Black and white cats what breed

The Oriental Shorthair cat is very similar to the Siamese cat. They are often confused with Siamese, probably because the latter is better known. These cats often have green eyes, but their fur comes in a variety of colors. They can be black and white, but they can be almost any other color.

10 black and white cat breeds

There are a great many cat colors – and breeders are increasing in number every year. But even here there is a place for the timeless classic – as usual, black and white, as an elegant evening gown. Even born “nobles” look noble in this coloring. Cat fanciers noticed this long time ago and that’s why they separated these animals into their own type.

There are three types of contrast color: van, harlequin and bicolor. The first type is characterized by the dominance of white color with dark areas on the head and tail. In harlequin cats, large dark spots are distributed all over the body, but occupy less than half of the entire area. And bicolors are easily recognized by the famous tuxedo – black coat with light colored marks on the muzzle, chest and paws.

They are often understood to be the breed of black cats with white breasts. However, do not think that this color is inherent only in common pets. Not every black and white cat in the photo – Breed, among them there are real aristocrats. Here is among what breeds this coloration is found.

British Shorthair.

The official history of this breed is not so long – only a century and a half. But this time chunky independent Brits have gained love all over the world. It’s not just because of its plush coat and adorably thick cheeks (although it’s certainly not without that). This breed is often referred to as the perfect cat for the workaholic. The British Shorthair is phlegmatic and reserved.

They do not require much attention, are delicately distanced from naughty children and unpretentious in care. Blue-gray is considered the classic color, but a contrasting black and white is allowed by the international breed standard. These cats have muscular and harmoniously built bodies. Their main danger, from the medical point of view, is overweight. Because they put on weight rapidly, they need a balanced diet and plenty of exercise to keep them healthy.

The British are firmly in the top of the most popular breeds, so they are widely distributed, and their price varies widely. From simple private breeders, whose pets do not take part in major exhibitions, you can buy a kitten for 3-10 thousand rubles. But if the parents of the baby – honored owners of awards and a solid pedigree, its cost can start from 35 thousand.

Features

First of all, you must understand that a white cat owes its luxurious coloring to the albinism gene. An albino kitten has no color in principle, the albinism gene is responsible for the absence of pigmentation. If you see a real albino, then the iris of his eyes will be reddish. Such representatives of the feline kingdom are very rare. But blue-eyed albinos are more common. To get a white kitten, you need to cross a cat with a white gene with a male of any color. If you combine a cat and a cat, in the set of which there is this gene, then the color of kittens is indeterminable, it can be any. As a rule, cats with this genotype have eyes of bright colors.

The gene responsible for pagosity produces white spots of solid type, but the animal looks completely snow-white. It happens that the spots do not adjoin one to another, then the animal turns out spotted. The eyes can be of different colors. People who breed white cats often associate them with features scientifically inexplicable. For example:

• A white cat crossing your path brings good luck, success, winning;
• A domestic cat of this color should bring the owners prosperity, money prosperity, but another’s cat, walked into your house, will bring, rather, the material loss;
• A snow-white cat must not be mistreated or it will bring bad luck;
• They even ascribe to white cats the ability to increase a woman’s chances of conceiving a child if she often strokes the light-colored skin of her pet;
• When adopting kittens, it is recommended that cats be given to men and cats to women.

Of course, the omens of this kind do not have any scientific evidence, so they should not be taken with complete seriousness, but the advice “do not hurt the animals, take in the arms more often” is quite appropriate in any case.

Eye colors

The color of the eyes of white cats can be different, already mentioned above that genes are responsible for this. That is why albino eyes do not have a pronounced color and stand out with a red rim. However If a cat’s eyes have tints of green, yellowish or blue, the dominant white gene is at work here. Sometimes these cats have different eyes, for example, one bluish, the other yellow. Among blue-eyed cats there is a large percentage of cats with congenital deafness. If one eye is blue, the ear on its side can be deaf.

So, it has been found that deafness in white cats is related to eye color and genes. Ear degeneration occurs in 40% of white-eyed animals and about 75% of blue-eyed animals. The hearing impairment occurs because the white color gene destructively affects the migration of pigment-producing and transporting melanoblasts. It also affects the functioning of cells of a different order. A kitten as an embryo gets this abnormality. Of course, not all white cats with blue eyes are deaf. Judging by the total number of felines, it is a little more than 1% of the total number. Geographically, there is no uniformity in the distribution of such cats.

The risk of deafness of blue-eyed cat increases about 4 times in comparison with other colors. In addition, it has been proven that cats with long hair are three times more likely to be born deaf than short-haired cats. Invisible cats do not participate in breeding programs and are rejected, but you can breed them at home without any problems. The only nuance about their care is that they should never walk in the street, especially not without supervision.

The white color in the real nature is not too positive moment for a cat: the probability of hearing loss is high, there is a danger of photophobia, because blue eyes are very sensitive to light. Also, blue-eyed cats are not as good at seeing in the dark as other cats. But as pets, they are incredibly popular.

Breeds of black and white cats

Cats come in a variety of colors. Two-tone coloration is common, and the most common color combination is black and white.

There are different ratios of colors: some cats have white markings only on their paws, muzzle, and chest, and the rest of their coat is black. Others, on the other hand, have rather white black spots on the white coat.

Oriental

Bicolor oriental cats are often confused with Siamese cats. They were bred from crossing the Siamese cat and the bicolor American shorthair. They are distinguished by their long slender bodies and short, satiny coats to the touch.

Oriental cats have wedge-shaped heads with prominent noses and almond-shaped green eyes. They are very sociable, playful and intelligent, and love to “chat”.

Their fur comes in a variety of colors and shades. According to the standards of the bicolor breed, at least a third of the coat must be white.

Bombay cat

• Height: 22.8-33 cm
• Weight:3.6-6.8 kg.
• Personality characteristics:Curious, lively
• Coat:Short, easy to care for
• Color:Black;
• Lifespan:9-13 years.

Reminiscent of a wild black leopard, the Bombay cat is a loving pet that adores its family. A mix of burma and American shorthair, the Bombay has striking copper-colored eyes. They are smart, playful, and love to explore new things.

These animals adapt well to new environments and to people. They make excellent members of large families or companions for those who live alone.

The Bombay cat is the only breed whose members are only black in color.

Cornish Rex

• Height: 20.3-30.5 cm
• Weight: 2.7-4.5 kg.
• Personality Characteristics: charming and playful
• Wool: Short, curly or wavy
• Color: Black, white, gray, ginger, lilac, tabby, calico and tortoiseshell
• Lifespan: 9-13 years or more

The Cornish Rex is the owner of a silky, curly coat and large, amusing ears. They are extremely playful, curious, and love to explore their surroundings. These adventurers often find themselves in places where other members of the feline family rarely go.

How to Care

The care of black and white cats is almost no different from the care of other pets. True, experts note that such animals are very clean, adore bathing and combing out the hair. It is important to bring up the kitten correctly, without being too strict to it, because otherwise the pet can grow withdrawn and unsociable.

There is a popular belief that black and white cats and cats are a kind of living talisman, attracting happiness, luck, success and financial well-being in the home.

The color peculiarities

To begin with, we should dispel the myths that have been created for centuries around the black color of cat fur. The black coat color is the result of genetics, not machinations of unclean forces. Color is inherited, from mother to son. In most cases black cats are born with exactly the same coat color.

For the color is responsible pigment melanin, which is a microscopic granules.

This pigment in turn breaks down into such two constituent parts as:

The inheritance of a particular color depends on the sex of the whiskers, since a cat has one X-chromosome and can be either black or any shade of red. Cats have two X chromosomes, so kittens can be born with black, red, or tortoiseshell colors.

Temperament and eye color

Nature has equipped black cats with a malleable and peaceful nature. They are sincerely attached to people, able to capture their mood and condition. They take away negative feelings, transform it into positive energy and return it to their owners. Aggression is not inherent in these animals. Due to their playfulness and cheerfulness, they will be good companions for children’s games. If the owner often moves from place to place, they will quickly adapt to the new environment.

The black cat is a reliable predictor of the weather, especially for those who live in an area of seismic activity.

An anxious animal will rush around the house, forcing the owner to leave the building. However, black cats are beloved not only for their companionable character and colorful appearance, but also for the expressive look of their huge eyes. For a long time it was thought that the most common combination was a black cat with green eyes. Although genetic scientists have tried so hard to breed an animal with an unusual iris color that today it is almost impossible to meet a cat with natural emerald green or grass eyes.

Thanks to science there are numerous species of animals with blue, amber and olive eyes. However, breeders warn that as a cat grows up, its eye color may change.

For example, all kittens are born with blue eyes. Then it all depends on the pigmentation. If the front of the eye is more pigmented, the cat will have yellow eyes. If the accumulation of pigment is in the back, you will get green eyes.

Persian cat.

While the pure white Persian is often the most photographed and highly prized variety of this popular breed, they also come in other colors, including black and white.

It is impossible to confuse this breed with their long, thick fur; big bright eyes; and crumpled faces. Their popularity also stems from their laid-back, low-energy, and cozy personality.

They are not known as some of the smartest or most trainable cats. Persians’ long, lustrous coat requires daily grooming. It tangles easily and causes discomfort if neglected.

Scottish Lop-Eared Cat

The Scottish Lop-Eared, known for its small bent ears, looks quite mischievous. These cats aren’t usually mischievous at all.

Known for being laid-back and friendly, Scottish Lop-Eared cats usually live well around other pets and respectful children.

This breed is at greater risk of developing degenerative joint disease, which can affect cartilage and bone development.

Their thick coats require regular grooming so they don’t have problems with fur balls. The combination of black and white is just one of the many colors a breed can have.

List of black and white cat breeds

#15 Oriental.

The standard for oriental smooth-haired cats includes up to 200 types of colors. There are among them all types of black and white variations:

The most striking feature of the oriental shorthair cat is the large bat ears. They are widely spaced, widened at the base and pointed.

The slightly slanted almond-shaped eyes always glimmer green, regardless of the color of the coat.

The body is slender and the legs are long. The shorthair’s tail is long and thin, resembling a whip.

Their funny face with a slanting squint of the eyes as if asking to play with them. They are playful, indefatigable, and graceful. Strongly attracted to their owners.

#14 Maine Coon

Maine Coons are a large breed of cat. At the same time, they are known as incredibly affectionate to people creatures.

Combined with their memorable appearance and shiny fur, this has helped them become one of the most popular pets in the world.

Maine Coons usually have a tiger pattern. But a wide variety of colors and patterns are found. Especially beautiful look black with a white breast. Such coloring is aptly called a tuxedo.

The most typical type of color is bicolor. In this case, most of the body is covered with coal-colored fur.

Big cats find common ground with all members of the family. They are loyal and affectionate, but not too attached to their owners.

Maine Coons are hardened mousetraps. It is dangerous to keep them at home with ornamental rodents.

#13 Cornish Rex

Black-and-white cat with curly hair leaves no one indifferent. Through breeding, breeders have bred a breed without hair, leaving only a soft and fluffy undercoat.

Because of their famous curly coat, large, broad ears and slender build, the animals were nicknamed the cat’s greyhounds.

Energetic and sociable, this breed thrives in human company. The Cornish Rex is intelligent. He can be taught a number of circus tricks.

British Shorthair

The British Shorthair is one of the most popular cats in the world. They come in several different colors, although gray is the most common. Black and white variants are possible, but they are less common.

They were originally bred and kept for practical purposes, such as hunting mice. Their thick wool keeps them warm and protects them from the weather, although they do not require special care.

Kimrick

Like the Manx cat breed, kimriks are tailless most of the time. Because their tails are controlled by complex genetics, they come in a variety of lengths. Some have no tail at all, while others have a tiny stump. The lack of a tail is the result of a genetic mutation. Because they were bred on the Isle of Man, which is a relatively small area, this genetic mutation spread until it affected most felines on the island.

Today, these cats come in a variety of colors, including black and white. They are people-oriented and don’t like to spend too much time alone. They feel best in families where there is always someone to keep them company. When left alone, they can get lonely, which can lead to destructive behavior.