Cats are one of the most popular pets. The whole Internet is full of photos of pretty faces. Someone prefers thoroughbred cats, someone picks up furry friends on the street and does not attach importance to their origin. Those who want to buy a thoroughbred cat or cat, just need to get acquainted with the different breeds of these animals. Some are confused by the similarities between the two breeds - the British and the Scottish. What is the difference? What is the difference between Scottish and British cats ? Sometimes on specialized sites and in newspapers you can find an advertisement for the sale of a British fold kitten. Is this possible?
Classification of cat breeds by coat length
At this time, there are a huge number of cat breeds. There are about 70 of them. You can classify them according to different criteria. For example, a very important attribute is the length of the coat. A lot of breeds belong to long-haired and half-long-haired, the most famous - Siberian, Persian. These cats are very beautiful, but this beauty carries with it its inconvenience. If the owners are not ready to constantly comb the pet and collect wool from things and furniture, then these breeds will not suit them. Shorthair cats, of course, also often molt, but caring for them is still easier. Many of these breeds have a nice plush texture. This is especially true for British cats. Scottish are also short-haired.
Body types
According to the type of physique, if a rather rough and simplified division is carried out, two main types can be distinguished: with a massive body and a round head and with a middle body and a wedge-shaped head. If you divide the body types more thoroughly, then there will be three - strong, medium and slender. British cats belong to animals with a strong physique and a round muzzle. Scottish are similar to them, although they look a little lighter and more elegant. Strong and round-faced cats are more associated with coziness, a soft toy, but at the same time they give the impression of strength and fitness for the cold, and slender and wedge-shaped muzzles are the embodiment of grace and grace.
Ear shape
What is the difference between Scottish and British cats? The answer is obvious. The main difference between British and Scottish cats is the shape of the ears. Representatives of the second breed have an unusual shape of the ears - they are small and bent down. Where did this feature come from? About 50 years ago, a British cat Susie with a peculiar mutation was born in Scotland. Her bent ears looked very nice, but still people perceived this as a defect. And she would have lived in obscurity, if in 1959 the spouses William and Mary Ross did not show interest in her. When the cat gave birth to kittens, they acquired the kitten Snux, which possessed the same feature. Having crossed it with a purebred cat, they got fold kittens, which became the founders of the new breed. It was not easy to breed. At first, breeders thought only of an interesting external feature, and the health of cats was of little interest to them. Therefore, many kittens were born with serious defects. So far, many buyers care about whether Scottish cats are healthy. Does the shape of the ears, for example, affect hearing?
Important prohibition
Currently, the features of the breed are well studied. There are also rules for the breeding of lop-eared cats. For example, you cannot mix fold with fold. In this case, kittens have hereditary pathologies. One of the parents should have the usual straight ears. Therefore, both lop-eared and erect kittens are born in the litter. The former are called Scottish Fold, the latter are called Scottish Fold.
It's really no wonder to get confused! After all, this breed takes its roots from British cats. How then to distinguish between the British and the straight? Can straight-up Scots be considered identical to British cats? Not. Although only a few decades have passed, these two breeds have accumulated other differences.
British cats
The British blue cat, of course, does not have a heavenly skin. Her color is still gray. It is called blue, probably because one of the cat specialists saw a bluish tint in it. The description of the British cat suggests solidity and solidity. These animals have a massive, dense body and a wide round head. This physique, combined with plush wool, gives them the look of a soft toy that you want to squeeze. But be careful. The nature of these cats is different. Aristocracy is always inherent in them, and they always know their worth. Therefore, such a pussy can be both soft and affectionate, and wayward and give out only small portions of attention to the owners. Much depends on the upbringing of the kitten.
The colors of British cats are different. In addition to the classic gray cats, there are, for example, red and striped.
British kittens are born with blue eyes. Only by 4-5 months their eyes acquire a characteristic color, and it is fixed only by the year. Against the background of a gray skin, amber-yellow eyes look bright. True, this is not the only possible description of a British cat. There are their eyes and a different color. It depends on the coat color. For example, white Britons have eyes that are either blue, or golden, or even green. This breed has developed sexual dimorphism - cats are noticeably larger than cats, they are more muscular and even have differences in the shape of their faces. Cats, despite their large physique, are smaller and more elegant than cats, and even have a softer expression on their faces and neat features.
Scottish cats
An interesting fact is that Scottish cats do not immediately acquire their characteristic trait. All kittens with ordinary straight ears are born. Only on the 21st day, about half of the kittens bend, and then it becomes clear who folds and who is straight. What is the description of a scottish cat? Thanks to the ears almost invisible among the hair, these cats resemble owls. The structure of the muzzle also has this. It is round with a well-developed chin and distinctive mustache pads. And the Scots eyes are really owl - round, wide open, always golden yellow.
Physique differences
Differences between British and Scottish cats are also in their physique. Scottish cats are lighter and more elegant, their body is more elongated. Moreover, their chest has a more rounded and smooth shape. The head has a more rounded shape. And what is the difference between Scottish cats and British? Representatives of the first breed have shorter and more rounded paws, due to which they also look more squat. The average weight of the Scots is low. A cat weighs from 3 to 3.5 kg, a cat - from 4 to 5 kg. The British are usually larger. As the owners notice, taking a pet in their arms, these cats are quite heavy. For example, an adult cat can weigh from 5 to 8 kg. It should be borne in mind that sterilized and neutered animals can weigh more than average, because their hormonal system changes. What does not stop them from surviving to a very old age with proper nutrition and care.
Tails and eyes
Let's continue the comparison of British and Scottish cats. The attentive eye of a cat lover may notice other differences between these breeds. What is the difference between Scottish cats and British cats except for the shape of their ears and physique? The British have a short and thick tail "carrot", that is, narrowed to the end. Their eyes are color dependent. The Scots have always the same eyes - golden. The tail is usually flexible, of medium length and thickness. The shape of the muzzle may also differ. For example, the British often have very wide, large cheeks, as if hanging over their shoulders.
The structure of the wool also varies. The British have a dense "plush" coat, the Scots have a soft coat, but can not boast of such a thick coat. Their coat is more loose. The colors of British and Scottish cats are very diverse at the moment, so they can hardly serve as a hallmark.
True, these breeds are still too similar to each other. Sometimes it’s only a specialist can understand how Scottish cats differ from British cats. And it is important for buyers to carefully study the pedigree of cats and figure out which breed their parents belonged to.
Character
What is the difference between Scottish and British cats in terms of character and behavior? British cats do not like noisy games with children. They prefer gentle stroking, and even when they are in the mood. The British periodically need privacy. Therefore, if the family has small children, a Scottish cat would be a more suitable option. Their character allows you to play with your child for a long time. They are calm and not prone to aggression. When the cat is not configured for games and affection, she, most likely, will not bite and scratch, but simply retire to a safe corner.
Special habits
Another interesting difference is the Scottish cat’s habit of standing upright. This pose, in which the cat resembles a meerkat, serves a very important purpose - this is how the Scots straighten the spine. In addition, these cats love to sit on the pope. For other breeds this is not characteristic. Another “trick” of Scottish cats is fear of heights. Do not be surprised that the pussy does not climb on the nightstands and cabinets. This is characteristic of the breed and is also associated with the structure of the musculoskeletal system of these cats. But you should not be scared, because these animals feel great, and they have no health problems. But the British like to watch what is happening from above and often climb higher.
Crossbreeding
What will the cross between a British and Scottish cat look like? It must be understood that crossbreeding of the British and Scots is prohibited. At first, they were regularly crossed - the British diluted the “fold” genes, preventing developmental anomalies from appearing. But over time, two separate breeds were identified. Scottish Straight were recognized as different from the British, and it is these cats that perfectly mate with the fold. Straight-eared Scots also carry the lop-eared gene. Why is this important? Modern standards for the breed have become stricter. Initially, these cats had ears only slightly tilted forward. At the moment, it is required that they fit as close to the head as possible and have folds. After all, “fold” in English is a fold! Crossing with the British leads to the fact that the ears are too large and quite noticeably leave the head. But this is not the biggest problem. Lightweight, compared with the British ancestors, the skeleton of the Scots serves an important purpose. The shape of the ears of these cats is due to a mutation in the cartilage tissue. With light bones, these cats do not suffer from their mutations at all, but a more massive complexion of Britons can provoke anomalies in them. In addition, the erosion of the boundaries of the rocks simply does not make sense.
And the question of whether a fold cat is a British or Scottish breed, the answer is obvious. There are no British fold cats, and British fold ads are simply illiterate. This feature is unique to Scots.
Pet choice
Which cat to choose: British or Scottish? It all depends on the preferences of the owners. For a noisy family with children, a Scot is more suitable, but these active animals are demanding attention from the owner. Therefore, if everyone works in the family and is absent for a long time, this way of life will appeal to the British more. Well, and most importantly - listen to your heart. Sometimes one kitten can conquer with its charm so that all the logical arguments fade into the background. The main thing here is to remain responsible and soberly assess your capabilities: can you provide the animal with suitable conditions.
Which cats are better: British or Scottish? There is no single answer to this question. Indeed, “better” or “worse” are subjective concepts. The main thing is to carefully approach the choice of the animal, study its pedigree and exclude the presence of genetic anomalies, especially when it comes to Scottish cats.