The cat has a bloated and hard belly. Is it normal for a kitten to have a hard belly? Grain products in the diet of cats

Many people who decide to have a purebred kitten are interested in whether there is significant differences between Scottish and British cat breeds. At first glance, both animals are very similar: a downed body, short hair, a round muzzle. Even the colors of these cats are the same. They can only be distinguished by the shape of their ears - in Scottish Folds they are pressed tightly to the head. But what about the straight-eared Scottish Straights?

Despite the great external similarity, you can learn to distinguish between representatives of these two breeds. It is much easier to do this if you know what exactly you need to pay attention to when examining the animal.

Differences between British and Scottish cats

Confusion in determining which cat is British and which is Scottish stems from the fact that during selective work on Scottish cats representatives British breed.

In the middle of the 20th century, Scottish farmers got a cat called Susie, who, due to a mutation in one of her genes, had ears tightly pressed to her head. After some time, she gave birth to a kitten with the same feature. Many people liked the appearance of the cats, so it was decided to start breeding and then recognizing a new breed.

To improve the breed's qualities, American and British shorthair breeds were used in selection. This was done not only to obtain the necessary breed qualities, but also to weaken the dominant gene responsible for the characteristic shape of the ears. The fact is that the gene had negative impact on the cartilage of the animal, so representatives of the breed often gave birth to weakened kittens. Subsequently, the animals either died or had problems with musculoskeletal system. Moreover, the litter included both fold-eared and straight-eared animals.

Problems arose when recognition of the Scottish Straights was required - the variety was too similar to the British. A closer comparison revealed that these animals have a softer constitution, their coat quality is slightly different, and their character is more docile.

In 2004, the new breed was finally adopted, and from that time it was prohibited to cross the Scots and the British. According to the breed standard, during mating one of the representatives of the breed must be straight-eared, and the other must be fold-eared.

The presence of British blood among the Scots was reflected in their color and appearance. However, these two breeds not only have visible differences, but also different personalities. You need to know all this in order to choose exactly the pet that is best suited for a particular family.

Appearance

How do British cats differ from Scottish cats? The main difference between them is the physique. The British have a powerful skeleton, their paws are short and thick, the tail is 2/3 of the length of the body, it will be the same thickness along the entire length, only the tip is rounded. The body of the Scots is longer, the paws are more graceful and not so powerful. The tail is thinner and longer than that of the British.

The differences in the structure of the head are also clearly visible. For the British, it is round with pronounced cheeks that practically lie on the shoulders. The ears are small and located on the sides. Their muzzle is slightly longer. The neck is powerful, practically invisible from the side, as it is hidden by massive cheeks.

Main hallmark Scottish - a round head with a pronounced chin and not very noticeable cheeks. Their ears are either pressed to the head or have a slightly elongated shape and are located closer than those of the British. The muzzle is shorter, the nose looks more graceful, and a characteristic hump is visible in profile. The neck is a little thinner and more graceful, clearly visible when the cat is interested in something and begins to stretch it.

The differences described above can be considered only in adult individuals; kittens do not have pronounced features, they are very similar. In this case, you need to look at the baby’s parents and purchase the animal from breeders, where the pedigree will indicate information about belonging to a particular breed.

The colors of both breeds are the same, the most common being blue and lilac. Eye color is rich yellow or orange, and in the British it is more expressive than in the Scottish.

Another difference between the two breeds is size. The British are larger, the average weight of a male reaches 8 kg. Scots are much smaller - an adult cat usually weighs 5 kg.

Wool

Both breeds are short-haired, so visually distinguishing the animals is not easy. If you stroke the cat, the differences will be more noticeable. The British have a coarser, denser, and “plush” coat. In Scottish cats it is softer and slightly longer; when combing on the comb, you can clearly distinguish the undercoat and long guard hairs.

Highland Folds have long hair, a fan-like tail, a collar around the neck, and “pants” on the hind legs. The hairs are soft and silky to the touch, the undercoat is thick.

In British and Scottish Fold kittens, the differences in the quality of the coat are practically unnoticeable, since shedding occurs in adolescence, and then the difference in the length and structure of the hair is clearly visible.

Character

British and Scottish cats have different personalities, this is noted by all pet owners. The former have a phlegmatic temperament; they are more reserved and independent, and do not need constant communication and games. They are more adapted to loneliness and will begin to affect their owners only when they themselves want it. Cats of this breed do not like when anything is done against their will. If the owner picks up the animal, there is a high probability that it will try to break free and run away.

Regardless of variety, Scots are more sociable. They love to spend time with their owners, play and misbehave. If for some reason they are not paid attention to for a while, they begin to touch people themselves, touching them with their paws, rubbing against their legs and purring. They get along well with children and other pets. At the same time, they sense the owner’s mood well: if he is not in a good mood, the animal will not bother him, and when the mood is not very good, he will try to cheer him up. Cats tolerate squeezing well: the pet will not break out or scratch. But as soon as he feels freedom, he will probably run away to a secluded place.

It is important to remember that the above features are characteristic of breeds as a whole, but at the same time, each individual animal can have its own, unique temperament.

Behavior and habits

Representatives of both breeds are quite calm and quiet. Animals will not meow loudly or damage pieces of furniture for no reason, or attack household members and other animals. Cats of these breeds are well trained: they quickly get used to the tray, scratching post, use bowls and do not scatter food while eating.

An interesting fact is that the Scottish Fold cat, unlike the British one, is often afraid of heights, so it does not jump onto high cabinets or shelves. For a British person, this is a great opportunity to hide from everyone and sleep in silence. The strong bones of the animal allow it to push strongly off the floor, so even tall pieces of furniture will not be an insurmountable obstacle.

The difference between Scottish and British cats is visible in their habits. The former love and know how to stand on their hind legs, thereby attracting the attention of their owners, and can also stretch the spinal column well. They also like to sit with the thigh of one leg tucked under their butt.

Who is better to give preference to?

Knowing and taking into account exactly how the British cat differs from the Scottish Fold and Straight-eared, you can find out exactly who and under what conditions this or that breed is suitable.

The British will become a good pet for a single person or a small, quiet family. These cats are introverts, they do not need constant human presence and communication, they like to be on their own. Animals do not like the presence of strangers in the house; they can behave aggressively if a stranger wants to pet or cuddle them. The cat will spend most of its time hiding in inaccessible places, and only occasionally seek human company. Animals of this breed are more stubborn and willful; they will not tolerate it if they don’t like something.

Scots are excellent pets for families with children and other pets. These cats need time, they love games, and constantly touch their owners to be petted. Quick and easy to learn. They don’t tolerate loneliness well, so they won’t be a good fit busy people. When a family gets together, the pet will definitely join it and begin to touch the household members to play or be pampered.

Which breed to choose depends on the tastes and habits of the future owner. The British teddy bears have an interesting appearance, but at the same time they are quite unsociable and independent. The more graceful Scots do not tolerate loneliness and will be happy to play with children and get along well with other animals.

In order not to make a mistake with your choice, before purchasing you should get to know the kitten’s parents and also look into its pedigree.

Soft and fluffy, affectionate and understanding, well-mannered and sedate, looking like plush toys, these cats come from Britain.

Those who love such four-legged friends sometimes face the question: who to choose, a Briton or a Scot? After all, at first glance they are no different. It turns out that this is completely different breeds cats.

So what is the difference between British and Scottish?

If you look closely, the first difference is the appearance of the animal.

Scots have small ears and they look as if they were pressed to the head and they look down and forward.

According to the standard, the ears should not extend beyond the contours of the head, although this only applies to representatives of the Scottish Fold cat. And there are also Scottish Straight cats - their ears stand up straight, like all ordinary cats.

The British breed of cats also have small ears, but they provocatively stick up.

The British have thick and short paws, while the Scots have slender ones.

The head shape of the Scots is more reminiscent of an owl's, only with a pronounced chin and a powerful jaw.

The British have a round head with clearly visible cheekbones, but the neck is almost invisible.

Compared to other breeds, the British tail is short and thick and not as flexible as the Scots.

But the eyes of representatives of both breeds are absolutely the same: round, naive and wide-set. The funny facial expression of the British and Scots is called "baby face", i.e. "face like a child's"

If the origin of the breed is important to you, then the British cat traces its ancestry back to 1880, but the Scottish cat officially appeared 80 years later, in 1961.

We have found out the external differences between the breeds, but how else does a British cat differ from a Scottish one?

Character.

The Scots do not have any aggression at the genetic level. They are soft, good-natured and easy to get along with. The British, on the other hand, are not so affectionate, prefer solitude and do not always react positively to the desire to cuddle or stroke themselves.

If the sociability of the Scots is an advantage, then we must also talk about disadvantages.

This concerns heredity. And it lies in this: if a fold-eared pair participated in the mating, then the offspring may be born with defects, weak and susceptible to various diseases.

This does not mean that Scots will definitely get sick. They just have a higher risk than other breeds. Scottish mother and father must belong to different breeds - the father is fold-eared, and the mother is straight-eared, or vice versa.

And one more nuance that concerns the Scots more.

The Scottish cat's hair, although not long, has a thick undercoat that will require careful grooming. But, if you decide to choose a long-haired variety, either a Scotsman or a Briton, then the work will be doubled.

Scottish Fold Highland Fold

For a true cat lover, this is not a hindrance at all.

Scottish, British or just a rootless yard bully will always remain our best friends!

You can read more about the British Shorthair cat at

A interesting facts about cats -

Many cat breeds are similar to each other. Some owners don't even know who your pet is. Few people have thought about how the British cat breed differs from the Scottish one. Most often, Scottish owners call their pets “British Fold cat”, and do not even realize that such a breed does not exist!

“British Fold cats” are most often passed off as ordinary Scots, although the shape of the ears is not the only difference between Scottish and British kittens. The result is confusion. However, there are enough differences, and we will try to figure out what they are.

British

This aristocratic cat breed is one of the most ancient. The breeding of purebred Britons began in the 19th century, and the history of the breed began in antiquity, in the Ancient Roman era.

According to the most common opinion, this breed originated from gray cats with long sharp fangs that lived in North Africa and Southern Europe.

These cats were actively domesticated local residents, and together with the Roman legionnaires, representatives of the species that was the ancestor of the British were introduced to the British Isles.

These animals were very hardy and quickly transitioned from the hot climate of the Mediterranean to the cool weather of England.

Officially G. Weier is considered the creator of the breed, who selected similar-looking gray, muscular cats for mating. He was also the first organizer of the exhibition of these animals in 1861.

Differences in appearance

Anyone can recognize representatives of the British breed, even those who are not an expert in cat breeds. The main external differences between cats of this breed:

the first difference is the regular round shape of the skull, which seems quite wide;
second difference: all British people have jowls;
straight, wide, but flattened nose with dimples in the bridge of the nose;
small, but always straight ears located on long distance from each other and quite low;
the shape of the eyes is close to a perfect circle;
the most popular eye color among cats of the breed is light brown, almost golden, ocher;
pure breed representatives do not have a pale rim around the pupil;
sometimes there are blue eyes;
The difference between the British is a strong, muscular body structure, a wide back, powerful paws, a strong torso;
the tail is cone-shaped, strongly tapering towards the tip;
weight – about 5-6 kg, but some animals reach 7 or more kg;
According to the type of hair, they are divided into two branches - long-haired and short-haired;
There are several types of color.

British colors

There is a common misconception that the color of British cats must be blue (gray). However, this is not true. A specific color does not distinguish a breed from others. Representatives of this breed have quite a lot of color types, and each of them has its own characteristics.

Chocolate

This type of color is considered the rarest. It can be easily distinguished by its monochromatic wool, which has a rich brown.

Such kittens are more expensive the darker the brown color of their fur. This color is also called havana or chestnut.

Blue wool color

This shade is the most common among kittens of this breed. Its difference is pure blue, without gray and silver tints as standard. This is also a popular color for the Scots, which is why the question arises of how to distinguish a British cat from a Scottish one. In this case, everyone should remember that the difference between one breed and another is not the color of the coat.

Tortoiseshell

This coloring is also typical for both the British and the Scots. Differences between British and Scottish cat this color in depth of color. Among the Scots it is somewhat darker and deeper.

Tortoiseshell coloration is formed during emotional development and is not inherited.

Moreover, males of this color are very rare and the color of their coat is the result of a genetic error. Males of the same color cannot give birth to offspring, since they are essentially mutants.

Wang

But this color will help to distinguish the British Shorthair and Scottish Shorthair cats, because it is found only among the British. The Scottish breed also has a similar color, but it is distinguished by greater precision of lines and depth of the gray part of the color.

Black

Black color is very rare, and therefore its owners are highly valued by cat lovers. It is important that the color is clean, without white hairs and spots - these are considered defective. Both males and females can be black.

These animals have a special eye color - light blue. This is also a valuable feature, since a recessive gene is responsible for it.

White

Very beautiful and also quite rare - white color. These pets look very aristocratic. Moreover, they are somewhat different even from their own relatives. They are more flexible and their status is thinner and more graceful. They are the only ones characterized by light yellow, light green and green eyes - this is the main difference in color.

Color point color difference

This type of color is very interesting. It occurs in Siamese cats, but also occurs in other purebred animals. Its peculiarity is its light body color and dark spots on the face, tail and paws. The color of the eyes of such animals is special - light blue, almost gray.

There are other colors of British cats, but by them it is impossible to distinguish a British cat from a Scottish one.

Scots and their differences

The differences between a Scottish cat and a British cat are as follows:

The Scots have a different body structure: animals of this breed have a more refined skeletal structure, are less squat and not so stocky and big-boned;
the muzzle remains flattened, but longer than that of the British;
jowls are less pronounced;
there are no dimples on the bridge of the nose, what makes them different from the British;
the Scottish cat breed has a thinner, longer tail;
The difference between British cats and Scottish cats is also in the shape of their paws: in the former they are shorter, thicker, more massive, and in the latter they are slender;
there is also a difference in the shape of the head: the Scots have a well-defined chin, and the shape of the skull itself resembles that of a pig;
There is also a difference in the shape of the ears (if we are talking about the Sconish Fold) - the most remarkable thing. Let us remind you that only Scots can have lop ears, but aristocrats cannot boast of such a detail of appearance - their ears are always pointed.

Differences in habits and behavior

Differences in appearance are not the only way to recognize representatives of different cat breeds, in our case – British and Scottish. There are also many differences in the behavior of pets. Both have special habits that distinguish one breed from another.

Many cat lovers even choose their breed pet not according to external differences, and by character. During the process of evolution, animals developed behavioral habits.

The behavior of animals largely depends on the conditions in which their ancestors grew up.

Behavior and sociability

The British are true aristocrats. In games, they prefer to be carried in their arms, but they themselves are reluctant to run after a bow. Their massive body structure is not adapted to fast movement, but they can jump high.