Shorthair Scottish cat: breed description and content

The Scottish Shorthair cat is one of the most popular and beloved cat breeds in the world.

Scottish shorthair cats appeared recently: in the middle of the XX century. The ancestor of the breed was a fold Scottish cat - Scottish fold. In one of the farms of a fold mother, a kitten with straight ears was born. Kota Suzy (the so-called kitten) was crossed with a thoroughbred straight-faced cat. And so a new breed was born called Scottish Straight.

According to world standards, a true short-haired plaid looks like this:

• the body of the animal is strong, cylindrical in shape, but not as powerful as that of British cats;
• paws are long, graceful;
• the neck is strong, elongated;
• the tail is rather long, without bends and creases;
• a rounded head with a clearly defined chin;
• ears of regular triangular shape, set wide apart;
• eyes are round, large, green and yellow, and are blue;
• cheeks are round, prominent, with a chic mustache;
• the coat is dense, with a thick undercoat, soft and pleasant to the touch.

Adult cats and cats are noticeably different in size. Smooth-haired cats have graceful and miniature dimensions, cats are large, powerful and big-headed.

The height of the girl at the withers is usually from 28 to 30 cm, the male from 29 to 33 cm. Puberty of the breed occurs at 7-8 months. The average weight of animals during this period is from 3.5 to 4 kg in a cat and from 4 to 5 kg in a cat.

Scots grow up to almost 2.5 years.In 1 year, a cat can weigh from 4.5 to 7 kg, a cat gains up to 5.5 kg, and by two years old animals reach a weight of 6 to 9 kg.

These operations do not affect the size of the animal.

Among plain colors are found:

• white;
• the black;
• blue;
• silver;
• ginger;
• cinnamon;
• chocolate;
• lavender;
• cream;

Among the bicolors and tricolors - colors, where several colors or shades are combined - the following stand out:

• harlequin;
• color point;
• smoky;
• van;
• tortoiseshell;
• chinchilla;
• shaded;
• ticked;
• tabby
• particolor.

Animals with tabby colors are found in various colors. They are also with spots, stripes and specks of a bizarre shape. Differ:

• cream;
• redheads;
• blue;
• silvery;
• brown.

Chinchilla cats are silver and red. The following shades can be shaded:

• silver;
• red;
• golden.

White color dominates the color harlequin and color point. Cats with the color of the van may have white spots in certain places. The rarest color is red.

The nature of the animals is good-natured. They do not enter into conflicts, accept other pets, can make friends with children.

These are proud aristocrats by nature, they do not like interference in their personal space. Without the desire of the pet to take him in his arms, it is impossible to squeeze and stroke. Scottish Straight demands universal respect and wants to be reckoned with. If the cat wants, she herself will come to the owner, will be gentle and affectionate.

Cats have good contact with all members of the family, but do not like strangers. High intelligence does not allow them to scratch, hiss and growl at strangers. All they can do is to watch from afar with an indifferent look.

If a guest is interested in a Scotsman, then he will certainly approach him. Representatives of this breed are extremely curious. If a doctor came to the owner, the animal will take part in its treatment. The cat will definitely come to see how well the master invited by the owners makes repairs, will observe how the owner works at the computer or cooks in the kitchen. According to the owners, some curious cats enjoy watching TV.

The Scots are active and playful. If you wish, you can turn the game into training. The pet will learn how to carry out simple commands and will do it very willingly, receiving a reward from the hands of the owner.

The temperament of the animal is laid by nature. Cats are active and mobile, there are more phlegmatic, calm. The nature and habits of pets are influenced by the situation in the house and relationships in the family. Conditions of detention, as well as proper care, contribute to the development of certain character traits.

When acquiring a baby, it is necessary to pay attention to his appearance - even at an early age, the kitten has external signs of the breed. The following signs suggest that a true Scottish Straight is in front of a person:

• the shape of the kitten’s face is round;
• ears are straight, small and even, flush with the cheekbones;
• the body of the animal is rectangular, slightly elongated;
• the tail is even, without kinks, proportional to the body of the cat;
• the fur coat is short, plush.

The health of the baby is another important selection criterion, which should be given due attention. Evidence that the animal is healthy is:

• shiny and soft coat;
• lack of cloudy or dark discharge from the eyes;
• clean ears, without unpleasant odor and crusts;
• clean anus, soft and painless stomach;
• teeth without plaque, with the correct bite;
• wet clean nose.

If the kitten is active, playful, moves freely, does not limp, then we can assume that everything is in order with him. If you wake a sleeping baby and invite him to play, then the animal will certainly be interested in the proposed toy.

If it was decided to choose a pet, the sex of the animal does not matter. Scottish straight boys and girls are equally funny, and they love their masters.

A Scottish Straight kitten is purchased at the age of 2.5-3 months. At this age, professional breeders have socialized kittens: they have also been accustomed to the toilet, scratching post, and received the necessary vaccination. To keep the cat in the house, the owner needs to purchase:

• scratching post;
• a stove bench with a removable cover or a house;
• bowls for food and water;
• toilet tray;
• high-quality filler;
• claw cutter;
• shampoo;
• special toothpaste;
• massage brushes with bristles and rare metal teeth;
• various toys: balls, fishing rods and other items for cat fun.

The undercoat of Scottish Straights is thick and dense. It is very difficult to get rid of an old cat’s coat on its own. Tartan animals are very clean animals - carefully licking themselves, they can swallow a large amount of wool. This leads to unpleasant consequences: clogging of the intestines of the animal.

Will help the cat daily combing.

Bathing also helps to get rid of unnecessary pile. Scots need to be washed 2 times a week with a mild shampoo. Cats patiently swim.

Some useful tips:

• it is convenient to wash the wool with a rubber glove strictly in the direction of growth from top to bottom;
• Avoid drafts while bathing your pet;
• Do not leave the cat dry on its own;
• You can get your plush coat wet with a damp towel and then blow dry.

• The animal’s eyes are washed with a cotton swab dipped in boiled water, in the direction from the outer corner of the eye to the nose. The movement should be soft and gentle.
• You can’t press and rub your eyes. Be sure to use different disks for each eye (especially if one of them is sick).
• If the discharge from the eyes is cloudy or purulent, then this means that the animal has an infection. Consult a veterinarian for advice.

• The ears of the animal are cleaned with cotton buds. The inner surface of the ear is processed. It is impossible to sink into the ear canal during the procedure.
• Light movements remove dust particles and possible natural secretions. In healthy ears there should not be abundant deposits of secretions, sores and unpleasant odors.
• After the procedure, you should wipe your ears with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide and grease with a baby cream to avoid the appearance of crusts.

Dental care is extremely important, as it prevents the appearance of tartar and the possibility of infections of the oral cavity. Teeth are wiped with a swab dipped in a solution of chamomile, and brushed with toothpaste and a brush for animals.

Once every two weeks it is necessary to trim the claws of the animal. This must be done carefully so as not to injure living areas. Then the claws should be sanitized with a potassium permanganate solution. In time, you need to give the animal medicines for worms and treat it with a flea and tick remedy.

Kittens should be given the first lure after 8 months. For this, cat breeders use feed production. This saves time and allows you to make nutrition balanced.

Professionals recommend choosing premium, super-premium and holistic feed for pets.They contain microelements and vitamins necessary for the health of cats, strengthen immunity, and contribute to the prevention of urolithiasis and joint disease.

If a person basically does not want to feed an animal with industrial food, then it is worth making sure that the pet's nutrition is balanced.

You can include the following foods in your diet:

• lean meats;
• boiled sea fish;
• low-calorie dairy products;
• quail eggs or chicken, better boiled;
• cereals: rice, buckwheat, oatmeal;
• any vegetables except potatoes.

Do not forget to give your pet a complex of vitamins. It is advisable to exclude the following products from the menu:

• fat meat;
• milk;
• dishes from your table;
• citrus;
• river fish;
• bones.

For more information about Scottish Straight cats, see the next video.