Russian Blue (Your Cat Magazine Breed Profiles Book 23)

---

The two developments that had the most influence on our lovely breed were the combination of English and Swedish lines to produce a consistent Russian Blue look and the focused effort to improve the Russian Blue show disposition. These two efforts took place over a period of 30 years. This consistent look allowed breeders to strive to produce the perfect Russian Blue and the judges to easily recognize our most perfect examples.

Many of us learned the hard way that a beautiful Russian that is bad-tempered at shows is not really a show cat, and may not be the best parent for the good-natured show cats we hope to produce. Without these changes, Russian Blues would never have reached the success they are currently experiencing. Russian Blue breeders are also very persistent. There are several breeders who have worked with the Russian Blue for over 20 years, and a few who have been working with them for over 30 years.

Many of these same breeders have proven their dedication to quality by consistently producing top CFA winners, numerous grands, and Distinguished Merit cats. They also like to promote their breed to the public and with new breeders who are interested in showing and improving this breed. Although they can be fairly competitive, Russian Blue fanciers often put aside personal interests and work together to keep this breed healthy and vibrant.

English breeders, such as Dunloe, Jennymay, Sylphides, and Windywhistle, and Swedish breeders, such as Molleby, Olsenburg, Finlandia, and Kabbarps, provided many of the foundation cats for American breeders. During the s, American breeders were working primarily with either English or Swedish bloodlines. The English lines were noted for their pale, plush coats, silver tipping, and refined boning, while the Swedish bloodlines were noted for their beautiful head type, elegant bodies, and emerald green eyes.

Until breeders began combining these bloodlines, Russian Blues in the show ring varied greatly in style, with few cats displaying all the qualities of the perfect Russian Blue. In the s, breeders began combining the English and Swedish bloodlines to produce the cats that became the foundation for the modern Russian Blue. From only registered cats in to over registered by , the Russian Blues were enjoying a surge of popularity as they became more uniform in appearance and more competitive at shows.

These five breedings produced six Grand Champions, two Distinguished Merit females, and one national winner. Diana Doernberg of Velva Cattery is credited with the winning combinations that provided foundation cats for many Russian Blue catteries including Hy-line, Sereshka, Miribu, and Tsar Blu. As their popularity increased, Russian Blue classes of cats were common, but they were developing a reputation of being bad-tempered due to their shy nature.

Despite this, ten Russian Blues gained national Championship wins from to In addition, the point distribution was modified to put more emphasis on body and head type while retaining emphasis on the distinctive Russian Blue coat and color. By the early s, Russian Blues had declined in popularity, most likely due to the fact that they had established a reputation as being difficult to show. Only a few Russian Blues could be found at any show. Fortunately several determined Russian Blue breeders continued their work and were joined by several new breeders charmed by the beauty and affectionate personality of this breed.

Russian Blue breeders were producing beautiful examples of their breeds that were often hard to handle at shows while being sweet and affectionate companions at home. Judges began to ask why breeders were not doing something to improve the disposition of this elegant breed. As temperament became a bigger factor in show success, breeders began to focus attention on making the Russian Blue easier for judges to handle. Environmental and genetic factors were evaluated. Most breeders focused on selective breeding and kitten training. Others played tapes of show noises, put crystals in cages, used herbal remedies, visualization, and relaxation techniques.

No stone was left unturned. Some combination of these methods worked, and slowly Russian Blues began acting better in the judging ring. Although Russian Blue numbers at shows remained small, their popularity with judges and spectators increased as their attitude at shows improved. Russian Blues made six national wins from to He passed both his beauty and showmanship to 22 grand offspring, including several regional and national winners.

In the s, Russian Blue breeders continued to focus on show temperament and quality. Several new breeders were attracted to this beautiful breed including Winterfest, Moontan, Grisaille, Bleuchip, and Platina Luna. Russian Blues were becoming more competitive at shows. They no longer had to be brought to the show ring by themselves with cages separating every cat. Their reputation was changing as they were being noted for exceptional show performance rather than bad attitudes. Russian Blues were purring in the ring.

They were posing elegantly one minute and acting like clowns over a toy the next. Even though Russian Blue registration numbers are constant and show entries are still small, they are well represented in finals, regional awards, and national awards. From to , Russian Blues made 23 national awards and regional awards.

Champion classes of 10 to 15 are not uncommon. A recent show in Kyoto had over 20 Russian Blues entered. The Russian Blue Breed Council believes more in breeding to our standard than modifying the standard to match what we breed. Despite its brevity, it provides a clear description of a very distinct cat. Russian Blue Type consists of head type, body, ears, and eye shape. The Russian Blue head, one of its most distinguishing features, is a smooth, medium wedge with a blunt muzzle blending into the wedge.

Although amenable to chocolate points, which had arisen naturally, Wilson clearly disapproved of cross-breeding of Siamese to produce new varieties:. Then there have been long haired specimens, described as Burmese, they have the same colouring as the seal point, and long fur, which although in no way comparable with the Persian yet is definitely more long than short. Experiments however have proved that in breeding Siamese to other species - varied forms can be made - this practise is not to be encouraged, as it may lead to definite malpractices as have occurred in other livestock.

Her comments suggest confusion between Burmese and Birman. At the time, there was also debate over whether the Siamese cat was indeed the "Royal Cat of Siam" with France writing that the first Siamese cats had been procured from the King's Palace, Bangkok in In direct contradiction, Ida M. Mellen, well-known American authority on cats, in her "Practical Cat Book" had written "Although this cat generally is referred to as the Royal, and even as the Sacred Siamese, it is the common cat of Siam, just as the Manx, equally an aristocrat, is the common cat of the Isle of Man.

There are no "royal" cats, although the strikingly marked creatures would be the natural ones to be kept in palaces. Any person can have a Siamese cat, and as a matter of fact there are many people outside the palaces and many foreigners who keep such cats as household pets. There are no "temple" cats. The Buddhist priests, who do not live in the temples but in special buildings in the temple grounds, may keep cats, as they do dogs.

A Siamese prince whom I know very well was visiting in London and was interviewed by one of the thousands of Siamese cat fanciers there. He told her there were more Siamese cats in London than in all Siam. In or , "Cats and Kittens" magazine of which France was then editor published a letter from Mr. Garry of Minehead, Somerset. Garry had lived in Borneo and wrote. The first is the one we see in England, but I think its points are a shade different, [chocolate] brown instead of seal. The second, which was said to be peculiar to the Royal family and palaces, had the body colour of the first - but not the points; and hazel eyes.

Having been a contemporary at Eton with the then King, I got a special permit to see the Bangkok Palace more thoroughly than the usual tourist does, and I saw one or two of these "Royal" cats, whose appearance was to the best of my recollection after so long as I have described. At that time, the export of the first type, except neuter ones, was absolutely forbidden, owing to the fear that they might become extinct in Siam, because so many had been exported.

The second type was absolutely unobtainable, far less exportable, for it was not to be seen outside the royal palaces. France briefly mentioned the "curious experiments" of crossing of Siamese cats with Persians and even with tabbies as detailed in "Siamese-Persian Cats" by Clyde E. Keeler and Virginia Cobb, "Journal of Heredity" v.

Tjebbes, Journal of Genetics, V. He noted that in when Ida M. Mellen reported these facts in her "Practical Cat Book" the experiments were still proceeding. Tabby Point Siamese had been mentioned as early as in Britain. Between and , they were bred in Scotland and known as Silverpoint Siamese. They were introduced to the cat fancy at a London cat show in the s and recognised by the GCCF in ].

The Denhams noted "Child of the Gods", that An article on the Olympia Crystal Cat Show, , said "[Abyssinians] do not take kindly to captivity and perhaps that is why there are still comparatively few in this country. Where the Egyptians found their first cats to domesticate is a mystery we are never likely to solve. Mr HC Brooke went into this question in some detail and in the illustrations in his pamphlet showed what he believed had been the process of the development of the African Wild Cat from the faintly spotted form to the faintly mottled, well ticked, modern Abyssinian type.

He had at one time an Egyptian or African Wild Cat and the similarity to the modern Abyssinian is unmistakable. That is was the Caffre or Kaffir cat which the Egyptians domesticated seems probable from the similarity between the skulls of the Caffre cat and the skulls of the 'sacred' cats excavated in Egypt. The British Museum painting shows a tiger-striped cat, but a papyrus painting shows a brown cat with only slight bars on legs and tail of the Abyssinian type. Incidentally, this cat is shown climbing papyrus to 'put up' water fowl, so that it must have been small and lithe of the type Abyssinian breeders to-day seek to produce.

Of its importation they said, "The breed is probably called 'Abyssinian' because the first specimen exhibited in England was imported from Abyssinia and not because that country was its original home. Rosita Forbes, writing between the wars, stated she had never seen a domestic cat in Abyssinia, and when the Countess of Liverpool recently had enquiries made there with a view to importing a cat, she was told there had been no pure-bred cats in Ethiopia since the Italian invasion, although whether due to the Italians eating them or to some other reason is a matter of speculation.

At the same time it was stated that a hunter who had been commissioned from the U. On the other hand I understand 'Abyssinians' have been imported to the U. Some years ago we saw a fine specimen of the breed, without any white or barring, amongst the innumerable half-wild cats that prowl the streets of Ajaccio in Corsica.

In considering whether the Abbyssinian is really 'Abyssinian' or 'Egyptian', it is worth noting that fifty years ago when there was still uncertainty amongst judges about the 'standard' for the Abyssinian, Mrs Brooke wrote: The colour is almost identical; we find the same stamp of head, the slightly marked legs and head, the same colouring of tail'. Of breeding Abyssinian cats they wrote, "HC Brooke used a cat he described as a 'Red self' which nevertheless was of the right type.

Captain Powell described the cat as 'more like a chocolate than anything else I can think of'. We have not been able to trace this cat. It has been suggested it might have been a 'Burmese', but this seems unlikely, and Mr AC Jude, who has made a special study of colour inherintance in cats, points out to us that anyone considering a cross with the Burmese to get colour should remember that Burmese, like their close relations the Siamese, carry the silver gene [note: A cross with a Red Tabby in an effort to get colour carries the certainty of tabby markings being reintroduced, and by the time these had been bred out again it is probable the colour would also have gone.

The Brown Tabby, Mr Jude suggests, especially one tinged with red, has less definite markings and we understand some work has been done with this cross in France recently. But with the possibility of loss of 'type', especially in the shape of the head, involved in a cross, the most satisfactory method of improvement may be selective breeding.

The confusion which undoubtedly existed in the early days about Abyssinians probably arose from the fact that ticked cats of various kinds seems to have been native to Britain. These 'British Ticks' or 'Bunny Cats' were apparently commoner in some parts of the country than they are now.

One of the results of the quarrel between the Cat Club and the National Cat Club was that the former dropped the title 'Abyssinian' from its Register and inserted instead 'Ticks' with resultant confusion. And added "At the meeting of the Abyssinian Cat Club the standard of points was amended to make the white chin 'permissible' although not desirable, and there is no doubt that all breeders are anxious to eliminate this blemish. The white patch on the chin in Abyssinians is 'dominant'. It is therefore not only very difficult to eliminate but likely to reappear unless there is very careful breeding.

Probably the only way in which the patch can be bred out is by selecting cats showing the least white. This may be a long process if the 'type' and other characteristics are to be retained, but should be successful eventually, as it has been with other breeds of self-colours. Absence of white undoubtedly enhances the beauty of the cat. Too much mixed breeding and the absence of a good local cat send where pedigreed felines can be bred were put forth as major causes of the situation. In fact, one expert said sadly, exhibitors themselves apparently forgot how to distinguish between the true Siamese and just any cat born in Siam.

The Age Melbourne , 9th November, Chandler said the Australian Siamese had a high standing in the world, and there was a growing demand from the United States for these Australian-bred cats. Originally they were palace watchdogs in Siam, where they attacked marauders. Spectators at a recent Melbourne cat show seemed very interested in the lovely Siamese cats, but, judging from the comments, were very ignorant of their characteristics.

Most of them appeared to think Siamese cats were fierce, but this is quite wrong. Anyone in search of an ideal pet should obtain a Siamese cat. They are easily the most distinctive, and in England, the most popular of all breeds of cats. They combine a unique appearance, with intelligence of a very high order.

The origin of the Siamese cat is wrapped in obscurity, despite a good deal of conjecture and controversy on the subject. It would seem that the breed is a domesticated and semi- albinistic form of the Malay Jungle cat [note: It is known that a pair of Siamese cats was imported into England from Bangkok in Possessing charming characteristics and great affection, the Siamese cat has great beauty. Its head is much longer than the British cat, its eyes almond-shaped and of a brilliant blue.

The body is long and graceful, the legs slender, the feet oval, and the tail tapering and whip-like. On the Continent separate classes are sometimes provided for straight and kink-tailed specimens. Another characteristic which appears from time to time is a squint; but there is absolutely no record of its being an ancestral feature. It is ugly, and is not permitted in show specimens. Cats with a decided squint should not be used for breeding. Siamese cats are reasonably hardy, and if given the same care given a child, will thrive in most climates — playing and hunting out of doors in all weathers, and running in for warmth in much the same way as children.

Their only fault, if fault it be, is a strident voice. At mating times this seems powerful enough to evoke a response from the distant jungle. People who have been known to dislike cats intensely, have succumbed to the charm of a Siamese. These excerpts from "A Breeding Experiment" by A. Early in I decided to carry out some breeding experiments with my Siamese cats, the principal object being to establish a strain possessing a high degree of stamina, disease resistance and those desirable qualities which go to make up the ideal household pet.

There is a prevailing opinion among the public that Siamese kittens are not as strong as others, and certainly many are reported as not reaching maturity. As hardiness may be established in animal breeding by using a good outcross, I decided to adopt that method ; but in order to breed Siamese conforming to type I had to choose the outcross very carefully.

White or tabby markings, round heads or long hair must not be introduced. A Shorthair Self was the obvious cat ; Whites were, of course, ruled out, so were Blacks as at that time I could not find a Black Shorthair stud, and to use a cat whose pedigree could not be checked might mean -incorporating those undesirable factors already mentioned. Ludo gave birth to 8 black Shorthair kittens, and I let her rear 6 of these, 2 males and 4 females, all strong and healthy and with good digestions These hybrid Siamese all carry the recessive Siamese restriction factor inherited from their dam, and the Blue recessive factor from their sire.

When they are mated back to Siamese the resultant litters on the average should contain half Black and half Siamese, and Black and Blue in the same proportion if backcrossed to a Russian Blue. I then proceeded with my experiment. One black male, Laurentide Eclipse, was mated in turn to two of his sisters, and three of these were backcrossed to Siamese. The table shows the matings and the number and breed of the kittens born.

Of these a few have been Siamese in colour but not in build. On the other hand, I certainly have not lost type. The photographs of Jade, and the fact that she has several awards, prove this ; while the Russian Blue, Sene, has gained two Firsts in Open Classes and Best in Show ex Siamese as a kitten. Later litters now from Siamese parents of my own breeding look very promising. It is interesting to note that since starting this experiment no kittens have been born with kinks in their tails.

All the Siamese kittens sold last year have been followed up and are reported as hardy. The normal voices of the first cross black females are much softer than Siamese, except when they call. The voices of their progeny vary considerably. Most are not as garrulous as ordinary Siamese, and one or two have a much softer timbre. As yet I do not know whether I have attained my aims: S in June There is at present a good deal of interest in breeding experiments among certain members of the Cat Fancy.

Cross-breeding is being undertaken with various aims in view. This seems to be causing an uneasiness in certain quarters. There is a feeling that pedigree kittens of mixed breeding are being let loose on the market, and will produce all sorts of unexpected progeny to the surprise and distress of the purchaser and the detriment of the fancy. Several breeders are at present trying to improve the show quality of the Russian Blue cat. Does this mean that the Russian Blue of the future is going to have Siamese qualities that may be very undesirable? Are Russian Blues wanted or "Blue Siamese"?

Is the raucous voice of the latter a pleasing feature when confined to its own breed? Is it wanted in the Russian? With little or know knowledge about the heredity of voice, what is to be done about it? The Siamese voice could be either dominant of recessive to the small voice of other domestic cats whose cries vary considerably in tone and volume. Has the effect of the Siamese's desire to "talk" on the almost silent Russian Blue been considered, or the possibility of females of that breed calling like a Siamese in season?

To record accurately the loudness of softness of sound together with the tone etc, would be very difficult outside a laboratory. But if those who own or breed Russian Blue kittens possessing one Siamese parent could make notes about their voices it would be of great value. It would be especially useful if records containing exactly the same information about each kitten could be sent to someone who would keep them and report on the results. I would suggest the following:.

There are at least two ways of dealing with a Russian Blue cat possessing a Siamese voice if such a voice is considered undesirable. One is, or course, to have it neutered. The other, if the cat is in all other respects a credit to the breed, is to eliminate the voice again by backcrossing to pure Russian. But to do this and still maintain the improvement in type, might take considerable understanding and patience. In , the British Shorthairs were eclipsed by the more glamourous Persians. Soderberg noted that there were societies catering for breeders of shorthairs but does not bother to describe the varieties in any detail.

The few colour variations are dealt with in a few sentences! Soderberg has this to say on the British Shorthair, still very much the poor relation of the aristocratic Persians. He acknowledges that there are those who would turn the utilitarian moggy into pedigree breeds! These losses are so serious that the law now demands that occupiers shall keep theft premises free from vermin. Friendly by disposition and possessing intelligence of a high order, the ordinary house cat can hold its own against any of the aristocrats of the feline world on the score of popularity.

There are some breeders who try to separate the different colour types of the British breeds, and by mating like to like in the end produce true breeding varieties which can then boast a pedigree because theft ancestors are known. For anyone who is interested in the breeding of cats, this can become a fascinating hobby and one well worth the effort entailed. Pure breeds could be produced of the various colours of tabby cats and also of cats of whole colours such as Black, White, Blue and Cream.

In fact, there are pedigree cats to-day among the British short-hairs. There is a society which caters for breeders of British short-hairs and its officials will be most willing to help any cat lovers who are interested in these breeds. The Manx fares better, being more of a curiosity, although there was speculation that it was related to the bobtailed cats found in the East those now recognised as Japanese Bobtails:. It is indeed a strange creature both in appearance and habit, yet it is nevertheless capable of evoking a very remarkable devotion from its owners. At some time in the past cats of this breed may have been brought to these shores from the East by sailors, but when or how no one seems to know.

The normal gait of the Manx is different from that of the ordinary cat, and in some respects is similar to that of the rabbit, but there is no truth in the statement sometimes made that this breed was originally the result of a cross between a rabbit and a cat. That is sheer nonsense. The effects of the war on cat breeding are obvious from Soderberg's writing. The Abyssinian breed had become rare during the war, "Many people believe that these cats are the descendants of the ancient Egyptian cat, but whether that is true or not, there can be no mistaking the physical resemblance to the drawings of cats in contemporary illustrations of that early period.

Distinguished in appearance and attractive in character, the Abyssinian has a small band of devoted followers who, although numbers have never been large in this country, have by their devotion kept the breed alive. A number of these stalwarts for several reasons had to fall out during the war years, but since the end of hostilities new breeders have come along and in a short time this breed should again be numerically safe. The Abyssinian possesses a gait all its own which indicates almost in itself the skill of the hunter. Another author suggested, in an article on the Olympia Crystal Cat Show, , a more fanciful reason for the low numbers of Abyssinian; that they "do not take kindly to captivity and perhaps that is why there are still comparatively few in this country.

Rarer still was the Russian Blue: Russians which, as the name in this case implies, originally came from that country, show several marked differences from the British short-hair of the same colour. The Russian is longer in the body than its British counterpart and also stands higher on the leg. Whereas the British cat possesses a head which is round on top with considerable width between eyes and ears, the Russian is narrower in skull and face. Although most British cats have short coats, they do not possess the seal-like texture and sheen of the Russian.

Type of coat is perhaps its most marked characteristic. British Blues have eyes which are orange or yellow. This is a very handsome cat, but few of you who read this book will have ever seen a Russian Blue. It would be most satisfactory if a few of you were sufficiently interested to go to see one of these cats.

You might then be so attracted that you would want to become one of its breeders in the future. The Siamese were found in seal, blue and chocolate. Chocolate was relatively recent, turning up as sports in Siamese breeding programs.

Soderberg noted that he could not even hazard a guess as to what other colours would turn up! He noted that the Siamese found in the s cat fancy was very different from the cats originally seen in the at the Crystal Palace: This statement does not imply that all Siamese are hardy and produce and rear kittens without trouble. Even until comparatively recently some breeders believed that artificial heat was essential during the winter, but the necessity of war years proved that theory to be entirely false.

Faults this cat certainly has, for it is an arrant thief and unless well trained will pay too much claw attention to cherished furniture. As a matter of fact, of the other breeds apart from these two only the grey Chartreux and the white-gloved Burmese [now known as the Birman] were known, and just barely, at that time. This was very inadequate.

Article about the Russian Blue

Moreover, there were too few examples of these known breeds to ensure enough participants in the subsequent shows. So the common cat was given his patent of nobility. As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb: The second group, short-haired cats, comprises: Chartreux blue-grey , Russian blues, Abyssinians, Manx cats, Burmese, Siamese, and the ever-increasing range of Europeans which he described as common cats that had been raised up: Will breeds like the Kmer, bred from Siameses and Persians, revert to one or other original breed?

And will the pseudo-Burmese cat, which comes of a Siamese father and an unknown mother, succeed in establishing itself? Not that it is of much consequence. These two breeds are bound to have stirred up a number of controversies all the same, and the most important result - to arouse interest on behalf of all cats -will have been achieved. He also noted the near collapse of the Manx breed due to breeding rumpy-to-rumpy "The export demand for [Manx] cats having trebled and quadrupled before the war, the people of the Isle of Man were disturbed to realize one day that the breed was regressing.

The litters were becoming rarer; and in such or such a line the third generation of young would be rickety, and the fourth, 80 per cent of the time, born dead. A rival then came to the fore: The breeders got together, forming an association at once. This defence syndicate took up arms, and since then all the shows and national markets have displayed genuine, self-respecting Manxes - black, white, grey, striped, streaked or tabby, with the tail as it should be that is, completely non-existent.

Of hairless cats in addition to the lost Mexican hairless, these had occurred through mutation in France "It is true that completely naked cats also exist: Did the race of hairless cats actually exist in Mexico? Did it originate from the short-haired cats of Paraguay? Initially they have a covering of down, which falls out after the first week. Afterwards there is another growth of down, which lasts for two months: In its turn, this thin coat falls out during the next few weeks. When the cats have attained the age of six months, they are then, but then only, hairless cats, perfectly smooth-skinned.

That is a different matter. But should you be tempted to possess one, it would be useless to look for it on the market. There are no hairless cats professionally bred. They are simply a curiosity of creation. The Abyssinian Embassy is able to shed no light on the matter.

The Russian Blue

There are no Abyssinian cats on the shores of the Negus. But this is of no consequence. The breed so-called has so many qualities, so much beauty, such gentleness and charm, that it represents, in my humble opinion, the perfect cat […] a cat such as every household would want to own, if only the present-day breeders could succeed in producing them in large numbers, at reasonable prices. What if the Abyssinian did come to England straight from Africa in ?

Or what if he is really the offspring of a female cat of Kaffraria and a common alley-tom? What if this fact was established by Mr. Whether this newcomer in the feline firmament is the result of chance or of exceptional selection is of little importance. What is significant is that this cat revives forgotten characteristics, a combination of felicitous points that make of him, genuinely or accidentally, a kind of masterpiece.

We do know that it is impossible to predict, without the definite approval of experts as sincere as they are knowledgeable, if a male and female apparently belonging to this breed will definitely produce Abyssinian offspring. If only the breeders can resist the desire to breed him carelessly, just to meet the immediate demand, and so injuring the breed in commercializing it at short notice. Soderberg noted that the history of the British Shorthair could not be traced and that it was once believed to be the result of taming the once numerous indigenous wild cat [now called the Scottish Wildcat].

By it was generally accepted that the Romans had introduced the domestic cat and that it had interbred with the wild cat. In the Middle Ages, the British domestic cat was comparatively rare and highly valued, while the wild cat was much more numerous at that time. The wildcats were killed off [Soderberg did not mention the mongrelization of wildcats with the introduced domestic cat] and domestic shorthairs became more common though an interest in pedigree cats did not appear until the beginning of cat shows in the 19th Century.

The British Shorthair was considered a good animal for exhibition as it was placid, rarely perturbed by being penned or handled by a strange and easier to groom and prepare for exhibition than were Longhairs. In spite of this, British Shorthairs were less popular than other breeds meaning showy Longhairs and exotic-looking Siamese and less valuable.

Soderberg wrote that this was firstly because the British Shorthair was not being bred near to perfection, with breeders seeming content to go only so far to establish numerous different varieties, but not developing the varieties to an ideal form. Secondly, many breeders were disinclined to keep studs and without a number of good quality studs in each breed, progress was difficult or impossible.

In the s there was also the erroneous idea that there were no pedigree British cats and that there were so few British cats of good quality that there was no point in new breeders taking up the breeding of British Shorthairs. There are some which are literally only pedigree cats in the sense that they have been produced by parents different in breed, but each parent has a known ancestry. They may have been crossed with long-hairs, or even foreign short-hairs, and while in such cases the pedigree is known and may be registered, it cannot be considered sound for the particular variety.

The GCCF had a Supplementary Register for the registration of non-pedigree stock that could be used in such breeding programmes. A "reasonably good" queen should be mated to a stud of the same variety and which had been bred from sound stock. The best offspring should then be bred to other good studs of the same variety. It stands to reason that if one breed is crossed with another, it is very likely that the resulting kittens may not be typical of either breed, and this fact is particularly apparent in the crossing of the short-haired and long-haired breeds.

A short-hair cat should be a real short-hair and a long-hair cat a long-hair for both type and coat, and a combination of the two will not produce results which are satisfactory unless the fancier is prepared to undertake a great deal of experimental breeding over a period of years. Furthermore, he will not know what progress has been made, and when such an animal is sold, the buyer may later be dissatisfied, which will do a disservice to the breed, for it may be handicapping another breeder who is trying to raise good stock. The crossing of two breeds in some cases may occasionally be justified, but when it does take place it must always be regarded as experimental breeding, and this type of breeding is always best left to the fancier of long experience.

Soderberg went on to describe the British Shorthair as neither long-bodied like Siamese nor cobby like Longhairs. One of the chief failings was a head and nose that was too long. Coat type was evidently another failing at that time. Compared to the detailed descriptions of Longhairs, the descriptions of British Shorthairs were terse. Kittens tended to be brownish, making it hard to assess their quality.

Even when the correct coat colour was achieved, many blacks failed in eye colour, having green eyes rather than the mandated deep copper or orange.

The short-hair White was comparatively rare in spite of being no harder to breed than the other colours. The probable reasons for its comparative lack of popularity were deafness and the difficulty in keeping the coat clean. This British Short-hair Blue has also been crossed from time to time with the Siamese, which is another cat of foreign type, and here again the results have not been satisfactory.

The Russian Blue has a wedge-shaped head and green eyes, while the Siamese, which also has the wedge, has blue eyes. On the other hand, some breeders have crossed the British Short-hair Blue with the Blue Long-hair; a cross which is not to the disadvantage of head shape or eye colour of the short-hair, but there is a very great disadvantage in that the progeny carry a coat which is far too long. It is most important that the British Short-hair should have a coat which is, in fact, short.

A medium blue, with no unevenness or signs of markings, was required since extremes of shade detracted from the general appearance. Why this should be seems beyond any simple explanation. Years ago there were a considerable number of Creams, but the time came when it was almost impossible to find a eat of this variety at all. During recent years, however, a determined attempt has been made by a few breeders to produce this variety in greater numbers. The main risk of cream offspring from a tortoiseshell female was barring on the legs and a ringed tail, though Soderberg admitted that the risk was worth taking.

Easily Read Documents Online

The colour had to be a rich shade with no sign of redness, nor of white on any part of the coat. The allowing of an alternative colour must be a relic of the latitude which was essential in the early days when it was very difficult to produce cats of this body colour at all. This was a comparatively rare variety, but especially useful as they produced Black, Red and Tortie offspring. It is obvious that there must be some lethal factor connected with this particular coat pattern, although at present there is no certainty as to what this factor really is.

Black is, in fact, much more common than blue. From this it will follow that the resulting litter will probably contain kittens which are dissimilar in appearance with coats which may be broken for colour, or, on the other hand, they may be Selfs. In many cases there will not be a single Tortoiseshell in the family at all, and a litter exhibited a few years ago consisted of two Creams, one Blue and one Black, just, as it were, to prove this point.

Each patch must be distinct and of good size, and should contain no hairs of either of the other two colours, and certainly no white hairs. Any brindling of the colours, which often does occur, is a definite fault. The eye colour could be either orange, copper or hazel. In this variety also the patches must be solid, and no tabby markings should ever be seen on any part of the body. Apart from mentioning the importance of the correct pattern on a uniform background colour of rich sable or brown and lamenting the problem of scattered white hairs, the main comment on this variety was "the eye colour can be orange, hazel, deep yellow or even green.

Were there more cats of this variety, it is likely that the Standard would demand one eye colour alone. The true Red Tabby is a variety in its own right, and for show purposes must display distinct markings as well as a definite background colour. The required definition is more often than not spoiled by a blending of the shades so that the breeder who can produce a Red Tabby of real quality will have done something which is a great achievement.

Eye colour is hazel or orange. This variety was more popular than the brown tabby and easier to produce specimens with well-defined markings than in the red tabby. The real trouble is that so few breeders have taken up the Silver Tabby and have then persisted with it. Considerable success has been achieved with the shade and evenness of the ground colour, but most specimens still fail in both the density of markings and their correct placing. Very frequently indeed it will be found that an otherwise good specimen fails because of ugly ringing on the tail. As with all British Short-hairs, the eyes should be round and bold, but the colour in this variety must be green.

What is quite clear is that the first cats of this particular type which were definitely imported did, in fact, come from Russia. There is, however, not the slightest proof that they were ever bred deliberately in that country, or that they were ever anything other than just a Blue Short-hair, the result of natural breeding among household pets.

Whereas the Russian Blue had once been interbred with the British Blue for generic "Blue Shorthair" show classes to the detriment of both varieties, Soderberg noted that it was very different to the British shorthaired Blue. Undoubtedly very few cats of this particular type were ever imported, and those who were interested in them found it difficult to select suitable mates. Even its distinctive conformation was in danger of being lost due to crossbreeding. However, the breed does exist, at least by name, in this country, although it may have lost some of its essential characteristics, and there are a number of breeders who are doing their utmost to restore the true Russian type which is set out in the Standard, and which was established many years ago when the breed was much more typical.

Many Russian Blues still showed evidence of mixed ancestry in their eye colour which was too often tinged with yellow when it should have been pure green. Breeders were still trying to re-establish the original purity of eye colour. Ever since these countries have been able to produce cats of better type than have been shown in Britain. There is here a solution for British breeders, although it would present considerable difficulties, largely due to the problem of quarantine. To import several of these typical Russians from the Continent would have the result of improving our own stock.

In fact the only point on which Russian Blue cats were satisfactory was in coat colour! In their attempts to improve the conformation, breeders were crossbreeding Russian blues to other cats with the desired type: For the present, therefore, breeders will have to concentrate on selective breeding from the best Russian Blues available in this country as well as using any useful progeny from these foreign crosses.

Anyone who really wishes to be successful would be most unwise to cross out again to the British Blue, as has been done so often in the past, for the result of this method of breeding would only be to make the task of improvement even more difficult. On the other hand, there is at least one characteristic, with another which is not so obvious, which together make this variety very different from the normal type of British Short-hair, so that it is difficult to know how it should really be classified.

A Manx had a large, round head and, in comparison to the ordinary British Shorthair, the nose was longer and the cheeks more prominent, but the face should not tend to snipiness. Compared with the normal British cat, the ears of the Manx are wider at the base, and then taper upwards towards a point, but they should definitely not be rounded.

The outstanding feature of the Manx was its complete lack of tail and the hollow at the end of the spine where tail should have begun. Only the tailless cats were considered to be true Manx. If this practice is carried out generation after generation, the breeder will become convinced that this congenital lack of tail is also in some way allied to a lethal factor which causes many young kittens to die, some of them even before birth.

Russian Blue Magazine Breed Profiles

It has been noticed that this breed has never been prolific, but more intelligent methods of breeding in the future may produce results which are more satisfactory with regard to size of litters. Even when true Manx pairs are mated together, it is most unlikely that the resultant litter will contain all kittens without any vestige of a tail. Probably the best method to adopt in breeding Manx is to cross a true Manx with a Stumpy, for from this cross the litter is likely to be considerably larger as well as being more virile.

It is from a point just behind the nape of the neck that the back starts to rise, and the fact that this is the case means that the hind legs are longer than those in front. On a number of occasions it has been stated with apparent seriousness that this variety was, in fact, first produced by crossing a rabbit with a cat, but any such statements can be regarded as sheer nonsense. This means that it has a very thick but soft undercoat, and another thick coat of longer hairs as well.

Finally, gait, arising from the combination referred to in the opening sentence, is of primary importance. These days it would be penalised. The name originated undoubtedly from the fact that the first cat of this type was imported into England after the Abyssinian War, and actually from Abyssinia, by the wife of a serving officer.

The appearance of this cat was unusual, and attempts were made to create from it a breed which would show the essential characteristics of such a cat which was so obviously foreign. Many of the steps which were taken to achieve this object are now unknown, but it seems to be almost a certainty that the Abyssinian which we know to-day is the result of cross-breeding with the cats native to this country.

Such a breeding policy obviously has its disadvantages, for it must have been perfectly clear to those who saw the first Abyssinian that it was entirely different in type from the English native cat. One thing is certain, that the breed in its original form first came from the African continent, and one specimen at least from the Kingdom of Abyssinia. That is indeed very little information, but it will have to suffice. As there was no native breed in Abyssinia, this particular cat must have been one of the many varieties bound to occur among cats which breed indiscriminately among themselves, and when there is no attempt at scientific production of a particular shape or type.

It is also clear from illustrations in the British Museum and elsewhere that the type of the Abyssinian of to-day, or rather the type for which modern breeders strive, is very similar to that of cats which were known and used for various domestic purposes in Egypt as long ago as the Middle Kingdom, which runs back to some fifteen hundred years before. Since its introduction into this country, and from the time that attempts were made to turn it into a distinct breed, the Abyssinian cat has had a somewhat chequered history, for the simple reason that there were cats in existence in Britain which had ticked coats.

There were also other British cats which possessed the red colour which is an essential characteristic of the Abyssinian. No doubt some of these ticked British cats, which were known as Ticks or Bunny cats, when crossed with the rufous-coloured Abyssinian, maintained these two qualities, but unfortunately introduced a different type of bone structure, and this meant that the Abyssinian type was lost. As ticking and the red colour were unusual in combination, it followed that there were also added to the coat colours which were undesirable, and others removed which were required. Regardless of its origins, by the s, the Abyssinian should not to show any sign of crossbreeding with cats of British type i.

Its ticked colour was, however, its most prominent characteristic. Unfortunately, even to-day there are Abyssinians which show only single ticking, and when this is the case, it is almost certain that this type of hair is the result of a comparatively recent cross with some British cat in which there happened to be no ticking at all. The Abyssinian had plenty of interesting character traits as well.

Its paws are expressive in that they are used in various ways to show its feelings. It will clasp the person who is holding it with its paws almost as if in an embrace. It will feel objects first with the paws, whereas many another cat would investigate the object with its nose first.

With its paws, too, it has a most amusing habit of picking up small objects from the floor and conveying them to its mouth or nose for further, and much closer, investigation. In spite of this it remained a minority breed. For a time all ticked cats which had even the smallest drop of so-called Abyssinian blood in them seem to have been regarded as being Abyssinian and were shown as such.

These must have been critical days, and it was only by the efforts of a few enthusiasts that eventually the Abyssinian stood on its own as a cat which combined particular type, colour and markings, all three of which were equally important. By , many Abyssinians fell far below the official Standard. The small number of studs available at any one time made it hard to improve the breed especially as most of the studs apparently showed the very faults that breeders wanted to eliminate.

This resulted in extensive inbreeding perhaps the cause of the small litter size , but still no great improvement. Despite this fact, great progress has been made in the New World with British stock, and were it not for the fact that the quarantine laws make it so difficult to import stock from foreign countries into Britain, it would be possible to improve our own breed by using American-bred cats. As it is, probably many of the best cats produced in this country are, in fact, exported, but there is little possibility of new blood coming in.

In the last two decades the countries of continental Europe have also become interested in the Abyssinian, and in several of them very creditable specimens have been shown from time to time. The Standard demanded no bars or other markings except for a dark spine line permissible on otherwise good specimens. Unfortunately, outcrossing had introduced distinct tabby markings on the legs and tail. Breeders had done everything that they could think of to get rid of the dominant white chin and though they sometimes produced cats with colour chins, they had not managed ruddy brown chins.

There was no excuse for the white necklace, a narrow band or several bands, across the chest.

Unfortunately breeders have found that amongst the kittens born there is normally a preponderance of males, and this means that progress may not be as rapid as those fanciers who are attached to the breed would desire. By there were three distinct recognised varieties of Siamese: Soderberg noted that the distinctive Siamese, for a long time known as the Royal Cat of Siam, was actually from Siam, but "One point, however, must be made clear. It is that even in Siam this particular type was not common, and certainly could not in any way be regarded as the breed native to the country.

To-day the position is just the same, and visitors to Siam who expect to see Siamese cats roaming the streets will be disappointed, for there are far fewer Siamese there than there are in many European countries. Nevertheless, from the evidence that is available at present, it is almost certain that this strange mutation did first occur in Siam, or somewhere very near by, and not in the eastern steppes of Russia, no matter how interesting such a theory might be.

They were first shown at the Crystal Palace in and attracted enough attention that more were imported. Soderberg noted that Blue-Pointed Siamese, first bred in England in , had appeared in Siam at a considerably earlier period, "although if reports which have been handed down [in England] can be believed, this colour was regarded as being not only unusual but also unworthy of being retained.

However, there was really no adequate reason for this situation, as a Siamese called Prince of Siam was imported from Siam itself in , and it was undoubtedly this stud which had much to do with the appearance of the occasional Chocolate-Pointed variety in this country because he did, in fact, carry this colour modification. The conformation had changed greatly from the s. The early cats which came direct from Siam were much more round in head, and were certainly darker in coat.

As far as one can find out from the reports made at the time, all these early Siamese had kinked tails, and a few of them had tails which were not only kinked but were definitely deformed, and sometimes so short that the tail could be regarded as being almost a corkscrew or a mere stump. Any Siamese which showed the same quality of tail to-day would stand no chance of winning prizes at shows, for although a kink, provided that it is small and at the very tip of the tail, does not count as a disqualification, the tail must still be long and tapering.

It was found that they were unable to stand up to the English climate with its characteristic cold and damp. Hindsight suggests that the real culprit was severe inbreeding from a small number of imports; this would account for delicacy, immune problems and small litters. As more were imported and perhaps through some early outcrosses to short-hairs the Siamese became much hardier so that Soderberg could write "The Siamese has become so thoroughly acclimatized that it has, in fact, almost become a British cat.

Fortunately the lady often loses her voice after several days of continuous vocal effort. On the negative side, Soderberg noted that the Siamese was a bad patient and apt to become overwhelmingly depressed when ill, though this should not lead anyone to believe that Siamese cats were essentially delicate. Extra warmth was needed while rearing Siamese kittens and Soderberg warned that Siamese cats were liable to catch feline infectious enteritis. However, the assumption that Siamese cats could not get on well with other breeds was denied.

The problem was that Siamese cats were much more likely to express their resentment of newcomers rather than sulk quietly! Once they had taken a dislike to another animal, they were not likely to change that attitude, but careful introductions could prevent such problems arising. The Seal point Siamese had the best conformation though to some people "there seems to be a hint of quaintness". The head was to be wedge-shaped in profile and when viewed from the front, it should create an impression of a marten type of face.

This is a definite fault, and one which judges comment on frequently, so it is to be hoped that breeders will try to eradicate it. Coarseness and Siamese type should be almost a contradiction in terms. White toes were also a problem in the breed and would result in disqualification on the show-bench. Another problem was a kinked tail or a tail that was too thick at the point where it joined the body. A kink is, in fact, characteristic of many cats which come from the Orient, and all the first importations of Siamese had tails which showed this skeletal deformity.

To-day the majority of breeders prefer a tail which is straight to the very tip with not even the sllghtest hint of deformity. The official Standard, however, allows a slight kink, but it stipulates that this should only be at the very tip of the tail. Perhaps the best way of denoting a kink which can be regarded as permissible is that it should be one that can be felt but cannot be seen, but many a breeder would disagree with this easy definition.

Correct eye colour was another issue: Thus, it sometimes happens that cats with the most brilliant eye colour have dark coats and even pinched faces which spoil the general appearance. It is unfortunate, but it must be accepted as a fact, that there is a definite connexion between eye colour, colour of points and body colour. Thus, brilliant eye colour is likely to accompany dense points, but there is also the possibility that the coat will be darker than is considered desirable.

The loss of correct setting of the eye was a worry in the s: It was the conformation of the eye socket which produced the apparent slanting of the eye towards the nose. This Oriental type of eye is to-day much less commonly seen than was the case some twenty or thirty years ago, and it is definitely one of the physical characteristics upon which breeders should concentrate, for the bold, round-eyed Siamese loses its essentially foreign quality.

Although this is certainly not a disqualification, it is a blemish, and should be regarded as a fault. On a number of occasions it has decided between two cats which in other respects were equally good. The mask was first to develop, then the ears and tail became coloured. By eight weeks, all the points were coloured, but the colour was not the adult colour and the extent of colour was incomplete especially on the head. The front legs were last to acquire full colour, resulting in show reports on young adult Siamese that the "stocking are still too pale".

By , the coat quality was often too coarse in texture and lacked the required sheen; this was a problem when the cats developed their winter coat and a good reason for keeping them inside in the warmth so that they did not grow such a thick winter coat. They state that cats which are kept at the higher temperatures retain a lighter coat than those which are subjected to considerable cold. There may be some truth in this statement, but up to the present there seem to be no indisputable facts which could be regarded as real proof. Naturally this darkness and lack of contrast spoils the general impression created by such cats, and it is difficult for them to achieve success on the show bench.

The explanation for this, if it could be found, would be extremely interesting for those breeders who are also keen exhibitors, but this seems to be an individual idiosyncrasy which follows no known rule. As a result, the two were bred together and though this improved the conformation of the Blue-Point, the required glacial white body gave way to a fawn body and "it is not unusual to find that the tail again shows clear indications of Seal-Pointed blood.

How these rings first appeared is difficult to ascertain, but there is a distinct possibility that at some time in the history of this breed the Blue-Pointed Siamese may have been bred to a short-haired Blue cat with some tabby ancestry. The ringed tail is characteristic of cats which fall into the class of tabbies. Whether this theory is correct or not probably no one will ever know, but up to the present no one has been able to explain satisfactorily the original source of this unusual marking.

The newly recognised Chocolate-Pointed Siamese existed in small numbers due to earlier prejudices against them as being "bad Seal-Points". The point colour was being standardised at ivory with milk-chocolate points though there was a problem of the ears being too dark and the body being "old ivory" i. Outcrossing to Seal-Points or Blue-Points was not recommended. Another new colour variety being developed at that time in America was the Red-Pointed Siamese, called Red Conchas by one breeder, although Soderberg wrote "it is almost certain that eventually the name Red-Pointed Siamese will be used for this variety".

During the development of the Red-Point, the Tortoiseshell-Pointed Siamese was also produced, but very little work had been done with this colour, although some had been exhibited. Quite recently one breeder at least in Great Britain has produced cats of Siamese pattern in which the points are said to be lilac.

• Up for Grabs 2: None of the Above
• Uncertain Times: A Chief Investment Officers Journey
• Hochzeit ja, Liebe nein? (German Edition)
• The Text Beneath
• GENTE DEL ABISMO (Spanish Edition)
• The Ruthless Magnates Virgin Mistress (Mills & Boon Modern) (Virgin Brides, Arrogant Husbands, Book