It is worth considering all the arguments for having a British cat, because there are practically no arguments against, unless dogs are closer to your heart.
The origins of the British breed are in Ancient Rome
Of course, everyone chooses an animal for themselves in accordance with their temperament and aesthetic preferences, which is why British cats are also good because they have a wide range of colors and shades not only of fur, but also of eyes. This makes it possible to choose exactly the color scheme that will constantly evoke only positive emotions in you.
Some people think little about what role color plays in our lives, but every person at the subconscious level has a firm belief about which colors he likes and which he doesn’t. Considering the dim industrial landscapes that surround you, it would be nice to imagine yourself looking at the sunlight every day, carried in your eyes by a bright fiery ginger cat or a calico cat with golden shining eyes. For lovers of fog and gloom, British Shorthairs will be able to offer a gray or black version of a plush cat, whose eyes will resemble coals in a fireplace late in the evening.
British Shorthair cats: history of origin
The origins of the British breed are in Ancient Rome, where there once lived a domestic cat, from which the modern British descended. It appeared in Great Britain during the Roman Empire, and today it is one of the least changed oldest English breeds.
The British Shorthair is famous for its excellent health, strong muscular hunting body, thick short hair and calm character, which it continues to maintain since ancient times. It is precisely the fact that the breed has changed little over the millennia that can explain the lack of health problems among its representatives.
The character and behavior of the British
The British Shorthair has a gentle, calm disposition and is very attached to its home. She represses the expression of her emotions to such an extent that she may seem cold, but her true feelings are simply not shown clearly. In fact, her attachment to her owner or mistress is so deep that a British cat can become a person’s best friend and show this quality precisely at the moment when people most need support.
The British Shorthair is renowned for its excellent health
The plush cat, as he is now called by fans of his unusually pleasant-to-touch fur, has a far from plush character.
What kind of hair do British kittens have?
Hair loss in a British cat
Our British cat spent the summer outside the city at the dacha. After the British cat returned to the city apartment, about a month later, he began to lose hair in the groin and knees (thighs). At first, we did not attach any importance to the slight hair loss of the British cat - we thought that the British cat was shedding. But soon, the British cat’s hair loss began to progress. The British cat began to intensively lick the above areas, until bald patches formed. Realizing that the process was clearly pathological, we immediately took the British cat to the veterinarian.
A general analysis of the urine of a British cat, a fecal analysis of a British cat, a biochemical analysis of the blood of a British cat were taken, and the fur was examined for the presence of parasites - the hair beetle and the lice beetle.
Deviations from the norm in the tests of the British cat were noted in the urine analysis - increased acidity and increased calcium content.
Also, when taking blood from a vein, the doctor noticed the density of the venous blood of the British cat. Also, we remembered that the urine of the British cat has been highly concentrated lately - even brown.
As a result, the doctor concluded that the main cause of hair loss in a British cat is the development of uric acid diathesis due to the excess salt content in dry food and the British cat’s insufficient water intake. With diathesis, the British cat begins to lick the places where itching is felt, and with its rough sandpaper tongue the British cat produces high-quality hair removal.
Conclusions: Apparently, the deterioration of the condition occurred due to the fact that the cat consumed less water after moving into the apartment. At the dacha, the British cat had unlimited access to water from a variety of natural sources.
The doctor suggested replacing dry skin
British Shorthair cat: description of the breed
Each breed has its own standards that breeders use when breeding cats, and judges, thanks to existing requirements, can evaluate the quality of purebred animals in the rings during exhibitions. The British Shorthair is no exception and is subject to evaluation according to the following criteria:
The head should be round, with a wide skull and regular shape. A separate requirement is the presence of jowls - wide, full cheeks. A strong and even chin, a straight small nose, a thick short neck complete the overall picture.
The ears should be small, with rounded ends, wide at the base and low set, and the eyes should be large, round, widely set, orange in color, but green, or turquoise, and blue eye colors are allowed in some colors.
The plush cat, as he is now called by fans of his unusually pleasant-to-touch fur, has a far from plush character.
The body should be dense and well developed, from medium to large in size, with a voluminous and broad chest, the legs should be very muscular, short and strong, with good proportions, and the paws should be large, strong and rounded, the color of the pads on the paws should match the color wool
Temperature in cats and kittens
The normal body temperature of a cat and a kitten are slightly different. The temperature of an adult cat varies from 38.0 to 39.5 ° C, and in a kitten it is slightly higher and amounts to 38.5 - 39.5 ° C. Hairless cat breeds, such as the Sphynx, have the same core body temperature as all cats. However, due to the lack of fur, the temperature of the skin is tactilely perceived as higher. Body temperature over 40.6
C is dangerous for the life of the animal, and it should not be lower than 37.8 degrees. A cat's body temperature is usually measured rectally, with a special electronic thermometer or with a regular mercury thermometer. Of course, an electronic thermometer is much easier and safer to use; it measures the temperature in 10 seconds, while a mercury thermometer will have to be held for 4 - 5 minutes. How to measure the temperature of a cat or kitten can be found in the article “How to treat a kitten.”
There is an opinion that the temperature and humidity of a cat’s nose can be used to judge its body temperature. This is wrong. During sleep, as well as during heat, the cat's nose is warm and dry. Old cats have dry and warm noses all the time; with age, the glands that produce secretions to moisturize the tip of the nose function poorly.
The breed was obtained as a result of an accident
An elevated temperature usually indicates the presence of a bacterial or viral infection in the cat's body, and this is a serious cause for concern. An increase in temperature immediately affects the cat's behavior - the animal becomes inactive, the third eyelid may partially close the eye, the heart rate increases, the cat refuses food and water. So, if your cat is feeling unwell, be it diarrhea or weakness, first take the temperature and contact your veterinarian immediately. Do not delay going to the veterinary clinic for more than 2 days, otherwise you risk losing your pet.
Gallery: British cat (25 photos)
British vs Scots
The British plush kitten should in no case be confused with the Scottish one. Britons are massive, large animals with short legs and a thick tail. The Scottish kitten will grow up to be thinner-legged, its tail will be longer, and its cheeks will be much smaller. The British Shorthair is a purebred, naturally healthy, moderately aggressive cat breed that has retained all its hunting skills, and the shorthaired plush Scots are the product of the genetic efforts of lovers of a soft and fluffy bundle of warmth in their arms.
The short-haired plush Scottish cat is completely devoid of aggression at the genetic level, she does not know how to hunt and is unlikely to survive if she gets lost on the streets of the city. Scottish cats are distinguished by their affectionateness, sociability, even tenderness; they get along with everyone equally well and are simply ideal for a family with noisy and loud children, where a true Briton would not be very comfortable. Therefore, there is no need to take him into such a family.
Place in the cat's horoscope
The fiery red, smooth-haired Briton is a handsome, smart, aristocrat, whose noble origin does not raise any doubts in anyone - he is the king and ruler of all the other cats in the house and the people around him.
Experts attribute the British breed to the astrological sign of the zodiac Leo. This is confirmed by the extraordinary charisma that British cats possess, as well as the fact that they are much larger than other felines and fearlessly rush into battle at the slightest suspicion of an insult to their greatness, although they are magnanimous and noble by nature.
You cannot say about such a cat that he is fat and lazy, because he is regal and majestic, and illuminates your home, honoring it with his presence. All the more valuable and touching are the manifestations of love and friendship a charismatic animal can bestow on a person.
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.
Purchasing a kitten
It is best to purchase a kitten not at the poultry market, although this option seems at first glance the simplest, but at a professional nursery, where the breeder deliberately plans the mating in order to obtain the desired result in the form of healthy, beautiful and full-fledged cats. And you need to take the baby into your home no earlier than he is 2.5, or better yet 3 months, when he is already vaccinated, eats well and is trained to the tray.
By the way, a healthy animal does not have problems with the tray, nor do they have health problems. The British are even called a breed for businessmen. Not only because they easily survive the absence of their owner in the house, and not only because they decorate it like no other, but also because their care is minimal and comes down to feeding with high-quality food, rare brushing of their magnificent coat and cheerful games with their a redheaded Brit when you have the time.
Love your cat, respect his independence, and he will respond to you with loyalty and love, protect your home and become a healer not only of physical ailments, but also of mental wounds.
Features of care
As we said above, the British are unpretentious cats. They do not require special care either in eating or grooming.
Their maintenance is simple and will not bring much trouble.
Combing
The plush fur of the British is a pleasure to care for.
Cats need to be brushed infrequently, twice a week is enough.
This must be done with a furminator or a massage brush with steel bristles, movements should be made in the direction and against the growth of the hair.
And the rest of the days you can just run your wet palms over the fur and collect all the excess.
This type of wet cleaning should be done as often as possible so that the wool does not remain on the carpets and furniture.
It is worth bathing as needed (2-4 times a year), with special products from the pet store.
If you want to learn more about how to properly wash a cat, we recommend that you read the following article:
British cats use a special technique for washing themselves
Content
When keeping British cats, you only need to take into account that they need secluded places and some other points.
They love their privacy, preferring not to be disturbed during their alone time.
Equip several “climbing areas” with a perch for them, think about having a house and dense boxes in secluded places - believe me, your “plushies” will appreciate it.
The British are excellent hunters, they are happy to walk on the grass and chase something alive.
Give them walks in the fresh air, and don’t forget to wear a tick and flea collar .
When arranging a toilet for a cat , you should take into account that he loves to rummage, so buy a tray with high sides or a toilet house.
Apparently the kind look of the British cat allows the butterfly to feel calm sitting on his nose
Otherwise, the maintenance of the British is no different from the standards: take care of the claws (take care of the scratching post ), look after the ears and eyes, feed properly, not forgetting about clean drinking and give love.
Nutrition
The question of what to feed a British cat cannot be answered unequivocally, since it all depends on your choice ( natural or dry food ).
It is important not to overfeed the cat, because no matter how much you give them, they will eat everything, because they are real gluttons by nature.
Meals should be regular and balanced. When it comes to dry food, give preference to more expensive options, taking into account the characteristics of your pet.
If a British cat sees meat on the table, he will definitely check how fresh it is.
Speaking about natural nutrition, I would like to note that we are not talking about human food.
It is important to understand that the animal has its own characteristics of the digestive system, and it should not be given sweet, salty, fried or spicy foods.
Improper nutrition entails various disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs of the animal.
Natural food for a British cat is: lean meat (boiled or scalded) and offal, cereals, vegetables, eggs, low-fat fermented milk products and water (fresh, clean).
The British cat needs to be fed 2-3 times a day.
