British cat: soft disposition and plush fur
British cat: soft disposition and plush fur
The British cat has an easy and accommodating character, a calm disposition. The animal will be an excellent companion for people of any age, patient with children. It does not require the constant attention of the owner and perceives his absences from home without whims.
This animal is the personification of harmony and cheerfulness. No wonder the smiling and phlegmatic Cheshire cat from the book "Alice in Wonderland" is a British shorthair breed. British gets along well with other pets and is not jealous. It prefers to spend time in a measured manner and is less prone to noisy games than other breeds.
We invite you to learn more about British Shorthairs: there are a lot of interesting things in their character and appearance features. We will tell you how the breed appeared, what its characteristic features are, as well as give advice on the care and choice of aristocratic British.
History of the British Shorthair
The British Shorthair has a difficult history, as they say, from rags to riches. The once simple street mousetraps, British, became very popular in the 19th century. Then they almost disappeared due to a change in fashion for cat breeds, but still again took a leading position in the world of pets. Today they are considered one of the most noble and expensive cats.
According to historical references, this breed was brought to the British Isles by Roman conquerors on ships. They are cat keepers not for entertainment, but solely to protect provisions in the holds from rats and mice. Short-haired pets were unsurpassed mousetraps: fast and cunning. In appearance, they were slightly different from modern representatives of the breed with round muzzles and stocky physique, and more like Egyptian cats - graceful and long-legged.
Cats have a free temper, they are known to walk on their own. Therefore, some of the animals that sailed with the legionnaires fled to the shore of the British Isles. There they met wild relatives who enriched the gene pool. This is how a new breed was formed - the British Shorthair.
At first, the cats of the British breed did not have any special value. Peasants started them to fight mice and rats. No one was engaged in the selection of the breed: did not select kittens by shade of coat, shape of ears or tail size. The appearance of the British was formed by itself without human intervention.
Only at the end of the 19th century, special attention was paid to the breed. Residents of Britain saw that shorthair cats have unique and attractive external features that need to be fixed and developed.
In the Victorian era, British cats began to be started by representatives of high society. The famous English artist Louis Wayne loved to draw these animals. In his paintings, cats played golf, went on a picnic, celebrated Christmas, played musical instruments and read newspapers. Thanks to the artist, the mustachioed ones gained popularity, they began to be considered something fashionable, attributed to the sphere of creativity.
External features
The size of the British is from medium to large (from 28 to 33 cm). The weight of cats is usually from 3.5 to 6.5 kg, cats - from 5.5 to 9 kg.
By the following standards of appearance, you can determine that you have a British of pure blood:
The head is round, large enough with chubby cheeks and a convex forehead.
The eyes are large, round and widely spaced. The look is expressive, open and interested. The iris is very beautifully in harmony with the color of the coat and can be yellow, copper-orange, blue, green. White Britons can have heterochromia, where both eyes have different colors.
The nose is small, wide and straight. The tip of the nose and chin are on the same vertical.
The ears are also small, wide at the base and rounded towards the tips. Set straight, wide enough and low. There is also a variety of breed with pressed and downward ears, which is often called the "British Fold cat". But it is the British Fold as a registered breed does not exist. It is more correct to call it "Scottish Fold".
Wide and short neck.
The body is stocky and strong, knocked down, not loose. With a wide and deep chest and a muscular short back.
The legs are short and powerful with rounded and strong legs.
The tail is of medium length, thick. Wide at the base and rounded at the tip.
A characteristic feature of the breed is a special plush coat. About a hundred different shades of the British "fur coat" are acceptable: blue, purple, chocolate, white, black, red, cream, tortoiseshell. Two-tone colors are also acceptable.
Personality traits
The appearance of the British Shorthair is fully consistent with their inner world. These cats look like plush toys, and by nature they are real bumpkins. They have a sweet, smiling face that is not feigned at all. British kittens are friendly, cheerful and good-natured. They will become excellent companions, fit into the life of any family and will not require excessive attention to their person.
In childhood (from 2 to 6 months), the British are active and, like all kittens, love noisy games. But with the onset of maturity, they become restrained, sedate and silent. Prim, like true Englishmen. But these aristocrats also have bouts of unexpected activity, when they surprise the owners with the speed of running around the apartment for a ball or a sunbeam.
Britishi are very attached to their owners, often follow them with a "tail" around the apartment. But they do it unobtrusively, without asking for attention. Like all pets, the British love affection, but they have their own preferences in this regard - the pet will gladly lie down with you on the couch and will enjoy stroking, but it is unlikely to want to sit on its knees or in your arms. These cats do not like squeezing, too close contact with a person. They prefer to be close, but have personal space.
Even with discomfort, the animal will not show aggression and will hold its claws. If you persistently limit the freedom of the pet with hugs, the British will flee. Then he will find shelter and will avoid the obsessive owner for a long time.
The British normally tolerate loneliness. If the owner spends a long time outside the house, the cat will not retaliate for a pogrom or otherwise show dissatisfaction. She will fall asleep peacefully or look at the street from the window.
Britishes are not graceful. By the nature of the movements, they are more like a clubfoot bear. There is little sophistication in their manner of moving. While running on the shelves, sturdy people can drop objects, but not because of harmfulness, but because of their cute clumsiness.
For a comfortable life, a Briton does not need to have a partner for games, he does well alone. But he will also not mind close contact with other pets: cats, dogs, reptiles, rodents and birds. The kid will treat the neighborhood in a friendly and peaceful way without claiming primacy for the love of the owner.
Shorthairs get along well with children. They are quite patient and indulgent, of course, if the child does not overdo it with caresses. Therefore, explain to the baby that the cat is not a toy and you need to show your love for it carefully.
How to care for the British Wool With a Brit, you won't have much trouble. The advantage of their dense, short and thick fur is that it does not tangle or fall off. To make the coat beautiful and smooth, it is enough to comb the animal 1-2 times a week. In the spring and autumn periods, when molting occurs, it will be necessary to carry out the procedure more often so that the fallen hairs do not accumulate on the carpet, furniture or clothes. Cats often do not need to be washed - the fat layer on the coat protects them from infections and bacteria. Pets are clean and wash themselves very well, constantly licking themselves. And this is quite enough for the ideal condition of the coat. If the animal walked on the street or for another reason got very dirty, you can wash it using specialized shampoos for cats. And at the same time, it is important to ensure that water does not get into the ears, otherwise inflammation may appear. Nutrition One of the features of the body of the British is a tendency to obesity and problems with the cardiovascular system. Adult cats move quite a bit, they no longer play and do not run around the house like small kittens. Therefore, it is important to monitor the pet's nutrition so that excess weight does not accumulate. It is necessary to use only specialized food for cats, to observe the recommended portion sizes. High-quality pet food contains all the necessary nutrients and vitamins necessary for the proper development of the cat at every stage of its life. Sometimes you can give your pet products that dissolve wool in the stomach. Since the hair of the British is very dense, when licking a fur coat, a sufficiently large amount of hair enters the stomach. Their excessive accumulation can lead to health problems. Means for dissolution contribute to the decomposition of wool, rapid processing and normal removal from the body. Ear and claw care Ear cleaning should be done every two weeks. Eyes should be wiped once a week using a cotton swab dipped in ordinary boiled water or in a special lotion for eye care. To prevent the cat from spoiling the furniture with its claws, you will need a scratching post. Now there are a lot of stylish models that will harmoniously fit into any interior of the house. You can also carefully trim the sharp tips of the claws with special wire cutters. It is important to do this carefully so as not to damage the claws themselves and the tendon that is responsible for releasing them.
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