Snowshoe Cat and Kitten Information

The Snowshoe cat is a small cat with good lean muscles and the look of power in the body. They are pointed with white markings on the feet, chest and face. They have triangular, large ears and generally blue eyes. The coat is gray and white and short in length. They come in lynx, fawn, blue, lilac, chocolate and seal points. In general, the patterns vary for each cat, no two being exactly the same.

Temperament

The Snowshoe cat has a personality similar to the Siamese. They are affectionate, love humans, are highly intelligent and love to interact with people. Some say that they consider themselves human. They dislike being left alone for long periods of time and often adopt a favored human.

History

The Snowshoe Cat comes from the United States where it was developed in the 1960s as a cross between a bi-colored American Shorthair and the Siamese. The original breeder, Dorothy Hinds Daughtery owns a cattery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vikki Orlander from Norfolk, Virginia then took the breed further. Currently the breed is recognized by the TICA, CFF and ACFA.

The ancestor of all domestic cats is the African Wildcat, the genus Felis Lybica. This genus is comprised of smaller cats. Cats are thought to have been domesticated with the advent of farming and the storage of grain. The grain attracted rats and other vermin which naturally attracted wild cats. As time evolved, certain of these cats were domesticated for the mutual benefit of both cat and man. The African Wildcat has certain features which is obvious in the housecat of today.

Feline Health Considerations

Cats who reside in the house should generally visit the veterinarian yearly, unless health problems are evident. women's jackets Cats who enjoy the outdoors may need to see the vet as many as four times a year. When you take your cat to the vet, be sure to bring along a fresh stool sample so the vet can do a fecal exam to check for worms such as tapeworm, round Worm, whip worms and hook worms. The vet can also check for fleas and other external parasites such as lice ticks and ear mites. Decisions about vaccinations can be made at this time. Maintaining a regular schedule of required vaccinations is essential to good feline health.

Any vet check should include a comprehensive dental examination and a cleaning if necessary. Cats who are eight years plus are considered geriatric and additional blood and urine tests may be necessary to catch any health problems. At about six months of age, the kitten should also be examined for sexual maturity and decisions about birth control should be made.

Kitten Care

The Snowshoe, although a rare breed, may sometimes be found for sale. Kittens are generally available and the price depends upon bloodlines color and markings. Unlike puppies, kittens should not be separated from their mother until twelve to sixteen weeks of age. Some very important developmental stages occur during this period including emotional, mental and health. Curtailing this development may lead to any number of medical and behavioral problems.

Kittens that are separated from their mother at too young an age often fail to gain weight fast enough, have immune system problems because they have not had enough mothers milk. The may also develop eating and eliminating problems, and can have problems socializing with other cats and with people.

Every cat and kitten is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your cat or kitten. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.