All about nibelung cats

One or another pet is in almost every home. Someone likes to watch the fish in an aquarium, someone likes miniature and fussy hamsters, someone delights the dog, well, and someone more like graceful and independent cats. Beautiful and intelligent cats are among the most ancient animals tamed by man. Among the many species of these cute fluffy creatures, one very interesting and relatively young breed of Nibelung stands out.

The Nibelungen have a very interesting origin. The first individuals - the progenitors of the breed - were obtained as a result of random crossing in the 80s of the last century.

In the US state of Colorado, Denver next door lived two families, one had a purebred short-haired cat named Elsa, and the other had a Russian blue cat. The kitty licked five kittens, one of which had a beautiful silver-blue color and long hair. The owner of the cat Cora Cobb kitten left her and gave him a very sonorous nickname - Siegfried, in honor of the hero of the medieval epic poem "Song of the Nibelungs." After some time, the kitty licked once again, the litter turned out to be a very pretty long-haired dog of the same color with Siegfried, who later received a nickname in honor of the heroine of the same poem - Brunnhilde.

With the light hand of Cora Cobb, Siegfried and Brunnhilda became the progenitors of the breed, and Cora became the breeder and founder of the Nibelung breed. Subsequently, securing the signs and describing the standards of the breed with the help of geneticist Solveig Wayne, she submitted an application to the felinological association TICA to recognize the breed. In 1987, the breed was recognized, and in 1993 she received the right to participate in exhibitions. After some time, the nibelung breed was recognized by other major associations: WCF, TCA and CFF.

Krasnogorsky cattery "Winter Day", where they were engaged in breeding, including the Russian blue, appeared a kitty with an unusual characteristic sign - long hair. At first, they did not know which breed to include an unusual baby, although the difference was only in the length of the fur. After some time, Osoku (as the cat was called) was appreciated by American experts from TICA. According to the exterior features, the sedge not only fit the standards of the breed Nibelung, to which it was ranked by experts, but also significantly surpassed its American counterparts, for which it was awarded the highest award.

It is believed that the nibelung cat breed is a recreated Russian blue breed that took part in the first cat show in London (Crystal Palace, 1871). This breed of long-haired cats on the exterior is very reminiscent of the modern representatives of the breed Nibelung. And this is not surprising, because the appearance of kittens with long hair in Russian blue is quite possible, this gene is responsible for the gene, it is recessive in the breed, but it may well manifest itself, although this is extremely rare.

In Russia, the breed is not very popular, the number of nurseries engaged in the breeding of this breed is not as large as in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and European countries. However, their number has recently been slowly, but still growing, as many modern breeders consider this breed to be very interesting and promising.

The term "description" should be understood physique and color of individuals belonging to the breed.

• Cats and cats breed nibelung quite harmoniously folded. Their slightly elongated body has developed muscles, albeit slightly dry. Mobile and graceful, medium-sized individuals have different body weight depending on gender. In cats, the average weight varies between 3.5–4 kg, and for cats, the weight is between 5–7 kg.

• The head of the animal has a pointed (wedge-shaped) shape by breed standards.. The muzzle as a whole, though small, but the frontal part (unlike the occipital) is quite developed and has a sloping shape. Brow arc and cheekbones have clear relief outlines.

• For individuals characterized by medium size and straight nose, the transition between it and the frontal lobe (stop) is not expressed explicitly, almost smoothed. Nibelungs have a fairly strong and developed chin. The type of Nibelung in profile has very beautiful outlines, the tip of the nose pigmented in a gray-silver shade is located almost in line with the tip of the chin. The growth area of ​​the whiskers resembles a soft cushion, slightly angular, in cats it is slightly more pronounced than in cats.

• The muzzle is decorated with rather large, widely spaced and very beautiful in shape and color, eyes. In kittens, the iris is colored yellow, but from about 4 months of age the situation changes, and a thin green ring forms around the pupil. Over time, the ring captures an increasingly large area of ​​the iris, and the color of the eyes acquires the green color that is characteristic of an adult individual of this breed.

• Nibelung cats have beautiful eyes and ears.. Moderately large, with a slight inclination forward and a slight rounding at the tips, the ears are rather wide apart. Their width at the base is proportional to height. Straight in shape, the ears have a fairly open and easily visible inside of the auricle, which makes them appear transparent.

• Nibelungs are characterized by long, straight-set and well-muscled limbs.. The paws are predominantly rounded with rather tenacious fingers, between which bunches of thick hair are visible, and claws sharp as a razor. The skin on the back of the paws (pads) is gray with pink spots.

• Individuals of this breed have a rather long broad tail at the base and a tail rounded off at the end.. According to experts, the tail length is slightly more than the average size; in individuals with pronounced breed characteristics, this value is comparable to the distance from the vanishing point of the scapula to the beginning of the sacrum.

• A bright distinctive feature of the breed is their unusually pleasant to the touch coat.. Such smoothness and silkiness of the fur coat are given by thin marginal hairs and a very soft fluffy undercoat. Even in winter, when the undercoat becomes thicker, their hair still does not form lumps.

• Semi-longhair nibelungs are notable for their gorgeous gray-silver color.. It is because of him that the breed was called the Nibelung, because in German nebel means fog. The visual effect of the silver shimmer is due to incomplete dyeing of the guard hair, not all of the surface is painted gray, but only a part, the tips of the pigment do not, therefore the wool has such a beautiful silver-blue tint.

• The length of wool varies from zone to zone.. In the neck, it is slightly longer than the main one and formed into a beautiful “collar”, more pronounced in cats. In the back of the hips wool forms a "pants".In this area, it is not only slightly longer, but also with a thicker undercoat. The hair of the tail also has a slightly elongated size compared to the other zones.

Handsome nibelungs have an excellent, one might say, golden character. They can perfectly get along with all the households, but, as a rule, they are most attached to one person. The one who spends the most time with them and more often the rest of the family members feeds, and will be the best friend for the Nibelung.

Cats of this breed are sociable, but unobtrusive. They, of course, love to play with the owner and other family members, but they will never impose their presence. They are rather contemplators rather than active participants in the process. For them, the presence of the owner is quite enough, so the cats can sit quietly next to the person or lie down next to the owner on a soft sofa, comfortably curled up into a ball.

Nibelungs are friendly towards people but very careful in dealing with strangers. When meeting with strangers, they do not express open aggression, but still prefer to hide in a safe place and wait out the stranger’s visit.

These are pretty calm animals. In a family with small children, they are unlikely to be comfortable: the Nibelungs do not tolerate loud sounds and do not really like being touched against their wishes. For the phlegmatic nature of the Nibelung, an elderly married couple or a family in which children are old enough not to disturb the personal space of a furry pet are more suitable.

Although cats and cats of the nibelung breed do not like undue attention to their person, loneliness is rather painful. The long absence of a person can adversely affect the behavior of the pet. He will fight for attracting attention in various available ways: refusal to eat, ignoring the host's appeals, and in some cases, the appearance of a “surprise” in the wrong place.

Cats of this breed get along well with other animals, of course, unless a new friend turns out to be a bird, fish or hamsterAfter all, the hunting instincts of this fluffy handsome man are very well developed and it is likely that such a friendship can end very badly for them. If the potential victims of cats live in the house, then it is better to communicate with them the Nibelung to minimize or isolate them completely from each other. Friends of the Nibelung can be their relatives, cats, and, oddly enough, dogs.

Although the Nibelungs are somewhat phlegmatic, they still sometimes allow themselves to have fun frolicking, especially if the animal is at a sufficiently young age. High cabinets, cabinets and mezzanines for them are not at all inaccessible heights, but, on the contrary, very interesting places to observe the processes around. With age, their activity, of course, decreases, like most cats of other breeds, but inquisitiveness and some playfulness are still present in a rather mature age.

Representatives of the breed are smart enough and have innate delicacy, they will not sharpen their claws anywhere or walk in the wrong place in the toilet, if they, of course, have enough attention, or the tray is cleaned in time, because they are very clean and will draw attention to the problem in every way. Rarely, they do it with the help of a voice, it is their most quiet compared to other members of the cat family, but very melodious. To attract attention, furry pets can use other methods available to them.

By human standards, cats of all breeds can hardly be attributed to long-livers, because the average life expectancy of pets is within 12-15 years. This figure varies depending on the breed, living conditions and food.

Nibelungs are long-lived compared to other breeds, their life expectancy is 15-18 years, and individual representatives can live longer. There is a known case when a cat has lived to 36 years, and this is very much by the cat's standards.

Nibelungs care is quite simple and quite burdensome for owners.

In order for a furry pet to feel well, it will take quite a bit of time and a minimum of effort.

• The main concern of the nibelung host is care for the coat of the animal. Although the undercoat of the representatives of this breed is very thick, and the guard hair of medium length, their “fur coat” is not prone to the formation of tangles, so it does not need special means and special grooming techniques. To maintain the coat in good condition enough to comb the animal at least 1 time in 7 days. During the periods of molting, the combing procedure can be performed a little more often, 2-3 times a week.

• As a rule, the Nibelungs quickly become accustomed to this procedure, and with time she begins to even like them, and they will be happy to substitute not only the sides and neck, but also the stomach. In order that the wool was not only smooth, but also its color remained the same, Nibelungs should not be displayed in open space, as the sun's rays adversely affect the color of the coat.

• Nibelungs can hardly be called big lovers of water procedures, they don't like splashing in water. Strictly speaking, they do not need it, because the skin of domestic cats is covered with a layer that protects them from various ailments, and the water destroys it, and the animals become more vulnerable to the effects of the environment.

• If, nevertheless, such a need arose, then as a detergent, it is better to use a special shampoo for cats without dyes. Its composition most carefully affects the structure of the guard hair, and the absence of dyes will save the color from unnecessary shades.

• The procedure itself is quite simple and does not require special skills. First you need to wet the coat, avoiding the ear area, and then, moving along the growth of the guard hair, gently massage the body and limbs of the pet with gentle massaging movements. Rinse the shampoo with plenty of water to completely wash the product out of wool. You can, of course, dry the nibelung with a cold-blown hair dryer (hot air spoils the structure of the wool), but it is better to use a towel that is the right size.

• Nibelung eyes and ears require care. Periodically appearing discharge from the eyes must be removed with a cotton pad moistened in boiled water. Examination of the ears is preferably carried out at least 1 time per week. You should not brush your ears to remove sulfur; only brown deposits and associated symptoms should cause suspicion: constant shaking of the head and combing of the auricle.

• The oral cavity of the animal also needs constant inspection. In order to notice the inflammation of the gum tissue or the deposition of tartar on the enamel in time, it is necessary to inspect the pet's oral cavity at least once a week. With such problems, it is best to contact a veterinarian specializing in dentistry. As a preventive measure, you can clean your teeth yourself with a special toothpaste and a properly selected brush. The frequency of the procedure is influenced not only by the generally accepted norms, but also by the condition of the tooth enamel of a particular pet, as a rule, cleaning should be carried out no more than 1-2 times a month.

• Attention should be paid to the cat's claws. To teach a pet to sharpen claws in the right place can be done with a claw and a little effort on the part of the owner. As a rule, cats, accustomed to the claw, do not need to be cut the claws, they perfectly grind them without the help of humans. But sometimes it still becomes necessary to interfere with the host in this process.

• For trimming claws, it is best to go to a veterinary clinic, of course, but you can also treat them yourself with the help of claws. A tool treated with a disinfectant must be placed perpendicular to the surface of the claw, and stepping down a few millimeters from the border separating the tissue with the vessels from the claw itself, trim the tip. Correct staging of the claw helps to prevent stratification of the hard tissue of the claw, and indenting the border is necessary to prevent bleeding.

• When keeping cats breed nibelung in order to avoid obesity should take care of physical loads pets. As a “simulator”, an acquired or self-made complex with platforms attached at different levels will suit. A good load for a pet can be ensured with the help of various toys: balls, mice and other objects that make pets actively move and jump.

Good nutrition is a guarantee of good health and long life of the Nibelung. Cats of this breed, as well as the entire feline family, are carnivorous animals, therefore in their diet the proportion of animal protein must be at least 80-90% of the total composition. It is possible to provide the necessary amount of protein in two ways: feeding with natural products (mainly meat) or feeding with industrial feed.

The natural way of feeding is the most difficult for the owners and more risky for the Nibelung, as it is quite difficult to correctly calculate the required dose of vitamins and microelements, as well as correctly balance the feed on proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Even if you regularly give the cat additional vitamin complexes, you can not be 100% sure that this feeding is enough for the body of the pet.

You should not give representatives of this breed fatty meat, as it contributes to obesity. Products with an excessive content of such elements as copper, iodine, iron (seafood, by-products, buckwheat, potatoes, oats, soy), as well as products with an excessive content of coloring pigments (beet cake, spinach, carrots, greens) should be avoided, because they all affect coat color.

The source of protein for the Nibelungs can be: chicken, veal, sea fish (boneless), rabbit meat, eggs and milk (up to a certain age). As a carbohydrate, you can give a little rice.

For the owner, food with industrial feed is much easier in terms of organization and more favorable for the pet. The main thing - to choose the right food.Of the four currently known categories for the Nibelungs, 3 types are suitable: premium, super-premium and holistic.

When choosing it is worth paying attention to the percentage of animal protein: the higher it is, the better for the pet. The composition also matters, it should not be products that affect color. Wet types of feed are preferable to dry ones, but you should not completely abandon the latter, since hard granules are a prophylactic against the formation of tartar on enamel.

Dry feeds are more concentrated, they are required for saturation less than a wet type, but they contain salt, which means that a bowl with clean settled (unboiled) water should always be next to the feed. If the cat does not want to eat a dry type of food (nibelungs are picky in food), they can be fed even wet, and as a prophylaxis against tartar, they can offer a pet treat in the form of a special “bone” (dried meat).

The number of feedings depends on the age of the Nibelung. Kittens have a very small stomach volume, so they are often fed (up to 5-6 times a day) and in small portions. They are accustomed to adult feed gradually, and, as a rule, they start feeding with a wet species. Dry food is first soaked and given in small portions, its amount in the first days of the feed should not exceed 15% of the total volume of food.

In order to do the breeding of this breed, you must first purchase a kitten. This is not so easy to do, since the Nibelungs are not a very common breed for Russia. Only one nursery in our country is breeding this breed, It is located in St. Petersburg and is called the "Northern Star". In Europe, you can buy a kitten of this breed in the nursery Bosse Marniere Fort, located in France, as well as in the German nursery Nimbati.

A small number of nurseries engaged in breeding Nibelungs, and, as a consequence, the low prevalence of these fluffy beauties generates a fairly high price for them. In Russia, the cost of a nibelung kitten will cost the future owner at least 55,000-60000 rubles. And this is without taking into account the cost of compulsory travel in order to get acquainted with the pet. During the reservation and the trip will have to pay about 22000-24000 rubles. In European nurseries, the cost of the Nibelungs is even higher, for one kitten you need to pay at least $ 1,000.

A slightly less expensive way to purchase a kitten is considered to be a personal contract with the owners of the Nibelungs. You can meet them at the exhibition, which is usually attended by several breeders of this breed.

There are several basic rules that help competently approach the choice of a kitten breed Nibelung. First of all It is necessary to check the information about the nursery or breeder. They must have all the necessary documents for both parents and the baby.

Watching the cat or cat you like, it’s worth paying attention to his relationships with other babies, as it will be impossible to fix an overly aggressive pet in the future. But a kitten that is too limp should raise suspicions, since low activity can be caused by animal disease.

Before buying, it is not superfluous to check the ears, eyes, nose, mouth cavity and the area around the anus; they must be clean, without pathological secretions. In a healthy kitten, the fur is soft, not disheveled and without bald spots, and the belly is proportional to the body in size and moderately elastic.

According to the standards of the breed, the presence of stripes, which are often chaotically located all over the body, or a slightly lighter coat color (light gray) is quite acceptable norms.

Kittens breeders give, as a rule, when the babies reach three months of age. An earlier weaning of a kitten can negatively affect its health. Experienced breeders not only teach kittens to go to the toilet for this age, but give them all the necessary vaccinations. Confirmation of the procedures performed should be veterinary passport, which shows not only the types of manipulations, but also time.

Breeding is practiced when the cat reaches 1-1.5 years, although the animals become mature at 7-9 months. Experienced breeders prefer not to knit cats too early, as the animal’s body is not strong enough for such a test, and the appearance of weak, sickly offspring adversely affects the “reputation” of such a cat.

Cats are ready to mate all the time, and cats only during estrus, which lasts about 7 days. In the warm season cat estrus occurs more often than in winter. And this is not surprising, because the most favorable time for birth is coming: the length of daylight increases, the air temperature rises.

The Nibelungs belong to a group of breeds that are distinguished from others by excellent health and the absence of any serious hereditary diseases. But, like all animals, they still get sick and may well become infected with such serious diseases as calicivirosis, viral peritonitis, hemobartonellosis, panleukopenia, parvovirus, rhinotracheitis, mycoplasmosis, giardiasis and other dangerous infectious, viral and parasitic diseases.

There are vaccines for most diseases, they need to be done annually, since immunity is developed only for a year. The first vaccination should be carried out no later than 8-12 weeks, before which the animal is required to de-worming (rid of parasites).

Do not forget about the antisex treatment, as fleas are carriers of certain diseases. On the form of the drug and its use is to consult a veterinarian.

Vaccination, deworming and other preventive measures carried out in time are the key to a healthy and, most importantly, long life of your beloved pet.

About the features of the breed, see the next video.