Scottish shorthair cat: breed description and content

Scottish Shorthair - one of the most popular and favorite cat breeds in the world.

Scottish Shorthair cats appeared recently: in the middle of the XX century. The Scottish Fold Scottish Fold became the ancestor of the breed. In one of the farms, a kitten with straight ears was born at the fold mother. Suzie Kota (as the kitten was called) was crossed with a straight-bred cat. And a new breed called Scottish Straight was born.

According to international standards, a true shorthair Scottish looks like this:

• the body of the animal is strong, cylindrical, but not as powerful as in British cats;
• hoisted long, graceful;
• neck strong, elongated;
• tail is rather long, without bends and creases;
• rounded head with clearly defined chin;
• ears of a regular triangular shape, set wide;
• the eyes are round, large, green and yellow, there are also blue;
• cheeks rounded, outstanding, with a chic mustache;
• the coat is dense, with a thick undercoat, soft and pleasant to the touch.

Adult cats and cats differ markedly from each other in size. Smooth-haired cats have graceful and miniature dimensions, cats are large, powerful and big-headed.

The height of the girl at the withers is usually from 28 to 30 cm, the male - from 29 to 33 cm. Sexual maturation of the breed occurs at 7-8 months. The average weight of animals during this period is from 3.5 to 4 kg for a cat and from 4 to 5 kg for a cat.

Scots grow to almost 2.5 years. At 1 year old, a cat can weigh from 4.5 to 7 kg, a cat gains up to 5.5 kg, and by the age of two, animals reach a weight of between 6 and 9 kg.

These operations do not affect the size of the animal.

Among the monochromatic colors are found:

• white;
• the black;
• blue;
• silver;
• redhead;
• cinnamon;
• chocolate;
• lavender;
• cream;

Among the bicolors and tricolors - colors, where several colors or shades are combined - stand out:

• harlequin;
• color-point;
• smoky;
• van;
• tortoiseshell;
• chinchilla;
• shaded
• ticked;
• tabby;
• paricolor

Animals with tabby colors are found in various colors. Also, they come in stains, stripes and specks of bizarre shape. Differ:

• creamy;
• red;
• blue;
• silvery;
• brown.

Cats chinchilla color are silver and red. The following shades may be shaded:

• silver;
• red;
• golden.

White color dominates in harlequin and color-point colors. Cats with a color van may have white spots on certain places. The most rare color is red.

The nature of animals is good-natured. They do not enter into conflicts, adopt other pets, can make friends with children.

These are proud aristocrats by nature, they do not like interference in their personal space. Without the desire of a pet to pick him up, squeeze and iron is impossible. The Scottish Straight demands universal respect for itself and wants to be considered. If the cat wants, she will come to the owner, will be gentle and affectionate.

Cats are in good contact with all family members, but do not like strangers.High intelligence does not allow them to scratch, hiss and growl at strangers. All that they can - it is with an indifferent look to watch from afar.

If the guest is interested in the Scot, then he will certainly come to him. Representatives of this breed are extremely curious. If a doctor came to the owner, the animal will take part in its treatment. The cat will surely come to see how well the master invited by the owners does the repair, will observe how the owner works at the computer or cooks in the kitchen. According to the owners, some inquisitive cats enjoy watching TV.

Scots are active and playful. If you wish, you can turn the game into training. Pet learn to perform simple commands and will do it very willingly, receiving a reward from the hands of the owner.

The temperament of the animal is laid by nature. There are cats active and mobile, there are more phlegmatic, calm. The nature and habits of pets are affected by the atmosphere in the home and family relationships. Conditions of detention, as well as proper care contributes to the development of certain character traits.

When purchasing a baby, it is necessary to pay attention to its appearance - even at an early age the kitten has external signs of the breed. The fact that in front of a man is a true Scottish Straight, tell the following signs:

• the shape of the muzzle of the kitten is round;
• ears are straight, small and even, are flush with the cheekbones;
• the body of the animal is rectangular, slightly elongated;
• tail smooth, without kinks, proportional to the body of the cat;
• Fur coat short, plush.

Baby health is another important selection criteria that should be given due attention. Evidence that the animal is healthy, are:

• shiny and soft wool;
• no cloudy or dark discharge from the eyes;
• clean ears, without unpleasant smell and crusts;
• clean anus, soft and painless belly;
• teeth without plaque, with the right bite;
• wet clean nose.

If the kitten is active, playful, moves freely, does not limp, then we can assume that everything is in order. If you wake the sleeping baby and invite him to play, then the animal will be interested in the proposed toy.

If it was decided to choose a pet, the sex of the animal does not matter. The boys and girls of the Scottish Straight are equally funny, and they love their masters.

The Scottish Straight kitten is acquired at the age of 2.5-3 months. At this age, professional breeders have socialized kittens: they are accustomed to the toilet, claw, and the necessary vaccinations. To keep the cat in the house the owner must purchase:

• scraper;
• a bed with a removable cover or a house;
• food and water bowls;
• toilet tray;
• high-quality filler;
• claw cutter;
• shampoo;
• special toothpaste;
• massage brushes with bristles and rare metal teeth;
• various toys: balls, fishing rods and other items for cat's fun.

The undercoat of the Scottish Straight is thick and dense. It is very difficult to get rid of old wool on your own. Plaids are very clean animals - carefully licking themselves, they can swallow a large amount of wool. This leads to unpleasant consequences: a clogged animal intestine.

Will help the cat daily combing

Bathing also helps to get rid of unnecessary nap. Wash the Scots need 2 times a week using a mild shampoo. Cats patiently bathing.

Some useful tips:

• It is convenient to wash wool with a rubber glove strictly in the direction of growth from top to bottom;
• it is necessary to avoid drafts while bathing a pet;
• do not leave the cat to dry out on its own;
• You can blot plush coat with a raw towel, and then dry it with a hairdryer.

• The eyes of the animal are washed with a cotton swab dipped in boiled water, from the outer corner of the eye to the nose. The movement should be soft and gentle.
• You can not press and rub your eyes. Be sure to use different discs for each eye (especially if one of them is sick).
• If the discharge from the eyes is cloudy or purulent, then this means that the animal has an infection. Need to consult a veterinarian.

• Ears animal cleaned with cotton buds. Processed inner surface of the ear. Do not descend into the auditory canal during the procedure.
• Light movements remove dust particles and possible natural excretions. In healthy ears should not be abundant sediment secretions, sores and unpleasant smell.
• After the procedure, you should rub your ears with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide and smear with baby cream to avoid the appearance of crusts.

Teeth care is extremely important, as it prevents the occurrence of tartar and the possibility of oral infections. Teeth are rubbed with a swab moistened with a solution of chamomile, and brushed with toothpaste and a brush for animals.

Once every two weeks you need to trim the claws of the animal. This should be done carefully so as not to injure the living areas. Then the claws should be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate. It is necessary to give the animal medication for worms in a timely manner and treat it with a remedy for fleas and ticks.

The first feeding kittens need to enter after 8 months. To do this, cat breeders use production feed. This saves time and allows you to make food balanced.

Professionals recommend choosing premium, super premium and holistic pet foods for pets. They contain essential for the health of cats trace elements and vitamins, strengthen the immune system, contribute to the prevention of urolithiasis and joint disease.

If a person basically does not want to feed an animal with industrial feed, then it is worth taking care that the pet's food is balanced.

The following foods can be included in the diet:

• lean meat;
• sea ​​boiled fish;
• low-calorie dairy products;
• quail eggs or chicken, better boiled;
• cereals: rice, buckwheat, oatmeal;
• any vegetables except potatoes.

Do not forget to give your pet a complex of vitamins. It is advisable to exclude the following products from the menu:

• fat meat;
• milk;
• dishes from your table;
• citrus;
• river fish;
• bones.

For more on Scottish Straight cats, see the next video.