Aegean cat: breed description, character and care

The Cycladic Islands is a Greek archipelago located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea. The Mediterranean climate is favorable for the cultivation of vineyards and olives for cattle breeding and fishing. Very often on the coast you can see a large number of seated cats who are waiting for the return of the fishermen and their share of the catch. Animals are not afraid of water and, if necessary, can independently catch fish in shallow water. These are the so-called Aegean cats.

Aegean cat - the oldest domesticated breed of wild cats. Now on the territory of Greece they can be found not only in the Cyclades, but everywhere.

The Greeks consider these animals their national heritage.. Greek breeders started breeding Aegean cats as a separate breed relatively recently - in the 90s of the XX century, and at the moment this breed is not officially recognized yet.

For the Aegean cat is characterized by the following features of the exterior:

• medium sized body, flexible and well-developed muscles;
• chest wide, belly tucked up;
• the head is not particularly large, but wide, has a triangular shape, slightly extended forward;
• the eyes are beautiful almond-shaped, more often amber-yellow, but may also have a green color;
• nose is medium sized, straight;
• the ears are not very large, tapering from the base to the tips, the auricles are copiously covered with hairs;
• neck is strong and strong;
• legs well developed and elongated, legs of an oval shape, claws long and tenacious;
• tail straight, long, with a tapering tip;
• the hair is soft and silky, has an average length, without undercoat, tight to the body;
• An adult animal weighs 4-5 kilograms, cats always look bigger and more solid.

You can find a different description of the color of these cats. The main condition is the white color of wool, which should occupy 2/3 of the total area of ​​wool cover. Ideally, it is bright and clean, like white snow. It can have spots of the same color, the so-called two-color (or bicolor) and spots of two different colors - tricolor color (tricolor). Shades of the spots themselves are allowed different: black, blue, gray, cream, red.

Outside their native Greece, Aegean cats are not particularly popular. Many breeders and those who want to have a kitten believe that these cats have ordinary, especially attractive, external data. The cost of a kitten varies from 10 to 35 thousand rubles, depending on gender, appearance and pedigree.

Wherein Be sure to read the reviews about the seller and do not forget to take into account the additional costs of transportation of the future pet.

Caring for the Aegean cats is simple. In order for your pet to be active and healthy, you should carefully read the following recommendations from experienced breeders.

• Hygiene. Weekly should comb the animal's hair with a soft brush. If the cat leads a street life, it should be bathed as the wool cover is polluted. The peculiarity of this breed is the love of water procedures, so this lesson will not give your pet any discomfort.It is also necessary to monitor the health of the eyes and ears of the cat, to wipe them with a damp cotton pad dipped in a special solution. Veterinarians also recommend brushing the animal’s teeth with a special brush to prevent the formation of tartar.
• Nutrition. Aegean cats are picky in their food and have an excellent appetite. Experienced breeders recommend to include boiled fish and lean meat (beef, turkey, rabbit) in their diet. Also vital for them are vegetables, cereals, dairy products. Categorically you can not give these animals fat, sweet, spicy and salty. You can feed your mustache pet with ready-made feed, preferably a super premium class.
• Walking If the Aegean cat does not have free access to street festivities, it is necessary to teach the cat or the cat to walk on a leash. Fresh air is very necessary for these animals. In addition, they are smart, trust the owner and easily learn everything new.
• Disease prevention. Do not forget to make your pet routine vaccinations and show the vet. Regularly deworming and treat for fleas and ticks. By nature, these cats have excellent health, and there are no genetic diseases due to their natural origin.

Choosing a kitten, carefully examine his eyes, ears, mouth.

Do not forget to purchase bowls for food, a scraper, a tray, a special game complex, and a bed. Make sure that the kitten is not accessible needles, pins, tinsel, foil and other small objects that can cause animal injury.

When growing up these charming babies do not need special conditions, but they need a large number of toys, space for active games and fresh air. It is useful for kittens to give frozen frozen raw beef, boiled sea fish, offal, egg yolks, dairy products, vegetables, germinated wheat grains. Kitten should always be available fresh purified water. After three months you can transfer to food with high-quality ready-made feeds.. Hygiene for babies recommended is the same as for adult animals.

For Aegean kittens, whose ancestors have Greek roots, it is easy to find the spectacular names of ancient Greek deities and heroes or the names of geographical objects. As possible options, pay attention to the following names that are suitable for the baby.

Options for cats girls:

• Agriya;
• Astraea;
• Athena;
• Frond;
• Hera;
• Gaia;
• Dassia;
• Ithaca;
• Lakka;
• Lissa;
• Maritsa;
• Ned;
• Nika;
• Ray;
• Selena.

Options for boys seals:

• Adonis;
• Ardas;
• Helios;
• Hermes;
• Hephaestus;
• Dionysus;
• Zeus;
• Marshmallow;
• Kasos;
• Perseus;
• Rhodes;
• Theseus;
• Uranus;
• Hey;
• Eros.

Aegean cats are charming, intelligent and friendly creatures. They will never let others be bored and sad. It is unlikely that there will be more hardy, unpretentious and loyal animals to the owner. This beautiful breed of cats has long deserved recognition of her rightful status.

On the features of the Aegean breed of cats, see below.