British cat: photo, description of the breed, character, health, care and maintenance

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The character of British cats is valued not only by breeders, but also by those who want to have a cheerful, smart and independent cat at home.

The character of a British cat is determined by several criteria:

Low level and activity;
Playful mood;
No need for constant attention;
Moderate attachment to owner and home;
High level of intelligence and independence;
Relative ease of care;
High level of compatibility with children;
Absence of pathological and characteristic diseases.

The character of British cats does not depend on what type it is: shorthaired or semi-longhaired. The British cat was bred in England and is positioned as a fairly peaceful, independent animal that does not require special care and constant attention.

Such a cat will be an excellent pet for busy people who want to have a furry companion at home, while he will not suffer due to the constant absence of his owners.

Main character traits of a British cat

If we consider the main character traits of a British cat, it is worth noting friendliness and calmness. Such a cat will not suffer at home alone without its owner and will not do dirty tricks in order to attract attention. The character of the British cat is characterized by a calm disposition, but at the same time the cat meets its owners quite emotionally, and during the game you will be able to notice a surge of energy and love.

You will never be bored with such a cat, since she is quite unobtrusive, but at the same time becomes quite strongly attached to her owners, without reacting very painfully to a change of situation or the absence of other household members for a long time.

Be healthy and beautiful!

The unique qualities of British cats is the ability not to get sick even in very harsh conditions. They do not have hereditary diseases, as such, and at the same time, cats tolerate cold weather with steadfastness. However, this does not mean that the British do not get sick in principle - they are characterized by diseases typical of cats.

Gingivitis. This is inflammation and subsequent decay of the teeth. It is important to show the animal to the veterinarian in time, because in the first two stages the disease can be cured. But it’s much easier to simply prevent it - brush your pet’s teeth and don’t let him eat any nonsense.
Cardiomyopathy, which occurs due to too much load or, conversely, due to its absence. The main symptoms are catastrophic weight loss, loss of interest in the outside world, the owner, toys, slowing of the pulse and breathing, and wheezing.
Partial paralysis is also possible. Usually these are the hind limbs. In addition to the above, pay attention to your pet's pads. If they change color to blue, consult a doctor immediately.
Sometimes British people are diagnosed with hemophilia. There is nothing you can do here either; the best option would be to simply monitor your pet so that he does not get injured.
And the last typical disease is a fungus that appears on the claws. You can recognize it by deformation or spots on the claws, so pay attention to your pet’s paws.

To prevent heart problems, doctors recommend an examination - an ultrasound of the heart, at least once a year, ideally every six months.

Owner

A house is a cat’s personal territory, where he will always feel comfortable. In addition, a distinctive feature of the British cat’s character is that he does not choose one owner, but views the family as a single whole and treats all members equally.

This cat will delight you with his independence, since he definitely needs personal space - these are the habits of the British, which you will have to accept. The interesting character of the British cat attracts attention to this breed along with its unusual color and appearance. It is worth noting such features of British cats as the lack of love for long games; such a cat will not get a lot of pleasure from being carried in their arms, but at the same time they are quite sociable and easily find a common language with other guests at home , even with a dog.

Characteristics of British cats - height, weight, size

These pets amaze the eye when you first meet them. In the article we will tell you what a British cat looks like and take a closer look at the breed standard: coat, eyes, height and weight of the British cat. These plush pets are gaining more and more fans every year.

What does a British cat look like?

It is quite easy to distinguish a British cat from an ordinary cat. It is always a “powerful”, squat and harmonious animal with rounded shapes. The chest of a large British cat looks wide, and the shoulders and back are massively dense, which is why the pet sometimes seems fat. The British cat has a smaller body shape, but with similar features.

Representatives of the breed can also be identified by their relatively muscular and short legs, which have a slightly rounded shape. The tail of British cats resembles a conical shape with a rounded tip.

The face of a British cat always has well-developed cheeks, which are often called sideburns. The general description of the facial expression of British cats includes a benevolent, friendly look and a natural “smile” like the Cheshire Cat from “Alice in Wonderland.” The main advantage of these pets is their velvet-plush fur, in which your hands sink. Regardless of whether the Briton is a shorthaired or longhaired dog, his coat should have a springy, fine texture and a fluffy undercoat.

In order to choose the right purebred, elite Briton, we recommend that you study in advance the distinctive features of the breed, its standard and seek help from a felinological organization that will provide you with the addresses of worthy nurseries.

Many owners of British breed cats often notice a saggy belly on their pet. And, naturally, they ask the question: “Isn’t this dangerous for health?” So, this is not at all

There is such a thing as a breed standard. A standard is an average description of a representative of a breed. There are several standards in the British Shorthair breed, depending on the felinological system in which the animal is assessed. In general, all standards are similar, but there are some minor differences in the text description of the cat and in the distribution of points.

The Style of Provence nursery exhibits its pets according to the WCF (World Cat Federation) , so let’s look at what a British Shorthair kitten should be like according to this system. But I draw your attention to the fact that an ADULT animal should be like this; in babies, all parts of the body are in constant development, however, something can be seen even at a very young age. So:

HEAD: massive, round skull with a strong chin. The cheekbones should not have an acute angle if you draw a triangle from the chin to the cheekbones. The nose is short, wide and straight. The profile is curved (without stop). The cheeks are full and strong. The cheeks MUST NOT hang separately from the head anywhere on the cat's neck.

EYES: The eyes are large and round, widely spaced. The color corresponds to the color - attention, in solid (solid) colors - the eyes are blue until 1.5-2 months, then the color changes to orange, orange, amber - it is important that the coloring is even, the brighter and more saturated the eye color - the better .

BODY: from large to medium size, the body is muscular and squat (please note - this is one of the visual differences from the Scottish, which has an elongated body and long legs).
Important: the body should be powerful, muscular, but not fat! The chest, shoulders, back are massive and wide. The chest should fall below the elbow joint and have sufficient width when viewed from the front and side of the cat. Koro legs

Main features

The character of a British shorthair cat can be described by several characteristics:

Calm;
Independence;
High level of affection;
Moderate activity;
Contact.

Having assessed all the features of British cats, you will understand that such a pet is perfect for families with a child, and the kitten will not bring you any special worries and will easily adapt to the new environment and rules of your family. Such a pet will delight you for many years with its play, love, affectionate mood and calm disposition.

Tortoiseshell colors

Tortoiseshell cats are a favorite among breeders. From these mothers you can get a wide variety of offspring. Their unique color, also called torti, combines two groups of colors at once - red and black, and this is possible only in females. Tortoiseshell cats can only be born as a result of a genetic anomaly - mosaicism. Such animals are infertile and have the XXY genotype.

The tortoiseshell color consists of black and red spots evenly distributed throughout the body (or derivatives of these colors, for example, blue and cream, chocolate and cream, lilac and cream, etc.).

There are a huge number of British tortoiseshell species:

Classic turtle (black-red, chocolate-red, lilac-cream, fawn-cream, cinnamon-red, lilac-cream).
Smoky turtle (black and red smoky, chocolate red smoky, etc.).
Tortoiseshell tabby, or torby (black and red tabby, chocolate red tabby, etc.).
Tortoiseshell color point, or tortie (tortie point - black tortoiseshell, blue cream point - blue tortoiseshell, etc.).
Bicolor tortoiseshells or calicos (black and red bicolor tortoiseshell, etc.).
Bicolor tabby tortoiseshell, or torbico (marbled, striped, spotted bicolor tortoiseshell).

A tortoiseshell kitten can be born from parents of different color groups, for example, the mother is red and the father is black.

Spots of two colors are evenly distributed throughout the body.

rich color (black, chocolate or cinnamon) with red, as well as blue (or purple) with cream.

The colors are distributed equally and look harmonious. The thick coat is short and soft.

The paw pads are pink or black, and the eyes are copper and gold shades. Cream slippers on the paws or short stripes on the nose are possible.

British Chocolate Cream Tortoise

British blue-cream tortoise

British cat lilac-cream tortoiseshell

Photo of a British black tortoiseshell cat

This color occurs only in female cats; due to the peculiarities of genetics, cats are not tortoiseshell.

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Advantages of the British cat's character

The owner of a British dog can fully appreciate the advantages of this pet’s appearance, which ideally complement its pleasant character. Features of the appearance of this cat are a fairly friendly look, a large number of colors, which can vary from pure black to tortoiseshell.

At the same time, the cat is quite large and looks solid; it exudes confidence and nobility, which, combined with a calm character, have ensured the popularity of this breed for many years.

Despite the fact that she is a fairly independent cat, a description of the character of British cats cannot be called complete without paying attention to the care that the cat shows to its house guests. If you observe your pet, you will notice that the pleasant character of British cats extends not only to family members, but also to guests, since the cat is practically not aggressive and extremely rarely shows hostility even to strangers.

What is the best food to feed a British kitten?

British breed kittens are quite capricious and finicky pets. Their character, according to felinologists (experts who study the characteristics of cats), is very gentle. In this regard, it is important for the owners of these cats to properly care for them. And the main task: a good diet. Its health and well-being depend on what food a kitten eats.

Natural products

These must necessarily include meat dishes rich in proteins. You can feed them egg yolk, a favorite treat for all cats. Pure protein is found in shrimp. They will not leave even the most fastidious British people indifferent. Products containing minerals such as phosphorus and calcium are also important.

Beef is the best choice. This type of meat should be given to a British kitten daily or a little every other day. It is best to use raw minced meat or cut boiled beef into small pieces.

If you choose raw meat, you need to remember about the worms whose larvae are contained in it. Therefore, a little processing will be required: we put the meat in the freezer (- 25-30 ° C), thereby freezing it. Afterwards, defrost at room temperature. Thanks to this treatment, microbes and worm larvae are killed.

Chicken. Four-legged animals love this product and most of all, breast and liver. However, the latter should not be abused. Unlike beef, it is advisable to boil chicken meat before feeding it to your pet. For variety, kittens are treated to liquid chicken broth.

Fish. Not all fish are suitable for the British diet, for example, fatty pelengas or silver carp. Such varieties can have a negative impact on the kitten's health. It is better to give lean fish: perch, carp, pike perch, cod.

Attention

British cats love to get away from the whole world and hide in their own secluded corner. However, this will happen exactly until they feel that the owner needs them. And if there is a child in the house, the cat will always calm him down and take care of him as if he were his own kitten.

At the same time, if a cat is quite sensitive to excessive love and affection from its adult owners, then it will endure all games with the child patiently and heroically, realizing that the baby is not only its owner, but also a child in its own way. The character and habits of a British cat can be seen from childhood, because after you bring a kitten home, it will rarely crap in the wrong place or scatter food and toys, this is determined by the high level of cleanliness of the kitten and its character traits of British cats.

Care

Wool is a source of pride for British cats. The characteristic of the breed that distinguishes them from the mass of other types of cats is their thick coat with dense undercoat, which requires careful and timely care. Two or three times a month it is necessary to comb the cat with a special brush with fine bristles. The British are exceptionally clean, but sometimes there is a need for washing. To do this, pour warm water into a basin and, holding the pet, wet its fur. Using a special shampoo, lather the coat and rinse off the foam with plenty of water. You should not pay attention to the intimate area; the British will not tolerate such treatment. After all the procedures, you should dry the coat with a soft towel and comb it after ten to fifteen minutes.

During shedding, you should comb the coat once a day, and also add special anti-hairball food to the diet.

Time should be spent on eye and ear hygiene as needed. To remove discharge from the eyes, you can use a cotton swab or disk soaked in clean water. Before such a procedure, you must wash your hands thoroughly so that the mucous membrane does not get any infection.

When the ears become dirty, it is necessary to clean the ears. To do this, you can also use a cotton swab and a solution of hydrogen peroxide. Ears should be cleaned as carefully as possible so as not to harm the animal.

Characteristics of a British cat

If you decide to purchase a kitten of this breed, you should learn to accept and respect the character traits of British cats; they are inherent in all representatives of this breed, regardless of age and upbringing.

Firstly, such a cat is quite independent, so it is not suitable for those who want to constantly cuddle and play with their pet.

If you show too much tenderness and attention to a Briton, he will run and hide until he becomes aggressive. But at the same time, the character of a British cat will never allow her to show her weakness and show how much she missed you in your absence.

Watching such a cat, it is worth noting that the character of British cats is characterized by a certain aristocracy and arrogance, and you should also be prepared not only for positive emotions, in the sense that this character of British cats will never allow them to sharpen their claws on furniture or wallpaper , but at the same time. if she doesn’t like something, you will have to put up with all the preferences.

Tabby

The patterned cats resemble wild ones in color. They have spots, stripes, rings on the body and paws and the obligatory letter "M" on the forehead. Tabby color also has several types:

Spotted, spotted, or leopard print is the most common tabby. Cats of this color look like miniature leopards.
Striped, mackerel, or tiger. Narrow frequent stripes should not be interrupted or intersect with each other. After a year, the brindle color may turn into leopard if the stripes begin to break up.
The merle color is very impressive, bright and the most complex of the tabbies. The stripes on the back are straight, but on the sides they form clearly visible circles and rings.
The ticked color stands apart - it has no pattern and looks like a plain one with “spraying”. Resembles shaded or veiled. Each hair has its own stripes.

The peculiarity of representatives of tabby colors is patterns and drawings on the background of the main color, or on a silver/golden background.

Drawings are divided into 3 types:

Marbled (or classic tabby) - clear patterns in the form of wide lines stand out on the body.

British cat chocolate marble

Dark stripes stretch along the back all the way to the tail, on the sides there are patterns in the form of curls, the tail and neck are decorated with rings. Colors of this type include marbled on gold and silver, as well as black marbled.

Tiger Tabby (also known as Tabby or "Mackerel") - A longitudinal stripe runs along the line of the spine, from which thin stripes descend on the sides.

The picture shows a British black tiger tabby kitten

The tail is also striped, and the neck is covered with patterns that resemble necklaces.

Spotted tabby - spots are located on the back and sides, they stand out against a light background. Their shape can be oblong, oval or round.

Photo of a British spotted tabby

Sometimes the tail is also spotted or decorated with open rings. The most common colors are brown-black, silver-black and brick red.

The silver tabby (also known as the Whiskey color) has a pale silver coat. A clear black pattern (marbled, spotted or brindle) is located on the body and limbs. The eyes are green or light hazel.

British cat black spots on silver

The brown tabby has a shiny copper-brown color as its main color. The type of pattern can be any: marble, brindle or spotted. On the body, black patterns are combined with stains or spots in shades of red.

British brown spot on a brown background

The main color of the blue tabby is ivory or blue with a dark blue pattern. In addition to drawings, the body often has spots or streaks of cream color.

British blue brindle tabby

Red tabby cats have a clear pattern of rich red color set against a light golden background. Their eyes are copper or yellow.

In the photo there is a British red marbled kitten

Cream tabby cats have a pale cream base color. It has a contrasting pattern of beige or cream color, which is much darker than the main one.

Photo of a British cream tabby kitten

Peculiarities

In addition, a characteristic feature of the character of British cats is stubbornness. If you hurt the pride of a British cat, the cat will definitely be offended, refuse to eat and may completely refuse contact with its owner, because obstinacy is one of the character traits of British cats. Also, this breed is characterized by quite strong jealousy , and if a new pet appears, the cat can also change its usual style of behavior and withdraw into itself, but if it is not limited and deprived of attention, then soon everything will return to normal.

To summarize, it is worth noting the following negative traits that appear in the character of a British cat:

excessive stubbornness;
rancor;
predominantly depressed mood;
demanding food and proper care.

This breed is great for those who want to have a pet, but at the same time need an animal that has a high level of cleanliness. Such a cat, due to its innate nobility, will never allow violations of hygiene rules - this is the character of British cats.

Another distinctive feature of the character of British cats is the need for sufficiently long sleep without interruptions.

External data

This breed of the cat family has a very extraordinary appearance; it is extremely difficult to confuse this cat with some other species

You should immediately pay attention to the unusual fur, which resembles plush fabric. The pet got such a fur coat thanks to the not entirely hospitable climate that prevails in the British archipelago

You can recognize a British cat based on the following characteristic features:

Massive body, powerful and well-developed legs. As for the head, it has a round shape with large cheeks and prominent cheekbones. The neck is short and there is a noticeable fold of skin on it, which is what gives the cat an unusually important appearance. A wide but flat nose and rounded ears that widen at the base.
The coloring is very diverse, the most common seals are smoky, Siamese, and tortoiseshell. Each of them has its own personality, is beautiful and unique in its own way. It is worth noting two-color pets: this color is also common among the British.
Eye color. This breed mainly has yellow and amber eyes or shades of both. In some species you can find green or blue color. The color difference depends entirely on the exterior. As for their shape, it is round, and the eyes themselves are very expressive.
Tail. It is this part that is the hallmark of the British breed. It looks very harmonious with a powerful and massive body and has a characteristic slightly rounded tip.

This is exactly what an amazing British cat looks like, with an optimistic and independent character. But a pet will have a beautiful and well-groomed appearance only if it is completely healthy. That is why your pet needs to be monitored, cared for and fed properly.

Final characteristics

This characteristic of British cats can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. If you are constantly at work and want a calm and loving pet to greet you at home, then the British cat is the best choice, and the character of British cats will meet all your needs. However, if there are children in the house and you can be sure that such a cat will never show aggression towards him , even with increased activity, she will simply leave and hide, thus regulating contact with herself.

Standard color requirements

The pattern on the coat of a short-haired cat must be clearly visible. Despite the variety of the pattern, it must contain the following elements, in addition to the ticked color:

the eyeliner under the cat’s nose and eyes should match the “background” color;
there should be light spots on the ears (one on each, on the outside);
from one to two rows of spots on the abdomen;
ring ornaments on the tail;
"necklaces" on the neck;
stripes on the limbs;
a pattern similar to the “M” symbol on the forehead;
clearly defined tabby pattern.

Photo of a British kitten - black golden spotted BRI ny 24

BRI ns 22 64 – black marble on silver

The reason the cat's color does not meet the requirements may be a mating where one of the animals was without a pattern.

The dominant factor in eye color is the basic tone of the animal's coat. More often it is required that the eyes be of copper shades - in blue and red Britons. Blue or green are also allowed - for silver and golden ones.

Character

The character of the British cat is an ideal choice for a family or single owner. Very often, what breed is called a cat that is ideal for a businessman, taking into account the character and habits of a British cat, ease of care, autonomy, independence and at the same time a large amount of affection and love that the cat gives to its owner - this is all the character of British cats.

When you come home, you will always meet a peaceful animal that has rested in splendid isolation while you were not at home and will happily play with you for a short time.

The character of the British cat does not allow her to be intrusive, but at the same time she does not lead to apathy and always breaks off contact on her own if you show too much love and care to her.

Description of the breed

First of all, let's remember that the British are quite capricious, and even somewhat touchy - something, but these little animals have no less pride than their owners. The main thing is not to confuse a Scot and a Briton - their owners will definitely consider this an insult. Just remember that British cats are purebred animals that came to their appearance through adaptation, experience and mutation. But the Scotsman is a genetically bred breed, like many other cats that appeared relatively recently.

Features of behavior and character of British women

When characterizing British cats, you need to understand that everything depends on their behavior. If you want to raise an animal, then you need to do this only up to a year, after which you won’t be able to change anything. Some owners complain about disobedience, not realizing that this is a consequence of poor upbringing . The British are proud enough that they will never ask a person for help. These are not the breeds that will cuddle or purr plaintively, trying to attract attention. These representatives will try to act independently.

While still babies, British kittens easily learn to use the litter box. The aristocratic breed does not allow them to shit wherever they have to. If you look at how a cat sleeps, you can involuntarily smile: on its back, in a ball, with its hind legs outstretched, on its side. The places to sleep are no less fun. Sometimes fluffy hides in places where you wouldn’t even think of looking for him - in a laundry basket or among soft toys. The habits of the British dog are often unpredictable, but this is dictated by the breed and some inherent instincts.

Will it catch mice?

Following from history, British cats were specially bred to catch rats and mice. For successful hunting, breeders wanted to achieve a thick and short coat, so that it would be difficult for rodents to bite and injure the little catcher.

All representatives of this breed catch mice. This is genetically embedded in them. But in city apartments, as a rule, there is no opportunity to hunt at all.

Some owners take their British Shorthair cat with them to the countryside. There they catch all the mice in the area within a week. They most often bring their prey to the owner. When the rodents run out, the hunt begins for frogs, large insects, and birds. Cats are more graceful and passionate in hunting than cats.

The British are born mousecatchers.