Asher's cat - a scandalous scam in the history of felinology. Grandiose PR, high positions in the ranking of the most expensive cats in the world, and at the same time the absence of an officially recognized breed standard.
Of course, the beautiful exotic creature with the name Asher would be worthy of all praise if it were not for the Savannah being so similar to another well-known expensive breed. However, they pay a lot of money for such a beautiful pussy, so it’s worth figuring out why the price for a cat is so high, and who is behind the sale of notorious cats.
The most expensive cat in the world is Asher
One day, handsome one-year-old cats appeared on the market for expensive cat breeds, and the females turned out to be sterilized, and the males were neutered.
The prices for the most expensive Asher cats can be called exorbitant and even fantastic, which does not bother the Lifestyle company, which is engaged in breeding the rare breed. Every year no more than one hundred individuals are offered for sale, for which people line up in advance. The price starts at $20,000 and depends on gender and even the purpose of purchase. Translated into Russian rubles, it turns out that you can buy a beauty for 1,500,000 for maintenance, and if you order an Asher cat for breeding, the price will be much higher.
The cats have been on sale for over ten years, but the reputation of the founder of the breed has remained tarnished, which has not in any way reduced the value of the rare animal.
Description of the breed
First of all, we will disappoint potential buyers - the price for an Asher cat ranges from 22,000 to 27,000 US dollars. There is a choice - either a good SUV or a cat. Yes, only very wealthy people can afford this.
But DNA tests showed that Ashera is nothing more than a slightly modified representative of the Savannah breed, bred back in the 80s, in whose veins flows the blood of a Bengal cat and an African serval.
Characteristics of the cat:
- Appearance – leopard print;
- Weight – up to 14 kg;
- Body length – up to 1 meter;
- Wool is hypoallergenic;
- Eye color – green or golden.
They are distinguished by high intelligence, get along well with small children, and are not aggressive. The standard is not accepted, they do not participate in exhibitions.
Cat sizes
The legs are long, thin, the ears are high-set, the gaze is enchanting. It takes about 3 years for a cat to grow to such a large size, but a very balanced diet is required, because... their digestive system is lame.
By nature, the Asher is a calm breed, although curious. The cat will slowly explore every corner of the apartment, not paying attention to people or other animals. Daily walks outside are required, always on a leash, where the cat will also explore the territory, looking under every bush and corner.
Walk
And be prepared for the surprised exclamations of passers-by, because it’s not every day that you come across a piece of Africa in your yard.
History of the origin of the Asher breed
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//data-ad-slot=”2475549904″ $ads_google = empty($ads_google) ? false : true; ?> if ($ads_google == false) {?> $ads_google = true; ?> } ?> Instantly, interest arose in the new cats, both from potential buyers and from felinologists. Chris Shirk, a professional breeder, immediately recognized in the photo not a cat of the new Asher breed, but representatives of the Savannah breed. A team of geneticists conducted DNA testing, which confirmed Chris Shirk's fears - the breed turned out to be a variety of Savannah. Enterprising Simon Brodie, who bought the kittens from Shirk, turned out to be an excellent PR man, and people began to go crazy about the new Asher breed. Felinological organizations still do not recognize Ashera.
More than 12 years have passed, the legal proceedings do not subside, and Simon Brody’s company is still actively promoting the miracle breed and receiving large profits from gullible and admiring people. The thing is that the company positions the domestic cat Asher as a rare breed bred genetically, which turns out to be the size of a dog and as affectionate as a tame pussy. It was announced that kittens were hypoallergenic - and people lined up for the unprecedented miracle of genetic engineering.
Breed Features
Savannahs are fully developed physically and mentally by 3 years of age. Buying a Savannah kitten means getting an amazing opportunity to watch one of the most beautiful representatives of the cat family grow up. Savannahs are unusually inquisitive, sociable and energetic.
They love to splash in the water and will willingly go with you to take a shower and even a bath: of course, if you don’t mind. Savannah's favorite pastime is catching various toys from a container of water. These are one of the most jumping cats, so they need a lot of space: in a small apartment such an animal will be cramped. After all, this is a savannah cat!
Savannahs love children very much and are kind to any pets. These cats have a special weakness for dogs. They willingly play with them and can even learn from their example to carry out some commands: for example, bring a toy to the owner.
Description of Ashera
Despite the lack of recognized standards in reputable organizations, a description of the Asher breed still exists. The characteristic features of the cat are a small head, shaped like a wedge, a long and narrow body with elongated limbs. The body seems somewhat disproportionate, but very graceful.
The ears, narrowed and rounded at the ends, become wide at the base and look like bows. Cats' eyes can be golden or bright green.
The animal is not small - a meter at the withers. The weight of pets is 11-14 kg, males are larger than females.
The short pile of wool fits very tightly to the body. Wool does not cause allergies.
The breed has only four colors and varieties of Asher cats:
- the rare royal color appears 4 times a year and is represented by a small number of golden-orange spots;
- the snowy color makes the pussy look like a small Belgian tiger;
- hypoallergenic cats, according to Lifestyle Pets, contain extremely little protein, which is a gift for allergy sufferers;
- normal color with spots.
Breed character and habits
Animals love to walk , and with childlike spontaneity they make acquaintances on the street. A person, dog or other cat is perceived as new play partners.
Asher cats willingly support outdoor games. Running after a ball or playing tag with children is a pleasure. The owner will have to run around while walking with a friend; it is not recommended to let him off the leash.
Be sure to read:
Burmilla cat: description of the breed, history, colors, care and where to buy
Pets are friends with all family members, including other animals: from dogs to parrots. Small rodents and birds are not hunted.
Despite their large size, they willingly settle on their owners’ laps, begging for attention and affection.
Ashera character traits
The breeding company in the description of the Asher breed indicates such features as an angelic character and complete obedience. People who own purebred cats agree that their pets do not cause problems. The genes of Ashera's wild ancestors did not manifest themselves in the form of aggression. The cat calmly walks next to the owner on a leash, and feels good on the street.
Asher kittens have a cheerful, playful disposition and love to frolic with their owner and his child. Adult cats are flexible and friendly towards household members. Pets get along well with other animals. It turns out that the cat’s character consists of only advantages.
Despite the serious impressive weight and large dimensions, keeping such cats in the house is not troublesome.
The story of the cat that doesn't exist
In 2007, Lifestyle Pets announced the start of sales of a designer cat named after the ancient Semitic and Hittite goddess, the ancestor of all gods Ashertu (rewarder of happiness). Representatives of these felines were declared as domestic leopards, with enormous dimensions for a domestic pet - up to one meter, weighing fifteen kilograms. The starting price was stated to be exorbitant - twenty-two thousand dollars. There are known facts of the sale of a divine cat for one hundred and thirty thousand dollars.
The advertising campaign was a success; there were a lot of wealthy Americans who wanted to become owners of an unusual animal.
The interest in sales was fueled by the fact that sales were limited - no more than one hundred animals per year. The gifts included a veterinary passport, a certificate of feline origin, an expensive carrier, a set of food and a subscription for an annual service from a famous American veterinarian. It was emphasized that the uniqueness of the cat is not only in its size, angelic character and bright colors, but also in the hypoallergenic nature of its saliva and fur.
Probably, soon the cost of the rare novelty would have increased even more, because all individuals were sold sterilized, although its gene set was not kept secret. The ancestors of the hybrid were an African serval and a Bengal cat.
But a scandal broke out. Bridder from Pennsylvania (USA) recognized him from photographs of his animals. And he was breeding a new line of Savannah cats, obtained by crossing Serval and Bengal. Work on the selection of these animals began in the United States of America back in 1986.
Simon Brody, who declared himself the creator of the divine animal, recently purchased several Savannah kittens from breeder Chris Shirk at a price much lower. He passed them off as a new exclusive cat.
Numerous courts and proceedings led to a natural result. An independent genetic examination carried out in the Netherlands put an end to the dispute between the two breeders. The genetic set of representatives of the two announced cat lines turned out to be completely identical. In essence, Brody is a common scammer. However, the “divine cat” was not his only scam.
There is no need to worry that a unique cat does not exist, because she exists and her name is Savannah.
This whole story tells that a person needs a beautiful fairy tale. But Savannah, without the beautiful shell of a myth, without a line of suffering fans, without an exorbitant price, is not so in demand. Although she is still unique, beautiful, unusual, enormous in size, and her saliva contains fewer allergens than that of an ordinary cat.
Maintenance and care of ushers
Since there is only one company that sells Ashera kittens Animals are accompanied by an identification microchip. You can also use a veterinary certificate, insurance, specialized convenient transportation, and a care kit. As a bonus, the services include ten years of consultations with world-renowned veterinarian Ronald Tripp.
A veterinary certificate provides full care for an Asher cat, but you will have to bathe the pet yourself. There is no need for combing.
Feeding Asher's cats
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//data-ad-slot=”2475549904″ $ads_google = empty($ads_google) ? false : true; ?> if ($ads_google == false) {?> $ads_google = true; ?> } ?> The digestive system of the Asher cat is rather weak, so the quality of the food must be the best. Although dry food is convenient for the owner, it is better to replace it with a complete natural balanced diet. This is due to the animal's wild ancestors, who never tried industrial feed. In addition, dry food can provoke the development of urolithiasis, which is not easy to cure.
Experts believe that for the full development and maintenance of the health of expensive spotted cats, industrial food is not enough - Ashera needs minced raw meat of veal, beef and poultry. Pork is considered too fatty for a cat's stomach. Raw sea fish is ideal, but river fish will have to be boiled.
Conclusions about ushers
The Ashera cat breed made a lot of noise, making the animal literally scandalous. It is difficult to say whether this is due to the investigation raised by Chris Shirk, or whether the cat is truly a real rare beauty. However, the sky-high price, which has not fallen for so many years, shows how highly the cat is valued by fanciers.
The pet's health is good, with the exception of a weak digestive system, and its character is beyond praise. No wonder pussy is so popular!
It is difficult to say whether this is really a scandal associated with the Savannah cat, or a new unique breed, but we hope that the truth will be revealed to the world soon.
