Creating his famous fairy tale about a cat that walked on its own, Rudyard Kipling, obviously, had in mind a pet of the Nibelung breed. And although a lot of time has passed from writing the famous essay to the appearance of this cat-like species, the Nibelung is one of those with a Nordic character and absolute independence.
Breed history
The homeland of the Nibelung cat is considered to be the state of Colorado in the USA. In the 80s of the last century, a Denver resident, Cora Cobb, decided to make her son happy and give him a short-haired cat of a tar-black color. Not far from Kobbov there lived a magnificent cat of Russian blue breed. Matured, Mrs. Korra's pussy fell in love with a mustached neighbor, which resulted in a litter of five charming babies, four of whom had short hair. The fifth, later called Siegfried, stood out among his siblings with long fur and a light shade.
After some time, the relationship between the neighbors was repeated, and several heirs appeared, among whom a pet with distinctive features again appeared. This time it was a cat that Mrs. Cobb decided to call Brungilda. Despite the fact that Siegfried and Brünnhilde were siblings, Cora decided to conduct a kind of experiment. She was extremely interested in the result of the breeding of two cats, which were distinguished by unusual beauty. In due time, in 1986, the darling of the American gave birth to three dynasty gray children. Subsequently, the kittens were brought together with relatives of the Russian blue breed. So in 1987, the Nibelungs appeared, named romantic Mrs. Kora in honor of her favorite work. In addition, the German translation of the word means "Creation of the fog." Indeed, the photo of Nibelung cats reflects gray and blue-haired wool, the shade of which is so reminiscent of a romantic natural phenomenon. Ten years later, the breed was officially included in the international WCF and CFF systems. And since 1997, this species has champion status.
Today there are only a few nurseries breeding Nibelungs. Despite the official recognition of the breed, some breeders do not distinguish it in a separate form. Nevertheless, the popularity of such pets is growing steadily every year. In the article you can see photos of the Nibelungs. These cats are truly beautiful!
Breed description
A characteristic feature that distinguishes the Nibelung from its Russian blue ancestor is the length of the coat. Unlike the Russian beauty, a native of Colorado has thick, medium-sized fur. A thin, soft and silky fur coat captivates the eye with its color. Nibelungs are cats with the obligatory monophonic light gray color. The effect of flickering of the fur occurs due to a lighter shade at the tips of the villi.
The eyes of the breed are always emerald, although kittens may initially have yellow ones.
WCF standard
The World Cat Federation (WCF) has created a description of the cat breed. A Nibelung must possess:
- A muscular, slightly elongated body of medium size.
- Delicate and flexible neck.
- Long legs with oval pads.
- Long tail with a rounded tip.
- Medium wedge-shaped head, straight nose, flat forehead and strong chin.
- Big ears with pointed tips. The ears of the animal are slightly inclined forward and appear transparent due to the weak edge of the inside.
- The eyes of the Nibelun are oval and intense green. In some cases, amber is allowed.
- The breed has a soft silky coat with a slightly pronounced collar and "panties". Color monophonic light gray or bluish with silver shimmer.
- The nose is painted under the main fur, and the paw pads are gray-pink.
Any deviations from the standard are considered defects in the breed.
Nibelung cat character
Having brought for the first time a kitten of this breed to the house, you need to give him a little time to master. Conservatives by nature, Nibelungs, should get used to the new environment longer than their relatives. But having mastered, the pet will show all its advantages. And there are a lot of them.
The nature of the cats of this breed is flexible and good-natured. Of these, you can literally twist the rope. Therefore, Nibelungs are an ideal choice for families with small children.
"Children of the Fog" Monogamous. Having chosen one of the family members as his beloved master, he becomes his faithful friend and ally. All other relatives are perceived by the pet as good old neighbors. With their absolute affection, the Nibelungs manage to be unobtrusive and not bother once again to their skin.
Leaving pets for a long time alone is not recommended. Creations of the Fog cannot stand loneliness. Staying at home as the owner, the animal can do unacceptable things: use the owner’s objects for other purposes, go hungry, and even go to the toilet in the wrong place. This behavior is not the whims of the Nibelung, but the desire to attract attention. If, due to circumstances, the cat is forced to stay indoors for a long time alone, it is advisable to have two pets at once.
To feel comfortable, Nibelung does not require a lot of space. A small apartment or a small country house is enough for him.
Unlike the congeners, the Nibelungs meow quietly and melodiously. Maybe that's why cats can not stand harsh sounds and noise. Family scandals and tantrums are best forgotten forever. Otherwise, the cat will grow frightened and nervous.
Care Features
Since the main advantage of the Nibelungs is their luxurious wool, it requires almost daily maintenance.
To comb and untangle strands, you need several combs. Massage and two-level with a special coating of brushes will facilitate the maintenance of cat fur in tidiness. Also for cat hygiene, you need to purchase special shampoos, towels, scissors for cutting claws.
Bathing Nibelungs is not often recommended. It is advisable to carry out water procedures no more than once every six months. At the same time, you should not lather your head, because water can get into your ears, and the animal will suffer from otitis media. When bathing your pet, you should use a neutral shampoo to avoid staining the fur in pink or green.
Ears should be cleaned with a cotton pad or ear stick using a special tool. For lack of such a substance, you can use petroleum jelly.
It is recommended to trim the claws by a specialist, since at home you can damage the capillaries inside the horny processes and thereby cause pain to the animal. But if the owner is confident in their abilities, the claws can be processed independently. For this, the ends should be cut with special clippers parallel to the body. This procedure can be carried out no more than once a month or as claws grow.
Another property of the Nibelungs is their emerald eyes. They also require special, but simple care. It will be enough to wipe them every day with a disc dipped in tea leaves - and the pet’s eyes will sparkle like gems.
Nibelung cat feeding
In general, the feeding of an animal of this breed practically does not differ from the nutrition of its relatives. Nevertheless, experienced veterinarians advise you to adhere to a diet of natural products.
A pet needs food rich in vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances. The daily diet should include meat or fish, vegetables and fermented milk products. However, food should not consist of buckwheat, liver, carrots and iodine-containing feed. Otherwise, the animal risks losing its luxurious bluish color.
How to play with a kitten
The description of the Nibelung cats includes not only a listing of the pet's external data, but also instructions regarding their nature, habits and habits. Along with complaisance, the animal also has friendly playfulness. Opponent of loneliness, the pet prefers collective games with his beloved master. However, with the latter being extremely busy, the kitten will happily spend time with his pets.
The best toys for the Nibelung are claws, ping-pong balls, fabric bows, ropes, laces.
To make it more interesting for the kitten to spend his leisure time, you can build him a kind of puzzle - put a small ball in a medium-sized box. The animal will spend hours enthusiastically removing the pellet from the container.
Another entertaining fun will be an ordinary package. A kitten can use it in different ways - to hide in it, pull small objects out of it, and just chase a bag around the room.
Pet shops often sell environmental toy mice. Soft, flexible, they will appeal to the pet and will give the owner the opportunity to go about their business while the animal is passionate about the game.
Breed health
Nibelungs have excellent health. However, you should avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, hypothermia or overheating of the pet.
As a prophylaxis, timely vaccination against viral infections and rabies, as well as getting rid of helminths, is recommended. Simple prevention can be carried out at home, it is not necessary to go to the veterinary clinic.
All other possible ailments need to be treated, as in cats of other breeds. If there are disturbing symptoms, you must seek the advice of a veterinarian and subsequently adhere to his recommendations.
Kitten Tips
Almost all Nibelung kittens are born with yellow eyes. By two or three months, yellowness gradually disappears, giving way to an emerald green color.
When choosing a pet, you should not be afraid of ghostly stripes on the wool. Over time, they will disappear, and the fur will acquire a noble foggy hue.
Since almost all Nibelungs have a complaisant character, you should choose a pet solely at the behest of the heart.