Snow Shu - a description of the breed and character of the cat

The snow cat shawl, or Snowshoe (in English) is quite rare and unpredictable. This unpredictability is expressed in color, which cannot be predicted even by experienced breeders. Although this breed has strict standards. Therefore, breeding Snowshoe cats is the same thing as playing Russian roulette.

The name of the breed is translated as "snow slipper". This is the main feature of cats, which are combined into a separate species. The typical features of a typical Snow Shu is a mixture of white shoes or socks, which they took from the American shorthair. And also the color of the coat and blue eyes - like a Siamese cat. In addition, they are endowed with long legs and a peculiar character.

A prominent representative of this breed is a cat that is not unknown on the Internet, and is nicknamed The Grumpy Cat. A cat with a gloomy face won the hearts of cat lovers.But his expression faces, rather, an exception than a rule. But what can be said for sure is that at least one of his descendants was Snow-shu.

Breed history

It was this woman who gave the name to the breed, and also for the first time showed animals to a wide range. But, unfortunately, at the first exhibition, cats did not recognize that they had discouraged the breeder's desire to continue to engage in the development of this species. The recognition of the representatives of the Snow Shu received thanks to Vicky Olander. That she was able to justify the standards of the breed.And in 1974, the Snow-Shu breed received recognition and was named experimental.

Then the cats are not yet popular, which led to the fact that in the 77th year, this breeder was the only one who was engaged in breeding the breed in all states. But she still managed to achieve the status of a champion, even though she had to wait 6 years for that.

Characteristics of snow shu

Cats are relatively more females, so their weight can be as much as six kilograms, and the usual weight of a cat does not exceed four kilograms.

Description of breed standards, according to TICA:

1. The shape of the head of the Snowshoe cat is wedge-shaped, more like an inverted triangle with equal hips. The reason for this is the high cheekbones and smooth contours of the muzzle.
2. The ears of the animal are not very wide at their base, their ends are slightly rounded. The size of the ears is proportional to the body of the cat.
3. The nose is also medium in size, with the same average width. When viewed in profile, the forehead with the nose are connected by a smooth line. Sometimes there can be a crook on the nose.
4. The shape of the eyes in the form of an oval, the eyes of Snowshoe are expressive, but not convex. The color is mostly blue, but by the standards shades of blue are allowed.
5. The body of the animal is powerful, but proportional.
6. The tail is of medium length, by the end it is narrowed.
7. The coat is rather smooth, its length is medium or short.

Color

Typical snow shu cats are Siamese-colored animals. These include tortoiseshell, as well as silpoint with bluepoint. Snowshoe colors of another kind are quite difficult to derive.

Some compare these cats with pandas because of their color. And this is no accident, because they, like the pandas, have dark spots around the eyes or on the head. Pigmentation is also present on the hips and shoulders.

A characteristic Breed of Snowshoe is the inverted “V” on the muzzle. Well, the snow-white socks, or, as they are called, shoes. These are the main characteristics of color that distinguish these cats from others. But talking about the color of the coat from birth is not worth it, because their color is fully formed only by two years. And at birth, animals have a white coat color.

Cats pads, as well as the nose at Snowshoe may be different. There are individuals with a pink nose and pads, as well as their color is spotty, and in the same wool.

If the cat has a long coat, or it has no white socks, or the eyes are not blue, then this representative does not belong to the breed.

Animal character

Owners of this unique color have the same unusual character.Their activity can be envied, but, besides this, they are very curious. Despite the fact that their descendants are blatant Siamese, their voice is not at all disgusting, but, on the contrary, is melodic. Although there are individuals silent at all.

Most of the representatives of Snow Shu quickly go to the contact. They are quite sociable. They love their master, and go after him everywhere. In addition to the owner and other people, cats like to communicate with other cats. They will also get along well with the dog, and learn tricks with it.

To understand whether to buy a cat of this breed, it is worth answering some questions for yourself. Will you be able to devote time to the animal, and not leave the animal for a long time at home itself? If the answer is yes, then this breed is a suitable option. Well, if there are children in the family, because they always remain in awe of the playful cats.

Fact! These animals are very fond of water, as well as swim, so the process of swimming will not cause stress to either the cat or the owner.

Care and maintenance

1. In order to maintain the health of the animal and the beauty, the owner must clean the coat by combing.You can perform this procedure no more than two times a week. This will be enough, especially since the cat's hair is short, and this will not create problems.
2. Do not forget about the ears - they also need to be cleaned with cotton buds. It is necessary to do it by necessity.
3. In addition to ears, you need to pay attention to the teeth. This representative needs to clean them to avoid periodontitis. If the owner does not know how to do it correctly, or is afraid to harm the animal, the solution to the problem can be a trip to a veterinary clinic, where everything will be done as needed. In this case, you need to go to the vet at least once a month. But, besides this, a special balanced food, or the use of vitamins, will help to maintain teeth in excellent condition.

Health

Representatives of Snow Shu are quite healthy. The only thing that can cause a disease is a genetic predisposition. This is often found in mixed breeds. From Siamese cats and cats, squint can be inherited, which is quite common among them. Snow-shu can also get a tail break.But neither the first nor the second diseases have a strong threat to the health of the animal.

Good health increases the lifespan of a cat, which on average lasts from 14 to 19 years.

The cost of a snow-shu cat

The average price for a kitten is 15 000 rubles, well, or 6000 hryvnia, if we talk about prices in Ukraine. An animal from a high class can reach a price of 90,000 rubles, or 38,000 hryvnia.

Where to get snow shu

It is worth noting that after the popularity of such a character as the Sullen Cat on the Internet, interest in the representatives of this breed also increased. And the breeding of cats took a large number of people. But, despite its popularity, it is almost impossible to find Snow-Shu in Ukraine or Belarus. After all, neither in Kiev nor in Minsk there are no such nurseries.The only place where you can buy, as the breeders say, a purebred pet, is the city of Moscow, the nursery "Snow Angel".

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