British kitten with blue eyes. Colors of British cats

There are no marks or smoke marks on it. The nose, eyelids and paw pads are characterized by a pink tint. At birth, kittens may have colored spot, which lasts for one year. Characteristic– absence of yellowing on the paws, especially on their inner surface, as well as at the root of the tail and under the eyes.

The eyes of white cats can have different colors:

• White with blue eyes (BRI W 61) Cats of this color are characterized by blue eye color, which is characterized by significant intensity. Blue-eyed white cats are often deaf - this connection is established at the genetic level.
• White with orange eyes (BRI W 62)
• White with green eyes(BRI W 64)
• White with differently colored eyes(BRI W 63)

This color is characterized by the presence of eyes that differ in color from each other. Usually one of them is blue in color, while the other has a predominantly copper or orange tint.

The disadvantages of white color can be called dark spots, which are present on the head of adults. Basically, they are only permissible for kittens at the beginning of their growth.

The active gene for this color is white dominant - W, in which the cat has a snow-white coat. The gene for white color is unusual - it does not color the fur White color, but reliably hides all other colors present in the cat’s genetic makeup.

Under the white color, several genes are successfully hidden, which are masked by the active influence of the predominant W gene. Under the influence of this gene, not only the color of the fur coat changes, but also the shade of the eyes. Blocking the processes of pigment formation leads, as a rule, to the predominance blue color eye. These individuals blue possesses only one eye, while the other has a widespread shade. Usually this color is yellow-brown, copper-orange or yellow. This does not indicate that in the cells of the other eye the influence of the dominant W gene is completely absent. The predominance of traditional color indicates that its effect did not affect the iris of the eye. It is very interesting to observe what eye color white cats have. Some of them have an eye, half of which has a normal tone, and the other part has a blue tint. In some cases, various inclusions are found in the iris.

White, odd-eyed cats are classified as rare because the number of such individuals is small. It is because of their features that they are called “royal”. There is a belief that a cat whose eyes differ in color ensures good luck and prosperity for its owner.

There are certain conditions when breeding white cats. It lies in the fact that it is forbidden to mate cats that belong to white color between themselves. One partner must be of a different color. This is explained by the fact that when two white cats mate, the risk of giving birth to an animal homozygous for W increases significantly, which may have congenital deafness. However, there is an opinion that this condition is far-fetched, since most cat lovers have great love for individuals with blue eyes, and the Turkish Angora cat, with multi-colored eyes, belongs to the category of royal ones. This is a kind of memory of the hero of Turkey Ataturk, who had eyes different colors. It's worth saying that White cat in Turkey can walk around the mosque without hindrance.

Cats with aristocratic roots were bred in Great Britain and to this day are the pride of the country. Large and medium-sized Murkies with short plush fur and a charming “Cheshire” smile are a British breed that officially appeared in 1987 and has won millions of fans. The first officially recognized representative was pure white. The desire to breed a large, strong, hardy, calm and intelligent cat has led to the fact that the colors of British cats include more than 25 species. Some of them are considered very rare and are highly valued not only in breed, but also in monetary terms.

Intensive work on popularization, attracting others to breeding popular breeds, obtaining offspring from cats from different continents has led to the expansion of breed species. The first Britons had a thick undercoat and short coat. The relationship with the Persian cat gave birth to the British semi-longhair.

Associatively, a British cat appears to be smoky or blue in color; many “cat lovers” cannot even imagine what colors British cats come in and how unusual kittens can appear in a family of two “standard” parents. The types of colors of British cats are divided into groups depending on the pattern, the predominance of color and the method of pigmentation.

Blue solid

The standard color of the breed, popularly called gray or classic. The British Blue's coat is monochromatic, without light hairs; the undercoat may be slightly lighter. The skin is exclusively blue. Representatives with a lighter tone are more valuable for the breed. Kittens are allowed to have a residual pattern, which disappears as the animal grows.

Myths about the British blue cats!

№1. It is a common belief that Blue British kittens should have bright orange eyes - this is not true. Kittens of all breeds and colors are born with blue or gray “cloudy” eyes; the iris gradually gains color.

№2. If a breeder offers you an exclusive British Blue Fold, say “Thank you” and walk away. IN best case scenario they offer you Scottish cat, at worst a mestizo. There are no shorthaired British Folds.

Golden color, suggests darkened pigmentation on 1/8 of the length of the hair, the rest is painted in a rich golden color. Gray tint or undercoat is not allowed. At the same time, the collar is light, often white, and the ear tassels are silver. Despite the light color of their coat, cats predominantly have black paw pads and dark or black eyeliner and nose. " Home name" - golden chinchilla.

Tortoiseshell

A prerequisite is an equal presence of tones, the absence of a pattern in red/beige areas. Red/cream spots on the face are desirable. Eyes of copper or orange color. According to the laws of genetics, only females can have a tortoiseshell color, so getting the perfect color is painstaking work and is calculated “for luck.” Tortoiseshell is a rare and difficult to obtain color that combines several colors:

• black/brown/chocolate;

• red/cream;

• blue/lilac.

This is interesting! The birth of males has been recorded in the world, the correct tortoiseshell color. However, an error in the genetic code makes cats infertile.

Patterned, aka tabby

One of the colors allows a difference in the color of the fur at the base. British tabbies have a variety of body patterns, from stripes to large and leopard spots. Tabby is divided into silver, golden and color point subspecies.

British cats, whose breeding began at the end of the 19th century, are to this day the true pride of Great Britain. Large cats with plush fur, according to legend, inherited their smile from Cheshire cat. The first snow-white beauty belonging to this breed was officially presented at the exhibition in 1987. To this day, the colors of British cats are of particular interest to cat lovers. Fold-eared Britons do not exist, this anatomical feature characteristic of Scottish cats.

Since then, the popularity of the breed has been steadily growing. The British attract not only their intelligent character and plush fur, but also a huge variety of colors, of which there are more than 25 types. A table with photos will help you study the colors of British cats, as well as a description of the types and types of colors of this breed. Among the color range of wool there are very rare combinations that are extremely highly valued by both professional breeders and breed lovers. Let's figure out what colors British cats come in.

Types of colors

Selection work on representatives British breed with the involvement different bloods led to a diversity of both colors and breed species. If initially the British had short hair with a thick undercoat, then crossing with the Persian cat made it possible to obtain semi-long-haired animals. The colors of British longhair cats correspond to the colors of shorthair cats.

Many people only think of Britons as smoky, blue or tabby cats and don't even realize how many colors the breed has. Even a pair of quite ordinary parents can produce a kitten of a rare color.

To organize the variety of colors of British cats, they are divided into types and groups according to color, pattern and method of pigmentation.

Types of colors of British cats:

• solid (or plain);
• typed: smoky, veiled, shaded;
• gold;
• silver;
• tortoiseshells;
• color point;
• particolors: harlequin, bicolor, van, mitted;
• tabbies: spotted, striped, marbled, ticked.

A table of the colors of British cats will help you imagine all the diversity.

Blue solid

This is the color that comes to mind when thinking about the British, so we'll start with it. It is often called classic, or simply gray. The coat should be a single color, the undercoat may be lighter, but white hairs are not allowed. A lighter color is considered valuable. A small kitten may have stripes that disappear as they age. The beautiful rich amber eye color of blue Britons develops with age, although kittens are born with gray and blue irises.

Plain

In addition to blue, there are six more solid colors: black, white, chocolate, lilac, red, cream. The color is uniform and uniform, without white hairs, spots or patterns. The wool is soft, thick, plush.

Charcoal black plush Britons look extremely impressive, they have rich pigmentation of the undercoat, fur and skin, but purchasing such a kitten is not easy. This is due to the fact that in adolescence kittens can change their coat color to chocolate.

The fur of a white British cat is snow-white, without yellowness or spots. In kittens, blue or black stripes on the forehead are acceptable, which disappear without a trace with age. It is difficult to obtain kittens with perfectly white fur, and breeding cats of this color is associated with the risk of producing sick offspring. Since 1997, breeding work has not been carried out with this color.

In warm chocolate color, richness and depth of shade are appreciated. The darker the color, the better. This color is called havana, or chestnut.

Considering the solid colors of British cats, lilac is the most difficult to imagine. This color is a combination of pink and blue. The paw pads and nose are colored to match the coat. Obtaining this color is the result of professional breeding. There is no gene responsible for the purple color. The goal is achieved by a rare combination of parental genes. Kittens are born a delicate, almost pink color, and the color of an adult animal resembles a latte.

Red British cats are most often called ginger cats. The wool is uniformly dyed, without stains or patterns. The nose and paw pads are brick red. Intensity of color is valued.

Delicate creamy Britons are often called beige or peach. Their nose and paw pads are pink.

Rare colors of British cats

Today, relatively new and rare uniform colors stand out - cinnamon and fawn. Dark colors of British cats are dominant, so light-colored kittens are rarely born.

Cinnamon is a very rare and desirable color, its name comes from the English cinnamon, which translates as cinnamon. The color is similar to lightened chocolate. The gene for this color, discovered 50 years ago, is recessive, so cinnamon kittens are born quite rarely.

Fawn is an even rarer color, which is a bleached cinnamon. It was recognized quite recently, in 2006, and is of particular interest to breeders, as it makes it possible to develop new lightened colors.

Fawn-like kittens, i.e., fauns, and cinnamon cinnamon kittens are classified as cream and blue at birth. To identify a rare color, a DNA examination is carried out, which confirms that the animal belongs to a rare color.

Silver and gold

Silver color is one of the most popular among British cats. It can be of the following types:

• shaded;
• veiled;
• smoky;
• tabby

Golden color is also not found in its pure form. This bright color is one of the most expensive among British cats. It can be represented by the following types:

• shaded;
• veiled;
• tabby

Ticked tabby, shaded and veiled colors are called chinchilla. It is the representatives of the golden and silver colors called chinchilla and golden chinchilla.

Tortoiseshells

Tortoiseshell cats are a favorite among breeders. From these mothers you can get a wide variety of offspring. Their unique color, also called torti, combines two groups of colors at once - red and black, and this is possible only in females. Tortoiseshell cats can only be born as a result of a genetic anomaly - mosaicism. Such animals are infertile and have the XXY genotype.

The tortoiseshell color consists of black and red spots evenly distributed throughout the body (or derivatives of these colors, for example, blue and cream, chocolate and cream, lilac and cream, etc.).

There are a huge number of British tortoiseshell species:

1. Classic turtle (black-red, chocolate-red, lilac-cream, fawn-cream, cinnamon-red, lilac-cream).
2. Smoked turtle (black and red smoke, chocolate red smoke, etc.).
3. Tortoiseshell tabby, or torby (black and red tabby, chocolate red tabby, etc.).
4. Tortoiseshell color point, or tortie (tortie point - black tortoiseshell, blue cream point - blue tortoiseshell, etc.).
5. Bicolor tortoiseshells or calicos (black and red bicolor tortoiseshell, etc.).
6. Bicolor tabby tortoiseshell, or torbico (marbled, striped, spotted bicolor tortoiseshell).

A tortoiseshell kitten can be born from parents different groups colors, for example, mom is red, and dad is black.

Tabby

The patterned cats resemble wild ones in color. They have spots, stripes, rings on the body and paws and the obligatory letter "M" on the forehead. Tabby color also has several types:

1. Spotted, spotted, or leopard print is the most common tabby. Cats of this color look like miniature leopards.
2. Striped, mackerel, or tiger. Narrow frequent stripes should not be interrupted or intersect with each other. After a year, the brindle color may turn into leopard if the stripes begin to break up.
3. The merle color is very impressive, bright and the most complex of the tabbies. The stripes on the back are straight, but on the sides they form clearly visible circles and rings.
4. The ticked color stands apart - it has no pattern and looks like a plain one with “spraying”. Resembles shaded or veiled. Each hair has its own stripes.

Color point

Color-point Britons have a light body color and dark markings on the face, ears, paws, and tail - points. This color is also called Himalayan or Siamese. The color of the points corresponds to one of the main colors, and the body color is in harmony with it.

Types of color point:

• solid;
• shaded;
• veiled;
• bicolor;
• smoky;
• turtle;
• tabby

Colors with white

The combination of any basic, patterned or tortoiseshell color with white is called common name bicolor are colored spots without white fibers, with clear boundaries. There are several groups of this color:

1. Bicolor - from 1/3 to 1/2 white - muzzle, chest, paws, belly. Colored - one or two ears, head, back, tail.
2. Harlequin - only 5/6 white - collar, neck, chest, paws.
3. Van - main color - white. Colored spots on the head, but the ears are white, colored tail, colored spots on the back are allowed.
4. Tricolor, or calico, is a tortoiseshell (i.e., two-color) color with white.
5. Mitted - is not recognized by the standard and is considered a disadvantage. There is little white, no more than 1/4, the head, neck, collar, belly and paws are white.

Now you know what the colors of British cats are. The table with photos helped us understand the variety of types and types of colors.

Cream color of British cats– this is a beautiful, even and very soft color.

CREAM BRITISH: COLOR STANDARD

Cream cats are often called Beige Britons or Peach Britons.
The hairs of this color are dyed to the roots, the tone of the coat is light cream, the same in tone throughout the entire body of the animal.
U british cat cream color, tabby markings should not be present: spots, stripes, tail rings, specks, etc. The nose and paw pads are colored pink color.

British cream colored eyes can be of the following colors:

• copper;
• dark golden;
• orange.

The color of a British cream cat should not contain pigmentation of the nose, paw pads, and the coat color should not have undyed white hairs. These shortcomings are rejected.

GENETICS OF COLOR

Cream (Cream) The color belongs to the colors of the red group and is a lightened version of the red color.

OO DD – red color

We add the weakening gene and get the genetic formula for color:

OO dd – cream color

Although this color is included in the British breed standards, it is not common.

CONCLUSIONS.

1. A cream-colored couple can only produce cream-colored kittens.
2. A pair of red colors can produce cream-colored kittens, provided that both sires are carriers of lightening (d).

1. A pair of cream + cream will never produce red kittens.
2. A cat of cream color can never give birth to a male kitten of the black color group (black/chocolate/blue/lilac/cinnamon/fawn).

CREAM BRITISH KITTENS

Cream-colored kittens can only be obtained from cream-colored parents or from carriers of this color in the genes.

Cream-colored British kittens look very elegant and gentle, so they are always in demand.

BRITISH CREAM CATS: PHOTOS OF ADULT CATS AND CATS

The gallery contains photos of cream-colored Britons.

BRITISH CREAM KITTENS: PHOTOS OF SMALL KITTENS

The British cream-colored kittens in the photo have the correct even color and excellent breed type.

Currently, the British have about 60 colors.

These are single-color, bicolor, tricolor options. Let's look at the more popular colors:

Blue color- classic for the British. The coat is even in color, from light blue to deep blue. The hairs are dyed from base to tip; specks, spots, and impurities in color are rejected. Eyes orange, amber, copper color.

Black color should be continuous, coat with a glossy sheen, hairs evenly colored, rich black, without the slightest glimmer of red or red. Copper colored eyes.

Chocolate color- new, still very rare, since it is available only in those animals that have color-point ancestors in their pedigrees.

The coat must be an even, rich dark chocolate color; marks, speckles, and stripes are rejected. Lilac color

- The coat is an even lilac-gray color with a pinkish tint. Eyes amber, orange, copper color. Cinnamon color.

Lighter than chocolate and has a warmer tone. In this case, the nose is colored pinkish-brown (almost beige), as are the paw pads. As cinnamon-colored cats grow up, they acquire a warmer tone with a reddish-brown sheen, while the undercoat at the base is always slightly lighter than the main coat and this is not considered a disadvantage in cinnamon. With the cinnamon color: the coat color is red-brown (cinnamon color), the undercoat is yellow-brown, lighter than the main tone, and the red tone of the coat is light copper, sometimes bronze (in bicolors), and not orange like in reds and is never brick-gray . In kittens, the paw pads, nose mirror and rims of the lips and eyes are very light, almost white with a slightly pinkish tint, and in adult animals they are the color of cocoa with milk, darkening to the color of milk chocolate when stressed. It is quite difficult to obtain this color in breeding; knowledge of genetics is required. Fawn color.

The faun's light beige, sandy color is sometimes called Fawn. The nose, paw pads and rims of the fawn color are pink-beige, of a very delicate tone. Just like cinnamon, it is quite difficult to breed, so it is very popular and in demand.

Cream color. The coat should be a uniform light cream color, preferably without leopard markings. Such markings are often more noticeable during the hot season and during molting. Eyes amber, orange, copper color.

White color. The coat should have an even mix of blue and cream colors. A narrow stripe on the nose and cream markings on the paws are not defective. The eyes are dark orange and copper. According to US standards, bluish-cream cats must have a coat that is colored with spots of blue and cream.

Color point. An extremely rare color, obtained on the basis of the British, who have long-haired color-points in their pedigree. The coat is colored like that of Siamese cats: paws, tail, mask and ears are dark in color, the body is contrasting light color. The eyes are bright blue.

Smoky color. A very beautiful color, in which the outer hair is a uniform bluish-gray color, and the roots of the hairs are silver. The coat of these cats is very thick and coarser than that of cats of other colors. The eyes are dark amber, copper.

Black smoke. The undercoat should be white, and the ends of the hairs should form strong black spots. When looking at the back and sides of a stationary cat, it seems that it is black; when moving, a white undercoat is visible. Down the sides the coat has a silvery undercoat. According to UK standards, the fur on the paws and face should be black along the entire length, and according to US standards, they should be white at the roots. The eyes are bright copper, orange.

Blue smoke. The coat is such that the hairs are painted white at the base and blue at the ends, which creates the impression of a uniform blue color on the back and sides of a motionless cat. On the paws and face, the hairs should be painted blue along the entire length according to UK standards; according to US standards, they should be white at the base. Eyes orange, copper. Now quite a rare color.

Tabby (lynx, merle, mackerel).

tiger (mackerel, mackerel)
spotted (spotted, spotted)
marbled (blotched, blotched)

There are three types of color: classic, spotted

and striped.

The classic pattern is a butterfly-shaped marking on the nape and shoulders, and rounded markings on the sides.

With a striped pattern, there are vertical stripes on the body; it is more popularly called brindle tabby.

All tabby colors should have an M-shaped mark on the animal's forehead.

The eyes are dark orange, copper, in silver tabbies they are green, yellow-green.

Spotted color in which dark spots are scattered on a lighter background. There are dark rings on the tail against a light background, and a mark in the shape of the letter M on the forehead.

Typically, spotted cats have black, blue, brown, and red spots on a silver background. The eyes are dark orange and copper.

Tortoiseshell color. Occurs only in female cats. The coat is stained with spots different color with clearly defined boundaries. A narrow stripe on the nose and cream spots on the soles of the paws are not rejected. The eyes are dark orange and copper.

Red color. Obtained by introducing red Persian and exotic cats into the British genetic line. The coat is an even fiery orange color, usually called red, but according to genetics the correct name is red. Tabby markings are more common, clear ones are less common. The weaker the stripes are, the better.

The eyes are dark orange and copper. Colors with white spotting (bicolor, harlequin, van, tricolor calico, mitted)

The colors of cats with white spotting are very elegant and original. They represent various combinations of the main color with varying degrees of predominance of white and are combined into a general group of particolors. In this case, there is a division according to the nature of the color of the colored spots - they can be either monochromatic (for example, black, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon) - then they are bicolors, or carry some kind of pattern - then they are actually particolors. Bicolor color

. These cats have coats with clearly demarcated areas of white and any other color found in the Scots. White color should occupy from 1/3 to 1/2 of the total body surface. The eyes are dark amber, copper.. Color Van

This color is characterized by the maximum amount of white in the color. Van cats should have two spots on their head, separated by a white line, and their ears should remain white. The tail must be completely colored, and one or two minor colored spots are allowed on the body of the animal. But their complete absence is desirable.Harlequin color.

This color is intermediate between bicolor and van color. Colored spots make up no more than 1/6 of the part and are placed in a certain way. On the head, on the back and front legs, colored hind legs and a colored tail. On the head, it is sufficient to have only one spot that covers the animal’s ear. The presence of several spots on the back is acceptable. The tail must be completely colored. It is not a defect to have small spots on the legs, but, ideally, the chest, neck and legs should be pure white, and the tail should be completely colored.. This is a tortoiseshell and white color, which is found only in female cats. The coat is colored with spots of black, red and cream colors combined with white spots. British and European standards require that the colored areas be evenly interspersed with white, according to American standards there - white color is desirable on lower parts

torso. There is a bleached calico, in which the coat is characterized by a combination of blue, cream and white flowers

. The eyes are dark orange and copper.There is also a Mitted color, this is -

white color covers no more than 1/4 of the body. Typically this is white stripe

, which stretches from the chin to the chest, groin, belly of the animal and “socks” on the paws. This color is not recognized by felinological organizations and is considered a fault. Cameo with scorch marks

. With this color, the undercoat should be pure white, and the markings should be a rich red color. The eyes are bright copper. Silver with tan (ticked, chinchilla).

Another name for this color is shaded. A relatively new color, recently bred. Relatively recently, a special standard was established for them in the USA. It exists in several varieties: silver, cameo and tortoiseshell (less common, because it is not so popular among breeders). The coat is colored in the main color for 1/4 of the length of the guard hair, and white for 3/4. In silver and tan, the undercoat should be pure white and the markings should be black. The eyes are green, bluish-green.