British chinchilla - an exclusive gift from Foggy Albion

The golden chinchilla is a cat that is not yet widely known, but has the name of a popular rodent. The breed appeared relatively recently, so many are able to appreciate the beauty of a cat only from a photo.

When looking at a photograph, you want not only to admire it again and again, but also to find out what it is like in reality, its habits and character, and even the possibility of acquisition.

Description

According to the description and main characteristics, the chinchilla fully corresponds to the short-haired representatives of the British breed. The main difference is the luxurious arctic fox fur of an unusual color and dense undercoat.

• British chinchillas have a large, muscular body with a wide chest. The physique is quite powerful, especially in cats; cats are more graceful.
• The breed standard is a large, round head with wide cheekbones and pronounced fluffy cheeks.
• The nose is wide and small, but not flattened, like the Persians. It has a soft pink or dark brown color.
• The ears are small, slightly sloping, and located at a wide distance from each other.
• The neck is short.
• The eyes are set shallowly, but they are quite large in size. Standard eye colors are emerald and blue (cornflower blue).
• Chinchillas' limbs are slightly shorter than those of ordinary British dogs, but they are very proportionate. Sometimes it seems that in appearance cats and cats have too short paws, but in reality this is not the case. This effect is achieved due to light fur and muscular limbs.
• British chinchillas have large paws. The tail is not very long and not fluffy, and has a rounded tip.
• The standard weight of cats is usually no more than 8 kg, for cats it is slightly less: up to 3 or 4 kg. Neutered animals can gain significant weight if they do not eat properly and exercise actively.
• The coat of British chinchillas is very dense, but soft, and the undercoat is very thick. The coat resembles that of an arctic fox.

Due to these interesting external features, which are ideally combined with the snow-white-silver or golden coat of cats, British chinchillas look truly luxurious.

Appearance and features

Photo: What does a British golden chinchilla look like?

The British Golden Chinchilla has external characteristics typical of British cats. Representatives of this breed have a rather large body and a wide chest. Cats have a straight back line and a defined hip line. The body is quite squat with well-developed muscles.

Representatives of this breed have characteristic features:

• neat rounded head shape with a wide, majestic forehead;
• pronounced, large cheeks and cheekbones;
• wide, short, straight nose;
• the tip of the nose is pink or peach-colored;
• the ears are small, rounded, widely spaced from each other;
• the neck is shortened, muscular and strong;
• large, expressive eyes that are quite deep-set;
• limbs are short and strong, rounded, arranged proportionally. In the spaces between the toes there are tufts of thick hair;
• the tail is short, not long, thick.

Individuals of this species exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males have larger body sizes and weight. The average body weight of males is 6-8 kilograms, females 3-3.5 kilograms. Spayed or neutered individuals can reach almost double their body weight. The coat of British cats is quite dense, short and dense with a well-developed undercoat.

Among the colors, I distinguish three main types:

• silver - white predominates in this color scheme. The color is distributed in such a way that the undercoat is completely white, and the tips are darker, almost black. The chest and abdomen area is crystal white, the pads of the limbs, on the contrary, are black. The area of ​​the eyes and nose is highlighted with a black outline, as if outlined with a pencil;
• golden - undercoat of a pronounced, rich apricot color. The tail, side surface of the body and the back line are painted in a darker color. The chest and belly area is a softer, lighter caramel color;
• ash - when compared with the usual silver color, the coat is darker. This is due to the fact that the guard hair is colored one-third dark, and the silver color is characterized by the guard hair being dyed the main color by 1/8. There are stripes of a darker color on the body, although they do not have clearly defined boundaries. Between the toes the fur is dark, almost black;
• Zoologists and breeders identify another color - color point. They have more pronounced external characteristics of Siamese cats. They are distinguished by the presence of blue eyes. And a darker eye color in the area of ​​the ears, tail and eyes.

Where to buy a golden chinchilla kitten

Those who have already finally decided that they want to buy a golden chinchilla should decide on the breed. Will it be a plush intellectual British, a soft and gentle Scottish cat or an independent fluffy Persian.

When searching for purebred kittens, future owners will certainly encounter abbreviations that not everyone understands, for example, BRI ny12 64.

This is how cats are recorded in pedigrees. The first three capital letters indicate the breed: BRI - British; SFL and SFS - Scottish Fold shorthair and longhair, respectively; SCS and SCL - Scottish Straight Shorthair and Longhair, respectively; PER - Persian cat. Next, two small English letters “ny” mean color. N - black and y - gold. The number after them means color variation: 11 - shaded; 12 - chinchilla; 25 - ticked. And the last two digits mean the color of the eyes, which should be green - 64, but can also be blue - 61 or orange - 62.

When they say “golden chinchilla” they often mean cats with one of three color variations: shaded, chinchilla, ticked. They are all noticeably different, but each is golden and beautiful in its own way.

Very few nurseries can boast of truly golden colored kittens. Most babies have what is called an undertone. Before being sold, they are hastily recorded as golden chinchillas, but later they become over-bloomed and the color can change significantly. If a cat is taken for the soul, these nuances are not of significant importance; purity of color is important primarily for breeders.

Price

Advertisements for the sale of golden chinchilla kittens are rare; the most common ones on the market are British golden chinchillas. Their price starts from 25,000 rubles. and does not end at 70,000 rubles. for very valuable specimens. Scottish and Persian kittens cost about the same. For home: 15,000-25,000 rubles, promising for breeding from 35,000 rubles.

Character of the breed

The pet has a calm, somewhat imposing character: behavior characteristic of a royal person. But exceptions to the rules must be considered: not all representatives of the breed are calm, there are specimens that are quite daring. The plush tenant does not like squeezing and lisping at the owner's request. When the baby wants affection, he will come on his own. Chinchillas are smart and quick-witted. The cat began to mark the corners, the bed in the house: she clearly wants to say something

The animal does not know how to talk, and only by changing its behavior can it make you pay attention to the problem. There are examples of the breed that are playful and active, but generally the behavior of furry animals is passive

Health and feeding of British chinchilla cats

Diseases to which the British chinchilla is susceptible:

• anorexia;
• lack of interest;
• weakening of heartbeat;
• difficulty breathing;
• paralysis of the hind legs;
• hemophilia.

The British chinchilla can be fed natural food. It must include:

• sea ​​fish;
• lean meat;
• milk;
• bird;
• cereals;
• vegetables and fruits.

When purchasing ready-made food, it is necessary to take into account all the individual characteristics of your pet.

This lovely pupil will decorate any home. She will always bring happiness and joy to the house, especially if you take care of proper care and a balanced diet.

History of appearance

Cats of the British breed have long won the favor of connoisseurs due to their aristocratic and kind character. They have a lot of different colors. The shaded species are more popular under the name chinchillas; their color resembles that of these animals.

The cat was originally bred to have a silver color. The golden chinchilla cat appeared later, at the end of 1880.

The silver color turned out to be blurry, unlike the gold one, and therefore was not as popular. To obtain a golden color, breeders crossed Persian chinchillas with classic breeds of the same color or with smoky British cats. Thanks to this, they were able to achieve the desired result.

Possible diseases

The health of cats directly depends on heredity; immunity is passed on from the parents. In general, chinchillas are in good health, but may be prone to certain diseases.

Retinal atrophy is damage to light-sensitive receptors in the retina of the eye. Symptoms include dilated pupils, shiny eyes, and sudden onset night blindness. The animal stops seeing in the dark, and in advanced cases can completely lose vision. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for atrophy

It is important to maintain eye hygiene to prevent dirt from accumulating on them.

Caries. For prevention, it is important to brush your teeth, and if caries is detected, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Hypertrophied cardiopathy is a heart disease in which the wall of the ventricle thickens

May cause the cat to develop heart failure or thromboembolism. It can only be detected using ultrasound. At the beginning of the disease, the animal may notice shortness of breath and fatigue. Timely diagnosis and timely treatment begin guarantee a favorable outcome.

Polycystic kidney disease is a disease of the genitourinary system in which cysts appear in the kidneys. It is very difficult to recognize the manifestations of the disease at the initial stage, but still, if it is possible, then surgical removal of the cyst is performed. But most often, symptoms become noticeable only when the formations greatly increase in size and the cat experiences pain. If cysts are detected by simple palpation of the abdominal cavity, then the operation is pointless. It is no longer possible to save the animal, since the kidneys cannot function normally. Only a special diet and drug therapy prescribed by a veterinarian can alleviate suffering. They will be able to extend the life of the pet.

Character and behavior of elite pets

Chinchillas are considered the aristocrats of the cat family. They are distinguished by noble manners, a sharp mind and excellent memory.

The characteristics of golden chinchilla cats are determined by the breed:

1. British are balanced and reasonable animals. They are characterized by patience, silence, and lack of desire to cause mischief. Owners note that the Golden Briton is more people-oriented. He needs the attention of his owner, but does not suffer from excessive intrusiveness. This is a good companion who loves children, follows the rules of living together in an apartment, and travels with pleasure.
2. Scottish cats are capricious and curious pets that often meow and are excessively intrusive. But at the same time they are playful and friendly. They tolerate loneliness quite well if they have a variety of toys at their disposal.
3. The Persian is an obedient cat. She can be overly touchy, but quickly forgets troubles. Quite lazy, but during play or hunting she is very active. Although outwardly unperturbed, she may suddenly jump onto a hot stove or perform some other unexpected action.

Each animal has individual character traits. Therefore, the habits and behavior of pets may differ slightly from the description given.

Reviews of British Chinchilla cats

• Natalia.

In love with this breed. My British chinchilla cat is two years old. He is wayward and smart, a real aristocrat. He eats premium food and also respects boiled chicken and egg whites. Loves to talk both with people and with himself. He only sits in my arms and sleeps in his own place. Loves boxes. He is not afraid of the hairdryer and vacuum cleaner, but plays with his toys. Below is a photo of my British chinchilla.

• Nadia.

Our Vasilisa immediately learned to use the tray. She is very smart, gentle and affectionate, a little annoying, but not at all aggressive or angry. The downside is that he likes to steal from the table, but he hasn’t been able to stop it yet. Although elegant, she is quite nimble. We love her very much!

History of the breed

According to one version, furry animals were brought to the British Isles by Roman conquerors. The animals were famous for their dexterity and were considered excellent mousecatchers. According to another version, breeders became interested in the unusual appearance and plush fur coat.

As a result of crossing the British Smoky and Persian individuals, the first chinchilla kitten appears. At the beginning of research, gray pets appear. After several matings, a new color of the British cat is obtained - golden chinchilla. 1889 marked the start of official breeding of the breed: at this time a cat with an even color was born. The pet received universal recognition and became the property of the country. Only noble, rich people could afford to have a teddy bear from the cat family at home.

Origin

The breed was bred in Great Britain when, in the 70s of the last century, English breeders decided to cross Persian and British Shorthair cats. The idea was crowned with success - the result of the work done was unusually beautiful animals with luxurious fur and a squat, powerful physique. Soon all the necessary documentation describing the characteristics of the breed was fully approved. In 1980, the first official representative of the British chinchilla named Silver Lambkin was presented to the public, who later became the champion of many international exhibitions.

Features of care

In the process of breeding chinchilla cats at home, you will have to carry out many different activities, but the main thing is grooming. So be prepared to wash and brush it regularly.

Combing

Many representatives of the silver and golden chinchilla breed have a two-layer coat. The combing procedure has its own tricks: first you need to go through the hair growth, after which the same operation is done in the opposite direction, against the hair. To ensure that your British chinchilla cat always looks beautiful, brushing is necessary at least twice a week. In this case, the cat will not have tangles on its fur, and this will have a positive effect on its well-being.

If desired, you can add snow-white hair. This can be done using special whitening shampoos.

Walk

Considering that the golden chinchilla is unlike all other breeds, when deciding on the advisability of walking, it is necessary to proceed from the characteristics of a particular animal. If you have the opportunity to take your cat outside, you can let him walk around the garden for a while. However, first you need to remove hazardous liquids and objects from the area. In the city you can also walk with a chinchilla, for this you will have to use a harness.

Nutrition

The basis of the menu for silver chinchillas should be premium dry food intended for Persians or British. They can also be given natural products, among which the following are recommended:

• boiled beef, chicken and offal;
• greens and vegetables (add to meat or fish dishes);
• low-fat sea fish (no more than once a week);
• eggs (quail) 2 times a week;
• bone flour.

Health

If you do not want to constantly spend money and time on treating your pet, then even at the stage of choosing it you need to pay attention to its parents. After all, the health of chinchillas is determined by the condition of its parents.

Characteristic diseases

Among Persian and British silver chinchillas, there is a list of diseases that pose the greatest threat to them:

• polycystic kidney disease;
• retinal atrophy;
• hypertrophied cardiomyopathy.

If you have a golden Persian chinchilla in your home, then you need to regularly monitor the condition of its eyes. Serious discomfort for these animals is often caused by increased lacrimation.

Your teeth also need attention: to keep them healthy, you will have to brush them periodically. If you notice signs of developing caries, you will have to take your pet to the veterinarian.

Nutrition

The diet of the golden chinchilla breed has its own characteristics. The cat is prone to obesity because it leads a sedentary lifestyle. Low-calorie food must be selected. You can purchase it ready-made, with complexes of vitamins and minerals. If a cat eats natural products, then it is forbidden to give it fried and fatty foods.

Fish and meat should be chosen from low-fat varieties. Preference is given to rabbit, offal, and poultry meat. The diet should periodically include liver, heart (can be chicken) and kidneys. They are served to animals only in boiled form. The cat loves fermented milk products, but they can only be given in small quantities. Gradually it is allowed to add grains and vegetable oil to food.

The golden chinchilla should eat three times a day. For the growth of beautiful fur, vitamin supplements are added to the food. However, you need to choose them without biotin. It negatively affects the coat.

What are they?

Golden chinchillas come in short-haired and long-haired varieties. If it seems that caring for long hair is more difficult than short hair, then this is, of course, a misconception. Any animal needs care, and seasonal shedding simply cannot be avoided, either by animals with long or short hair. Everyone needs to be brushed constantly.

According to breed standards, golden chinchillas with green eyes are most often found, but options with blue and yellowish eye tints are not excluded. The blue color is mainly found in silver chinchillas.

Golden British chinchillas should not have a pronounced pattern on their coat; as a rule, these are soft and gentle transitions from one shade to another.

Owner reviews

Kate

I was given a golden British chinchilla for my birthday. This is probably the best gift of my entire life, my miracle. She's just like a toy, plush fur. And her chic golden color simply does not allow you to take your eyes off her. She has already become a member of our family. I feed her Royal Canin. She likes. It is clear that the food has arrived. Her coat is shiny, and she herself is very active. You really get fat quickly.

Marina

Our neighbor upstairs has a chinchilla cat. They bought it at an exhibition somewhere. I think this breed of chinchilla cat is called the British Silver. The neighbor doesn’t let him outside because we have a lot of ordinary cats in our yard, she’s afraid of ruining his pedigree. Sometimes the children and I go to see it. It's just lovely. His silver fur and very bright eyes make him look like a doll. It seems that he is not real. He meows very rarely, such a calm, beautiful cat. Of course, we won’t buy one for ourselves, because I’m afraid the children will squeeze it. And so, of course, we are all in love with our neighbor Patrick.

Zoya

I never knew before that there were such beautiful cats. When my husband showed me a golden chinchilla cat on the Internet and asked if I wanted one, I replied that, of course, yes. We went to look for one of these in nurseries, but it turned out to be not so easy. Such a handsome golden man costs a lot of money. He is easy to care for, we feed him special food, sometimes we give him cottage cheese and fish. Now she’s thinking about buying another silver chinchilla, but I’m afraid that they might quarrel.

Tatiana

There is a woman living in our building who bought a golden chinchilla cat at an exhibition. She took a very responsible approach to choosing a pet and always wanted to participate in exhibitions with this cat. When she brought it home, we asked to see it. I have never seen such beautiful cats in my life. The cat is not just golden, it is some kind of copper-peach-gold. Each of his hairs is stretched with a gradient of color. And to the touch it is just an incredibly soft plush toy. Now the cat is 2 years old and his owner takes him to various exhibitions, where he sometimes wins first places.

Video

History of chinchillas

The first smoky kitten was born in 1882 in England, as a result of an unplanned mating. The parents of the baby, who was christened Chinni, were a mongrel cat and a blue Persian cat, who met by chance while walking. The owner of a Persian cat liked the kitten's non-standard color, which gave her the idea to start breeding a new breed. As a result, the already adult Chinni was crossed with a female cat, which had a striped-gray “fur coat”. The offspring born from a smoky mother and a tabby father did not inherit the unusual coat tone. However, a few years later, Chinni’s children began to bring unusual babies of the same chinchilla color, which felinologists around the world still do not stop arguing about.

The first appearance of Chinni's descendants at exhibitions occurred in 1894 in London. After some time, American breeders also joined the experiments of Foggy Albion breeders, wishing to increase the palette of cat colors. This is how the golden (apricot) variety of chinchillas arose. Later, it became fashionable not only among Persians to form original colors, but also among representatives of other cat families. As a result, Scottish Folds and British dogs wearing silver and apricot “fur coats” began to appear more and more often at exhibitions.

Care instructions

There are a lot of difficulties in caring for Persian chinchillas.

Wool

The main attention, of course, is paid to their coat. Beautiful, shiny and long fur quickly turns into a matted dull “something” without proper care

Therefore, you will have to comb your cat every day, using both a slicker brush and a special wide-tooth comb. The process begins with the tummy, chest and hind legs, then the head, back, hindquarters and tail are processed: in the direction of hair growth first, then against the growth.

Bathing

You need to bathe your animal either when it gets dirty or once every 2-3 months. Human shampoos and gels are not suitable: after licking off the remains, the cat will develop severe intestinal upset. Therefore, purchase the necessary products at the pet store - “Detangling Celandine”.

If your dog is categorically against bathing, is overly nervous and worried, reduce the number of baths to a minimum and, if possible, use dry shampoo, and wipe particularly dirty areas with wet wipes.

Animals that participate in exhibitions require special care. Tinted detergents allow you to give its appearance a special shine and will not allow a light fur coat to turn yellow.

Eyes

The Persian's eyes also require constant monitoring. The flattened muzzle of the Persian leads to the fact that the animal from an early age begins to suffer from constant lacrimation (the eye canal is poorly formed). There is a high risk that pathogenic bacteria will get into the eyes and inflammatory processes will begin.

Therefore, wash your cat’s eyes with special eye drops (you can use warm, freshly brewed chamomile infusion or saline solution) and a cotton swab.

Ears

The ears are wiped with a damp cotton sponge once a week. Nails are trimmed with the same frequency. True, many Persians know how to sharpen them on their own, and they do not need your help. Teeth are brushed once every 2 weeks with a special toothbrush and cat paste. Once a year it is worth paying for ultrasonic tartar removal.

It is best to clean the cat's litter box immediately after the cat has gone to the toilet. Filler – silica gel or wood shavings. Once a month, pour boiling water over the tray.

In the photo there is a cat of the Persian chinchilla breed

British beauty at home

Caring for representatives of this species of the cat family is quite simple. From early childhood, kittens easily learn to use a litter box and to be neat. These pets do not need very frequent brushing, no matter how strange it may be, their fur is silky and does not tangle.

It is enough to brush the Chinchilla's coat at least twice a week. We advise you to carry out this care using a special brush. Since Chinchillas by nature love freedom and require personal space, it is necessary to allocate a place for them to sleep and play. Ideally, a whole corner with a sleeping mat, a scratching post, pillows for relaxation and all kinds of toys.

Based on the fact that kittens are often kept at home for further presentation of the pet at an exhibition, it is necessary to talk about the content for this purpose. Before the exhibition, we advise you to bathe the animal so that the fur shines. Typically, owners use several methods to prepare the coat before going out into the world. Some owners powder the animal with baby powder for three to four days before the exhibition, others rinse the fur with a vinegar solution.

Despite the general good health of pets, they often have problems with the skin, eyes or respiratory tract. Due to the specific structure of the nose, on hot days it becomes quite difficult for a cat to breathe. Also, the special structure of the lacrimal glands provokes frequent eye problems, manifested by excessive lacrimation. For such symptoms, we advise you to help your pet by regularly cleaning its eyelids with a weak solution of boric acid. If suppuration becomes noticeable, purchase tetracycline ointment.

Feeding

The chinchilla is a cat that requires a varied, balanced diet. This can be natural food or ready-made food that can be bought in pet stores. Please note that meals must be separate. It is recommended to give your chinchilla the following foods:

• meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit - raw, finely chopped, scalded with boiling water);
• ocean fish;
• offal (heart, liver, kidneys - boiled);
• dairy products (yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, kefir);
• fats and oils (daily 1/4 teaspoon of refined oil);
• vegetables and grains (cabbage, carrots, bran, buckwheat, rice porridge).