York Chocolate Cat: Description Of Appearance, Character And Behavior, Care And Feeding, Breed Photos, Owner Reviews

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

York chocolate cat: all shades of chocolate

The York Chocolate Cat is one of the youngest, rarest and most expensive breeds in the world. In Europe and Russia today there are very few representatives of this breed. But interest in her is constantly growing, and this is by no means accidental. "Chocolate" from New York harmoniously embodied a huge number of advantages: intelligence and beauty, excellent character and good health.

Content

• 1 History of the York cat breed

• 2 Features of the York Chocolate Cat

  • 2.1 External data

    2.1.1 Photo Gallery: Variety of York Chocolate Cats

  • 2.2 Character and behavior

  • 2.3 Disadvantages of the breed

    • 2.3.1 Propensity to disease
    • 2.3.2 Disqualifying faults
• 3 How to choose a Yorkie kitten

• 4 Maintenance and care

  • 4.1 Hygiene
  • 4.2 Feeding
  • 4.3 Toilet

• 5 Breeding work

  • 5.1 Nuances of breeding a Yorkie breed
  • 5.2 Castration and sterilization
• 6 Owner reviews

History of the York cat breed

The emergence of the York Chocolate cat is a vivid example of true folk selection. The history of the breed began in the 80s of the last century on a small farm in the vicinity of New York. The owner of the farm, Janet Chifari, loved cats and willingly endowed them with the offspring of all her friends. She didn't know much about cat breeds, let alone genetics, but she was sincerely happy when kittens were born healthy and beautiful.

Once in the litter of her pet, a black and white fluffy cat, a kitten of an unusual chocolate color was found. The father of the little beauty was a local black long-haired cat. The owner was so fascinated by the baby that she kept her for herself, and when the kitty grew up, she wanted to receive from her equally beautiful offspring.

This is what the famous progenitors of the new breed looked like.

In her first litter, the chocolate kitten gave a kitten that exactly repeated her color. The mistress also kept this boy for herself, and then ventured to mate him with his mother. Such harsh inbreeding, according to Janet, was supposed to consolidate an unusual quality - the bright chocolate color of the coat, which she liked so much. By that time, Mrs. Chifari was already seriously thinking about creating a new breed.

Janet Chifari managed to secure the chocolate color gene in her cat's offspring

This is how, quite intuitively, Janet Chifari came out to create an interesting and spectacular cat breed, which later received the name York Chocolate - by the place of its creation and, of course, by color. The new American breed rather quickly, already in 1983, received the first recognition of specialists. But until now, it remains very rare and is found mainly in North America. However, recently the merits of Yorkie cats have been appreciated both in Europe, where the first breed catteries were registered, and in Russia.

Features of the York Chocolate Cat

The young breed of cats harmoniously combines beautiful, elegant appearance and high intelligence - the heritage of the Persians and Siamese - with a strong immune system obtained by "chocolates" from ordinary yard cats, which, if you look at it, became their main ancestors.

York cat - perfection in chocolate colors

External data

The body of the York "chocolate" has a beautiful and harmonious, somewhat elongated silhouette, reminiscent of its distant ancestor - the Siamese cat. These are quite large, although not heavy animals - the weight of an adult cat can reach six, and a cat - eight kilograms. However, there are cats (usually castrated) that weigh up to ten kilograms.

The head of these cats is medium-sized and has beautiful rounded outlines, with a convex forehead, a rounded muzzle and even a slightly depressed nose. The tips of the ears are also rounded, and the auricles are protected by tufts of long hair. Eyes - large and expressive - should be almond-shaped or oval-shaped; they can be green, brownish or golden in color.

The eyes of the chocolate cat are very expressive.

Of course, the fur of the York cat breed deserves a special story. Their coats can have all shades of chocolate, from black to almost white - dairy with a very high milk content. The following color options are recognized as the breed standard:

• chocolate monochromatic;
• chocolate with white;
• lilac plain;
• lilac with white;
• vanilla chocolate;
• vanilla lilac.

Yorkie is developing towards a variety of color palette

The kitten's color may contain tabby drawing and typing

In the color of kittens and adolescents up to one year of age, there may be elements of stripes and specks, which gradually disappear as they grow older. The color of young animals is lighter, and in adults it becomes bright and saturated.

Photo Gallery: Variety of York Chocolate Cats

The purple color looks very impressive

Chocolate wool shines beautifully and shimmers in the sun

In the shade, the fur of the "chocolate" can seem completely black

The recently recognized vanilla lilac has already become the most fashionable of the breed.

A beautiful white shirt front makes the fur coat even more elegant

The color "milk chocolate" is classic for the breed

This cute cat seems to be dressed up in a tailcoat and white gloves

Character and behavior

Aggression is not inherent in York cats - they are friendly and sociable. Excellent liveliness, strong nervous system and good health make this young breed ideal pets.

They are not distinguished by a violent temperament, increased excitability, obsession or touchiness - but they are smart and trainable, unpretentious and agreeable. They easily find a common language with all family members, patiently treat small children and even often take them under their care. They are very attached to their masters and bored, poorly tolerating their absence. Therefore, if you are not at home for a long time, get your favorite "chocolate" a companion - you can have another cat, or you can have a dog - they will get along well with each other.

Equip your pet with a corner where she will be comfortable

Disadvantages of the breed

If there are ideal pets, the York Chocolate Cat is one of them. This wonderful animal has practically no flaws, and inevitable minor problems can be easily eliminated or prevented in a timely manner.

Disease propensity

The peculiarity of the origin of the breed gave its representatives excellent health and the absence of any genetic pathologies. When properly maintained, these cats live long lives and almost never get sick. Their average life expectancy is fourteen years, although there are examples of centenarians who delighted their owners for two decades and even longer.

However, you should not rely on a strong immune system for everything, donated by nature to cats from New York. To one degree or another, they are susceptible to all the same diseases as other domestic breeds. And, of course, in many respects, the health of a pet depends on proper care for it - first of all, on how balanced the diet is and whether the animal receives the necessary physical activity for it. The most vulnerable areas in the York chocolate cat are its digestive system and musculoskeletal system.

Good exercise will help you stay healthy and fit into old age

Preventive visits to the veterinarian at least once every six months are also mandatory - this will allow timely identification of an incipient ailment and completely get rid of the problem. Pay special attention to the condition of the coat - if it begins to fall out or grow dull, this signals a problem in your cat's body. Perhaps you just need to revise your diet, add additional vitamins and minerals to the menu. In any case, when such symptoms appear, you need to urgently consult a veterinarian.

Disqualifying vices

Chocolate cats actively participate in prestigious exhibitions around the world, but the breed still has experimental status, since not all felinological organizations have yet recognized it. Nevertheless, the breed standard clearly defines the signs by which the animal can be disqualified - removed from the exhibition and not allowed for breeding. These disqualifying faults include:

• the presence of elements of typing and tabby after the age of one and a half years;
• the predominance of white over the main color;
• obvious deviations from the desired breed type;
• cryptorchidism, tail wrinkles and other defects common to all breeds of cats.

In an adult York cat, stripes and specks should not be present in the color.

How to choose a Yorkie kitten

A Yorkie kitten is an excellent choice of a pet, especially for a large family with children. The only problem is that the breed remains extremely rare and it is quite difficult to acquire a high-class animal in our area. And delivering a Yorkie cat from its historical homeland is long and expensive. However, if desired, this issue can, of course, be resolved.

York Chocolate Kitten - Solid Charm

This kid from an ad on the Internet is also adorable, only he has nothing to do with the York breed

If, nevertheless, you are firmly decided to have a high-breed animal of the York breed, get a kitten not from random people, but only in reputable breeding nurseries. There are not so many of them in the world, and every thoroughbred "chocolate" is in sight and in the account - deception in such a situation is impossible. Preparing for such a responsible purchase, it will not be superfluous to carefully study the standard of an exclusive breed.

Breeding kittens differ in many ways from mongrel babies of a similar color. What exactly should you pay attention to:

1. The silhouette of the body, head, paws should have smooth, rounded outlines.
2. The contours of the muzzle and ears are rounded, no sharp corners and sharp drops in lines.
3. Color options - only those prescribed by the standard; at an early age, stripes and spots on the fur coat are permissible.
4. The quality of fur already in childhood is distinguished by a minimum of undercoat.

Pay attention not only to the color, but also to the quality of the wool

Yorkshire kittens are unusually active and curious. Don't worry, this will pass over time - as they grow older, these cats acquire poise and almost regal grandeur. But the chocolate baby is ready to tirelessly explore the world, which so far lies within the boundaries of your apartment for him - and this is completely normal.

Maintenance and care

Despite the fact that the York cat breed remains among the rarest and most expensive, keeping these animals will not take much of your time and money. They are extremely unpretentious and undemanding, and even a child will be able to take care of the "chocolate".

Hygiene

York cats are amazingly clean. From a young claw, the mother cat teaches her children to self-hygiene and cleanliness. These animals spend a lot of time licking their elegant fur coats, from which, however, it does not at all follow that the owner should not engage in the hygiene of his pet. Already a very small kitten should be gradually accustomed to regular combing. This simple procedure should be done at least twice a week, and during molting periods - daily; then the famous York fur coat will be bright, shiny and beautiful.

a shiny, well-groomed coat indicates good health of the cat

Bathing chocolate cats is necessary using special shampoos and conditioners for long hair. Human cosmetics for them are categorically not suitable. Representatives of the breed are patient and understanding about washing and all other hygienic procedures; they bathe them as they become dirty, but not more than twice a month.

York Chocolate Cat is calm and patient, she tolerates all hygiene procedures with understanding

Feeding

This breed is very unpretentious in nutrition. Feeding York cats can be both natural and high-quality ready-made food. Of course, in the first case, you need to have some experience in order to organize a balanced, tasty and certainly healthy diet for your pet. In this case, it is worth contacting the breeder or veterinarian for recommendations.

From the lines of ready-made feeds, you need to choose the highest quality and not too high-calorie

An improper or too high-calorie menu can lead to digestive problems that are characteristic of this breed. This must be taken into account when choosing ready-made feed or composing a natural diet. If the animal does not receive increased physical activity, then the calorie content of the feed should not be high. When feeding natural, the following foods should be excluded:

• fatty, fried and smoked dishes;
• salt, sugar and any spices;
• fresh river fish;
• fresh baked goods and pastries;
• citrus fruits and grapes;
• legumes and cabbage in any form.

A natural menu should be dosed and fractional - it is better to divide the daily rate into four to five feedings. If possible, try to give the animal only one food per meal. The following ingredients are very useful for the York cat:

• low-fat cottage cheese and other fermented milk products;
• lean poultry or rabbit meat - preferably boiled;
• sea fish quenched in a small amount of water;
• vegetables and root vegetables steamed until soft, except for cabbage and potatoes;
• quail eggs - no more than three pieces per week;
• well-boiled rice or buckwheat - two or three meals a week.

Restroom

Smart and clean Yorkie cats usually do not have any problems using the toilet - even small kittens of this breed already know how to use the litter box for its intended purpose.

However, when moving to a new place, the animal may experience stress and not immediately navigate such a delicate issue. The owner's task is to create the most comfortable and familiar conditions for his pet, so that the adaptation process on an unusual territory goes as quickly as possible.

Ask the breeder in advance what tray and what type of litter the cat is used to using, and offer her the same in a new place. Show the animal immediately after feeding where the toilet is - and then the cat will most likely orient itself on its own.

Tribal work

Breeding work with York cats should only be done by experienced professionals with sufficient knowledge of genetics and considerable practice in cat breeding. Only systematic, thoughtful breeding will help the young breed to finally form the desired types of animals and finally get rid of the experimental status, to gain universal international recognition.

The nuances of breeding a Yorkie breed

If you are lucky enough to become the owner of a quality representative of the breed and there is a great desire to engage in exhibition and breeder activities, do not neglect the recommendations of the breeder. The main problem of breeding work with this rare breed is the limited gene pool of producers, which inevitably leads to closely related crossbreeding and the accumulation of similar bloods, which does not always benefit the offspring.

The problem is especially acute in areas remote from the North American continent. Here it is almost impossible to correctly select a pair for breeding, and every time not every owner can afford to fly with a running kitty for mating across the ocean, even if he is a true fan of his favorite breed.

Thanks to their "yard" genetics, Yorkie chocolate cats have practically no problems in the reproductive sphere. They get pregnant well and give birth easily, usually give multiple litters. Mother cats are zealously engaged in raising children, in which dads most often do not participate.

York Chocolate cats are caring moms

Since puberty in representatives of this breed does not occur earlier than two years of age, it is not recommended to rush with mating. For a cat to fully recover between births, the interval between births should be at least six to nine months. Animals participating in breeding work should be closely monitored by a veterinarian and receive a "enhanced" diet rich in vitamins, minerals and special additives.

Castration and sterilization

Given the youth and relative instability of the breed, breeders of Yorkie cats often make it a condition for the sale of an unpromising kitten, in their opinion, to castrate or neuter it. This is a completely fair opinion, because a new breed should be built only by its best representatives.

However, if you, as an owner, do not plan to engage in breeding, then timely sterilization will make life easier for you and your animals. Moreover, the natural hormonal background in males and females of York Chocolate is usually very high - and this is fraught with both behavioral disorders and serious health problems. This is best avoided with the foresight.

Sterilized animals must be under the supervision of a veterinarian

Owner reviews

The York chocolate cat, unfortunately, has not yet received sufficient fame and popularity in our area. I would like to believe that the situation will improve and interest in this breed, which is worthy in all respects, will increase in the near future - it deserves it by and large.