The Californian shining cat is one of the rarest breeds in the world. Such animals look like their predatory brethren - ocelots and leopards. In addition to appearance, home shining Californian cats have nothing to do with wild animals. The description of the rare breed, as well as the rules for caring for it, will be discussed in more detail in this article.
History of origin
As the name implies, California is the birthplace of a rare Californian radiant cat. The idea of creating this breed belongs to the American writer and screenwriter Paul Casey. The purpose of breeding such cats was primarily to draw people's attention to the problem of the destruction of wild animals and the use of their fur. Paul was convinced that bringing up a compact copy of predatory cats at home, people would think and stop destroying wild animals.
We can say that the history of breeding began in the 1970s. Officially, Californian shining cats were recognized only in the 1980s, for a total of about fifteen years to breed. To create the breed used quite a few species of cats, such as: American and British Shorthair, Abyssinian, Siamese, and so on. The Californian shining cat has not received due distribution and over time has almost completely lost its popularity. We can say that it was supplanted by such breeds as otsikats and Bengal cats.
Features
The California shining cat is considered a large breed. The body of animals is long and thin, but muscular. The limbs of cats are as powerful as the body. The legs are long and straight, and the hind limbs are slightly larger than the front. Representatives of this breed are distinguished by a special gait: the cat seems to sneak, sinking to the ground as during a hunt.
The tail of cats is long and flat, has the same thickness along the entire length. At the end it is slightly rounded and painted black. Body weight can range from five to eight kilograms. The head is shaped like a triangle. The forehead is slightly convex, the cheekbones are high and well visible. Cats have powerful jaws and chin.
The ears are wide apart, small in size and slightly rounded at the ends. The eyes of the Californian shining cats are rather large, in shape they look more like an oval than a circle. The color of the iris can be different, but according to the breed standard it should be in harmony with the coat color. Most often the iris has a yellowish or golden hue. Inadmissible is green color of eyes.
Californian shining cats have short hair, with the exception of the belly and tail areas. It is soft to the touch and has a bright luster, due to which the breed is called “shining”.
On the coat must be present spots, which should be clearly visible. The shape of the spots can be different: round, oval and even triangular.
As for color, they distinguish such types as:
- royal shining - at birth, kittens with such colors have black wool; over time, the wool brightens, spots appear on it.
- snow leopard - representatives of this species are born with white monophonic wool; over time, dark spots appear on the body.
The color of wool in Californian shining cats can be different: blue, red, silver.Shades of spots on the body can also vary depending on the basic color of the coat.
Character and behavior
Despite the undeniable external similarity of the Californian shining cats with wild animals, they have nothing in common with the character. Domestic cats have a good temper. They are very affectionate and friendly, although at first glance, because of their unusual appearance, they may seem aggressive. Cats do not tolerate rude treatment, but rather will in every possible way avoid the offender, rather than revenge him.
Representatives of this breed quickly become attached to the owner and need his attention. Pets get along well with children, are quite playful and sociable. These cats can not be called noisy, as they do not so often meow. Animals do not tolerate loneliness and prefer to be always with a person.
Representatives of this breed are active, jump well and need regular physical exertion.
And they are very smart and quickly learn new information. Californian shining cats do not like dogs very much and are unlikely to get along with them on the same territory. Small animals and birds in turn, such as hamsters and parrots, can trigger a hunting instinct in a pet.
Content
It is best to keep a Californian shining cat in a spacious house. A small apartment is not suitable for growing representatives of this breed. This is due to the fact that such animals need more space for their games and physical activity. It is advisable to arrange a separate play area for your pet.
If the apartment is a bit of space for active recreation of a cat, then you can periodically walk with her on the street, using a harness. Pets do not need complex care, as they can independently monitor hygiene and cleanliness. However, the owner must periodically check the condition of the auricles, eyes and mouth.
Ears of excess sulfur ears should be carefully cleaned with cotton swabs. If the eyes are contaminated or inflamed, it is recommended to use special drops that can be purchased at the pet store.
To prevent the formation of tartar, the cat must be given solid food or periodically brush her teeth.
Since the wool of the representatives of this breed is not long, it does not require frequent combing. It is enough to remove excess hairs with a soft brush or special glove several times a week. However, during the molting period, it is recommended to carry out this procedure daily in order to get as little hair as possible into the pet's esophagus.
Feeding
The food of the Californian shining cats should be balanced. Whether it is ready-made feed or organic foods - all food should be of good quality. No need to feed your pet dishes from the table person. Cat's body is different from the human, so many products are simply not able to digest. As for the finished canned and dry feed, it is undesirable to use formulations below the super premium class.
Fresh, lean meat, such as rabbit or veal, should be included in the pet's diet. Poultry meat can also be given to cats, but only in boiled form, as well as by-products. In small quantities, boiled boneless sea fish will be useful for animals. Fermented milk products will be useful for the pet, but not the milk itself. In the diet it is also desirable to include vegetables, herbs and grains. All natural cat food should not be salted or seasoned with spices.
Health and life expectancy
California shining cats have good health and good immunity. However, this does not mean that you do not need to regularly monitor the condition of the pet and not take him to the vet.
Like all domestic cats, representatives of this breed need timely vaccination and treatment from worms and other parasites.
Californian shining cats have no hereditary diseases. Their lifespan will depend entirely on the quality of housing, care and feeding. In favorable conditions, cats can easily live to twenty years, while not losing their activity. On average, the life span for representatives of this breed is 15 years.
For more on the radiant California breed of cats, see the video below.
