Neva masquerade cats: description of the breed, features of the content

Today, rather outlandish reptiles, birds and animals can be found in human dwellings as pets. But cats in the house are most often brought up, due to which these pets are represented in a wide variety of breeds. Among the fairly young, but already popular, it is worth highlighting the Neva Masquerade cat, which has gained popularity all over the world in a fairly short time.

Man did not take part in the appearance of this breed of long-haired cats. The ancestors of the Neva Masquerade cats are individuals of the Siberian and Siamese breeds. As a result, the St. Petersburg cat took over from its parents a well-developed strong physique and a rather thick coat. Besides, the animal has inherited strong immunity.

From the Siamese breed, the pet received a predominant light coat color and a dark mask on the muzzle, which is reflected in the names of the cats. Also, Siamese cats passed on to their descendants a very beautiful blue color of the pupils, which, together with the features of the exterior, distinguishes cats from other varieties and breeds.

There is also a version that the Neva cat owes its origin to the Siberian aboriginal cats, crossed with the Persian color-point. That's why animals of this breed are sometimes called Siberian color-points. For the first time, cats with blue eyes and an unusual coat color were presented at the Leningrad exhibition in the late 90s, where it was given a very beautiful name - Neva Masquerade.

Animals of this breed are notable for such features as grace and strength. In addition, the breeders of the Neva cats characterize them on the positive side of their relatively calm disposition, resistance to many ailments. The fundamental characteristic of the breed is the absence of an allergic reaction in humans to animal hair. Siberian color points have practically no antigens in saliva, which are allergy provocateurs. This quality makes it possible to keep the Neva Masquerade cat in almost every family.

It is worth highlighting the basic standards of the exterior of these cats.

• Head. Males and cats of this breed have a massive trapezoidal skull. The forehead is sloping, with a smooth transition to the bridge of the nose. The chin does not protrude much, the cheeks are of medium size. Ears in animals are set wide, may have a slight slope to the muzzle. The presence of brushes is allowed on them. The eyes are rounded and slightly slanted, with an upper arched eyelid. The color of the pupils is blue, however, various shades of this color are allowed.

• The torso. Cats of this breed are among the largest in the world, since the animals are not far behind the famous giants among the representatives of the cat family - Maine Coons. The body has a large skeleton, the muscles are well developed. Equally strong in cats are the limbs, which together with the body visually form a regular triangle. The paws of cats are round in shape, the hair grows even between the toes. The tail is rather wide, rounded towards the end. The weight of Leningrad cats is about 5-6 kilograms, while males can weigh 2-3 kilograms more than females.

• Wool. The breed belongs to long-haired (smooth-haired representatives of this breed cannot be according to the standard). The wool of these animals is distinguished by the fact that it has dirt and water repellency from birth. In addition, tangles are almost never formed in the fur coat of Neva cats. In animals, there is a certain gradation that concerns the length of the coat. As a rule, it will be longer in the area of ​​the shoulder blades, and on the sides the coat is shorter and many times softer. The exterior of the cat is not devoid of decorations. They are presented with beautiful "pants" and a magnificent "collar". Animals have a double undercoat, the condition of which depends entirely on the season.

• The color of the cats. The breed is characterized by a very varied coat colors. The main and most popular are the following options.
  • Seal-point. Representatives of the feline family with this color are found most often. The animals have a light coat with dark spots centered on the ears, muzzle and tail.
  • Red-point. In this case, the gradation of shades involves the transition of light tones to reddish colors.
  • Blue-point... Animals with this color have a bluish coat.
  • Tortie-point. In this version of the coat color, only Neva cats are found.

Cats can have a silvery coat. According to the approved standards, the presence of white socks on the limbs is acceptable.

A Siberian color-point kitten is born completely white in the color of its coat. And the coat will acquire its final color under the influence of a thermosensitive gene, which will stain only the coldest areas on the body of the animal with a dark color.

As for the disposition of these animals, a pet living with a person demonstrates its balanced character, in addition, representatives of the feline family are very attached to their breeder from childhood. Moreover, cats get used not only to their habitat, but to their family members. Pets are social animals, however, their relationship with humans can be called partner, not slave. Therefore, in dealing with them it is required to avoid a familiar attitude, since the cat can be offended for quite a long time... Vengeance is not characteristic of this breed.

The breed has its own positive and negative characteristics. The advantages include the following characteristics.

• The popularity of animals is due to their attractive exterior. This applies not only to color, but also to the quality of the wool itself. Plus, cats and cats have a pretty pretty face.
• For keeping at home, the balanced disposition of representatives of the feline family is considered a very valuable advantage.
• Animals are characterized by developed intelligence.
• Despite the fact that the breed is in demand as an exhibition breed, in terms of grooming, the Neva Masquerade cats do not require any specific nuances of maintenance from the breeder.

Among the disadvantages of the breed are the following features:

• the high cost of pedigree kittens;
• Since the cat is not a shorthaired cat, more frequent cleaning will be required when keeping a pet at home.

Siberian color points, with good care, live with a person for about 10-15 years. Among the representatives of this breed, there are also long-livers, whose life cycle can exceed the established average values ​​by two times. Such features are inherent in cats due to innate strong immunity, due to which pets rarely get sick.

The main points regarding caring for a masquerade cat are similar to the nuances of keeping the rest of the feline family. The main emphasis in the process of caring for an animal should be on wool. Pets must be regularly combed out, for this you need a massage brush and a slicker, which are used depending on the season and the cat's molt. Also, for your pets, you will need to purchase special shampoos for long-haired cats.

As a rule, cats moult twice a year, it is necessary to bathe it no more than once every two months. Breeders of the Neva Masquerade cat should know that combing the tail of the animal is prohibited. This is due to the structure of the hairs, which can be very easily pulled out with careless movement. This will negatively affect the external characteristics of the pet.

Bathing cats in case of emergency. For hygiene procedures, a rubberized mat is placed on the bottom of the bath so that the animal is comfortable in the water. The bathtub should not be filled more than 10 centimeters.

To avoid water getting into the ears, they are usually temporarily covered with pieces of cotton wool. It is necessary to lather the animal twice, strictly in the direction of hair growth, you do not need to wet your head. After shampooing, the coat must be thoroughly rinsed with plain water.

In addition to the fur, grooming involves clipping the nails and cleaning the ears, eyes and teeth. Oral hygiene should be carried out using special pastes and a toothbrush. Eyes and ears can be cleaned with cotton pads dipped in boiled water. Ears are usually cleaned no more than once a month.To facilitate the removal of wax and debris from the ears, the breeder can purchase a special solution recommended for this purpose. You can also use a small amount of petroleum jelly, olive oil.

For eye care, in addition to water, a cotton swab can be moistened with tea leaves. In the process of cleansing, it is important to remove all excess accumulations from the corners so that they do not fall into the lacrimal canal. If there is a lot of discharge, the cat should be shown to the veterinarian.

The pet will need to trim its claws if the animal clings to the surface of furniture or carpets with their tips. In this case, they must be rounded; for this, the use of nail scissors is allowed. It is also recommended to shorten the claws before the exhibition if the house contains several pets that can injure each other during the game. Cutting them is allowed no more than 1-2 mm, and only the transparent part of the claw is subject to removal. These manipulations should be performed with extreme caution so as not to snag a live part.

As a recommended measure for keeping this breed of cats at home, it is worth highlighting walks with a pet in the fresh air. Animals are very eager and curious to spend their time on walks.

Also, Siberian color points have not lost their hunting instincts, they are characterized by good endurance and lightning-fast reaction. As the most suitable place for walking, it is worth considering a private area in the courtyard of a residential building, and balconies are also suitable for walking if the cat lives in an apartment.

If the owner does not plan to use the animal for further breeding, it would be most correct to castrate or sterilize your pet. This step will help to avoid unnecessary accidental mating of the animal with representatives of the feline family of other breeds.

In addition, such a decision will be beneficial for the pet's health, since unrealized natural instincts can provoke the development of serious diseases in him. Most often they are found in females. The optimal time for neutering cats is 8-9 months, cats are neutered a little later, usually closer to a year.

When keeping cats of this breed, it is also worth considering that the hairs that enter the stomach of the animal along with food cannot be digested. With a large accumulation of them, the so-called fur balls gradually form, they can cause serious eating disorders in pets. If the Neva cat is not able to get rid of them from time to time, then the breeder is advised to help the animal by making it vomit. For this, the animal is poured one spoonful of vegetable oil, for kittens the optimal dose will be a teaspoon.

Another feature of these animals is their refusal to go to a dirty litter box, therefore it is necessary to clean the container with cat's waste products regularly. To keep the animal's fur fresh as long as possible, it is recommended to select wood filler for the tray. This option will also be suitable in light of its characteristics to absorb bad odor well.

In order to avoid damage to upholstered furniture for cats, it is recommended to purchase several scratching posts, placing them in different corners of the dwelling. As toys for home color points, you can buy balls, a variety of teasers, feather options for fun for cats.

It is recommended to avoid sound or flashing products, as the animal can disturb the owner with them at night. In the absence of personal toys for a fancy dress kitten, he can use important things of his family members for these purposes.They can be wires, phone chargers, slippers, as well as dangerous items not intended for play.

These animals stand out for their large size, however, they are not at all prone to obesity. The best option for feeding animals is two meals a day. The norm for one meal will be 120-130 grams of food. It can be either premium dry food or natural food. Dry industrial food will be an excellent prophylactic agent that prevents the formation of tartar.

The main ingredients in a cat's diet are meat and offal. The priority will be rabbit, beef or poultry, which will become irreplaceable sources of protein. The liver of Neva cats should be offered occasionally, as it can provoke changes in coat color. The color is also influenced by seafood, so it is recommended that representatives of this breed do not give fish at all.

Fermented milk products should also be present in the diet of cats. It is better for animals to purchase foods with a minimum fat content. The priority is low-fat kefir, yogurt. Cats should also be offered raw and stewed vegetables, seasoned with a little vegetable oil.

The following are prohibited:

• fatty food;
• confectionery;
• pickles;
• spicy foods;
• food with dyes or other chemicals that can provoke an allergic reaction in the animal.

Neva Masquerade cats are not allowed to be crossed with animals of other breeds. It is recommended to look for a pair for your pet in advance. It is best to choose cats or cats for the subsequent production of offspring among animals from catteries that are serious about preserving the characteristics of purebred individuals.

Neva cats reach sexual maturity much earlier than representatives of other breeds of the cat family. Typically, an animal is considered sexually mature at 9 months of age. This is due to the specifics of the climatic conditions in which their ancestors were forced to live. Due to circumstances, Siberian cats had a high mortality rate, therefore, in order to preserve the population, maturation also occurred much earlier. Similar characteristics were passed on to their direct descendants.

Cats are best bred with an already more experienced partner. Pregnancy in these animals lasts 9 weeks. Cats of this breed have a well-developed maternal instinct, so all the care of the offspring can be safely entrusted to her.

According to the responses of breeders of pets of this breed, cats, when communicating with a person, demonstrate their docile disposition and affection. But if necessary, the animal is quite capable of giving a serious rebuff. After acquiring a kitten, special attention should be paid to its early training to the litter box, otherwise the owner may have serious problems, since cats can show some stubbornness.

Neva Masquerade Cat gets along well with small children, in some families she gets along well even with dogs.

For the features of this breed, see below.