The Ceylon cat is a rare feline, as there are very few specimens found in France and Italy. However, today it is a breed that is in the process of breeding and selection. It is a breed from Sri Lanka, India, and it is an active, intelligent, affectionate and playful cat that adapts to different places and gets along well with children. It is a strong and he althy breed, without hereditary diseases and a fine but robust, compact and muscular appearance, which highlights its small head with tabby pattern stripes on the forehead, its marked cheekbones, its almond-shaped eyes and its large ears with rounded tips.
Do you want to know all the characteristics of the Ceylon cat? Continue reading this article on our site to know its origin, character, care, he alth and where to adopt it.
Origin of the Ceylon cat
The Ceylon cat is an Asian cat that comes from a natural breed of Sri Lanka, located in southeastern India. The beginning of these cats dates back to 1984, when an Italian doctor named Paolo Pellegatta found these cats in that area and was dazzled by the tabby markings on their heads, necks, legs and tails. It was then that he took several specimens to his home in Milan, Italy, to start a breeding program.
In 1988 the Club de Amigos del Gatto di Celylon was created and in 1993 the TICA recognized it.
Characteristics of the Ceylon cat
The Ceylon cat is a medium-sized feline, with a height of 25-35 cm and a weight of 3-5 kg in females and 4-6 kg in males. Its body has a semi-cobby shape, that is, it has a compact and robust body, with a round and wide head. They have fine bones but powerful muscles. The tail tapers as it reaches the tip and the front legs are somewhat shorter than the back ones.
The head, small in relation to the rest of the body, is rounded, with prominent cheeks, a nose without a naso-frontal depression, large ears with rounded tips that are lighter in color than the rest of the body, a flat forehead, a strong chin and jaw, and large matching colored eyes. with the mantle, generally green or yellow, and almond-shaped.
Ceylon Cat Colors
The hair of these cats is short, fine and silky It is very tight and barely has an undercoat. Within the characteristics of the Ceylon cat, what stands out the most, without a doubt, is the pattern of its coat, and that is that it follows a tabby pattern in areas such as the forehead, tail, legs and back. The tip of the tail is a slightly darker color than the rest of the fur, which can be of the following colors:
- Ash
- Golden (gold)
- Black
- Red
- Tortoise
- Blue
Ceylon cat character
The Ceylon cat has a calm, affectionate and independent temperament He is somewhat shy with strangers, but very affectionate with his own and adores be at home with their caregivers, although they are not overly dependent. In addition, he gets along very well with children and other animals and adapts well to life inside a small apartment, but he is also a fan of the outdoors. He is also an active and playful cat, always alert and fit.
Ceylon cat care
These cats have short, tight hair and no undercoat, they barely lose hair and their coat does not form knots, so a couple of weekly brushings is enough. However, some diseases can predispose these cats to ingest more hair than they should and their digestive elimination system is not as efficient, so we must not forget this brushing routine, even in short-haired cats such as the Ceylon. to prevent hairballs.
Continuing with the care of the Ceylon, This cat's large ears must be sanitized to prevent otitis, as well as the teeth to prevent and detect other diseases such as feline chronic gingivostomatitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease, fractures, infections or wounds. The eyes must also be cleaned of secretions and dirt to prevent infection.
On the other hand, since they are active and playful cats, it is essential to guarantee a correct environmental enrichment, where they have scratchers with various heights, rest area, one or more litter boxes (depending on whether there are more cats in the home), various toys, etc. Likewise, it is important to dedicate some time each day to play, since, let's remember, they are cats that love to spend time with their human companions.
Finally, due to the nature of the species and the developed musculature of the breed, these cats must follow a diet with a high percentage of protein of animal origin for the maintenance of muscles, obtaining of essential nutrients and the preservation of your he alth. Find out what cats eat in this other article.
Ceylon Cat He alth
The Ceylon cat has a life expectancy of 14-16 years It is a cat in good he alth and is not known At the moment no disease associated with the breed. However, like any cat, it may be predisposed to suffering from any infectious and parasitic disease common in this species, so vaccination guidelines against diseases such as rhinotracheitis, calicivirosis, leukemia and rabies, and deworming against internal and external parasites and the infectious diseases that they can carry, must be respected to prevent them. Likewise, these cats must undergo annual check-ups in order to detect any type of pathology early in order to have a better prognosis and effectiveness in the treatment.
Where to adopt a Ceylon cat?
Adopting a Ceylon cat is a very difficult task, especially outside the Asian areas of origin or where they are being bred, i.e. France and Italy, as there are very few specimens It should be noted that any cat deserves a responsible adoption, so if you have been dazzled by these cats, surely If you go to the nearest protector you will find a cat that does the same way and needs your company and affection much more.
