In the ranking of the most popular cat breeds published by the Association of Cat Fanciers, the leading positions are occupied by animals with a flattened muzzle. Typically, a muzzle is considered to be flat if the length of the nose is significantly less than the average length. Caring for cats with this head structure is more difficult than for “standard” ones, and has its own nuances for each breed. Below we will talk about how this feature appeared, for which modern breeds it is typical, and what should be taken into account when deciding to purchase a flat-faced pet.
Why do cats have flattened faces?
The non-standard shape of the head in cats with a flat face is, in essence, a genetic deviation - brachycephaly. According to one hypothesis, modern brachycephalic breeds inherited the head shape of the Pallas' cat, whose muzzle is also somewhat flattened. Breeders achieved the consolidation of brachycephaly at the genetic level by crossing individuals in which this trait manifested itself most clearly. The term "brachycephaly" literally translates as "short-headedness." Carriers of this trait have a wide (more than 80% of the length) head and a flattened front part of the skull.
The flatness of the muzzle in cats is associated with a genetic disorder.
Animals with this feature experience breathing problems because the structure of the skull, the shape of the nose, larynx and trachea make it difficult for air to enter the respiratory tract.
How they appeared and what they are
Some scientists argue that Persian cats have existed since the founding of Persia. Although references to charming cats with luxurious fur date back to the 17th century.
They first spread to the court of the French king thanks to Cardinal de Richelieu. It was he who introduced the fashion for such exotic animals at that time.
The emergence of the Persian Longhair dates back to 1887. Then they were divided into several subspecies, which served as an incentive for the creation of clubs for cat lovers. And at the beginning of the 20th century they became the first breed officially recognized by the English Felinological Association.
In the 20s, a subtype of the Persian appeared - extreme, and in the 50s, by crossing it with a Siamese, the Himalayan cat was created. In the 60s, a Persian cat gave birth to kittens from an American Shorthair, which were later called Exotic Shorthairs. In the Soviet Union, they first learned about such pets in 1980, and their breeding began in 1991.
Among the distinctive features of snub-nosed cats are the following characteristics:
- brachycephalic muzzle with a depressed nose;
- cheeky head, the width of which is more than 80% of the height;
- stocky build with a small body and short powerful legs;
- small ears widely spaced on the head;
- thick plush fur of medium or long length.
Such pets are very affectionate and pliable, friendly with others, and especially with children. They become very attached to their owner, with whom they like to spend as much time as possible.
Pros and cons of keeping and caring for flat-faced cats
The advantage of keeping a cat with a flattened face is the cuteness of the pet's features. In some people, the sight of such animals awakens the parental instinct, since round eyes, a small nose and a slightly open mouth evoke an association with children's faces.
The disadvantages of keeping flat-faced cats are much more significant , since they relate to the health of the pets, which means they will require increased attention from the owners.
These include:
- excessive tearing. In cats with a flattened head shape, the tear ducts are shortened, which is why the eyes often fester. Such animals need to regularly treat their eyes with a special solution (for example, furatsilin; warm tea and boiled water are suitable) and instill eye drops;
- nasal discharge with the slightest cold;
- breathing problems (worsens during times of stress);
- difficulty eating. This is especially true for extreme Persians: some of them cannot eat without the help of their owner, and they have to be fed from a spoon.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages will be:
- Many people like him because of his appearance .
- No predisposition to jaw injury.
- Special dishes for feeding animals.
- The structure of the skull means the eyes are close together. Because of this, there is an increased secretion of tears . It's even easier to catch an infection.
- The structure of the nose does not allow snot to be expelled normally . Therefore, during sleep there is wild snoring. When eating, they slurp loudly.
- The peculiarities of artificial breeding disrupted their thermoregulation. They cannot tolerate sub-zero temperatures.
- For the same reason, they are susceptible to infectious diseases . Predisposition to allergic reactions.
Cat breeds with a flattened face
There are several brachycephalic breeds, differing in the degree of flattening of the head, standards of appearance, living conditions and character. Let's look at each of the breeds below.
Persian cat
This breed was one of the most popular in the world a couple of decades ago. Nowadays, interest in Persians has diminished, but representatives of this breed still have many fans. They are medium to large sized cats with powerful paws and long, thin, easily tangled hair. According to the degree of flatness of the muzzle, classic and extreme subspecies are distinguished. In classic Persians, the front part of the head is slightly elongated, while in extreme Persians, it is almost in the same plane as the eyes. Persians have a calm, domestic character and get along well with children, but they are much more dependent on their owners than cats of other breeds.
Important: Persian cats are highly not recommended to be allowed to walk outside unattended.
We recommend that you read the full article about Persian cats.
Himalayan cat
The Himalayan cat appeared in the 50s of the twentieth century in the USA as a result of crossing Siamese and Persian cats. Subsequently, only individuals with a pronounced Siamese color were allowed to breed, which allowed a breed with a predominant Persian exterior, but Siamese coloring and bright blue eyes.
Later in Great Britain, color-point dogs were bred from Persian and Himalayan breeds. They were distinguished from the Himalayans by their greater color intensity and elongated muzzle.
Now the independence of the Himalayan breed is not recognized by all associations. Some of them register Himalayan cats as Persians.
These cats will appeal to quiet and calm people. They do not like noisy places and dangerous games, but at the same time they treat children well and are very patient.
Read the full article about Himalayan cats.
Exocot
The exotic shorthair was bred by American breeders by accident. Scientists wanted to get a long-haired version of the American Shorthair breed and crossed animals of this breed with Persians, but the result was a Persian cat with short hair.
Most exotics are extreme cats with big eyes and soft, velvety fur. They are characterized by short strong legs, a squat body, developed muscles and a convex forehead. Due to their short coat length, exotic cats are much easier to care for than Persians.
Scottish fold cat
Scottish Fold cats, or, as this breed is also called, Scottish Fold, are cats of medium build (up to 6 kg) with a powerful body, a round head proportional to the body and hanging triangular ears that visually round the head even more. They have a more elongated muzzle than exotics. Among cat lovers, “Scots” have gained popularity due to the unusual shape of their ears, the constantly surprised expression of their eyes, their docile nature and devotion to their owner.
In some animals, upon reaching adulthood, the ears remain straight. They are classified as another, closely related breed - the Scottish Straight.
Important: a thick fluffy tail is considered a significant drawback for this breed. Previously, this feature was considered an advantage, but it was noticed that cats with thick tails have more massive hind legs, which makes it difficult for them to move. Now the presence of this sign can lead to disqualification of the pet.
British shorthair cat
"British" belong to the category of brachycephals with short hair. These are strong, intellectually developed animals larger than the average cat. English legend says that the British Shorthair is descended from the Cheshire cat.
Although short in length, the British coat is quite thick. The most popular color of the British cat is blue with a silver tint. Cats with this color usually have amber eyes. Striped colors (tabby) and color point are also common.
Read the detailed article - British Shorthair cat.
Wild cat breeds with flattened faces
Among wild cats, brachycephaly is characteristic only of manul cats, hunter cats native to Central Asia. This animal is the size of a domestic cat, has a massive, squat body and thick tabby fur (necessary for camouflage). The flat shape of the muzzle helps the Pallas cat successfully hunt and carry prey: the flattened shape of the head allows the animal to breathe with the carcass in its teeth, and stronger jaws allow it to hold it more firmly.
The Pallas's cat is listed in the Red Book of Russia under category 3 (“rare species”).
Varieties and what they are called
Persians
The average price of Persians starts from fifteen thousand rubles. A distinctive feature is long hair. The result is an increased size of the animal. After washing your pet, you may be very surprised. The cat is much smaller than it seems. The average weight of males is up to 7 kilograms. Cats have less.
Himalayan cat
You can buy such a pet from 30 thousand rubles. They have blue eyes and a beige coat. The same long hair and flattened muzzle.
Himalayan
Himalayans are very beautiful cats. The character is calm. Very lazy. They often even enjoy being cuddled by small children.
Exotic
Exotics reach 50 thousand rubles in price per individual. Still the same head shape. Short, thick coat. Which will be a huge plus. They look like plush toys. More beautiful expression of the muzzle, not so flattened. Less aggression. The character is playful and peaceful. Different colors of color.
Scottish lop-eared
They are called so because of their special ears. Average body size. The coat is slightly less than average length. Usually in ash tones. By nature, Scottish Folds are unpretentious. They love their owners. They take root in any conditions. It lives just as easily with other pets, not necessarily cats.
Scottish lop-eared
As a result, if you want to have a pet of this breed, you need to understand all of the above. Otherwise, all sorts of problems will arise. In general, this breed will fit perfectly into any family.
Description
Not many people know that of all pets, cats have the largest eyes relative to their overall body size. If we convert human proportions to cat proportions, then humans would have eyes with a diameter of about 20 centimeters. And this takes into account the data of the average cat, and what can we say about big-eyed breeds.
Unlike dogs, cats see the world in different colors, and there are only some colors that they do not distinguish, but this does not interfere with them in everyday life. In poor lighting, the capabilities of their vision are revealed to their full potential, and in pitch darkness, their sense of smell, vision and whiskers help them navigate more. They have a slight farsightedness, but they perfectly capture the slightest movements of objects. A cat's viewing angle is 200 degrees, but a person's is only 180 degrees.
There are various big-eyed cat breeds. Their images simply flooded the Internet, because these charming creatures look even cuter than their tailed relatives. In some people, due to the structure of their eyes, their gaze seems more sly and cunning, while in others it appears meek and even pleading. In general, their eyes most often have a round shape, and the pupils of these cats seem simply huge.
Features of care, breathing problems in brachycephals
The structure of the skull affects not only the appearance, but also the life activity of animals. Thus, the flattened muzzle of cats, although attractive in appearance, has a lot of disadvantages and makes the pet dependent on its owners.
Care in this case will include the following aspects:
- Increased tear production increases the risk of infection under the eyelids, and the eyes may begin to fester. To avoid complications, you need to wipe them with a soft cloth or paper napkin, after wetting them with special drops.
- Prevention of stones and plaque on teeth involves the presence of dry food in the cat’s diet. You can use chewing toys to clean your mouth and use a brush designed for this purpose once a month.
- Ear examinations should also be done regularly. To clean once a month or when soiled, use cotton swabs moistened with alcohol-free products or petroleum jelly.
- To maintain healthy claws, a scratching post is necessary. And once a month you will need a nail clipper to trim them. In this case, you cannot capture more than 2 mm, and the cut must be even, at a right angle.
- The coat needs to be brushed constantly to avoid tangles: long coats daily, and medium coats 2-3 times a week. To do this, you should take turns using combs with sparse teeth and brushes with frequent teeth. The procedure begins with the head, moving to the back, chest and other parts of the body.
- To keep the fur clean, water procedures should be carried out once every 2-3 months. To do this, pour no more than 10 centimeters of liquid into the bath, because you cannot completely wet the cat so that water does not get into the ears. After soaping it, you should thoroughly rinse and dry your pet’s fur.
- The diet can include natural food or ready-made food. Lean frozen boneless meat, vegetables, fermented milk products, boiled eggs, and cereals are allowed. It is better not to give smoked, sweet and fatty foods, and limit the amount of fish.
The downside for cats with brachycephalic faces is breathing problems. Narrow airways make it difficult for them to breathe.
Obvious signs of this are snoring, snoring during sleep or while eating food. With a cold, there is a tendency to nasal congestion, which significantly worsens the animal’s quality of life. Therefore, when choosing a similar pet for yourself, you should carefully monitor the air temperature in the house or apartment and prevent it from becoming hypothermic.
The brachycephalic (flattened) shape of the muzzle is an artificially bred feature in some cat breeds. People like flat-faced cats for their innocent expression and unusual appearance, but they also have disadvantages. More about all this in the article.
Keeping puppies
All breeds with flattened muzzles were bred artificially; targeted selection reinforced the desired trait.
The result was a modified shape of the skull, which entailed both positive and negative results. All breeds suffer from specific health problems and therefore require special care. The structural features of the respiratory tract make it difficult to inhale and exhale. Representatives of the breed may feel worse as a result of a congenital mutation that is not provided for by the standard. Dogs may suffer from heart failure due to increased pulmonary artery pressure
It is important that one minor problem can lead to quite life-threatening diseases. The characteristics of the breeds must be taken seriously
Protect your dog from extreme heat, exercise, and stress.
If the heart rate increases, you should immediately calm the animal. In this condition, the body requires more oxygen. Air flows in only in limited quantities due to the narrow airways. As a result of prolonged stress, the animal may lose consciousness. If the animal is still small (up to 1.5 years), then it is worth protecting it from any stressful situations.
It is worth monitoring the weight of a dog with a flattened muzzle. If an animal is obese, it gets tired faster and feels worse in the heat. All this negatively affects breathing. Puppies should be fed on a schedule and in doses recommended for the dog’s age.
This rule is especially important for pugs who have a very good appetite and do not like active games.
Choose the right collar so that it does not squeeze your throat. It is generally recommended to use a harness for walking. Do not make sudden jerks with the leash, which could result in choking, loss of consciousness, or even death. During hot summers, it is worth reducing the number of walks. Take your dog outside only early in the morning and in the evening when the air temperature drops.
Special rules for keeping flat-faced dogs include a number of nuances.
- It is necessary to visit the veterinarian annually for consultation. The examination should include not only external diagnostics, but also an ultrasound of the heart, x-rays, examination of the larynx, and listening to the condition of the lungs and heart. Such measures will help detect diseases or pathologies in the early stages.
- It is worth contacting a specialist if the animal makes uncharacteristic sounds or has changed significantly in its habits.
- Regularly inspect the condition of the ears, eyes, folds near the nose and the respiratory canals themselves.
Brachycephalics cannot fly on an airplane - it is contraindicated for them. Changes in pressure, heat, stress can lead to the death of a pet. Moreover, it is quite hot on board an airplane, which also leads to heat stroke. If you are planning a trip, make sure you have someone at home to look after your dog.
Watch the video below for veterinarians' opinions on dogs with flat faces.
Persian
Long silky hair (of any color), round green or yellow eyes, a flattened muzzle with an upturned nose - these are the characteristic features of a purebred Persian. His character can be either capricious or pliable, calm.
Thanks to the long, thick fur, the size of the Persian cat visually increases, but after a bath you can be very surprised by the size of the pet, because they will be much smaller than it seems.
Among the representatives of this cat breed there are also their own types:
- Classic (nose slightly below the eye line).
- European (the edge of the nose is at the same level as the lower eyelid).
- Extreme (nose in line with the inner corners of the eyes).
Grumpy Cat reaches new heights
Dwarfism, a short tail, characteristic of, and an extraordinary jaw shape ensured the incredible popularity of the Tarde pussy, although the breed of the sad cat is unremarkable.
Her face becomes relatively cheerful only when she plays with her owners.
Tabatha and her brother now need to devote a lot of time to updating the Grumpy Cat website and attending various events with her.
Based on these data, an automatic toy is produced that is capable of making 5 types of movements.
The presentation is planned from San Francisco, then the exhibit is sent to 5 other departments of the museum.
Tarde's measurements are celebrated at Madame Tussauds
The story of the sad cat literally conquered the Internet.
The saddest cat: All about the furry celebrity
Grumpy Cat is an angry cat. This is exactly the nickname the pussy got and the dissatisfied expression on its face. The animal also has a real nickname, given by its loving owners - Tardar Sauce, or at home, Tardar Sauce. As a child, the kitten had fur with dark spots, which reminded the owner's daughter of its resemblance to tartar sauce. They made a mistake in the name, but they did not correct anything.
Grumpy Cat's interesting appearance sparked widespread curiosity after owner Tabatha Bundesen's brother decided to surprise the world with a photograph of Tardar. He posted the photo on Reddit in September 2012, and the public immediately showed interest in the animal's angry appearance. The owner believes that the unhappy face is the result of congenital dwarfism and malocclusion.
Grumpy Cat was gaining popularity on the Internet, the media vied with each other to publish information about the disgruntled cat in newspapers and magazines. Soon the photograph of Tardar appeared in household items: magazines, mugs, cups, calendars and other goods with this pussy were in particular demand.
Can an ordinary cat become the most popular and earn millions of dollars? Yes, if it is the most gloomy cat in the world. The breed of a sad cat is the biggest mystery even for its owners.
