procedure.

Pregnancy of a cat proceeds about two months, the easiest way to determine its beginning by the hormonal background is that the animal's body, which received what it wanted, relaxes and calms down. After 15-20 days such a sign of pregnancy appears as swollen nipples, the beast shows a remarkable appetite. At this stage, the fish should be completely excluded from the future mom's menu, but the proportion of fermented milk products should increase.

For the first one and a half to two months, the cat itself takes care of its babies, and no one will do better than it. After this period, when the kittens are gradually becoming more and more independent, they need to be shown to the veterinarian so that he can set up a course of vaccinations and generally assess their health. In addition, pedigreed kids right now need to make documents confirming their origin.

We will please our readers with a set of interesting information about these beautiful animals:

• it is assumed that the Cheshire Cat is copied from a representative of the British Shorthair breed;
• there are about 30 varieties of color, which are considered officially recognized and acceptable to the British, although they are most often recognized by their gray-blue wool;
• Do not be surprised at the sleepiness of the animal - it is normal for him to sleep 14-16 hours daily;
• representatives of this breed have very quiet behavior - they almost never meow, unless they really need to attract the attention of a person;
• The “face” of the Whiskas brand is representative of this particular breed;
• The special friendliness of such cats lies in the fact that even in the conditions of a game similar to a struggle, they usually do not let go of their claws, trying not to harm the sparring partner.

British cats are often figuratively called "pets for businessmen," and this is the best characteristic of such an animal. You can leave it at home alone with yourself and leave for almost any time, the main thing is to leave your pet with enough food and water. In today's reality, where most people are sorely lacking time, this is the optimal pet.

Experienced cat owners advise first to clearly imagine how you will support and raise such a pet, and only then, when the picture is fully formed, to acquire an animal. It will be extremely difficult to inculcate new habits to an adult animal, because the owner must step ahead of the development of the cat.

Aristocratic-looking pets are usually dressed in clothes, but if you decide to get one too, please note that it should be comfortable and made from natural materials. The fabric from which the clothes are sewn should be easy to wash and dry in a short time.

Interesting facts about British cats are presented in the video below.