Red British cats: description, rules of keeping and breeding

Red British cats quickly spread around the world at the end of the 19th century from England. Animals gained popularity among aristocrats with plush wool and the regal gaze of large eyes. Compared to other breeds, the British are distinguished by a large muscular physique, but, despite their dense structure, they do not lose their grace. With proper observance of the rules of maintenance, a pet can live from 13 to 16 years.

The most popular red British cats with golden, honey, turquoise and green eyes. The wool is colored red with a possible pattern in the form of stripes on the forehead, the tips of the paws and tail of a silver or light shade. The paw pads and nose have a brick color. Plain color without spots and lines is rare - this coat is typical for kittens. As they mature on the wool, 97% of red Britons have patterns.

The head of cats of this breed has a rounded regular shape. On the front of the wide skull are large eye sockets, a small straightened nose, and a straight chin. Classical Britons are characterized by the presence of full cheeks or bryl.

The head is located on a short massive neck. The ears of British cats are small in size, their tips are rounded and set low. Among the British there are no fold cats.

A healthy pet has a dense physique with well-developed skeletal muscles. Large chest smoothly into short, strong legs. The thick tail tapers toward the tip. The coat is short and thick.

In addition to the red shade of the coat, there are at least 30 colors of British cats. The most common colors are:

• cream;
• Chocolate
• lilac or pink-blue;
• red, red;
• black
• blue or smoky;
• white.

The color of the coat does not have to be solid - the protective color may consist of several shades, for example, like the tortoise version. In such cats, the hair throughout the body is patches of 2 colors. It can be combined black and red, there is an alternation of cream and white.

British cats are characterized by a restrained complaisant character. They lead a sedentary and calm lifestyle, try to demonstrate their independence to the owner. Pets like attention. Cats often lazily and distantly watch what is happening, rarely showing playfulness and affection.

Despite the cold temper, the British quickly adapt to living next to a person. They are easy to accustom to the tray, place, method and time of feeding. At the level of intuition, cats understand what to do is prohibited. To avoid unpleasant surprises of an ill-bred pet, it is recommended to buy kittens and train them from childhood. Adult cats are difficult to accustom to anything.

Animals do not show aggression to humans or other pets, so they easily live near dogs and are patient with children. In a good mood, the British can play with a small child. At the same time, they do not like loud noise and clutter, prefer loneliness in an empty room. Like all other cats, the British are clean and spend a quarter of their time washing.

A British kitten requires special care and constant care, but an adult pet can live on its own. The first household items will be a tray, as well as a bowl and scratching post. To teach a pet to the toilet should be in childhood. It is recommended to purchase a large tray to make it easier for the cat to adapt. It is important to remember that the British actively dig out the filler, so the capacity for the pet’s natural needs should be quite deep.

If the claw-point does not arouse any interest in the pet, claws should be trimmed with special scissors once every 2 weeks. The procedure must be performed before mating or before the exhibition. To comb and remove excess hair, you need a brush made of rubber or hard pile.

The cat will need a berth and toys. In this case, after buying various things, you must constantly use them. A cat is quickly tired of playing with objects without another animal or person. With the Briton you need to constantly communicate and spend a lot of time.

The most significant drawback of a British cat is plentiful molting at least 2 times a year. Because of this, the pet needs careful grooming. Cats need to be combed once a week. The number of procedures increases with the advent of winter, as in cold weather the cat's hair begins to grow rapidly. It is recommended to comb the animal every day.

The British don't like bathing but to maintain the health of the coat, it is necessary to wash at least 2 times in 6 months. During the bath, make sure that the water does not get into the ears or eyes of the pet. To do this, hold the pet by the base of the neck. You will need to buy special shampoos for animals with soft wool. Never use a hair dryer for drying.

So that a woolen lump that gets into the pet during self-washing does not lead to a digestive upset, you can use special pastes. The tool easily removes wool from the body without harm to the pet. Plaques in the ears and near the eyes should be wiped with cotton swabs or napkins previously moistened with hydrogen peroxide. Kittens need to wipe their eyes daily - small pets are characterized by increased tearing.

It is necessary to regularly examine the pet's claws for the presence of a fungal infection. To reduce the risk of developing diseases, a cat should be vaccinated every year. It is necessary to carry out deworming every 3 months. One of the procedures to eliminate parasites should be done 10 days before vaccination.

Cats are not allowed to give food prepared for humans. For a complete nutrition of a pet, you can purchase dry food or prepare food from natural ingredients. At the same time, it is recommended to determine the type of diet - the alternation of dry and natural food can lead to eating disorder.

When buying store products, the owner provides the cat with all the necessary vitamins and minerals, but for their mastering the pet needs more water. It is recommended to purchase premium and super premium products to provide the cat with high-quality food and not worry about possible digestive problems. The water in the bowl needs to be changed every morning. Do not fill the container from the tap.

If it was decided to cook food for the pet yourself, you must consider the age of the Briton. Kittens need to eat at least 4 times a day in small portions. The following ingredients should be included in their diet:

• meat products - low-fat parts of beef, poultry;
• dairy products (milk is forbidden): cottage cheese, cream, kefir and sour cream;
• low-fat fish fillet only 1 time per week;
• raw quail eggs;
• boiled chicken yolk;
• grated or boiled vegetables - cabbage, carrots, greens;
• cereal cereals.

The meat can be given to the pet in the form of raw minced meat or chopped boiled parts. To avoid helminth damage, you must first freeze the product or disinfect it with boiling water. For a balanced diet, vitamins should be added to your pet's food. By-products in the form of skins, peels or paws are strictly prohibited.

From 6 to 8 months should limit the number of meals to 3 times a day. An adult Briton should eat 2 times a day for 150-300 g of food. The basis of the diet should be meat, to which vegetables or cereals are added as a side dish. Fermented milk products for calcium replenishment are not prohibited.

During pregnancy, the cat needs more minerals. For this reason, the female consumes 2 times more sour-milk products.

British cats have puberty at the age of 10 months. The pet’s increased excitability speaks of readiness for reproduction: the animal often screams, begins to scratch furniture, and can bite. During this period, the owner has a difficult choice: to sterilize a pet or give him the opportunity to continue his family. In some cases, sedatives in the form of drops help. Sedative drugs can be given to a pet at the age of 1 year 7-14 days before the onset of the mating season.

The first copulation should not take place before the pet is 1.5 years old. Until this time, the body of cats continues to develop. Mating before reaching 1.5 years of age can lead in females to severe pregnancy and childbirth, the birth of weak kittens, in cats - to erectile dysfunction.

Knitting is carried out on average for 2-3 years of a pet's life:

• the cat must be brought to the territory of the domestic cat and give her time to adapt to new conditions within 3-4 days;
• after getting used to it, the cat will let the cat come to him and give him the opportunity to sniff himself;
• it is more effective to arrange a mating for 2-3 days after the onset of estrus.

A potential pet partner should be vaccinated and healthy. Cats are not recommended to be admitted to young cats, as they can harm them. It is important to remember that non-castrated cats actively mark their territory. Because of this feature, the apartment begins to smell unpleasantly with urine.

Despite a strong immune system, if the cat is not properly maintained, the cat may encounter some diseases.

1. Obesity. Excess weight appears in conditions of physical inactivity amid abundant nutrition, excessive consumption of fatty and protein foods. To get rid of body fat, you should play more with the cat, let the pet out for walks, and adjust the diet.
2. Nail fungus. Timely cutting of the claws and constant care of their condition will help to prevent the disease.
3. Hair loss. An allergy or damage to internal organs can provoke molting.
4. Tartar. As a preventive measure, you can periodically give your pet dry food. It is necessary to monitor the hygiene of the cat's oral cavity: brush her teeth. When symptoms of tartar (bleeding gums, increased salivation, putrid smell from the mouth) appear, the help of a veterinarian will be required. If untreated, the pet will start to lose teeth.
5. Eye irritation. Redness of proteins indicates the development of an allergic reaction, trauma or the appearance of conjunctivitis. For this reason, the cat needs the help of a veterinarian - a specialist will prescribe eye drops.
6. Gastrointestinal Disorders It is necessary to monitor the quality of the feed and the condition of the cat. If the pet is sluggish, you should pay attention to his stool. In feces, there may be blood clots, which indicate the development of internal bleeding. Along with food, various parasites can enter the cat's body.

Of inherited diseases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is distinguished. In such a situation, it is recommended to sterilize the cat in order to reduce the risk of developing such a pathology in kittens. In individuals of advanced age, urolithiasis, plague, calcivirosis can develop.

About British Shorthair cats see below.