Thai cat

History of the Thai cat breed

In the National Library of Bangkok there is a manuscript "Book of poems about cats" dating from the XIV-XV centuries, in which for the first time a breed similar to the modern one is mentioned in writing.

It was believed that Vichien Mae (as Thai cats are called in ancient manuscripts) lived only in royal palaces and Buddhist temples. The four-legged guards protected the chambers not only from evil spirits, but also from very real mice, rats and snakes, whose bites were not dangerous for cats because of the special properties of the skin: density, elasticity, a minimum number of blood vessels and nerve endings, which reduced the pain threshold and prevented the spread of infection through the body. Cats with such outstanding features were carefully protected from outsiders. It was strictly forbidden to export animals outside the Kingdom of Siam, Such an attitude towards Thais was the reason that they first appeared on the European continent only towards the end of the XIX century.

According to the official version, the first two cats of this breed were presented by the King of Thailand to the representative of the British diplomatic mission Owen Gould as a sign of the highest mercy. Animals of unusual color made a splash in the capital of the British Empire. Upon learning of this success, the ruler of Siam Chilalongkorn sent several dozen purebred royal cats as a gift to high-ranking persons of the British court. From that moment, the purposeful breeding of the breed in Europe began.

In 1892, the first official breed standard "royal Siamese cat" was defined. If you look through the records about Thais of those times in the breeding book of the "Northern Cat Club" (NCC), you can find the entry: "the breeder is the king of Siam."

The popularity of the breed grew rapidly and reached its peak in America and Europe by the second half of the 20th century.

The appearance of siamese cats in Russia. Breeding of the breed on the territory of the former USSR was practically not controlled, which led to its widespread distribution throughout the country. At the first exhibitions in Moscow and Leningrad, the animals were exhibited in the category "newcomers" under the name "Old Siamese cat".

In 1988, the president of the WCF (World Cat Federation), Anna-Lisa Hackman, after evaluating the cats presented at Russian exhibitions, decided to create a new breed of "Thai cat". For the first time, the current standard was described in 1990, and registered by WCF in 1991.

Surprisingly, it turned out that the traditional Thai cat (despite the name) turned out to be an aboriginal Russian breed.

Not so long ago, some twenty years ago, representatives of the breed were very popular. Gradually they began to be displaced Persians , british , sophisticated Siamese of European breeding. However, there are still many connoisseurs of these magnificent animals who will do everything so that the magical blue-eyed cats will not be forgotten.

Video: Thai Cat

Appearance of a Thai cat

Approved in 1991, the standard is currently under revision, so the breed is considered open. This means that any animal similar in phenotype to a Thai cat can be attributed to the number of representatives. To confirm such affiliation, it is necessary to have two signatures of experts in the registration documents. Such animals are allowed for official breeding.

Head

Rounded, without pronounced angularity and flat fragments. The forehead is moderately convex, the transition to the nose is clearly marked and is level with the eyes, in no case below the conditional horizontal line passing along the level of the lower eyelid. Stop is not observed. The muzzle is clearly marked, the cheeks are round, in adult animals clearly pronounced. Excessive plumpness is considered a disadvantage. Nose of medium length, straight.

Eyes

Thai cats have slightly slanted eyes (almond or lemon shapes), large. The color of the iris is from sky blue to blue. A rich shade is valued higher. Round or excessively slanted eyes reduce experts' estimates.

Ears

Thai ears are medium, with a wide base and rounded tips. On the head are widely spaced. A slight multidirection is characteristic.

Neck

Length – closer to short. It is preferable for a cat to have a short neck.

Torso

The body of a Thai cat is dense, muscular, but not massive. The chest is wide enough.

Legs and paws

Limbs of medium length, proportional to the size of the trunk. Strong, muscular. Paws are rounded, small.

Tail

Thick at the base, slightly pointed at the tip. Not long.

Wool

The coat of a Thai cat is thin, short, smooth to the touch, well–fitting to the skin, but not "flat". The undercoat is practically absent.

Color

The determining factor of the breed phenotype is the acromelanic color, when individual parts of a generally light animal have a contrasting dark shade (in the case of a Thai cat – paws, muzzle and tail). The gamma of the basic tone assumes the corresponding colors of the mask, limbs. Dark hair on other parts of the animal's body, as well as visible light hairs or light spots on the points, is a disqualifying factor.

Thai cat photo

Character of Thai cat

Ancient origin and special history of relationships Siamese cats and humans have left their mark on the character of the representatives of this breed.

Thai cat is a real intellectual of the cat world. And it's not just the cleanliness that is traditional for these animals – many fluffy pets surprisingly quickly understand the essence of certain plumbing fixtures and begin to use them for their intended purpose, bypassing the traditional tray. And it's not even that a Thai cat is an ideal object for training. The ability of an animal to understand people can be considered amazing. Many believe that they received this skill from the monks of Siam. Getting into your house, she will accurately identify the dominant member of the family and with royal condescension will enroll him in her favorites. This will not negatively affect relations with other household members, but she will only wait and miss her "chosen one".

Thais are very fond of chatting. And they do it with pleasure if they just want to maintain a friendly conversation, or if necessary, if they need to prove something and explain to the owner. The variety of intonations and sounds perfectly characterizes the condition of your pet – he will come to thank you for a delicious lunch or express his displeasure with a long absence. At the same time, the Thai cat reacts sensitively to the mood of the owner – she can come to support you at the right moment or, conversely, leave you alone with yourself.

Everyone, without exception, notes the curiosity of pets. Everything in the house will be examined and studied with special care. The statistics of feline injuries are directly related to this character trait. And if you slightly burn your nose with steam from a kettle or burn your moustache on the flame of a burning candle – half the trouble, then flying out of the window for a flying bird can end badly. Although even bitter life experience will not reduce the fearlessness of the animal.

A Thai cat always chooses a place in the house from which it can constantly control the situation. She loves active games, although she can fool around herself with pleasure.

Thais are friendly to children. You can safely leave the cat alone even with the smallest child. She will never release her claws and certainly will not bite your baby.

For all their self–sufficiency, Thai cats are very affectionate creatures. She will tolerate a change of scenery, and even a short loneliness, if she is sure of your love.

Education

By the time they move to a new house, Thai kittens already learn the basic rules of behavior well, they know how to use a scratching post and a cat toilet. In order for the process of getting used to a new place of residence to pass quickly and painlessly, try to create an environment for the baby similar to the one in which he spent the first months of his life. Talk to your pet calmly, without raising your voice unnecessarily to him. Thai will quickly understand that if they are dissatisfied with him and loudly scold, then he really is guilty. Minimize the use of harsh measures. Aggression can only generate aggression. You can calm down an overly excited cat with a stream of cool water. This is not painful or humiliating for the royal cat, unlike physical punishment.

Provide your baby with enough toys. This will distract him from his mischief and keep your things from spoiling. Keep valuable items and papers out of the reach of the animal.

A cat in the house is both a great joy and a huge responsibility. And this responsibility lies with the person.

Care and maintenance

Caring for a Thai cat is not burdensome at all. Like a kitten of any breed, a little Thai should first of all be taught to use a tray and a scratching post. Kids are very smart and quickly understand what's what. Take a closer look at exactly where the kitten sharpens its claws most often, and place there either a device bought in a store or a device made with your own hands from dense fabric.

Curtains on windows are very attractive for Thai crumbs, so for the first time tie them up to a height inaccessible to a little prankster. Over time, they will become uninteresting to him, and the animal will direct its curiosity and activity in another direction.

The bathing procedure is unlikely to please your pet, but he will endure it with truly royal endurance. Make sure that water does not get into your ears during water procedures. Do not use "human" shampoos – there are enough specialized cosmetics on sale.

Caring for the fur of a Thai cat is extremely simple. Once a week, just pat your pet with a wet hand to collect the fallen hairs. You can use a brush made of soft natural bristles or a special glove – cats love massage, which, in addition to cosmetology, also has a healing effect. A characteristic feature of the acromelanic color is its thermal dependence. The cooler the room where the Thai cat lives, the more active the age-related darkening of the coat, which can negatively affect the exhibition career. The most problematic in this sense are the colors of seal point and blue point. The process can be slowed down if the animal is kept at an air temperature of +23 to +25 ° C.

Only cats kept exclusively in the house need to trim their claws. Do this 2 times a month with a nail cutter or sharp nail scissors. Then make sure not to damage the living tissue with blood vessels.

Oral care consists in periodic brushing of teeth and examination of the condition of the gums. Periodic performance of this procedure is desirable if you feed a Thai cat with natural feeds.

Ears and eyes are cleaned as needed.

Feeding the cat

The two main rules are balance and sufficiency.

Kittens are fed 6-8 times a day in small portions, an adult animal receives food twice a day. The food should always be fresh, not cold and not hot. The presence of a bowl with constantly clean water is mandatory.

The question of balance is decided by each owner independently. If at first it is worth following the diet that the breeder adhered to, then in the future you can gradually transfer the Thai cat to a diet that will be more convenient for you to provide.

There will be less hassle with ready-made feeds. There is one "but" – the widely advertised options from supermarkets will not work, otherwise there will be health problems. Use only specially developed premium and super-premium varieties.

Supporters of a natural diet should remember that food from our table is not suitable for Thai cats. You will have to cook your pet separately. The menu must necessarily include raw meat, sliced in such a way that the cat does not immediately swallow a piece, but chews it for a while. But be sure to cook the fish. Contrary to popular opinion, it should not be made the dominant food product. Moreover, do not feed a pregnant animal with fish. Once a week, pamper the cat with a chicken egg. Cottage cheese is welcome in the diet, but low-fat varieties are better. Spicy and spicy dishes in the diet of Thai cats are excluded.

Vegetables and fruits can be given without restrictions – the cat will choose what she wants to eat at the moment.

If your Thai does not leave the house, make sure that her diet includes fresh grass or greens of cereals (seeds can be bought at a pet store and grown in ordinary flower pots).

When preparing the menu, be sure to take into account the age of the pet – this will help avoid many problems. Cats can cook only from fresh and high-quality products.

Health and diseases of the Thai cat

The Thai cat received good health from her royal ancestors. Among other purebred animals, she is rightfully considered a long-lived person: with an average life expectancy of 12-14 years, cases were often recorded when the Thai pleased the owners for more than two decades.

Strong immunity should in no case be the reason for refusing the necessary vaccinations that need to be done annually.

It would be naive to assume that Thai cats do not get sick at all. They have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, and may have problems with the heart or teeth. But statistics show that the frequency of these diseases is in no way higher than that of representatives of other breeds. The main thing is to carefully monitor the health of the cat. Timely adoption of the necessary measures plus a naturally good immunity will help to overcome all the troubles.

The Thai cat is characterized by early puberty. Animals can be ready for mating as early as 4-5 months, but this does not mean at all that it is time to start mating. Such experiments can have an extremely negative impact on the condition of your pet, and you are unlikely to get healthy kittens. It is better to wait until the cat reaches the age of one year.

Don't rush with sterilization either. Such an operation should not be done before the animal reaches the age of six months. Some breed lines of the Thai cat may have a predisposition to the appearance of breast tumors. Veterinary practice shows that timely sterilization (up to one year) significantly reduces the possible risks.

Genetic diseases of Thais can be considered convergent strabismus and tail defects. They are easily determined visually, although everything is not so clear with the first problem. The baby can "mow" temporarily, due to the tenderness of age. If parents and grandparents are fine from this point of view, then, most likely, this is an ordinary children's strabismus. As you get older, the disadvantage will come to naught. But there are cases when this problem occurs in an adult cat. The most common cause is severe stress.

How to choose a kitten

Like any thoroughbred animal, a Thai kitten must meet certain criteria.

• Acromelanic color does not imply the presence of white spots on the "points". Carefully examine your chosen one.
• The kitten's tail should be smooth, without kinks and thickenings.
• Make sure that the baby does not have strabismus.

How to determine if your chosen one is healthy? The rules are simple. Firstly, by the age of three months (and it is not recommended to take the kitten from the mother earlier), the breeder must give the baby all the necessary vaccinations, which is confirmed by the relevant entries in the veterinary passport. Secondly, do not be lazy to carefully examine the little Thai. Ears should be clean, eyes – without traces of souring and streaks. The tummy of a healthy baby is painless and soft. The Thai cat is very attentive to the hygiene of its children and, if the kitten is clean and dry under the tail, then it does not suffer from digestive problems.

The behavior of a little Thai can say a lot about both his health and character. An active cat eats well, shows his natural curiosity, is not afraid of strangers and boldly makes contact with a person.

Even small Thai kittens are able to understand people well. If fluffy showed interest in you, and even more so with pleasure climbed into your lap, then you can not doubt for a minute – this is your cat.

Photos of Thai kittens

How much does a Thai cat cost

The breed is not among the rare ones, so the prices for Thai kittens cannot be attributed to very high.

Kids "without passports" from the same parents will cost you about $20. Such a kitten can be bought from friends or at the bird market. He will be a wonderful friend to you, but he will not be suitable for an exhibition career and breeding work.

A Thai cat without a metric, but from documented pedigreed parents will cost up to $50.

The price for a purebred descendant of cats of ancient Siam, purchased from professional breeders or in a kennel with all the accompanying documents due, will start from $150.

The cost of an animal of this class will vary depending on the following factors.

• Career successes of dad and mom. The more victories parents have at exhibitions, the more expensive the baby will be.
• The sex of the kitten. The price of girls is higher.
• Color. Snow-white or with a blue shade of wool are valued more expensive.
• Rating of the nursery. Sometimes purebred Thai cats are bought even abroad and for foreign currency.
• Vaccination and other expenses related to breeding work.

The spread of prices for Thai kittens from pet to premium class is very significant. Realizing your desire to have a representative of this breed at home, decide who you need – just a friend or a champion friend.

Whatever your choice, know that the Thai cat is an amazing creature, and you will never regret that she appeared in your house.