Description and maintenance of blue Abyssinian cats
Cats are one of the most popular pets. There are many breeds of cats, they are bred both for the soul and for exhibitions and demonstrations. One of the representatives of this amazing breed is the blue Abyssinian cat.
Features of the color of the Abyssinians
The Abyssinian cat is one of the oldest cat breeds, according to some scientists, it was they who were bred in Ancient Egypt, calling them “radiant cats of the horizon”. This is in part due to their unusual coloration, which can be blue, brown, silver, purple, tortoiseshell, beige (fawn) and red (sorrel).
The fur of animals is even and smooth, fits snugly to the body and shines, they have no stripes, dots or spots either on the tail or on the paws. Each hair of the wool is dyed in a different tone of the same color from all sides. This type of color is called ticking and it is obtained because of the agouti gene that predominates in these cats. If you stroke a cat on the coat, you get one shade, against the grain - a shade of the same color will differ by tone, it will be either lighter or darker.
But at the same time, they are not born immediately with their particular color, but acquire it only in the second year of life. Initially, kittens have a dull and weak color, and only over time does it acquire its brightness and saturation.
Abyssinian blue female
The blue color of the coat is present in almost all breeds of cats. If the cat in generations had black relatives, then sooner or later the subsequent offspring will acquire a blue color. The blue color in Abyssinian cats was officially recognized in 1984.
Unlike the coat of other colors of this breed, the blue color has the most visible contrast and its own characteristics.
- Cats should not have bleached undercoats.
- Along the spine there is a pronounced, in contrast to the whole body, a blue stripe.
- On the belly, chest, chin and legs, the undercoat has a lighter shade. It can be apricot, beige, light brown, or cream.
- On the back, head and tail, the coat is gray-blue.
- The nose can be brown or blue-gray. Eye color is acceptable from copper to green; cats with golden or hazel eyes are also found.
Keeping kittens
When you acquire any animal, before you bring it into the house, you need to prepare everything you need. This will allow you to avoid any unpleasant moments, and the animal will more easily endure the stress of moving and adapting to a new place.
They start selling Abyssinian kittens from an early age, a little over two months. But it's better to wait a little and get a kitten that is at least four months old.
When buying a kitten, you need to look at it carefully and take into account all the points:
- the coat must be clean and even;
- eyes are clear, most often emerald or amber, without "tears" or any clusters around them;
- the ears are clean, like the whole body, without any rashes.
One of the main conditions for keeping Abyssinian cats is company. Loneliness is hard for them. If you are not at home all day, then it is better to have two kittens at once.
There are other features in the maintenance and care of them.
- Nutrition. Animals can eat both conventional foods and specialized feeds. In any case, you need to make the kittens' nutrition varied and complete. Starting at ten months, they are gradually transferred to an adult diet. If you decide to feed your cat special foods, then they should be premium. Experienced breeders will advise you on the manufacturer and brand of feed. They already include vitamin and mineral supplements and amino acids.
The food should always be in the animal's bowl so that the cat does not gorge itself "for future use." And, of course, the animal should always have clean water in the second bowl. Giving preference to natural products, you need to diversify their diet as much as possible and draw up a kind of menu for every day.
It is important to ensure that foods that are prohibited for feline health are not included in the diet. Prohibited foods include: fatty lamb and pork, sausages and smoked meats, legumes and potatoes, medicines and vitamins intended for humans. Of course, everything sweet should be excluded.
- Toilet. When purchasing kittens in nurseries or from experienced breeders, you will be given a little toilet filler with you, to which the kitten is accustomed. If you want to change it to another brand, you need to do it gradually, otherwise the kitten may stop going to an unusual tray altogether. Cats of this breed are clean, the litter box needs to be cleaned daily or purchased a second one for replacement.
- Caring for the kitten's appearance. Due to the fact that kittens have short hair, it is enough to comb it out no more than once a week. You need to wash your kitten only as needed and with special shampoos. The ears clean only the visible areas, without penetrating the inside of the ear. They should be cleaned with cotton pads dipped in ear cleaning solution. It is better not to touch the eyes of the animal, the kitten must learn to wash itself. The claws are trimmed once every two weeks and only the tips. Every year, kittens need to be vaccinated against infectious diseases.
The Abyssinian cat breed is one of the most expensive to buy and to maintain. The price of one kitten can be from 15 to 70 thousand rubles, depending on the pedigree, color and reputation of the seller. Therefore, before purchasing these cats, think again - if you can keep them and provide them with everything they need.
In the next video, see the description and features of the content of Abyssinian cats.
