Neva Masquerade Cat - breed description

For the first time this unusual cat appeared in St. Petersburg (at that time in Leningrad) purely by accident. The first litter of these unusual-colored animals became the fruit of a sudden love between a handsome Russian Siberian and a Siamese cat. In ordinary cases, such mestizos are paid little attention, but not this time - the peculiar unique color of one of the kittens immediately attracted the attention of then breeders. It was winter 1988, the time of perestroika, which entailed a lot of different changes, among which became popular organization of numerous exhibitions. This was the very first cat show held in the USSR. At such events in those days, the external beauty of the presented specimens was more likely to be evaluated than their genetic line ... Then everything just got its development. The little kitten of one of the organizers was presented as an additional exhibition of outbred specimens, but it was its unusual color that attracted the attention of experienced breeders and laid the foundation for the further development of the breed.

The Neva Masquerade cat received its official purebred status after 4 years - in 1992, in the same St. Petersburg, but already at an exhibition of international importance. And since then, its popularity has intensively begun to gain momentum.

External parameters and nature of the breed

The first kittens appeared in a natural way, it can even be said to be random - the Siamese cat of one of the organizers of cat shows entered into a random mating with a Siberian cat. As a result of such an interesting crossing, a kitten was born who took the best qualities of both breeds from his father and mother:

1. A powerful exterior, which allowed the breed to be classified as large domestic cats.
2. An unusual color is at the same time a beige color of a fur coat and striped rings of different intensities, characteristic of the tiger color of Siberian cats.
3. Sky blue eye color, characteristic of Siamese representatives.

The outward uniqueness amazed connoisseurs of feline beauty, and soon various proposals related to further breeding of kittens and their further transformation into a separate breed began to come to the owner of an unusual kitten.

For a long time, the Neva Masquerade was considered a genetic diversion from the Siberian and Siamese breeds. However, the latest cat shows held in different cities and countries more often began to present the Neva Masquerade as an independent breed that has its own distinctive characteristics that help differentiate it from its original specimens:

1. Larger body, clear beige color and blue eyes compared to Siberian cats.
2. More fluffy undercoat, stylish tiger rings and not always the same pattern of the face compared to Thai breeds.
3. Persistent combined distribution of external features in newly born kittens, allowing to distinguish this variation of cats in a separate breed.

The newly bred breed was healthier than its predecessors: it tolerated harsh weather changes better than its parents, it showed the least allergic reactions, and the combination of two breeds made the animal less whimsical to eat than Siamese beauties usually differ.

With the development of more and more improved and the character of the new Murka.The characteristic rejection of kittens, which is sometimes observed among representatives of the Oriental breed, in this combination preferred to inherit Siberian genes, making the female gender of the Neva masquerade beautiful mothers. Also, this breed, in comparison with Thai specimens, is less vindictive and vengeful. From the Siberian great-grandfather, cats and cats of the Neva Masquerade inherited excellent hunting qualities, which they regularly demonstrate in the hunt for rodents, insects, and fast-moving small objects.

Detailed description of the breed: appearance

1. Head. Classical representatives of the Neva breed have a large trapezoid head. The standard has a wide rounded forehead, smoothly passing to the back of the nose. Wide powerful not standing out chin. Cheeks tightly pressed.
2. Ears of medium size, acute-angled, are widely spaced, and the distance between the two shells is greater than the size of the shells themselves. In the breed, kittens that externally stand out benefit, for example, if there are brushes on the ears.
3. The eyeballs are round in shape, the landing of the eyes is medium-wide, slightly beveled due to the arched roundness of the upper eyelid. The lower eyelid has a classic rounded shape. The color of the iris is usually sky blue. But it can vary from gray-blue to deep blue. There are lavender, cornflower blue, sapphire shades. This is due to the genetics of the Siamese ancestor.
4. Body. The exterior of the Neva Masquerade body owes its unusual combination of stats and muscle strength directly to the Eastern and Russian ancestors. A wide skeletal system, long legs were given to them by Siamese predecessors, and they owe their elongated physique and good muscular component to domestic Siberian murks and Murziks, who were directly involved in strengthening the breed qualities. The body of the Neva Masquerade can be outlined with an almost perfect rectangle. Their strong strong legs are proportionately combined with a perfectly twisted spine and hold a harmoniously distributed load well. The paws themselves at the ends can be lighter or darker than the usual tone of the body coat, between the fingers, as a rule, the coat grows.
5. The tail is widened at the base, then, as it grows, it has the same thickness, and the tip usually has a rounded shape. It has magnificent fluffy, as a rule, of a feather-like form.
6. The mass of an adult sexually mature male can reach 7–9 kilograms, females are slightly smaller, their average weight is 5–6 kilograms.

Wool

Wool plays an almost leading role in the appearance of the breed, but, in addition to visual features, it also has its invaluable practical qualities. The hair of small kittens is little affected by pollution, gets wet slightly and practically does not stray into tangles.

In an adult cat, the length of the coat varies depending on the season and the climate in which the animals are located. So, the southern four-legged inhabitants have a shorter length of woolen hairs than their counterparts in the more northern regions. In addition, the length of the coat varies throughout the body: the longest hairs grow from the shoulder blades to the base of the front paws, and the shortest - on the muzzle. The structure of the fur on the side is usually slightly softer than on the back and legs.

The Siberian variety of color point has an unusual luxurious undercoat in the area of ​​panties and the collar zone, which is practically lost during the off-season molting.

The sebaceous glands of a Neva masquerade cat practically do not secrete secretions, so this cat is considered one of the most hypoallergenic species.

Wool color

At first glance, the color of the Neva Masquerade may seem “banal”, given the external characteristics of the ancestors, however, in fact there is a wide variety of color combinations:

1. Silver-point or “seal color” - characterized by beige or gray-beige shades of flesh, with a gradual easy departure into smoky or brown point on the legs.
2. Red point - a combination of beige color of wool on the main body with the transition to a bright red or fawn on the legs and muzzle.
3. Bluish point - implies a gradual shift in emphasis from beige or gray-beige to smoky tones.
4. Tortoise point - implies a fragmented cocktail of several colors and is genetically inherent only to female breeds.

More often than others there are Neva masquerade with a silver point or a silver tint on all other shades of wool.

If on the paws there are white socks or boots, then on the muzzle, as a rule, there is a speck or “asterisk” of a similar color. The breed does not imply a clear symmetrical arrangement of these components.

What types of errors are unacceptable for the breed:

• Chocolate lilac coat color.
• Excessive dimming on body hair.
• Disproportionate body imbalance.
• Small, far-set eyes.
• Eyes of different colors (for example, blue and yellow).
• Short rounded ears.
• Care of eye color in the green or yellow side.

Character

Despite its truly considerable size, the Neva cat is distinguished by its balanced and devoted character. The animal is able to become attached, and this attachment is not to the place of residence, but to people. Among households, a kitten quickly chooses a master for itself and, as a rule, only he can truly obey it. Animals of this unique breed do not tolerate violence against their person, as they do not respect their worship. It should be clearly understood that this is a partner cat and relations with it should be built on the principle of equality.

Cats are very affectionate and sociable, they can purr for hours. They do not differ in revenge - this trait was defeated by the genes of the Siberian great-grandfather.

It should be understood that this cat considers itself an aristocrat - it is very friendly with children and practically does not accept strangers. No, she will not pounce and bite - aggression is not about her! She prefers to retire, hiding in a secluded high place.

Caring for the Neva Beauty

The content and hygiene measures defined for the Neva masquerade cat practically do not differ from analogues for any other breed:

1. Wool. There must be a special massage brush and a device for combing out the recovered fluff. Among the means for washing, you need to choose specialized gels or shampoos for cats (labeled "for long hair").
2. It should be understood that the hair of the tail due to its anatomical structure is almost impossible to comb out. Careful handling is important, as accidentally torn tufts of wool may not recover.
3. Bathing a cat is recommended no more than 1 - 2 times a month.
4. It is necessary to regularly rinse your eyes, trim the claws, brush your ears and teeth.

Cat health

This breed is self-bred, and nature took care of its real good health: it has a strong become and strong immunity. The bulk of genetic pathologies is not about them. But, nevertheless, like any cat of a large camp, this breed is also subject to a rather serious ailment - cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic genesis, as a result of which uneven blood stasis occurs in the lungs. The most terrible result of this disease is the sudden death of a cat. There are no obvious external manifestations of this ailment.Therefore, it is important to diagnose pathology in time and take up treatment, which implies, first of all, proper nutrition of the animal.

Feeding

It should be noted one more positive moment for this breed - cats are practically not prone to the formation of excess weight, which means that they should be fed no more than twice a day. The mass of the average portion is 120 grams.

The preferred diet for this breed is:

1. Dry balanced feed containing a large amount of vitamins, trace elements and adapted fiber.
2. Meat: is the main source of protein. The most suitable varieties are beef, rabbit, low-fat pork.
3. Sour-milk products: recommended not too low-fat, important for strengthening bones and vessel walls.
4. Vegetables - whether raw or boiled, and fine-grained cereals - should be added together with meat and preferably in combination with vegetable oil in an amount of 1 - 2 teaspoons. Coarse cereals are more difficult to digest and can cause constipation. Nevertheless, they are also necessary for the animal and before serving they need to be slightly crushed with a blender.

Food not recommended
Fish and any animal liver - not the best way affect the condition of the coat, in addition, they can change its color.

The average price of a kitten

To date, a Neva Masquerade cat kitten is not an overly expensive pet option. Its cost varies from 13 to 25 thousand Russian rubles. A kitten can be purchased in almost any nursery that breeds Russian cat breeds.

Video: Neva Masquerade Cat