Nature and animals07/16/2014
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How much do big cats have in common with the motley cat living in your home? This is explained by Susan Bass, director of public relations at the Big Cat Rescue Sanctuary, located in Tampa, Florida (USA). Below we have some amazing videos of big cats acting just like your pets.
Which cats are leopard?
Leopard cats have typical black or brown spots and graceful habits.
They resemble a leopard animal, reduced several times. They require special care and attention associated with specifics, and it is also not so easy to get offspring from them. In order for them to feel good in the home of their owners, the latter is required to pay close attention to their uniqueness, characteristics, and habits.
You can list several popular breeds that resemble a leopard.
- The Bengal cat is characterized by beauty and is very popular. The spots on the body are large, black or brown, the habits are graceful, and there is agility. If Bengals are not given due attention, their character can turn wild with elements of aggression.
- Savannah is obtained by crossing a domestic cat and a wild African serval. Individuals may differ in shade. They are characterized by their large size, up to 140 cm in length, and weight up to 15 kg. The cat is friendly by nature, friendly with children and other pets, and attached to its owners. Savannahs need plenty of room to move and love walks and water.
- Ashera has a large (meter-long) size, long legs, spotted coloring, a predatory appearance, and the look of a wild animal. However, he is kind, flexible, unpretentious to food, and has contact with children. Her behavior is like that of ordinary cats.
- The Serengeti is a large, long-legged spotted cat bred in the United States.
- Kanaani (Canaani) is a new multi-breed mix, short-haired spotted cat.
- An Arabian Mau with the appearance of a leopard.
- Asian tabby bred in England.
Leopard-like cats also include ocelots and servals. But these are predators who practically cannot live in a person’s house. They are large in size and have dangerous instincts. There are frequent cases of aggressive behavior towards people. They do not feel comfortable in human habitation, preferring nature. If you are a fan of dogs, you will be interested in reading here about the breeds and characteristics of dogs.
They love catnip
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At least some of them. The reaction of cats to catnip is genetic, but half of the world's domestic cats do not react to it at all. “The same thing happens with big cats,” Bass says. "Some people like mint more than others." In one test conducted at a sanctuary, only 18 of 25 cats showed a strong reaction to catnip.
Interesting Facts
- In ancient Egypt, when a cat died, all members of the owner's family shaved its eyebrows and mourned it. They buried the animal with honor, and during the procession they drank wine and beat their chests. The Egyptian Mau was embalmed and placed in a family tomb or animal cemetery with miniature mouse mummies.
- Toyger is the youngest breed of tiger cat. It was developed based on the requirements of modern life: the animal must become a friend and companion to the owner. So the toyger cat is a design development of breeders. By the way, they continue to be improved with the goal of making them completely similar in appearance to tigers.
- Wild oncilla is almost never kept at home. Only isolated cases of domestication of a predator are known, and their owners keep them not in houses, but in enclosures.
- Tiger cats, unlike many, can speak with their eyes. Their emotions and feelings are immediately imprinted in the expression of their muzzle, and it is quite difficult to distinguish one emotion from another, since they are caricatures.
- And finally, we want to give advice to those who want to have a tabby friend: under no circumstances let your cat go wild. These animals need constant displays of affection and love more than others. Otherwise, they will become withdrawn and even aggressive.
Sources
- https://givotniymir.ru/tigrovaya-koshka-opisanie-osobennosti-vidy-i-cena-tigrovoj-koshki/https://kot-i-koshka.ru/tigrovaya-koshka/https://koshkamurka.ru/ 5765-tigrovaya-koshka.htmlhttps://kotologia.com/porodyi/tigrovaya-koshka.htmlhttps://murlo.org/ru/porody-koshek-tigrovogo-i-leopardovogo-okrasa/https://pets2.me/ bok/412-oncilla-ekzoticheskiy-predstavitel-semeystva-koshachih.html
They love to roll out toilet paper rolls...
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This situation is familiar to anyone who has a kitten: you come home, go into the bathroom, and find a lot of torn toilet paper there. When Big Cat Rescue placed rolls of toilet paper in the enclosures of servals, lynxes and ocelots, they discovered that even the big cats loved playing with the white paper. "They become more curious when they find something new in their immediate vicinity," Bass says. Plus, it's just fun! (Yes, it’s fun. For them. But not for the person who then has to put away and rewind all this paper).
Cat breeds that are similar to wild relatives - list, photos and characteristics
Having wild cats such as lynx, leopard, puma or tiger as a pet is not a good idea, but throughout history people have tried to domesticate servals, caracals, fishing cats, ocelots, cheetahs and even lions. The desire to own a wild animal can have very negative consequences, so breeders have used their skills to breed cat breeds that are similar to wild ones, but at the same time safe for their owners.
From the striking Bengal to the unusual Savannah, meet our selection of ten cat breeds that have only wild looks, but not character.
Abyssinian cat
Abyssinian cat
Due to its unique ticked coat color, the Abyssinian cat is very similar to African wild cats. Ticking is alternating light and dark patches on each hair shaft. In addition to their beautiful fur coat, representatives of this breed stand out for their playfulness, high level of intelligence and energetic nature.
Bengal cat
Bengal cat
Do you want a breed with the appearance of a leopard and the demeanor of a house cat? Then, without a doubt, get a Bengal cat, bred by crossing domestic and wild Bengal cats. Bengals have stunning coat colors that come in a variety of vibrant patterns: rosettes, spots, or even merle patterns (where one or more colors are mixed into the base coat color).
Bombay
Bombay
If you do not take into account the calm, patient and friendly nature of the Bombay, you might think that he is a miniature copy of the black panther. The breed's exotic appearance was achieved by crossing a sable Burmese cat with a black American Shorthair, earning it the nickname "the patent leather baby with the new penny eyes."
Egyptian Mau
Egyptian Mau
Egyptian Mau cats can run at speeds of up to 50 km per hour, making it difficult for them to sit still long enough for you to notice their natural spotted coloring and exotic markings around the eyes. Researchers believe the breed originated in Egypt at least 3,000 years ago, and likely descended from African wild cats.
Ocicat
Ocicat
With a coat that can be spotted with tan, chocolate, bluish, lavender or tan and cinnamon, the Ocicat is quite an exotic breed. But there is nothing wild about these cats: the breed was the result of crossing Abyssinians, Siamese and American Shorthair cats.
Savannah
Savannah
A relatively new breed that was recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association in 2012, the Savannah is known for its unusual appearance. Large, tall ears are located on the top of the head.
The savanna is also characterized by a long neck, long legs and a short, thick tail. In addition, these cats have exotic spotted and striped coats.
And this is not surprising, the wild appearance of the savannah was achieved by crossing the African serval with a domestic cat.
Somali cat
Somali cat
Descended from the Abyssinian cat, the longhaired Somali also has the appearance of an African wild cat and, thanks to its bushy tail, can be mistaken for a fox. Like their related shorthaired Abyssinians, Somali cats are also intelligent, curious and very active animals. If you are looking for a calm cat for your lap, then the Somali breed is not for you.
Toyger
Toyger
Thanks to its orange color with black or brown stripes and muscular body, the toyger can easily be confused with a real tiger cub. Fortunately, this breed is much nicer (and safer) to humans than a tiger cub and is known for its sweet, calm and friendly nature. The wild appearance of the Toyger was obtained by crossing a Bengal and a domestic tabby shorthair cat.
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Housey
Housey
This is a relatively young cat breed that was created by crossing a domestic cat with a wild jungle cat (Felis chaus). They can grow to almost a meter in length and weigh 4-7 kilograms or more. As with other hybrid Savannah or Bengal cats, male Housies from the first few generations are usually sterile, with the F4 and F5 generations considered the most suitable for showing.
...and hide in boxes
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If you give a big cat a box, he will jump into it faster than you can say “mom”. “Big cats, like house cats, love to hide in different places,” Bass says.
“They like to think they can see you when you can't see them. Even if you can see them too.”
The cats at Big Cat Rescue also hide in bags, but they do it a little differently than house cats. “Actually, we didn’t try to give them the bag. Because I just don't know where to find a bag that size," Bass says. “However, we give them big paper bags that smell like spices or cologne. For some reason, our pets really love “Obsession” for men. When they smell it, they begin to drool and roll on the floor.” And if the big cats were given a bag big enough for them, Bass said, “they would probably just rip it apart from the inside.”
Tiger cat: description of the species
The tiger cat, oncilla, lives in subtropical humid and mountain forests. The species can be found in Panama, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Argentina. There are three main subspecies of the brindle wild cat:
- 1. Northern tiger (tigrillo) - lives in northern Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana.
- 2. Southern brindle - inhabits the territories of southern Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay.
- 3. Leopard spotted - can be found in western Venezuela, Ecuador.
They differ in the length of fur hairs, color tone and pattern saturation. Another subspecies lives in Australia - the marsupial tiger cat. It is unpretentious to environmental conditions, hunts small animals, and often attacks poultry.
Oncilla is a night hunter. Its diet is based on non-venomous species of snakes, various amphibians, small birds and rodents. Sometimes small species of monkeys and their young can become prey for wild cats. The female's pregnancy lasts 2.6 months and ends with the birth of 1-3 kittens. In the third week their eyes open. By the age of two years, small tigers are ready to mate.
The wild tiger cat - oncilla - is considered the smallest among other representatives of the cat family, but slightly larger than its domesticated tribesmen. Oncilla length is on average about 60–65 cm, weight – up to three kilograms. The head is round, the muzzle is elongated. Erect ears are medium in size, covered with light fluff inside, the outer surface of the ears is black. The eyes are large, light brown in color with narrow vertical pupils. The tail is short, about 40 cm, of medium density. The legs are high, the front legs are shorter than the hind legs.
The coat of a tiger cat is short, soft, yellow-gray in color with stripes closed in rings. The predominant color on the abdomen and chest is white, on the muzzle there are white spots and black stripes, the back and sides are decorated with dark stripes of various shapes. Short black stripes are clearly visible on the tail.
Keeping at home
The tiger cat does not show aggression towards people, but few people have succeeded in turning a wild animal into a domestic cat. A tiger cat will never be a cute pet. The animal loves solitude, is very active at night, has increased jumping ability, during the day it tries to hide on some hill, and has long, sharp claws. Due to their behavioral characteristics, a suitable place for keeping an oncilla will be a spacious enclosure, in which conditions will be created that are close to the natural environment familiar to these animals.
The daily diet of a wild cat should include:
- meat, preferably fresh beef;
- mineral supplements;
- vitamins.
Feeding occurs once a day. Once a week there is a fasting fasting day. To keep the animal healthy, a schedule of maintenance, nutrition, and observation by a veterinarian is drawn up.
The tiger cat is a very rare species, so it can only be purchased by pre-order. Kittens are expensive. The cost depends on the subspecies of the animal, the color of the fur and the pattern on it. You can find out the price of the animal at the nursery; the kittens are raised there under the supervision of specialists, vaccinated, and passports are made for them.
Classification
Wild cats living in nature are not uncommon. These animals have many types and physical characteristics. However, there is something that unites them all.
Wild cats
All types of wild cats have common characteristics:
- maintaining a nocturnal or twilight lifestyle;
- living alone or with a family;
- camouflage color (depending on the habitat);
- most have the ability to retract their claws;
- the organs of vision, smell, and hearing are well developed.
It is customary to classify different types of cats according to a number of characteristics.
By size they are divided into three main subspecies:
- Large, hunting large prey. These include lions and tigers.
- Medium cats are cats that can catch both large and small prey.
- Marksman are representatives of the cat family whose weight does not exceed 18 kilograms. Small rodents and insects are caught for food.
Important! The division of animals into large and small, as a classification, is used extremely rarely, but still exists. For the most part, scientists prefer to classify the cat family by genera
Animals of the cat family, according to genetic data, are divided into 8 main categories, which are further divided into subcategories. These include:
- Panther genus. It is divided into clouded leopards and panthers.
- Genus of Kalimantan cats. These include marbled cats and catopums. The latter, it is worth noting that, since 2006, are also classified as marble.
- Caracal. This genus includes servals, golden cats and caracals themselves.
- Only tiger representatives are included in the ocelot genus.
- The lynx genus includes only lynxes.
- Cougars and cheetahs are part of the same lineage of pumas.
- Asian cats and Pallas cats are classified together; their genus is Bengal cats.
- Pets – all other domesticated breeds.
For the most part, modern cat species are divided according to their size. However, scientists have reduced the types to large and small sizes. The large subfamily includes:
- clouded leopards, including Kalimantan clouded and common;
- a lion;
- tiger;
- jaguar;
- snow leopard, snow leopard.
The list of representatives of small sizes includes:
- cheetah;
- caracal;
- African gold;
- Kalimantan cat;
- temminka;
- Chinese;
- jungle cat;
- dune;
- blackfoot;
- forest;
- Andean;
- Geoffrey;
- Chilean;
- long-tailed;
- oncilla;
- ocelot;
- bell;
- serval;
- lynxes of different varieties;
- manul;
- marble;
- Bengali;
- puma.
Description and features of the wild tiger cat
However, in appearance it looks like a real one, only several times reduced in size. Graceful, aristocratic appearance of brindle cats
finally took shape in 2007, after a long search for ideal parents.
If you look at the photo of brindle cats
, you can see that they have a rather curious body structure. They are large, weighing up to 6–8 kg, with a long thin tail and small paws.
Their muzzle is elongated and has a wide nose that is unusual for cats. Also, toygers have a powerful neck, with standard ears and large blue eyes. Although selectors at this stage of time are working on making the eyes smaller and the ears smaller. They want to give the ears a more rounded shape.
Tiger cat in the photo
looks exactly the same as in life. Its color really exactly matches that of a tiger. Tiger stripes come in both black and brown, and even auburn. The coat is short and smooth. Its paws and the tip of its tail are black, and in addition to the stripes, there are spots and rosettes on the body and muzzle.
The domestic toyger is unusually calm and affectionate. He doesn't need much attention. In addition to the usual language for cats, toygers make other sounds similar to those of birds. Kittens are playful and active, like other breeds. Adult cats are loyal and intelligent.
The American Shorthair cat has been known since the beginning of the 20th century. She is quite peaceful and is a real long-liver among. Its lifespan can reach 20 years. Her tiger stripes come in a variety of colors.
In the photo there is a munchkin cat of brindle color
It also became popular at the end of the last century. She is in no way inferior in devotion to dogs. Its fur is medium length and its weight can reach 12 kg.
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British tiger cat
known for her special character. If you don't raise her as a child, she will only do what she wants. She needs a lot of personal space and a place to retire. Its coat is quite short and its brindle coloration comes in different variations. a little reminiscent of the Cheshire cat from a fairy tale.
In the photo there is a kitten of the British brindle breed
Scottish tiger cat
has a marbled tabby color on the back and dense wide stripes on the tail. On their head they have a characteristic marking in the form of the letter “M” in the same color as the pattern on their body. Their eyes are large and yellow, and their ears are smaller than other breeds.
The photo shows a Scottish tiger cat kitten
Color options
Leopard cats have inherited a patterned coat called tabby, a spotted cat like a leopard. This is a unique feature that makes Bengalis so loved.
Depending on the background of the coat, tabby color is divided into the following types:
- Brown tabby. With this color, the cat looks like a leopard. The sand-colored coat has black spots.
- Silver tabby. With this color, your pet looks like a snow leopard. The background of the fur is silver.
These two types are further divided into 3 categories, taking into account the figure:
- Spotted. The animal is covered with spots that have a uniform dark color.
- Rosette. This name came about because of the unusual spots that have a clear dark edge and a lighter one). This color of leopard cats is considered classic, therefore the most famous and popular.
- Marble. With this type of color, there are no obvious spots on the body of the animal, but there are beautiful dark patterns. Their shape and size may vary.
Among the classic options, it is worth noting the so-called “Leopardette” color. It is closest to wild natural options. Color - dark chocolate or reddish brown. The Sorrel marbled leopard cat is characterized by coffee-colored spots on a golden background. The tail is decorated with a dark tip. In addition to animals with classic colors, black and blue Bengals were also bred.
The charcoal color is sometimes classified as a brown tabby, but they still have certain differences. The background of the coat with this color has a cold tint. The nose and eyebrows are jet black, and the “spectacles” around the eyes are light in color.
The blue color of this breed is considered rare
. The background of the coat is gray-blue, with a metallic tint. The color of the spots is very unusual - gray, shimmering with a blue tint. Another rare option is very light coat with a barely noticeable pattern, which is why such cats are called snow bengals.
Before purchasing a Bengal cat, it is recommended to read the pedigree description to be sure that it is separated by at least five generations from its direct ancestor, the Asian leopard breed. Otherwise, the pet may have a hot-tempered and quarrelsome character.
It should be noted that, like humans, each animal has individual characteristics. Any individual pet will have its own habits, character and illnesses
But what is important for all of them is the love and attention of the owner
When choosing a kitten, everyone is guided by certain requirements or wishes for their future pet, for example, breed, coat color, eye color, shape or size of ears, or even the size of an adult animal. Today we will talk about those cat breeds that resemble tigers in their coat color, that is, about tiger-colored cat breeds
, as well as about
breeds of leopard-colored cats
. Let us note in advance that only one breed of cat has a true “tiger pattern” of coat, but several have the leopard pattern.
Summary
Pets are kept not only for company, but also for the way they look. These cat breeds look wild even though they are purely domesticated.
Regardless of appearance, most, if not all, of these breeds are very calm and loyal. If you want a majestic and beautiful cat, these miniature “big cats” are for you.
Image credit: Kutikova Ekaterina, Shutterstock
Domestic leopard: 12 spotted cat breeds
Are you dreaming of a pet mini leopard? Then today’s article is for you, because here are the breeds of domestic cats with leopard color.
The spotted, as well as striped, color is due to the presence of a special gene T (tabi), which allows pets to look like their wild relatives. The spots on such cats are always darker than the main coat color. The markings may be circular, rosette-shaped, or marbled.
People have always been in awe of cats that resemble wild animals, which is why breeders are constantly working to develop new breeds that increasingly resemble smaller copies of leopards.
But spotted cats are far from being a product of hybridization; there are also natural breeds, the characteristic features of which are spots on their fur.
Bengal
This is a hybrid breed derived from an Asian leopard cat and a domestic cat. Work on developing the breed has been carried out since 1961, and today the breed is recognized throughout the world.
Hybrids from the 4th generation are considered domestic; initially there was only a “golden” color - black spots on a reddish background. With the development of the breed, silver, snow, marble and charcoal colors also began to be distinguished.
A distinctive feature of any color is short, smooth, close-fitting fur with a glittery sheen.
Toyger
A very close relative of the Bengal. The fact is that in the former, the merging of spots into stripes is prohibited by breed standards; kittens with stripes are considered defective.
Genetic fixation of this “disadvantage” made it possible to develop a new breed of cats, although for now it is considered experimental.
Toygers have the same color variations as Bengals.
Savannah
Obtained as a hybrid of a serval and an Abyssinian cat, it was officially recognized in 2001, and is the largest and most expensive of the domestic cats.
There are several color variants of the Savannah: silver, gold, chocolate, cinnamon and brown, all of which have leopard spots inherited from their wild ancestors.
Serengeti
The breed was created as a result of the hybridization of the Bengal cat and the Orientals; the Serengeti is a rather rare breed.
Interesting!
There are a lot of different sounds in the repertoire of Serengeti cats, and in addition to the usual “meow”, they can quack, grunt and even giggle! At the top are the Bengal and the Toyger, at the bottom are the Savannah and the Serengeti (photo from open sources)
Ocicat
Outwardly, these cats resemble a wild ocelot, hence the name of the breed. But in fact, the breed has nothing in common with wild animals and was obtained in the USA from an Abyssinian and Siamese cat. Animals of this breed are quite large.
Egyptian Mau
This is one of the oldest cat breeds. Over the millennia, the breed has undergone natural changes, but it was the ancestors of the Mau that the ancient Egyptians worshiped.
These animals have different colors, silver, bronze, smoke and tin, but always with spots and only dark colors; it is interesting that spots are not only on the fur, but also on the skin.
“A distinctive feature of his appearance is the “scarab” mark on his forehead and the black “eyeliner” of his expressive green eyes.”
Pixiebob
This is a real lynx in miniature: a short tail and “lynx” tufts on the ears are the distinctive features of the breed. The characteristic tabi color with spots or rosettes is always present.
Surprisingly, these cats have boundless devotion to their owner, comparable to a dog.
Australian Smoke (Mist)
A very rare breed, approved by only a few fellinological organizations. Obtained as a result of complex selective work by crossing Burmese, Abyssinian, Siamese and simple domestic cats.
Ocicat and Mau above, Pixie Bob and Mist below (photo from open sources)
California shining cat
Despite their predatory appearance, only domestic cats of different breeds, such as Angora, British, Siamese, Menx and Abyssinian, were involved in breeding.
Ussuri cat
This is a natural breed, it was noticed by chance in 1994 and is considered experimental.
Its temperament and habits are more like a wild cat than a domestic cat. Does not get along well with other animals, is strong and independent.
Soukok or Sokoke (Kenyan Forest Cat)
This is a very rare natural breed, its representatives are small but hardy and, regardless of the color of the animal, the color is always tabi.
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Cheeto
Mix of Bengal and Ocicat breeds. Very obedient, kind pets that become very attached to people. The thick, velvety coat can come in 6 colors, but there are always spots or rosettes.
Here is my review of wonderful leopard cats. Of course, other breeds may also have a spotted color, but in the cats listed above, spots are a characteristic feature.
They love to sleep
© www.goodfon.ru
Your cat spends most of the daytime sleeping. Big cats do this too. They especially like to take naps between 16:00 and 20:00. “The reason is because there's not much hunting in the wild at this time,” Bass says. They can catch prey with one short throw, but they are not marathon runners. Therefore, they sleep to save more energy. However, they switch from sleep to wakefulness in a split second if they sense a gazelle nearby.”
Other domesticated cat breeds
According to biologists, striping is the fundamental external sign of all cats. It is only noticeable to the human eye in several domestic breeds. In addition to representatives of the Toyger breed, there are other domestic cats that look like small wild animals. There are few of them:
- 1. Munchkin - short, very thick fur. The color shade may be different, but the design must have tiger stripes. The legs are short, the character is active and playful.
- 2. Siberian - medium-length wool with characteristic tiger stripes. The cat is large, weighing up to 10 kg. It is distinguished by high devotion to the owner and family.
- 3. British brindle - the breed has short fur, brindle color in various color variations. Requires education and training from an early age. It is impossible to wean an adult animal from bad habits. Loves privacy and a lot of free space.
- 4. Scottish brindle - the brindle tabby color is present on the back. The tail and paws are decorated with black stripes. On the front of the head the o. Yellow eyes, small straight ears.
The brindle cat is a large breed, one of the most unusual and expensive.
The wild color of the pet charges its owners with strength, energy, and brings good luck. A tiger cat in the house is a symbol of the family hearth, warmth, comfort, a sign of wealth and chic.
It is very difficult to tame a wild animal, but having a pet that looks like a tiger cub is quite affordable for many people.
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There are more than 250 breeds of cats in the world: hairless and fluffy, wayward and friendly, affectionate and freedom-loving. But there is one thing that unites them all: they are incredibly beautiful. Anyone who wants to make a meowing friend can adopt a kitten from a shelter, or buy one from an elite nursery.
We are on the site
We became interested in how much the rarest cat breeds cost, and, to be honest, we were surprised. We invite you to find out prices for the most exotic representatives of the cat world.
Norwegian forest cat
The ancestors of this cat were bred by the Vikings 2,000 years ago. Cute and fluffy, this cat can withstand severe cold and is an excellent hunter. The price of a kitten varies from $600 to $3,000.
Himalayan cat
This breed is very similar to the Persian, but differs in blue eyes and color point coloring (light body with a dark muzzle, paws, ears and tail). This breed was developed in 1950 in the USA. Himalayans are affectionate, obedient and friendly cats with a calm nature. A kitten of this breed will cost $500–$1,300.
Scottish lop-eared
The calling card of this breed is its cute ears, which do not stick out upward, like those of ordinary cats, but hang down. This unusual detail of their appearance is a consequence of a gene mutation. These are smart cats that get along with everyone in the family and are never averse to playing. Another distinctive feature of this breed is that they can stand on their hind legs and look at what interests them. A kitten costs from $200 to $1,500.
Peterbald
The Peterbald, or St. Petersburg Sphynx, was bred in Russia in 1994. These elegant cats have a slender body, a long head shape and large, set-back ears. The body may be bald or covered with down. Cats have an affectionate and sociable character and are easy to train. Such a kitten will cost $400–1,200.
Egyptian Mau
The appearance of these cats has changed little in 3,000 years - since the times of Ancient Egypt. The spotted color of this breed appears not only on the coat, but also on the skin. To become the owner of an ancient Egyptian cat, you need to spend $500–1,500.
Maine Coon
This is one of the largest cat breeds. Representatives of this breed can weigh from 5 to 15 kg, and the body length of an adult Maine Coon can reach 1.23 m. But despite their formidable appearance, these are affectionate, gentle and playful animals. The price of a giant kitten varies between $600–$1,500.
Laperm
This is one of the most unusual breeds, which appeared in 1980 in the USA. In addition to their curly hair, cats of this breed have another feature: they are hypoallergenic, so they are perfect for families with allergies. A kitten of this breed costs $200–2,000.
Serengeti
This breed was developed in 1994 in California. She belongs to large cats: the weight of an adult Serengeti is 8–12 kg. They have a strong build, large ears, spotted coloration and very long legs. You can buy such a cat for $600–$2,000.
Elf
This young cat breed was bred in the USA in 2006. Elves are very friendly, intelligent, mischievous, sociable, inquisitive and loyal creatures. Those wishing to purchase such a unique pet will have to pay a considerable sum - $2,000.
Bengal breed
The homeland of Bengals is America. It was there that they were bred by obtaining a hybrid of an Asian wild leopard and domestic cats. This experiment is believed to have begun in the 1960s. Characteristics of Bengal cats are excellent immunity and endurance. But the stomach is a weak point that malfunctions if not fed correctly.
Bengals have the following distinctive features:
- Large size from 50 to 80 cm, conical tail. The weight of a female is up to 5 kg, and a male’s weight is up to 8 kg.
- The head is wedge-shaped, small.
- A wide nose is a wild sign.
- The ears are medium in size, rounded at the ends. Their base is quite wide.
- The color of almond-shaped or oval-shaped eyes is very different: green, brown, yellow shades.
There are a number of differences that make the Bengal cat different from other breeds: plasticity along with predatory habits, love for water, unique coloring, similar to a leopard print. You can buy a Bengal cat at a cattery or from breeders. Its price ranges from 30 to 150 thousand rubles, which depends on the class.
The nutrition of a Bengal cat depends on its age. The kitten eats 4 times a day, and as the cat grows older, it switches to two meals a day. The stomach of Bengal cats cannot digest any food taken from the owners' table. You need to buy ready-made industrial food.
Grooming for Bengals is minimal, and these animals themselves are clean. You need to comb them, trim their nails to 3 mm, and clean their ears. They are not afraid of water procedures. The nature of Bengal cats is not fearful towards other animals.
The breed is distinguished by its ability to train, remembers commands, and listens carefully. At the same time, playfulness constantly appears.
Range and habitats
Wild cats were popularized throughout central and western Europe. For some time they lived in southern countries - in Spain and Italy. Animals also lived in the territory of Asia Minor.
Today, forest cats can be found in the Caucasus and Ukraine. Also, animals invariably live in Europe. Forest cats surprisingly love to go to the mountains, to a height of 2-3 km above ground level. Central European cats have “settled” in the Caucasus since the times of the USSR.
Forest cats avoid almost all terrestrial predators, but wolves and foxes are the most dangerous for them. That's why cats prefer to go to the mountains or climb trees. They can stay in such a shelter for more than one month if they can get food for themselves.
They rub against things
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This is how they mark their territory. According to Bass, in both big and domestic cats, “glandular scent is present everywhere, especially in the face area. So they rub their faces against all sorts of things. It could be the corner of a sofa, or a cage, or a tree. Or you".
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Big cats also mark their territory, leaving scratches. All cats are solitary (with the exception of lions, who live in prides). Bass says: “Tiger cubs, for example, are with their mothers for two years and then become independent. If you are a 2-year-old male tiger, you are wandering in the wild, and suddenly you see a tree scratched at a height of 2.5 to 3 meters, then these scratches appeared there because the tiger living there stood on its hind legs paws, stretched out his front paws high, and left marks. This is like a message to every tiger who comes to this territory. It says: this is how big I am, I can scratch a tree even at this height. And if you can’t scratch a tree higher than I can, you’d better get out of here quickly.”