From the history of long-haired cats
Long-haired cat breeds first appeared on the European continent approximately in the mid-16th century. They were first learned about in Italy. Representatives of these breeds gained wide popularity after Cardinal Richelieu himself got himself a long-haired cat. For a long time, these animals, due to their rarity and high cost, were the privilege of only noble and wealthy people.
Until now, long-haired cats are extremely popular not only because of their attractive appearance, but also because they are rightly considered the kindest, most affectionate, tame and flexible. These pets become attached more to the owner than to the house, unlike most other cats.
Sixth place – Maine Coon
Maine Coon
The Maine Coon is native to North America. Representatives of the native breed have a large body, the weight of which can reach 6-8 kg. The fur grows unevenly. The hair on the head and shoulders is short, but on the sides and belly its length increases noticeably. The pride of some Maine Coons is the luxurious mane on their neck. The dense undercoat allows it to adapt to cold weather. The most common colors are brown and tabby. All natural colors are recognized in the federations.
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Siamese cat
This cat breed is considered the most “talkative”. She is rarely seen silent. However, this meow is very pleasant and does not irritate the ears. In addition, Siamese cats are distinguished by their amazing, mesmerizing dark blue eyes and slender body. Everything speaks about the aristocratic nature of the breed. Sometimes pets show all their vocal abilities and make sounds similar to a baby's cry. At this moment the cat shows that it wants something. And rest assured, she will definitely achieve this.
Singapura cat
These cats came to us from the Asian islands. They are distinguished by their miniature size and grace, but this is only at first glance. In fact, the Singaporean breed has a strong body and well-developed muscles. A distinctive feature of its appearance is its large, almond-shaped eyes, wide open. It seems that the expression in the eyes is always surprised. The cat's fur is short and lies tightly to the body. Despite their outward reserve, Singapura cats are very emotional. They convey their emotions with sounds, the most varied: from purring to loud meows, almost screams.
All of the described cat breeds are distinguished by high intelligence and are even capable of “conversing” with their owner. The main thing is to listen to your pets and under no circumstances scold them for loud noises, because this is always some kind of signal to you.
Myths and signs about black cats
- In ancient times, people kept black cats in temples, considering them to be amulets that brought good luck. Since then, the reputation of the gloomy predators has somewhat deteriorated.
- In the Middle Ages, they believed that a black cat could be an enchanted witch. A woman who dared to own a cursed animal was sentenced to be burned.
- And at the same time, many believed that a black cat would provide its owner with financial well-being. There will always be money in the house where the animal lives. Well, as a last resort, the black cat could be exchanged with the devil for an irredeemable ruble.
- There were also opposite opinions. The Chinese, for example, used cats to ward off evil spirits.
- The British attracted love to these animals, and Scandinavian fishermen tried to insure themselves against storms.
- The Slavs of Ancient Rus' welcomed black cats, realizing that their color, invisible in the dark, helped to effectively catch rodents.
- Nowadays, people are still attracted to these mysterious animals. Few people expect psychic abilities from feline brunettes, but many note their magical charm.
Siberian cat
This breed is one of the most popular in Russia. The variety stands out for its bright appearance, friendly character and intelligence. They are distinguished by good health and can live up to 20 years with proper care. One of the features of a pet’s character is its tactfulness. The animal will never bother its owner. But there is one small clarification here: if the cat does not see you throughout the day, or even more, then for the first 40-60 minutes after your arrival she will not be able to shut up. The pet will “tell” you everything and at the same time will follow you everywhere. There is no point in scolding him for this; there is only one way out - to listen to your pet’s story.
Turkish Angora
Although the breed is very ancient, it was officially registered about 40 years ago. At first, only white color was officially recognized. Angora cats are now common throughout the world and come in a variety of colors, including all-black.
The Turkish Angora is small and graceful. The tail characteristically fluffs out at the tip. The coat is very silky, without undercoat.
The character of the Angora cat is similar to that of a dog: she knows how to open doors, turn on the light with her paws, and loves to fetch various objects.
Interesting! The Turkish Angora can “talk” with its mouth closed. In this case, she makes uterine rumbling sounds.
Japanese Bobtail
The name speaks for itself - these cats came to us from Japan. In this country, this breed was considered a symbol of good luck and happiness. Everyone tried to get themselves such a cat. Families had a special attitude towards them: no one dared to scold animals, much less offend them. The Japanese Bobtail rightfully has the title of opera singer. He is capable of producing a whole range of voices and tones. Its sounds are soft, with no signs of screaming. The only problem is that these sounds practically do not stop. The Japanese Bobtail is devoted to its owner and considers him the leader of the pack, but at the same time it is difficult to call a cat of this breed tame. An animal can only be petted if it wishes to do so.
Bombay
This is perhaps the only breed whose standard allows exclusively black coat color, and the rest are considered defective. Cats appeared in the USA in the 50s of the 20th century.
The breeder was trying to get a black cat that would look like a panther. These predators live in the vicinity of Bombay, hence the name. Characteristic external features are a neat head, paws, and an elongated graceful body. Eye color changes with age: from gray and blue in kittens to amber in adults.
Bombay cats get along well with children, they are ready to communicate a lot with the owner, but do not bother him with meowing. Friendliness is the hallmark of these little panthers.
Breeds from A to Z
American Curl
The most amazing thing about the breed is that the mutation of the ear cartilage does not in any way affect the health of the offspring, which is rare for breeds with peculiarities of tails and ears. The cartilage of the ear is generally very hard and, once twisted in a kitten, it will not straighten out in adulthood. But at this point there is one caveat - the ears are easily injured, even stroking the head of an American Curl is not recommended.
By nature, the breed is considered one of the most affectionate cats. Curls have a high degree of learning ability, they are most attached to the family, and can be friends with almost any dog, provided they live together and have an early competent acquaintance.
Balinese cat (Balinese)
A young breed of long-haired cats, which was popularized by US breeders. The Balinese looks like a long-haired Siamese - it is also devoid of undercoat and is colored, but the long axial hair leaves no doubt - this is a different breed.
The breed looks very graceful. Her long legs and posture give her an aristocratic nature. But in everyday life the cat is not at all arrogant. The Balinese is an affectionate and company-loving cat. When there are guests, he behaves with restraint, does not go into arms, but does not hide in the corners.
The breed is simple in hygiene, and the most favorite procedure is combing the coat with special gloves for coats without undercoat.
Burmese cat (Burma)
A very ancient breed of cat from Myanmar, which has survived to this day in its original beauty and charm of fluffy long fur, complete with charming Siamese colors.
The breed's fur coat looks like a uniform dandelion - a ball of wool - here is a short description for the Burmese cat. Under the luxurious fur hides a harmoniously built, strong body and a big heart. For owners, a cat becomes a real member of the family, an affectionate and faithful pet. The breed gets along easily with children and dogs, loves playing together and sleeping in one big ball.
A distinctive feature of the long fur of the Burmese is its variability with age. All kittens from purebred Burmese are born white and only by 18 months the final color will fully manifest itself.
British Longhair cat (Lowlander)
The breed appeared as a by-product of the selection of new coat colors from the British Shorthair. For a long time, long-haired kittens were considered a waste, until clubs of fans of this long-haired cat achieved the adoption of standards as a new developing breed.
There is a reason to love the breed. The cat's long fur is similar in outline to the Persian breed, but the structure of the axial hair and undercoat is such that it does not fall off so quickly and hopelessly into tangles. The breed needs to be combed every 2-3 days with a furminator for long-haired cats, and not every day like Persian cats.
The character of a longhaired British cat is exactly the same as a shorthaired one. She calmly copes with the absence of her owner during the day, even resting at the dacha from Saturday to Sunday will not throw her off balance, the main thing is that there is food and water.
Himalayan cat
The name of the breed has nothing to do with the Himalayas at all, but the appearance of this color-point beauty says - yes, she could live in the cold mountains. The breed was developed in the USA by crossing Persian cats and Siamese cats. The result of the selection is simply charming; it is very difficult not to fall in love with a purebred Himalayan.
By nature, the cat is very sympathetic, rubs herself with pleasure at her feet and is interested in who is rustling what in the house. The only nuance, of course, is the wool. The influence of Persian blood is such that long and thick hair needs to be combed once a day in winter and once every two days in summer, when the bulk of the fluff subsides.
Yorkshire chocolate cat
A black long-haired cat, the existence of which as an independent breed is now in question. The breed was also born by chance, when an American woman’s cat gave birth to a litter of kittens of a beautiful rich chocolate color. Further breeding research to date has not given a sustainable result, but work is underway and may be crowned with success. The Chocolate Longhair cat breed is really worth the effort to secure the results.
At exhibitions and in world associations, rare representatives of the breed are highly valued; there are even standards with recommendations for felinologists.
Cymric (Cymric cat)
Another breed from the UK around which there are still discussions about full recognition as an independent breed. It's all about the origin of the Cymrics. Initially, it was an “industrial marriage” among the local Manx cat breed. Long-haired tailless animals were culled. But what marriage is for one is value for another.
Now the breed has a full standard from TICA and admission to exhibitions. The difficulty of breeding lies only in the fact that it is impossible to cross Cymrics with each other, since the fusion of the genes responsible for the tail threatens either the death of the kittens in the embryo, or the production of a litter with large defects of the musculoskeletal system.
Despite all the difficulties, the purebred Cymrik cat is very funny. Her efficiency and jumping ability are even often compared to the agility of rabbits. The breed is also easy to care for; its long coat requires grooming every 2-3 days, otherwise hygiene and nutrition are standard.
Laperm
Laperms are a very rare breed of cat with curly long hair like a mountain sheep. Cats appeared as a result of a random gene mutation. A completely outbred cat of an American farm family gave birth to a bald kitten, which later began to acquire long, curly hair. This first sheep cat also had an offspring with a similar gene mutation. Farmers quickly realized that a new breed had been born, and enthusiastic breeders helped strengthen the mutation and even achieved a standard in 1997. Today, lapermas are found in South Africa, Japan, Australia, Europe and the USA.
Despite its unusual appearance, the breed is extremely unpretentious. You can comb your fur coat with a comb once a week. The cat eats a normal balanced diet. She is friendly in her interactions with people and has not lost her hunting instincts.
The only weak point is the withers. Even the mother cat does not carry her kittens for her, since heart-rending cries of pain have taught the breed not to use such an ancient method of transporting babies.
Maine Coon (coon cat)
The origins of the breed are hidden during the settlement of North America by Europeans. It’s difficult to say what the native Maine Coons looked like, but crossing with imported cats resulted in large cats with tufts on their ears and luxurious long hair.
The popularity of the breed has been growing since 2000; meeting a large cat at an exhibition or at a party no longer causes a wild, violent reaction from spectators. All the jokes about the huge size and stern appearance disappear, once you get to know the breed better. Maine Coons, especially girls, are very affectionate creatures. They become affectionately attached to their owners and are sad when they are apart.
The long coat of the breed does not pose any problems. If you are comfortable, you can groom regularly and maintain the average length of your Maine Coon's coat. Brush the breed with a furminator every 3-4 days.
Neva masquerade cat
A beautiful, almost white long-haired cat, which was the result of a successful crossing of Siberian and Siamese breeds. At the time of its inception, it was very popular, even achieving some of the standards of world associations. But where the standard was never assigned, it is listed as a special color variation of the Siberian breed of longhaired cats.
For all its beauty, the Neva Masquerade cat is very graceful and playful. The breed retains its posture and appearance until old age.
A private home is considered an ideal keeping condition, because the breed has not lost its hunting instincts and works well as a mousetrap. In apartments, the breed requires a lot of time not only for grooming, but also for active games and all sorts of fun. A system of shelves in the apartment will also not be superfluous.
Nibelung
Another long-haired beauty from the USA is the gray Nibelung cat. The breed has pronounced sexual dimorphism - cats are 2 times smaller than males - 3 and 6 kilograms, respectively. This breed is also long-lived - 17-20 years is the usual age of fog cats.
The history of selection began with a random mating of an ordinary black cat and a Russian blue cat. By 1995, the new breed received the standard of many communities and their support from specialists to strengthen and expand the population. In 1997, TICA allowed the Nibelungs to exhibit.
The beauty of the breed lies in its silvery blue long, collared fur and stunning emerald or topaz eyes. The cat's appearance fully justifies the beautiful name of the breed.
Norwegian forest
The long-haired Norwegian forest cat is a very graceful animal. A thin graceful body, long hair without excessive undercoat, an elegant muzzle and a very long spreading tail.
There is no exact information about the origin of the breed. The most common belief is that these beauties were obtained as a result of natural crossing of native cats of the region with imported Turkish Angoras. This version is confirmed precisely by the structure of the breed’s coat.
The breed is popular only in Europe; there are only a few breeders in Russia. But such selectivity is simply due to the personal preferences of ordinary cat owners rather than to the shortcomings of the breed.
Caring for a Norwegian Forest Cat is not much different from any other long-haired cat breed. The cat requires brushing every day only during the molting period, the rest of the time once every 3-4 days is enough. An active kitten begins to behave very reservedly at the age of one year. This is a breed of observation cats. It is much more interesting and comfortable for a Norwegian cat to watch the family from a shelf or hanging house. The breed is not aggressive with children, but will not play with children.
Persian cat (Persians)
Perhaps this is the most famous long-haired cat breed, the peak of its popularity in our country lasted from the 00s to 2010. The color scheme allows you to match the cat literally to the interior. And you shouldn’t be surprised by this - Persian cats are so phlegmatic that sometimes they really seem to live on ottomans and sofas.
For all the beauty and cuteness of the upturned nose, this is a breed that requires daily care. The Furminator is a friend of the Persian and his owner all year round. The complexity of this content lies in the structure of the wool. The Persian cat's hair is very thin, prone to matting and collecting dirt, but remaining on the furniture as a thin layer of fluff.
Ragamuffin
Felinologists and breeders from the USA never cease to amaze the world with their research in the development of new cat breeds. One of these breeds is the longhaired Ragamuffin, bred from the equally interesting Ragdoll breed.
It is noteworthy that despite all the tenderness and softness, the Ragamuffin is not a fragile cat. The weight of both males and females starts from 5 kilograms. True, all cats of the breed acquire the bulk of their weight and the famous belly fat only by the age of 4 years. This is a cat breed with a very long physical maturation and growth.
The genes of outbred cats affected not only the variety of colors of the breed, but also the inquisitive mind of cats. Ragamuffin quickly gets used to his nickname, he easily masters household training and, if the owner wishes, is able to learn a couple of tricks.
Ragdoll
An American selective breed of cats, around which in the short time of its existence several scandals have already occurred over breeding rights and over the name of the cats. The calm, graceful, loyal and beautiful breed was developed by Ann Baker in the 1960s.
But in addition to its turbulent history, the longhaired cat breed is distinguished by low muscle tone and strong sexual dimorphism. An adult cat can compete in size with a Maine Coon, as it grows up to 9 kilograms; female cats grow up to 6 kilograms. Weak muscle tone manifests itself when the cat sleeps and spreads like liquid over the bed, and when it basks on the owner’s lap, it becomes limp and sags like a rag doll.
The breed takes a long time to mature; up to 4 years of age, a ragdoll is considered a kitten. But a child’s vulnerable soul remains with the breed until old age. Even if the family simply speaks in a raised voice, the cat perceives this extremely painfully. Falling into depression due to resentment is not uncommon for the breed.
Siberian cat
The appearance of the breed fully justifies its name. Thick long fur with a thick undercoat in a dense ball grows on the Siberian breed, allowing the cat to walk all year round. Even the Siberian cat's paws are insulated - in winter, additional fur grows between the toes.
In summer, the breed sheds heavily; even in individuals with very long hair, it may well become semi-long during the summer and lose most of the undercoat.
By nature, long-haired Siberian cats are classic representatives of the cat world. They love games with elements of hunting, and if they live in private houses, they will definitely walk around the territory and catch mice.
Somali (Somali cat)
The graceful cat of the Somali breed took full possession of wonderful long fur with little undercoat, but a very beautiful crimson brick color. The breed originated from Abyssinian cats and was initially considered a cull, until connoisseurs of rare cats from America and Canada paid attention to this frequent “marriage” and decided to breed the Somali cat as an independent cat.
The breed has a sociable character. The long-tailed beauty will be friends with everyone in the house; communication is very important to her and the breed cannot remain alone for a long time.
Turkish Angora
The breed is recognized as a national treasure of Turkey and currently the export of purebred kittens from the country is prohibited. Initially, the breed was very numerous, it was brought to Europe, where it even managed to escape from the houses of its noble masters and began to form new breeds, for example, the Norwegian Forest has an admixture of Turkish Angora. However, the wars of the 20th century led to the extermination of the purebred population; only in the Ankara Zoo were they able to find several individuals for re-breeding.
There is something to value the breed for. Its exterior is worthy of attention due to its snow-white long fur without undercoat. The fur is also easy to care for, because it does not require frequent combing. The breed's trainability is also excellent, but the Angora will not be gentle with the whole family. The breed always chooses only one owner, and all the others are practically a piece of furniture for it.
Turkish van
A native cat of the Armenian Highlands, the distinctive feature of which is bicolor eyes, a white coat with spots on the head and rings on the tail.
For a long time, the breed crossed independently within a limited region and formed a stable waterfowl population, since the proximity of Lake Van had a great influence on the cats.
Now the breed is the property of Turkey; the export of purebred litter is prohibited, as is the case with the Angora. But you can meet cats at exhibitions - breeders tour with great success, winning titles with their charges.
Japanese Longhaired Bobtail
The Japanese Longhaired Bobtail is an independent offshoot of the general Bobtail breed, but with a semi-long silky coat. In other respects, both shorthaired and longhaired bobtails are similar. They have an active character and increased jumping ability, a short tail and a large trail of symbolism.
It is no secret that in Japan there is a tradition of placing a cat with a constantly moving paw at the entrance to a commercial premises. This is a talisman for financial success and attracting clients. But the prototype of maneki-neko is the Japanese tortoiseshell bobtail.
Origin
Cats with long hair conquered people's hearts more than five centuries ago. But there is no exact information about their origin. It is believed that they were born due to unforeseen mutations or accidental crossings. There are grounds for such a statement. Animals living in their natural environment have short or semi-long fur.
The first representatives of long-haired breeds came to European countries from Asia in the 16th century. Representatives of noble families and the aristocracy immediately became interested in them. It is known that Persian cats were very popular in France, and the cardinal himself kept several of these animals.
Most modern long-haired breeds belong to the Persian group. Common appearance features for cats of this group: a flat muzzle, large round eyes and short, strong paws. The ancestors of the Persians are considered to be wild cats from Turkey and Persia.
Devon Rex
This cat looks like a magical creature. The black color of the curly coat may consist of patterns interspersed with silver or ocher tints. Emerald or hazel eyes sparkle. It feels like their gaze penetrates into the depths of the soul. Low-set ears, a thin neck and long legs give their appearance a special magic.
Energetic cats have a good disposition. They like people and are ready to live with them in a city apartment.
Devon Rexes are very active. In addition, they are excellent at expressing emotions. To communicate with people, they have a rich vocabulary consisting of a variety of sounds.
If you are allergic to cats, get a Devon Rex. These cats are considered hypoallergenic, which gives many people a chance to find a pet.
An elf kitten will delight you for $200.
Kitten adaptation
After you bring your pet home in a carrier, leave it in it for a while. The kid must get out of the shelter himself and explore the surroundings. And only after he gets used to it a little can he be given a treat. During the adaptation period, there is no need to invite strangers into the house, make loud noises, make sudden movements or scare the kitten. The owner of the kitten should try to be at home more often during this period, not leave it alone, pet it and show all sorts of signs of attention.
When a cat appears in the house, you need to provide it with the safest living space possible. Always check the washing machine before turning it on to make sure your cat doesn't sleep in it. Close the door to the kitchen while cooking to prevent your pet from burning its fur.
Particular attention should be paid to windows. In the summer, when the windows are opened wide, measures should be taken to prevent the pet from falling out of the window - anti-cat nets are installed for this purpose. Use vertical ventilation mode with caution. Quite often there are cases when curious pets tried to get out of a half-open window and got stuck in the sashes.
Norwegian Forest Cat
Features of feeding
The diet of long-haired cats should be balanced. Since the hair of long-haired cats, when it gets into the stomach when licked, is more difficult to remove, it is better to feed your pet with specialized ready-made food that contains a component that helps eliminate hairballs from the body.
There is the so-called Big Five manufacturers of high-quality feed, which have their own research centers to improve the quality of their products. These are American, Diamand. Also considered one of the best are foods from Canada: Acana and Orijen. They produce specialized lines of food for long-haired cats, taking into account their physiological state: for kittens, for cats over 7 years old, for pregnant cats.
The pet can be fed with both dry and canned food. If a cat is fed only dry food, then water must always be freely available. If he is accustomed to both foods, then the best feed ratio is 75% dry food and 25% canned food.
You can feed once a day or 2 times a day. Some practice free access to food. In this case, you need to keep an eye on your pet so that it does not overeat. The energy value and the calculation of the amount of food depending on the weight of the pet are usually written on the food packaging. A bowl of green grass, the seeds of which can be bought at every pet store, would be useful. Green grass is a source of vitamins, fiber and folic acid. The herb also helps remove hairballs that your cat may have swallowed while licking its fur.
Siberian cat
Features of care
Longhaired cats are popular due to their beautiful coat . But caring for her takes a lot of time. A furry pet needs to be brushed frequently, approximately every 2-3 days. During the molting period - daily. And representatives of the Persian and Abyssinian breeds are combed every day, regardless of the season.
The procedure for removing dead hair is carried out in several stages using special brushes (this should only be done in the direction of hair growth):
- First, they pass over the fur with a massage brush or mitten, ridding the cat of excess hair and stimulating blood circulation;
- then use a comb with sparse teeth, the tips of which should not be sharp;
- at the end of the procedure, the fur is combed with a fine-toothed comb.
Pets with long hair should be bathed as needed. As a rule, 3-4 times a year is enough. The water should not be too hot, and the procedure itself should last no more than 10 minutes. Afterwards you need to dry the wool well.
It is very important to have a balanced diet. Fiber, vitamins A, C and E will keep the fur in excellent condition. When feeding natural products, it is not always possible to maintain the correct balance, so you can switch your pet to dry food for long-haired cats.
How to choose a long-haired kitten
Based on the appearance of a newborn kitten, it is difficult to independently determine its breed qualities and developmental characteristics. Therefore, it is worth using the recommendations of experienced breeders.
- A purebred longhaired kitten should only be purchased from a reputable breeder or cattery with a good reputation.
- You should definitely meet the baby’s parents. No one better illustrates the appearance of the offspring than his ancestors.
- If possible, you should visit kittens to observe their behavior, games and character.
- It is important to remember that not only people choose cats, but animals also look closely at humans in advance. It is best to take exactly the kitten that independently approaches your hand and tries to attract attention.
- In a good nursery, they are not allowed to take away young animals before the babies have undergone initial veterinary procedures (vaccination and deworming).
But it is impossible to understand the quality of long hair in childhood. When we are talking about representatives of a certain breed, and the kitten’s parents do not raise doubts about their breeding origin, there is no need to worry. The animal will certainly inherit a beautiful coat and, over time, acquire a decent appearance.
As for mixed-breed or outbred cats, the task becomes more complicated. In early childhood, all kittens are fluffy. You can figure out which of them will be long-haired and which will remain smooth only after meeting the parents.
- Two long-haired representatives will certainly give birth to offspring with the same characteristics.
- Short-haired parents do not produce long-haired kittens.
- Mixed matings (short and long hair) are a lottery. There will be two types of kittens in the litter, and no expert can predict their appearance.
This is interesting! The hereditary genetics of cats is such that they cannot skip a generation in terms of coat characteristics and pass on the appearance from grandfather to grandson. Therefore, one look at the kitten's parents will be enough to determine how long its fur will be.
