The Bambino

I saw this breed on ’101 cats’ on Animal Planet, and I fell in love! I like both hairless cats, and cats with hair. But this one is just adorable!

The first litter of Bambino kittens was registered in 2005. It was registered by TICA in 2005 as an experimental breed, created by Pat and Stephanie Osborne. The Bambino is a mix between the short-legged Munchkin Cat and the hairless Canadian Sphynx. ‘Bambino’ is Italian for baby.

Personality
Bambino cats have  a gentle but lively, outgoing, and affectionate personality.  Bambinos love nothing more than to be cuddled up on the laps of their family members.  A Bambino can make a wonderful addition to any family, as they love children and get along great with other animals; dogs, cats, ferrets, hamsters, and even birds.They can take being handled very well.  Bambino’s also have no problem with traveling. These cats are very intelligent and find it easy to adjust to new environments and they handle changes very well.  Despite his short legs, Bambino cats are quite fast and agile.

A Munchkin.

Grooming
If you don’t feel like putting too much time into grooming, the Bambino might not be for you. Just like with most of the hairless cats the Bambino should be given a bath every other week.  They will get greasy if not given a bath often enough, and will start to leave grease stains where they rest.  However, over bathing can also lead to dry skin. Some Bambinos may tolerate the water, and others may enjoy it.  Start bathing you cat when it’s still very young.

Pay good attention to keep the ears and nail beds clean as residue can build up quickly in these areas. Just like with the webbing between their toes. Because they have no hair on their body,

The Sphynx

Bambinos can burn in strong sunlight so make sure you limit their exposure, or use sun cream.

While some people with allergies find they are not allergic to Bambinos, others discover they are allergic but usually to a lesser extent.  Allergic reactions are triggered by different proteins. Some may be from saliva, some from the coat, and some from the skin dander. If possible, make time to spend  some Bambinos to see if they trigger a reaction, before getting one, and finding you you’re still allergic afterwards.

Food
Bambinos need a well-balanced commercial diet.  Being hairless, Bambinos eat more than their hairy cousins due to their higher metabolisms. When buying a new kitten it’s always a good idea to have a discussion on proper nutrition with your breeder, or to ask your vet for more information about nutrition.

A Bambino.

The Body
The Bambino’s body has the overall appearance of strength and muscularity, and is not thin or whippy. It is well muscled with medium boning giving a stocky, very muscular overall appearance. The Bambino has large almond-shaped eyes that are slightly slanted and wide-set. A short muzzle gives a square appearance when looked down on from the top. The back is level with a slight rise in the back legs allowed but not desired. It has short, well-developed legs, having medium-sized feet with well-defined toes and prominent knuckles. Finishing it off is a long, slender tail that is flexible like a whip, tapering to a point with lion tuft on the end. Their ears are alert and upright and are considered quite large with moderately pointed tips.

The Bambino feels very warm.  They are not totally bald, as they have a fine down that is usually not perceptible to the eye. They can range from a warm velvet feel to a soft peach to even a sticky putty feeling depending upon the degree of hairlessness.

The Bambino comes in all colors, patterns and variations, and they are small-medium in height, and weight around 5 to 9 lbs.

How Old? 
They say the Bambino can become older than 12 years old. The true life expectancy is unknown for this breed since it is so new.

Health Issues
As this breed is still in development, there are no known health issues related to a Bambino cat. However, health concerns related to dwarfism are being reviewed and may be recognized at a later time.

But some say that the Bambino won’t have any back problems like the Dachshund. Because the Bambino has a normal spine, like every other cat, just shorter legs.

Fun fact
When having a litter, a Bambino can get kittens with both long legs, and short legs.

Resources
Animal Planet
Billyhill.com
Wikipedia.com
catbreedsjunction.com
Bestbreedforme.com

The Sacred Cat Of Burma

I promise I will post more informational post tomorrow!
I just didn’t feel like posting a lot today. I don’t really know why. I feel a bit “Buh”. You know what I mean?

The History Of The Sacred Birman

A Temple in Burma.

The legend of the Birman takes place in a temple built on the sides of Mount Lugh, in Burma. The temple is placed in the golden image of the Goddess Tsun Kyan-Kse.  The holy Kittah (monk) Mun-Ha was head monk. The God Song Hio himself braided Mun-Ha’s beard with gold.

Mun-Ha always used to meditate in front of the Goddess with the sapphire eyes. The Goddess Tsun Kyan-Kse made sure that the Kittahs would be reborn as an animal for the duration of a life, after which the soul would be in Nirvana (the heaven beyond illusion), with a golden halo.

Accompanying him in his meditation was Sinh, a white cat whose ears reflected the yellow of the golden Goddess and the golden beard of his master, and whose nose, tail and paws were brown like the earth on which he stood.

As the moon was shining, one night, Mun-Ha entered a transcendental state which was so deep that he felt no pain when Siamese invaders murdered him. Sinh placed his gentle paws on the monk’s robes. Facing the Goddess, Sinh’s fur became gold, like the golden statue before him, and his eyes became the beautiful blue shining eyes of the Goddess. His legs, his tail, his ears and his face became a velvety rich brown. His paws, which were gently laid on his master’s body became a purest white.

The Kittahs, though in a state of panic due to the invasion, obeyed Sinh’s commanding but serene look, and closed the heavy bronze doors of the temple, thus saving it from the invaders.

A Birman Cat.

The next morning, the remaining ninety-nine cats had been similarly transformed, and thus the Birman breed has its origins. Sinh did not move from the place of his master’s death, and exactly seven days after, he died, carrying with him the soul of Mun-Ha, which it was his duty to present to Tsun Kyan-Kse who would reward him with Nirvana.

On that same day, the priests were arguing about who should succeed Mun-Ha. All the transformed temple cats entered the temple and in complete silence surrounded the youngest of the Kittahs, who was to succeed Mun-Ha.

Thus it is believed that when a Kittah dies, he would be reincarnated as a Birman cat before attaining Nirvana.

Resources
pio.tripod.com
catsofaustralia.com

Short-Haired Cats

The first cats were medium size, slender and had a thick coat, like the African wild cats. Shor-hairs were practical in dry climates, and eventhough the cats evolved, there are more short-haired cats than long-haired.

Here’s a small list of the most popular short-haired breeds.

• Exotic
  

  Selkirk Rex

• British Shorthair
• Manx
• Scottish Fold
• European Shorthair
• Chartreux
• Russian Shorthair
• Selkirk Rex (Shorthair)
• American Shorthair
• American Wirehair
• Laperm (shorthair)
• American Curl (Shorthair)
• Munchkin (shorthair)
  

  Toyger

• American Bobtail (shorthair)
• Pixie Bob (shorthair)
• American Ringtail (shorthair)
• Antipodean
• Australian Mist
• Singapura
• Abbyssinian
• Egyptian Mau
• Ocicat
• Bengal
• 

  Snowshoe

  Savannah

• ChauSie
• Toyger
• California Spangled
• Sokoke
• Siamese
• Oriental Shorthair
• Tonkinese
• American Bobtail
• European Bobtail
• Bombay
• 

  California Spangled

  Havanna brown

• Kurilian Bobtail (shorthair)
• Japanese Bobtail (shorthair)
• Snowshoe
• Asian
• Korat
• Cornish Rex
• Devon Rex
• Sphynx
• Minskin
• Don Hairless
• Peter Bald
• Breedless Shorthairs

Recourses
Cats/Focus by Bruce Fogle

The Exotic

I was asked by a friend to write about the Exotic. So here it is!

The Exotic Shorthair is a breed of cat that was developed to be a short-haired version of the Persian. They usually appeal to people who like the personality of a Persian but do not want the hassle of grooming a long-haired cat. So the coat is easier to manage. The Exotic Shorthair is similar to the Persian in many ways, including temperament and conformation, with the exception of the short dense coat. And sadly it has even inherited much of the Persian’s health problems.

The Persian was secretly used as a outcross by some American Shorthair (ASH) breeders in the late 1950s to “improve” their breed. The hybrid look gained recognition in the show ring but it made other breeders unhappy when the changes successfully pushed for new breed standards that would disqualify ASH that showed signs of hybridization. In 1966, Jane Martinke, a CGA judge and ASH breeder managed to get the Cat Fanciers’ Association to recognize them as a new breed, under the name Exotic Shorthair. The first name suggested for them was Sterling because of its silver color. However, they settled on the on Exotic Shorthair as a name, reasoning that by the introduction of new silver color in the American Shorthair, the breeders had made the breed exotic. In 1967, the Exotic Shorthair was accepted for CFA championship and in 1993; the CFA shortened its name to Exotic.

Because of the regular use of Persians as outcrosses, some Exotics may carry a copy of the recessive longhair gene. When two such cats mate, there is a one in four chance of each offspring being longhaired. But the longhaired Exotics are not considered Persians by CFA, although The International Cat Association accepts them as Persians. Other associations register them as a separate Exotic Longhair breed. But I’ll get back about this later in this post.

The first crosses of the Persian and the American Shorthair resulted in a heavy boned, densely furred cat. American Shorthair breeders were given a choice of registering the kittens as Americans or Exotics, but once registered as Exotics they could not return to American. The Exotic now resembles the Persian except in the coat length. Exotic Shorthairs are a mix of many breeds ( Burmese (to introduce the short coat), British Shorthairs,  American Shorthairs, Russian Blues and Persians).  These breeds were only used long enough to innoculate the shorthair gene into the bloodlines. Once in the bloodline, crossing back to shorthairs was unnecessary. In 1987 CFA completely banned Exotic to shorthair out-crosses, allowing Persian out-crosses only.  In 1971 the first Exotic Shorthair achieved the status of Grand Champion.  Today, the Exotic has a large following among cat fanciers

Appearance
The Exotic has a compact, rounded, powerfully built body with a short, thick “linebacker” neck. Its large round eyes, short snub nose, sweet facial expression, and small ears give it a highly neotenic appearance that makes the cat look somewhat cute.

Description
Head: Round, massive. Very broad skull. Rounded forehead. Round, full cheeks. Short, broad, round muzzle. Short, broad nose with pronounced stop. Strong chin. Broad, powerful jaws.

Ears: Small, rounded at the tip, not too open at the base. Widely spaced and well-furnished with hair on the inside.

Eyes: Large, round, well-spaced. Pure, deep color corresponding to that of the coat (gold to copper in most varieties; green in the chinchilla and the golden; blue in the white and the colorpoint).

Neck: Short and thick.

Body: Medium in size, cobby, low to the ground. Broad chest. Massive shoulders. Large-boned, powerful muscles. Weight: 3,5 – 6 kilogram.

Paw: Short, straight, and large. Round, large paws. Tufts of hair between the toes are desirable.

Tail: Short, thick, carried low. Rounded tip.

Coat: short-haired but slightly longer than that of other short-haired breeds. Dense, fluffy, erect hair. All Persian colors are recognized.

Coat (for the long-haired Exotic): The coat should be long, soft, glossy, full of life and should stand with fullness from the body.  It should be long all over the body, including the shoulders.  The ruff should be immense and continue in a deep frill between the front legs.  The ear furnishings should be long and curved, and toe tufts long.  The tail plume should be very full.

Character
Exotic Shorthairs have a gentle and calm personality just like the Persian, but are livelier than their longhaired ancestors. Curious and playful, they are friendly to other cats (and maybe even dogs). They rarely meow, so they aren’t that vocal like some other cats. They are easy-going, as not much seems to disturb them.

They don’t like being left alone, and need the presence of their owner (So I would suggest another cat, or pet, if you’re planning to get an Exotic). They tend to show more affection and loyalty than most breeds and make excellent lap cats. Their calm and steady nature makes them ideal apartment cats for city dwellers. Nonetheless, Exotics keep some of the energetic spark of their American Shorthair forebears and they are often capable mouse hunters.

They are recommended for families, singles and the elderly.

Care and Grooming
You don’t need to brush the Exotic daily,  as he is able to keep its own fur tidy with little human help, though weekly brushing and combing is recommended to remove loose hair and reduce shedding and hairballs.

As with other flat-faced animals, the Exotic’s tears are prone to overflowing the nasolacrimal duct, dampening and staining the face. This can be relieved by periodically wiping the cat’s face with a cloth moistened with water.

This breed does not reach maturity until around two years of age and enters puberty fairly late. When two Exotic Shorthairs are crossed, they may produce longhaired kittens called “Exotic Longhairs” by the C.F.A. but considered Persian by other registering bodies.

Health
The Exotic Shorthair is a robust breed but still subject to the same medical concerns as the Persian. It is very important to buy from a reputable breeder as there are a number of concerns with the Persian breed. They are an old breed and as such can suffer from careless breeding, excessive inbreeding, or over breeding. At the top of the list are problems associated with an asymmetrical jaw. These problems can affect the cat’s ability to bite and eat properly, and can also lead to dental problems. Other problems that can manifest themselves in Exotic Shorthairs are sinus problems, tear duct problems and eye problems. The face can develop a wet eczema from constant tearing if it isn’t cleaned regularly. The flat nose can sometimes be bred in such a way that the nostrils are too small to allow enough air in when breathing and these cats wheeze a lot and if under stress, especially in hot climates can go blue (cyanotic).

They have a life span of Approximately 12 – 14 years.

The Long-Haired version

The Long Haired Issue
This is very confusing, because the long-haired Exotic, is the long-haired version, of a short-haired version of a long-haired version. You follow?

The short-haired Exotic is actually a Persian, but without the long coat. The Exotic came forth from cross breeding with American Short-haired and British Short-haired – and many other breeds. The long-haired Gene is recessive, and there are often Long-haired Exotics born. But in which breed group they are in is difference with each breeding registry. With FIFÉ and TICA they are considered a Persian, but with CFA and GCCF call them a Long-Haired Exotic.

There are barely any differences between the Persian and the Long-haired Exotic. But some say that the  coat has another structure, that the cats are more livelier. Others claim that the Exotic is a short-haired Persian, and the only difference is the coat-length. And some say the main difference is genetic. The Exotic Longhair is a cross between a Persian and a domestic short-haired cat – so it’s not a full blood Persian. But within the shows those discussions aren’t relevant.

But if you’re looking for a Persian, you might end up with an Exotic Breeder. Or the other way around!

Resources
yourownvet.com
wikipedia.org
cat-world.com.au
Cats/Focus by Bruce Fogle

The Russian Blue

Big, green eyes.

A cat with a silver-blue coat, are not only intelligent, but also very beautiful! And sometimes they are called ‘Archangel Blues’. So how did it all started?

It is believed that the first Russian Blues were brought from the Archangel Isles to England and Northern Europe in the 1860′s by sailors. The breed was for the first time seen in 187 at the Crystal Palace in England as the Archangel Cat. The Russian blue competed in a class including all other blue cats, until 1912. When it was finally given its own class.

The Russian Blue was mainly developed in Russia and Scandinavia until after the World Was II. After that a lack of Russian Blues led to cross breeding with the Siamese, because they had the same body-type. They were in America before the war, but after the war American Breeders created the Russian Blue we see today. They did this by combining the blood lines of both the Scandinavian and the English Russian blues. The Siamese traits are almost bred out.

Russian Blues are also used to create other breads, such as the Havana Brown.

Appearance
One of the first things you might notice are the bright green eyes, they are almost always a dark and vivid green. The Russian Blue is a short-hair with two layers of short thick fure, and a blue-gray coat. The color is a bluish-gray that is the dilute expression of the black gene. However as dilute genes are recessive (b) and each parent will have a set of two recessive genes (bb) two Russian Blues will always produce a blue cat.

They have a ‘double coat’, with the undercoat being soft, downy and equal in length to the top coat. Which are an even blue with silver tips(the tips don’t have any pigment). The tail, has very dull but almost unnoticeable stripes. Only Russian Blues and the French Chartreux have this type of coat. You can describe their coat as thick, and soft. The silver tips give the coat a shimmering appearance.

The soft undercoat is sensitive, and that’s why you have to brush him with a soft brush so you won’t damage the undercoat.

Russian Blues should not be confused with British Blues (which are not a distinct breed but rather a British Shorthair with a blue coat; the British Shorthair breed itself comes in a variety of colors and patterns), nor the Chartreaux o Korat which are two other naturally occurring breeds of blue cats, although they have similar traits. – wikipedia

Body
The body of the Russian blue is muscular but elegant, long and firm.

Head
The head is smooth, medium wedge, neither long and tapering nor short and massive. The top of the head long and flat in profile, gently descending to slightly above the eyes. And continuing at a slight downward angle in a straight line to the tip of the nose. There is no nose break or stop. The length of the top of the head should be greater than the length of the nose. The face is broad across the eyes due to wide eye-set and thick fur.

Muzzle
The muzzle looks smooth, and has a flowing wedge without prominent whisker pads or whisker pinches.

Ears
The ears are rather large and wide at the base. The tips are more pointed than rounded and the skin of the ears is thin, with a bit of fur inside. The outside of the ear is covered with short, very fine hair. The ears are set far apart, as much on the side as on the top of the head.

Eyes
The eyes are set wide apart and round.

Neck
The neck is long and slender, but it seems short due to thick fur and because the shoulder blades are placed pretty high.

Legs
The legs are long and fine boned.

Paws
Small paws and slightly rounded.

Tail
The tail is long, but in proportion

Weight
The average weight is 8-15 pounds when full-grown.

Character
The Russian Blue is very intelligent and curious. They are known to play fetch and because they are sensitive to human emotions. They love to play with a variety of toys, or other pets, and they develop a strong bond with the ones they love. They also get along very well with children and other pets. They are also pretty vocal. The Russian blue stays playful for a very long time. It’s a cat full of character.

It’s a healthy breed with no specific health problems.

Resources
Wikipedia
Cats/Focus by Dr. Bruce Fogle
Pictures
Defencedebates.wordpress.com
Socuteanimals.com
jumillas.com

What Does Your Cat Says About You?

Does a cat say something about you? Some say ‘yes’.
Maybe it’s true!

I own two domestic shorthairs, but Suki is a half Maine Coon. This should mean I’m generous and kind, and on the quiet side, and I enjoy watching tv with the cats. This is partly right. I’m not that quiet. Generous and kind? NO IDEA.
A cool cucumber? Of course! No doubt!

So what does your cat say about you?

Domestic Short-haired – Most domestic short-haired cat owners found or were given a “stray” somewhere along the way. They are often generous and kind with a predominant quiet side to their personalities that allows them to enjoy curling up and reading a book or enjoy the quiet times of watching television with their cats.

Persian owners are laid back, affectionate and very caring people.

Domestic Longhair – Most domestic short-haired cat owners also rescued their cat in one way or another. These cat owners are often generous and kind with a both a quiet and slightly “wild” side to their personalities. They can fluxuate between a quiet night and a wild party if given the chance.

Persian – Most Persian owners are laid back, affectionate and very caring people. They are generally considered sweet by their friends and are generally also very loyal.

Maine Coon – Maine coon owners are generally cool cucumbers. They are nice, laid back and generally good people. They are strong and generally give a good support system for their families.

Exotic – Most Exotic owners are “interesting”. They like traditional “things” in life but are willing to explore the less traditional things and ideas.

They are generally curious and interested in other people as well as life in general.

Siamese – Siamese owners can come in all kinds of personalities. They are generally social and have a great sense of humor. They are generally quite polished individuals that have a good eye for design and art. They are gregarious and often have good and loyal friends.

Abyssinian – Abyssinian owners are often busy active people who enjoy being entertained by a good movie or television show (or the antics of a very interesting cat)! They are generally inquisitive people who strive to understand “why” things may work they way they do.

Ragdoll – Ragdoll owners may be considered mysterious by some friends or neighbors. They are interesting people with a passion for life.

Birman – Owners of the Birman are often interested in art and sculpture. They like design elements in their homes and lives and strive to keep a tidy household.

Oriental – Oriental owners are often have enthusiastic personalities and are well liked by friends and neighbors. They would prefer to eat good quality food rather than fast food and likes to take time to stop and “smell the roses”.

American Shorthair – American short hair owners are often very good and kind people who enjoy tradition such as the wonderful tradition of family dinners or family celebrations.

Tonkinese – Owners of the Tonk are often popular people full of joy and a zest for life. They are gregarious and fun-loving and a pleasure to be around.

Resource
petplace.com
Picture
websbestpetstores.com

The Singapura

One of the smallest breeds of cats is the Singapura, known for its large eyes and ears, brown ticked coat and blunt tail. Singapura is Malaysian for Singapore and the name of this cat that was found roaming the streets of this capital city by two American tourists. They took the Singapura with them to California. This cat is often called Kucinta, which means “cat of love” in Singapore.

History
In 1975, two tourists, Tommy and Hal Meadow returned to the US with three local brown-ticked cats. These three cats (Puss, Ticle and Tess), one male and two females were the foundation used to set up the Singapura. In 1981, A breeder visited Singapore and found a cat that fitted the profile of the Singapura, with the exception of the tail in the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal. The cat was imported to the Us and adopred into the breeding program.

The Singapura was accepted for registration in 1982 and granted championship status in 1988. Between this period, breeder found that the occasional litter would have a solid colored kitten, caused by the recessive gene for solid color. To breed true, many breeder chose to do test matings to pinpoint and remove from their breeding programs individuals with the recessive gene. It was discovered that two of the tree foundation cats carried this gene.

And even though the breed is recognized in the United State, there aren’t many Singapura’s in the US, and in France this breed is rare.

Due the cats being registered as Abyssinians in the import certificates,  and the fact that the Meadows had been breeders of Abyssinian, Burmese, and Siamese. Some have speculated that the Singapura is a Burmese/Abyssinian cross and it has even been described like that by judges.The resemblance of some Burmese/Abyssinian cross to the Singapura, as well as the Singapura’s small litter size, which is uncommon in natural breeds, added more doubts to the Meadows’ story. But Meadow denies this. Hall Meadow told the investigation board that the three cats were grandchildren of four local cats he had sent back to the United States during a business trip to Singapore in 1971, contradicting the earlier claim from Meadow about the cats origin. It looks like Tommy Meadow had lied about it to hide the secret trip. The CFA found no wrong doing and kept the Singapura’s status as a natural bread.

But recent studies in 2007 based on feline DNA showed that there are very few genetic differences between the Singapura and Burmese, adding support to the claim that the Singapura is not a natural breed.

Personality
The Singapura is a very social and intelligent cat. They don’t like fights, as they usually walk away from that. So mutual fights barely happens. They are curious cats, who like to explore everything, and they like to know what is going on, they will follow their owner around the house. They are very affectionate and friendly, have a quiet voice and outside the Singapura is an excellent hunter. It’s a cat that doesn’t likes to be ground, but somewhere high from where he can see everything that is going on. They are also known because they great mothers. Lively and active, the Singapura is a gentle playful cat.

Appearance
They are the smallest breed of cat and do not develop their full size until they are almost 2 years old. Even when the Singapura fully matures, they are small cats with little size difference between the males and the females. Males weigh 6 to 8 pounds while females weigh 5 to 6 pounds. The Singapura is small, but sturdy and muscular with a slightly curved back. Their legs are heavy and muscled at the body, with mall oval feet.

They have rounded heads and a short and thick neck, with a medium-short, broad muzzle with a blunt nose. They also have large ears that are wide at the base and a little pointy. They are set just off the parallel giving the cat an alert expression. They have a well-developed round chin and some full-grown Singapura’s have chubby cheeks.

The Singapura has large, almond-shaped eyes. Held wide open, and not less than an eye width apart. Eye colors can vary from hazel, green or yellow. Their tail has a medium length, slender but not whippy and has a blunt tip. The coat from the Singapure is fine, very short and a has a silky texture. They don’t need to be brushed often. Once a week should be enough.

Singapura’s come in one color only. Rich warm sable brown ticking against an old ivory background, often with yellow tones with dark mascara markings and facial lines. They also have a tabby M on their forehead. And they have bars on the inside of the front legs and on the knees of the back legs, underscoring the delicate coloring.

This cat is just gorgeous! What do you think about the Singapura?

Recourses
Wikipedia
Tica.org

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Cornish Rex

A Cornish Rex Kitten

I must admit that I had a bit of trouble finding a lot of information about this breed. It looked like there were two different back ground stories, turned out the story belonged to two different cats!

The Name Cornish Rex comes from the word Cornwall, where he was born and Rex (Rex means king) are bunnies with the same curly coat. (Hence the name Cornish Rex. )

It all begins with a litter of five kittens from a tortoiseshell cat in 1950 in Cornwall, owned by Mrs Nina Ennismore. One red and white coloured kitten in this litter had an unusual curly coat. They named the kitten Kallibunker, and he was the founder of the Cornish Rex. The mix of kittens showed that the gen that created curls was dominant.

Nina’s vet suggested to contact geneticist A. C. Jude. He advised her to let Kalli mate with his mother. This produced three kittens, one straight coated and three curly coated. Kalli and the second curly male kitten Poldhu went on creating further litters.

By the late 1950′s Nina Ennismore had stopped breeding Cornish Rexes. Brian Sterling-Webb continued to work with this breed. By this time, there were only two male Cornish Rexes left in Britain. One of them was Poldhu. He was a tortoiseshell blue-cream-and-white male. A veterinarian took a tissue sample from Poldhu for research, unfortunately he was accidentally castrated. Ironically, the tissue samples taken from Poldhu were lost. It is now believed that Poldhu was a chimera. The male, Poldhu, also mated a female called Lamorna Cove who was later brought to America and crossed with a Siamese, giving the breed their long whippy tails and big ears.

This left one remaining male Cornish Rex in Britain, Sham Pain Chas. Due to heavy outcrossing, the Cornish was losing it’s slender type. The great-great-great grandson of Kallibunker, a blue boy with the name of Rio Vista Kismet, was imported from Canada by Mrs Alison Ashford. Kismet managed to enable breeders to bring back the Cornish Rex to its original slender type.

There are two sorts of the Cornish Rex, the American and the European. The American Rex is often smaller and a thinner coat, while the European Rex is bigger and a thicker coat.

Character
The breed is often also called the Greyhound of the cats, because of the sleek appearance and the galloping run. The Cornish Rex tends to stay playful throughout their long lives and some cats even like to play fetch, race other pets, or do acrobatic jumps. The Cornish is an intelligent and adventurous cat. They adapt easily to new situations, and it loves to explore. The Rex is really curious and seeks out the company of people and is friendly towards other companions, like animals. It is a suitable pet for shy children. And they are the happiest when there are more pets around, not to mention they have a lifespan of 15 years. So if you want an active cat, a Rex could be perfectly fine for you.

Colors
Cornish Rex cats come in a variety of coat colors and patterns: solids, including white, black, chocolate, orange and the dilutes blue, lilac and cream; all forms of tabby including classic, mackerel and ticked tabbies, bi-color “tuxedo” coat in many colors, tortoiseshell, “smoke” colors and the color-point pattern standard in the Siamese breed.

Appearance
The Cornish has no hair beside down. Most breeds of cat have three different types of hair in their coats: the outer fur or guard hairs, a middle layer called the awn hair, and the down hair or undercoat, which is very fine. Cornish Rex’s only have the undercoat. The curl in Cornish Rex fur is caused by a different mutation and gene than that of the Devon Rex. Their coat is extremely fine and curly (even their whiskers curl), the softest of any cat breed. But their light coat means that they are better can stay inside, living in warm and dry conditions. They might get hypothermia if they stay outdoors during the winter. Their body temperature is a little higher than most cats, and these cats tend to hang around light bulbs, the tops of computer monitors and other warm places including laps and shoulders. Some Cornish Rexes can have a mild cheesy smell peculiar to the breed, this smell comes from scent glands in the paws. And because they have such a short fur, they don’t shed as much as other cats do. Nor do they need special treatments for their coat. Brushing so now and then is all they really need.

Cornish Rex

The Cornish Rex has long legs and a curved back and a long fine tail, Similar to an oriental. They are long and slender, all contours of its body are gently curved. But even though they look so elegant, these small to medium-sized cats are extremely hard-bodied and muscular. They have very well developed hips and hind legs which, makes them fast and causes them to jump high.

They also have a long graceful neck that leads to a  small, narrow, distinct egg-shaped head. With their large ears are set rather high on the head with large oval-shaped eyes. The Cornish Rex has an athletic body

Then there is the Devon Rex and the Cornish Rex
The Devon and the Cornish have both similar coats. Cornish Rex doesn’t have an outer fur, The Devon actually does have a little outer hair. And because both breeds are two different breeds they can’t be crossed with each other. You won’t get kittens with curly hair.

Hypoallergenic?
Some say yes, some say no. Both Devon and Rex seem to be hypoallergenic. They tend to give less problems with people who are allergic to cats. Allergic reactions from cats are not the result of hair length, the true reason is a glyco-protein, produced in the sebaceous glands of the skin, saliva, and urine. Most people who have cat allergies are reacting to this protein in cat saliva and cat dander, when the cat cleans its fur, the saliva dries and is transformed into dust which people breathe in. Since Cornish Rex cats groom as much as or even more than ordinary cats, a Cornish Rex cat can still produce a reaction in people who are allergic to cats. But, reported widely it cause lesser to little allergic reaction. It is recommended to visit a cattery to check their own tolerance.

I personally find this a really gorgeous cat. It has something other cats don’t have. Curls, even their whiskers curls. I haven’t met any Cornish Rex’s yet, but I can’t wait till I finally meet one. They look curious and active cats, perfect indoor cats. So if you want something really unique ánd active, have a look at the Cornish Rex.

Cat Breeds – The Nebelung

I am sorry for the late update everyone! College just started this week and it takes away all my time, sadly. But writing about something I like totally makes my day!
I was searching about cat breeds I’ve never heard of before and I found this gorgeous little grey cat. The Nebelung.

The name Nebelung is probably from the German ‘Nebel’ which means fog or mist and a medieval Germanic saga the Nibelungenlied. Translated this means ‘The Song Of The Nibelungen’. A poem in Middle High German. The story tells about a dragon slayer, how he was murdered and how his wife took revenge. The first kittens of this breed were named Siegfried(1984) and Brunhilde(1985), two main character of the story.

On the first cat show in 1871 in Crystal Palace were already long-haired Blue cats from Russia with the same features as the Blue Russian and the Nebelung.  But it all started with the two kittens from America. They had features of a Blue Russian but with long hair. Their owner Cora Cobb was so impressed with the two that she contacted The International Cat Association. Supported by DR. Pfleuger, they wrote the breeding standard according to the blue Russian, but with a difference: coat length.

The Nebelung is a new but rare breed, with breeders in America, Canada, Russia and Europe.

This pretty boy has a long body and neck with long legs, Long coat and long tail. Everything is long about this cat. Slightly oval wide-set eyes that are usually green or yellow/green. Large pointed ears, sit atop a modified wedge-shaped head that’s rather pointed than rounded. It’s a long and well-muscled cat and the fur on the tail is usually longer than on the body. His soft double coat feels fine and silky and it’s a beautiful gray color and is tipped with silver. Males, (and some females) have a ruff around the neck. They don’t have tufts of hair on the ear but behind the ears, and the hind legs sport pantaloons. The adult coat reaches its full development when the cat is around two years old. The Nebelung can become 16 years or older.

They are happy and playful cats. Good-natured and intelligent as well and even though it’s an active cat they can stay indoor without problems. The Nebelung prefers their own family and is not really fond of strangers. They tend to bond with a few humans and stay loving and devoted throughout their lives. The Nebelung gladly accepts company of its owner or another cat. They like to communicate with their owners, and never hesitate to remind their owners of any problems. They can be very picky like litter and food types. He enjoys sitting in a lap and being petted and will follow its favorite person everywhere. This is a cat that likes routine and may need a little time to adjust to changes in the household. Early socialization can help it become more adaptable.

Even though their fur is long, They do need to be brushed, but it’s not necessary to do that every day.

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