All about Nibelung cats

This or that pet is in almost every house. Someone likes to watch the fish in the aquarium, someone likes miniature and fussy hamsters, some people like dogs, but some people like graceful and independent cats. Beautiful and smart cats are some of the most ancient animals tamed by humans. Among the many species of these cute furry creatures stands out one very interesting and relatively young breed Nibelung.

The Nibelungs have a very interesting history of origin. The first individuals - the progenitors of the breed - were obtained as a result of random crossing in the 80s of the last century.

In the American state of Colorado, the city of Denver lived in the neighborhood of two families, one had a mongrel shorthair cat named Elsa, and the other a Russian blue cat. The kitten was nurtured by five kittens, one of which had a beautiful silver-blue color and long coat. The owner of the cat, Cora Cobb, kept the kitten for herself and gave him a very resounding nickname - Siegfried, in honor of the hero of the medieval epic poem “Song of the Nibelungs”. After some time, the kitten roosted again, the litter turned out to be a very nice long-haired cat of the same color with Siegfried, who later received the nickname in honor of the heroine of the same poem - Brünnhilde.

With a light hand, Cora Cobb Siegfried and Brünnhilde became the progenitors of the breed, and Cora became the breeder and founder of the Nibelung breed.In the future, having consolidated the obtained characteristics and describing the breed standards with the help of the geneticist Solveig Wayne, she applied to the TICA felinological association for recognition of the breed. In 1987, the breed was recognized, and already in 1993 received the right to participate in exhibition events. After some time, other large associations recognized the Nibelung breed: WCF, TCA and CFF.

Krasnogorsk cattery "Winter Day", where they were engaged in breeding, including Russian blue, a kitten appeared with an unusual sign - long hair. At first, they did not know which breed the unusual baby belongs to, although the difference was only in the length of the coat. After some time, Osoku (the so-called cat) was appreciated by American experts from TICA. On the exterior, Osoka not only suited the standards of the Nibelung breed, to which she was ranked by experts, but also significantly exceeded her American counterparts, for which she was awarded the highest award.

It is believed that Nibelung cats are a recreated Russian blue breed that took part in the first cat show in London (Crystal Palace, 1871). This breed of longhair cats externally closely resembled modern representatives of the Nibelung breed. And this is not surprising, because the appearance of kittens with long hair in Russian blue is quite possible, the gene is responsible for this trait, it is recessive in the breed, but it can manifest itself, although this is extremely rare.

In Russia, the breed is not very popular, the number of nurseries involved in breeding this breed is not as great as in the USA, Canada, Great Britain and European countries. However, their number has recently been slowly, but still growing, as many modern breeders consider this breed to be very interesting and promising.

The term “description” should be understood as the physique and color of individuals belonging to the breed.

• Cats and cats of the Nibelung breed are quite harmoniously folded. Their slightly elongated body has well-developed muscles, albeit slightly dry. Motile and graceful, medium-sized individuals have different body weights depending on gender. In cats, the average weight varies between 3.5-4 kg, in cats, the weight is in the range of 5-7 kg.

• The head of the animal according to breed standards has a pointed (wedge-shaped) shape. The muzzle as a whole, although small, but the frontal part (in contrast to the occipital) is quite developed and has a sloping shape. The superciliary arches and cheekbones have clear relief outlines.

• For individuals characterized by medium size and straight nose, the transition between it and the frontal lobe (stop) is not expressed explicitly, almost smoothed. Nibelungs have a fairly strong and developed chin. The profile view of the Nibelung has a very beautiful shape, the tip of the nose pigmented in a gray-silver shade is almost in line with the tip of the chin. The growth area of ​​the mustache resembles a soft pillow, slightly angular, in cats it is slightly more pronounced than in cats.

• The face is adorned by rather large, widely spaced and very beautiful in shape and color, eyes. In kittens, the iris is colored yellow, but from about 4 months of age the situation has changed, and a thin green ring forms around the pupil. Over time, the ring captures an increasingly large area of ​​the iris, and the eye color acquires the green color characteristic of an adult of this breed.

• Nibelung cats not only have beautiful eyes, but also ears. Moderately large, with a slight slope forward and slight rounding at the tips, the ears are quite wide apart.Their width at the base is proportional to height. Ears that are straight in shape have a fairly open and well visible inner part of the auricle, which makes them appear transparent.

• The Nibelungs are characterized by long, straight-set and well-muscled limbs. The paws are mostly rounded in shape with fairly tenacious fingers, between which bunches of thick wool are visible, and razor-sharp claws. The skin on the back of the paws (pads) has a gray color with pink spots.

• The individuals of this breed have a rather long tail, wide at the base and rounded at the end.. According to experts, the length of the tail is slightly larger than the average value; in individuals with pronounced pedigree traits, this value is comparable to the distance from the point of convergence of the shoulder blades to the beginning of the sacrum.

• A distinctive feature of the breed is their unusually pleasant to the touch coat. Thin outer hairs and very soft fluffy undercoat give such smoothness and silkiness to the fur coat. Even in the winter, when the undercoat becomes thicker, their hair still does not form lumps.

• Semi-long-haired Nibelungs are also distinguished by their magnificent gray-silver color.. It was because of him that the breed was called the Nibelung, because in translation from German nebel means fog. The visual effect of the silver tint arose due to the incomplete coloring of the outer hair, not only the entire surface is gray, but only a part, the pigment ends do not, therefore, the wool has such a beautiful silver-blue hue.

• The length of the coat varies in different areas.. In the neck, it is slightly longer than the main one and is formed into a beautiful “collar”, more pronounced in cats. In the back of the hips, the wool forms “panties”. In this area, it is not only slightly longer, but also with a thicker undercoat. The tail coat also has a slightly elongated size compared to other zones.

Pretty Nibelungs have an excellent, one might say, a golden character. They can perfectly get along with all households, but, as a rule, they are most attached to one person. The one who spends the most time with them and feeds the rest of the family more often will be the best friend for the Nibelung.

Cats of this breed are sociable, but unobtrusive. They, of course, love to play with the owner and other family members, but they will never impose their presence. They are more contemplative than active participants in the process. For them, only the presence of the owner is quite enough, so cats can sit next to the person calmly or lie next to the owner on a soft couch, conveniently curled up.

Nibelungs are friendly to people but very careful in dealing with strangers. When meeting with strangers, they do not express open aggression, but still prefer to hide in a safe place and wait out the stranger’s visit there.

These are pretty calm animals. In a family with young children, they are unlikely to be comfortable: the Nibelungs do not tolerate loud sounds and do not really like to be touched against their will. For the phlegmatic nature of the Nibelung, an older married couple or a family in which the children are old enough to not disturb the personal space of the furry pet is more suitable.

Although cats and cats of the Nibelung breed do not like excessive attention to their persona, they endure loneliness rather painfully. A long absence of a person can adversely affect the behavior of the pet. He will fight for attracting attention in various accessible ways: refusing food, ignoring the calls of the owner, and in some cases the appearance of a “surprise” in the wrong place.

Cats of this breed get along well with other animals, of course, if a new friend does not turn out to be a bird, a fish or a hamster, because the hunting instincts of this furry handsome are very well developed and it is likely that such a friendship can end very badly for them. If potential victims of cats live in the house, it is better to minimize the contact with them of the Nibelung or to completely isolate them from each other. Friends of the Nibelung can be their relatives, cats, and, oddly enough, dogs.

Although the Nibelungs are somewhat phlegmatic, they still sometimes allow themselves to frolic fun, especially if the animal is at a fairly young age. Tall cabinets, cabinets and mezzanines for them are not at all unattainable heights, but, on the contrary, very interesting places for observing the processes taking place around. With age, their activity, of course, decreases, as in most cats of other breeds, but curiosity and some playfulness are still present at a fairly mature age.

The representatives of the breed are smart enough and have an innate delicacy, they will not sharpen their claws anywhere or go to the wrong place to the toilet, unless of course they have enough attention or the tray is removed on time, because they are very clean and will in every way attract the owner's attention to the problem. Least of all they do it with the help of voice, they have the most quiet in comparison with other representatives of the cat family, but it is very melodic. To attract attention, furry pets can use other methods available to them.

By human standards, cats of all breeds can hardly be attributed to centenarians, because the average life expectancy of pets is within 12-15 years. This indicator varies depending on the breed, living conditions and nutrition.

Nibelungs are centenarians compared to other breeds, their life expectancy is 15-18 years, and individual representatives may live longer. There is a known case when a cat lived to be 36 years old, and this is a lot by cat standards.

Caring for the Nibelungs is quite simple and quite easy for the owners.

In order for a fluffy pet to feel good, it will take very little time and a minimum of effort.

• The main concern of the Nibelung master is care for the coat of the animal. Although the undercoat of representatives of this breed is very thick, and the remaining hair is of medium length, their “fur coat” is not prone to the formation of tangles, therefore, it does not need special means and special care methods. To maintain the coat in proper form, it is enough to comb the animal at least 1 time in 7 days. During moulting, the combing procedure can be carried out a little more often, 2-3 times a week.

• As a rule, the Nibelungs quickly get used to this procedure, and over time they even begin to like it, and they will gladly substitute not only their sides and neck, but also their stomach. In order for the coat to be not only smooth, but also its color remains the same, Nibelungs should not be taken out into the open, as the sun's rays adversely affect the color of the coat.

• The Nibelungs can hardly be called big lovers of water procedures, they do not like to splash in the water. Strictly speaking, they don’t need it, because the skin of domestic cats is covered with a layer that protects them from various ailments, and water destroys it, and animals become more vulnerable to environmental influences.

• If nevertheless such a need arose, then as a detergent, it is better to use a special shampoo for cats without dyes. Its composition most carefully affects the structure of the outer hair, and the absence of dyes will protect the color from unnecessary shades.

• The procedure itself is quite simple and does not require special skills. First you need to wet the coat, avoiding the ear area, and then, moving along the growth of the remaining hair, gently soap the body and limbs of the pet with gentle massage movements. Wash off the shampoo with plenty of water to completely wash the product from the wool. Of course, you can dry a Nibelung with a blow dryer with cold blowing (hot air spoils the structure of the coat), but it is better to use a suitable towel.

• The eyes and ears of the Nibelungs require care. Periodically appearing discharge from the eyes must be removed with a cotton pad soaked in boiled water. Inspection of the ears is preferably carried out at least 1 time per week. Cleaning your ears for the removal of sulfur is not worth it, only brown deposits and related symptoms should cause suspicion: constant shaking of the head and combing of the auricle.

• The oral cavity of the animal also needs constant examination. In order to notice inflammation of the gum tissue or the deposition of tartar on enamel in time, you need to examine the pet's oral cavity at least 1 time per week. With such problems, it is best to consult a veterinarian specializing in dental treatment. As a preventive measure, you can brush your teeth yourself using a special toothpaste and a properly selected brush. The frequency of the procedure is influenced not only by generally accepted norms, but also by the condition of the tooth enamel of a particular pet, as a rule, cleaning should be carried out no more than 1-2 times a month.

• Attention should be paid to the cat's claws. You can teach your pet to sharpen claws in the right place with the help of a claw point and a little effort from the owner. As a rule, cats accustomed to the claw-tip do not need to trim their claws; they perfectly grind them without human help. But sometimes there is still a need for the intervention of the owner in this process.

• To trim the claws, it is best, of course, to go to the veterinary clinic, but you can also process them yourself using claw cutting. The tool treated with a disinfectant should be placed perpendicular to the surface of the claw, and stepping off a couple of millimeters down from the border separating the tissue with the vessels from the claw itself. Correct staging of the claws will help prevent stratification of the hard tissue of the claw, and indentation from the border is necessary to prevent bleeding.

• When keeping cats of the Nibelung breed, in order to avoid obesity, you should take care of the physical activities of pets. As a “simulator”, an acquired or self-made complex with platforms attached at different levels is suitable. A good load for the pet can be provided with the help of various toys: balls, mice and other objects that make the pets actively move and jump.

Good nutrition is the key to good health and long life of the Nibelung. Cats of this breed, like the entire cat family, are carnivores, so in their diet the proportion of animal protein should be at least 80-90% of the total composition. You can provide the required amount of protein in two ways: feeding with natural products (mainly meat) or eating industrial feeds.

The natural way of feeding is the most difficult for owners and more risky for a Nibelung, as it is quite difficult to correctly calculate the required dose of vitamins and minerals, as well as to correctly balance the feed for proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Even if you regularly give your cat extra vitamin complexes, you can not be 100% sure that this feeding is quite enough for the pet's body.

It is not necessary to give representatives of this breed fatty meat, as it contributes to obesity. Avoid products with an excessive content of elements such as copper, iodine, iron (seafood, offal, buckwheat, potatoes, oats, soy), as well as products with an excessive content of coloring pigments (beet pulp, spinach, carrots, greens), since they all affect coat color.

The source of protein for the Nibelungs can be: chicken, veal, sea fish (boneless), rabbit meat, eggs and milk (up to a certain age). As carbohydrates, you can give a little rice.

For the owner, food with industrial feeds is much easier in terms of organization and more favorable for the pet. The main thing is to choose the right food. Of the four categories currently known for Nibelungs, 3 types are suitable: premium, super-premium and holistic.

When choosing, you should pay attention to the percentage of protein of animal origin: the higher it is, the better for the pet. The composition also matters, it should not have products that affect the color. Wet types of food are preferable to dry, but you should not completely abandon the latter, since hard granules are a preventive measure against the formation of tartar on enamel.

Dry feeds are more concentrated, they require less saturation than a wet form, but they contain salt, which means that a bowl with clean, standing (unboiled) water should always be near the feed. If the cat doesn’t want to eat a dry type of food (the Nibelungs are fastidious in food), they can also be fed wet, and as a prophylaxis against tartar, offer the pet a treat in the form of a special “bone” (dried meat).

The number of feeds depends on the age of the Nibelung. Kittens have a very small stomach volume, so they are often fed (up to 5-6 times a day) and in small portions. They are taught to adult food gradually, and, as a rule, they begin to feed with a wet look. Dry food is first soaked and given in small portions, its amount in the first days of feeding should not exceed 15% of the total volume of food.

In order to breed this breed, you must first purchase a kitten. It is not so easy to do this, since the Nibelungs are not a very common breed in Russia. Only one nursery in our country is breeding this breed, It is located in St. Petersburg and is called the "Northern Star". In Europe, you can purchase a kitten of this breed in the nursery Bosse Marniere Fort, located in France, as well as in the German nursery Nimbati.

A small number of nurseries engaged in breeding Nibelungs, and, as a consequence, the low prevalence of these furry handsome men generates a fairly high price for them.In Russia, the cost of a Nibelung kitten will cost the future owner at least 55,000-60000 rubles. And this is without taking into account the cost of a compulsory trip in order to get acquainted with a pet. You will have to pay about 22,000-24,000 rubles for booking and traveling. In European nurseries, the cost of Nibelungs is even higher, for one kitten you need to give at least $ 1,000.

A slightly less expensive way to purchase a kitten is a personal contract with the owners of the Nibelungs. You can meet them at the exhibition, which is attended, as a rule, by several breeders of this breed.

There are several basic rules that help you correctly choose a Nibelung kitten. Primarily information about the nursery or breeder must be verified. They must have all the necessary documents for both parents and the baby.

Watching a cat or cat you like, you should pay attention to its relationship with other babies, as it will be impossible to fix an overly aggressive pet in the future. But a too sluggish kitten should arouse suspicion, since low activity can be caused by an animal’s disease.

Before purchasing, it will not be superfluous to check the ears, eyes, nose, mouth and the area around the anus; they should be clean, without pathological discharge. In a healthy kitten, the fur is soft, not disheveled and without bald patches, and the belly is proportional to the body in size and moderately elastic.

By breed standards, the presence of bands that are most often randomly located throughout the body, or a slightly lighter coat color (light gray) are perfectly acceptable standards.

Breeders give kittens, as a rule, when the babies reach three months of age. An earlier weaning of a kitten may adversely affect his health. Experienced breeders not only teach kittens to use the toilet by this age, but they give them all the necessary vaccinations. A confirmation of the procedures should serve veterinary passport, which indicates not only the types of manipulations, but also the time.

Breeding is done when the cat reaches 1-1.5 years, although the animals become sexually mature as early as 7-9 months. Experienced breeders prefer not to breed cats too early, since the animal’s body is still not strong enough for such a test, and the appearance of a weak, painful offspring negatively affects the “reputation” of such a cat.

Cats are ready to mate constantly, and cats only during estrus, which lasts about 7 days. In the warm season, estrus in cats occurs more often than in winter. And this is not surprising, because the most favorable time for birth is coming: the length of daylight increases, the air temperature rises.

Nibelungs belong to a group of breeds that differ from others in excellent health and the absence of any serious hereditary diseases. But, like all animals, they still get sick and may well become infected with such serious diseases as calicivirus, viral peritonitis, hemobartonellosis, panleukopenia, parvovirus, rhinotracheitis, mycoplasmosis, giardiasis and other dangerous infectious, viral and parasitic diseases.

There are vaccines against most diseases, they need to be done annually, since immunity is developed only for a year. The first vaccination should be carried out no later than 8-12 weeks, before which the animal is dewormed without fail (they eliminate parasites).

Do not forget about the anti-debris treatment, as fleas are carriers of some diseases. Consult a veterinarian about the form of the drug and its use.

Timely vaccinations, deworming and other preventive measures are the key to a healthy, and most importantly, long life of a beloved pet.

About the features of the breed, see the next video.