Silver chinchilla cat: description and rules of keeping

The name "silver chinchilla" described breed of cats received in connection with the external similarity of its fur with the color of the skin of a rodent of the same name. This group includes several feline breeds. About them will be discussed below.

The history of this group is not well understood. There is a version that in the territory of modern Europe, the first representative of the silver lambkin breed (so called chinchilla cats) appeared in Britain. And he was introduced to the territory of Albion in the days of ancient Rome. However, most experts still agree that chinchillas were bred in England itself in 1883.

A certain cat lover, Mrs. Vallance, acquired a female kitten with a rare color for that time and was so enchanted by her pet that she was set on fire with the idea of ​​getting offspring. For this purpose, a Persian cat with long hair and a similar smoky color was found. From this pair managed to get offspring. After two generations in 1894, a kitten was born, which was considered the founder of the Silver Lambkin breed. Later, this cat won many awards at competitions, and now his effigy flaunts in the Museum of Natural Science in London.

Breeders very long sought to obtain offspring with such features. For this, the first chinchillas were crossed with tabby-colored or striped cats, But since the famous chinchilla color was extremely rare, and such kittens were rare, the breeding of this breed was very slow. Official recognition of the chinchilla breed of cats received only recently, already in the current century.

According to modern standards, silver chinchilla wool should have a predominantly white shade. Allowed only a slight darkish coating on the tips of hairs, creating the effect of silver. It is considered a great success if you managed to get silver kittens with blue eyes. They were originally considered to be purebred representatives of the chinchilla cat dynasty.

Years later, individuals with green and amber shades of the eyes also began to be recognized. As for the structure of the body of the described breed, then these cats are characterized by short powerful paws, a fluffy tail and a massive chest. The shape of the head is round, the cheekbones are pronounced, the ears are small, neat. The nose of the cats of this breed is pinkish-brown, slightly flattened, which is typical of their distant relatives - the Persians.

The group of chinchillas includes several different breeds.

• British They are distinguished by a short thick fur, a dense constitution, a well-developed musculature. The eyes are usually bright green. Ticked color is very expressive. The ears are small, standing shape, with rounded tips. Paws are short and strong. The head is a regular round shape. The tail is thickened, short and very fluffy.

• Persian. The coat is rather long, the tail is bushy, the eyes are most often green, less often blue or cognac. The paw pads of the Persian chinchillas are black, the nose is red. Ticked shade is less noticeable than the British.

• Scottish. They are often confused with the British breed - the same thick and short fur, pupils of emerald color with black edging around.You can distinguish them by the shape of the ears - their tips are slightly tilted forward and down. According to the specified breed standards, the ears should not go beyond the boundaries of the outlines of the head. The paws are more elongated and more proportionate relative to the body of the animal itself. The head with a pronounced lower jaw resembles the shape of an owl. The tail is flexible, slightly elongated.

• Scottish Fold. This breed is also called the Scottish Strike. The coat is of medium length, has a white undercoat at birth, and a characteristic silver patina appears a little later. The paw pads are dark, with a clearly defined dark rim around the pupils, nose and mouth. The eyes are large and expressive, green with an amber shade.

Silver chinchillas are also divided into several groups according to coat color:

• group with a silver color with blackout, when the dark part of the hair does not exceed 1/8 of its length;
• ticked when the color is not of a specific nature such as stripes or specks, but the zones of light and dark hair alternate in a certain order;
• shaded when the hair is dark about 1/3 the length.

Chinchillas are appreciated for their friendly disposition and docile nature. They are considered real breed aristocrats. Chinchillas love to play with their toys, but it’s not for them to do something out of spite or harm, such as sharpening their claws on furniture or tearing curtains. These cats are happy to spend time on the owner's lap, are easily accustomed to the tray and are very patient with children's pranks.

For them it is very important to constantly communicate with the owner. They are happy to take hugs and other affection, often even sleeping in the same bed with the owners. Due to the natural wisdom and restraint, cats tolerate solitude, but they still prefer society and yearn in long separation from the owner.

Cats of this breed can be as loyal as dogs. At the same time, they will not wake you up in the morning with loud sounds with different requirements, and tactfully wait for awakening to give their love and affection. Some breeders claim that chinchillas are capable of giving their meow the necessary intonation to express their wishes.

At a young age, kittens, like all children, are playful and mobile. As a toy can choose absolutely any item. With age, cats become more imposing and lazy, their royal origin begins to manifest in them. They prefer to spend time in a sweet slumber, rather than in outdoor games.

Noted that Chinchilla is not peculiar manifestation of discontent in any form. Cats of this breed are tolerated by dogs and other animals. They, as a rule, do not show special sympathy, but they also show no aggression in their character. The guests who are in the house, the animals are also located favorably - allow themselves to be stroked and willingly go into their hands.

They also do not tolerate when they are restricted in their freedom of choice or movement. If you take into account these features, such cute creatures can become true friends.

Since the silver chinchilla cats are very beautiful, they are expensive. And in order to maintain their beauty and justify the funds spent on their acquisition, it is necessary to periodically carry out some procedures for the care of animals.Manipulations are simple, but they must be done regularly.

Special attention requires chinchilla wool. To make it really sparkling and cast silver, it should be combed at least twice a week. This applies to both long-haired and short-haired breeds. First, comb the fur in the direction of growth, then in the opposite direction. This procedure will not only keep the animal's hair in order: combing is also an excellent massage, which is very useful for an aristocratic pet.

Wash chinchilla is often not recommended. Water treatments are shown to animals as needed. With excessively frequent use of soap, the natural fat layer is washed away, and the wool itself acquires an unaesthetic yellowish tint. For keeping a chinchilla cat clean it is recommended to use special dry shampoos for cats. Preference should be given to the means with a bleaching effect.

The peculiarity of all chinchillas is increased tearing. Therefore, tear streaks appear often and they need to be cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in a solution of boric acid, chamomile, or at least in ordinary boiled water. If suppuration occurs, they can be cured with tetracycline ointment.

Also, do not forget to care for the teeth of the cat. It is worth entrusting the vet, who at the same time and check their condition for possible diseases.

If an unpleasant smell emanates from the pet's ears, you should also consult a doctor.

Twice a month, the animal is trimmed with claws. Ordinary scissors do not fit, they can hurt the animal. There are special kogterezki, with which you can trim the claws to the desired length.

To consolidate the protection after a month re-vaccination. Then vaccinations should be repeated annually. The incubation period for any vaccination lasts 10 days.

Veterinarians do not recommend mixing food from the common table and special food. Optimally stop on any one option. At the same time, the pet's diet should be quite diverse. It is advisable to alternate between different types of meat: rabbit, chicken or turkey. As for the heat treatment of meat, there are no prohibitions - cats are equally loyal to both raw and boiled products.

Large pieces should be chopped beforehand. In order to maintain the shape of fish and dairy products, it is desirable to introduce cats into the menu no more than twice a week. Also, do not forget about vegetables - cabbage, carrots. You can enter in the diet buckwheat, quail eggs, oatmeal.

The breeding process of silver chinchilla cats is very complex. Professional breeders very meticulously choose a partner for mating. If the pair is not carefully selected, a kitten may appear with a wrong coat color, in terms of pleasant standards. At the same time, the purity of the rock is lost, and its recovery may take several years, during which the correct signs may weaken or disappear altogether.

Since there are very few such nurseries, then finding a suitable partner from which you can get purebred pedigree offspring that can be put up at competitions and exhibitions is not an easy task. Professional breeders carefully check the pedigree of potential partners in order to find identical roots to maintain the purity of the breed. Studying the pedigree also helps to eliminate the possibility of kinship and to avoid the risk of having kittens with disabilities.

If the parents were closely related, the children born from them may be sick with hemolysis. The first sign of the disease - if the newborn kittens red urine. Babies should be urgently taken from the mother and fed artificially. Kinship can also be determined by blood type, but this process is lengthy and costly. In addition, in Russia, this type of diagnostics has not been sufficiently mastered, and biomaterials are sent to the United States to get 100% results.

However, on the other hand, the presence of common relatives in the first or second generation increases the chances of obtaining purebred offspring. But you need to understand that kittens born from such a pair can be born painful and unviable.

About features of chinchillas, see below.