The Chantilly-Tiffany cat is a feline of American origin originating from the crossbreeding of several feline breeds with short and long hair, resulting in a medium-sized cat, with semi-long fur that is abundant on the neck, chest and tail and which can be of various colors and patterns. They are adorable, friendly, loyal and affectionate cats who choose a caretaker and accompany him wherever he goes.
They do not like to be left alone and, in the absence of environmental enrichment, they can develop stereotypies or inappropriate behaviors. Their care is simple, but attention must be paid to proper hygiene of their ears, as they are at risk of developing otitis. Read on to learn more about the Chantilly-Tiffany cat, its origin, its characteristics, its care, its he alth and where to adopt it.
Origin of the Chantilly-Tiffany cat
The Chantilly-Tiffany cat is a breed from the United States, specifically from New York. The first litter was born in the year 1969, although, actually, these cats already existed before and were considered cats of the nobles, but they were believed to be extinct until in In 1967, two copies were discovered at the public auction of a building. The origin itself is still a mystery, although there are several hypotheses.
One of them says that this breed is a mix between the Abyssinian cat, the Persian and the Havana, while other theories indicate that it is a cross between the Somali, the Havana and the Angora. However, what seems more likely is that it is a mixture of equal parts Nebelung, Persian, Abyssinian, Havana and Somali cat breeds and not a long-haired Burmese as this breed has come to be called.
New York breeder Jennie Robinson was the one who obtained a pair of cats with golden eyes and chocolate-colored long hair, named Thomas and Shirley, who had a litter in 1969 in which they all the kittens were born with chocolate-colored fur, so she decided to continue breeding them for years to come.
In the 1970s, these cats were registered as "foreign longhair" with the American Cat Association, but this designation was later withdrawn before the negative opinion of the keepers, changing to Chantilly-Tiffany, since only Tiffany was as the cross between the Burmese and the Persian was already known.
Characteristics of the Chantilly-Tiffany cat
The Chantilly-Tiffany cat is a medium-sized muscular feline with a size of up to 50 cm and a weight between4 and 8 kg Its greatest attraction is perhaps its beautiful semi-long fur In addition, the main physical characteristics of this race are as follows:
- Wedge-shaped head and high cheekbones.
- Ears covered with tufts of fur with a wide base and rounded tip.
- Golden oval eyes, although they can also be yellow or green, especially in silver cats.
- Strong bones.
- Legs proportionate and with less hair than the rest of the body.
- Round feet covered with short fur.
- Straight back.
- Long tail with bushy hair.
Chantilly-Tiffany cat colors
The Chantilly-Tiffany cat's coat is fine, semi-long, silky and without an undercoat. It forms an abundant collar of fur around the neck and chest. Their colors are diverse. Most common is chocolate, but blue, black, lilac, silver, red and cream with solid patterns, tabby, speckled, marked and mackerel.
How is the Chantilly-Tiffany cat puppy?
These cats are born with medium-long-looking hair, but over time, the pattern of abundant hair on the neck, chest and tail, semi-long on the rest and short on the legs forms. In addition, the hue of the color of the eyes intensifies as they grow, being much softer when they are born than when they are already several years old.
Chantilly-Tiffany cat character
Chantilly-Tiffany cats are felines with a balanced, sociable and playful characterThey have a favorite caregiver who they will not hesitate to follow around the house and ask for attention or games, but without being annoying. They also love to rest next to said caregiver for long periods of time. They are very loyal, affectionate, friendly and intelligent.
They are not very active, but not too calm either, being less lively than the Abyssinian, Egyptian or Bengali Maus, but more so than the Persians. They get along well with children and even with visitors, being sociable and balanced cats. They are usually meowing, emitting a soft meow like the sound of birdsong.
Chantilly-Tiffany cat care
Chantilly-Tiffany cats have high intelligence, which is equivalent to high mental activity. In other words, they require interactive activities and games to entertain themselves alone or with others. Interactive games are an example of environmental enrichment, necessary for when they are left home alone as a way to avoid inappropriate behaviors, for example self-mutilation or excessive grooming which can cause alopecia.
These cats, although they have semi-long hair, are easy to care for because they lack an undercoat, which is what tends to get tangled. But despite the ease of keeping it untangled and soft, it should be brushing at least 2-3 times a week, doubling the frequency in spring and summer to prevent the accumulation of hairballs in the digestive tract, which can cause a blockage.
The Weekly ear hygiene is very important, since having very hairy ears predisposes them to the accumulation of wax and discharge, which can eventually lead to infection. Dental hygiene is also essential to prevent oral disorders and infections such as chronic gingivostomatitis, periodontal disease, abscesses, gingivitis or fractures.
They are cats with a lot of appetite, so care must be taken and give them in several feedings only the daily ration they need according to their individual and physiological needs. We also have to make sure that they always have water. It is recommended to carry out annual checkups at the vet, and whenever we notice something unusual or some unexplained change in behavior in our Chantilly-Tiffany, in order to prevent, diagnose and treat possible pathologies as soon as possible.
Chantilly-Tiffany Cat He alth
Chantilly-Tiffany cats have a life expectancy of 7 to 15 years. They may be in very good he alth, but at the same time they are predisposed to hereditary diseases from their parent breeds, such as polycystic kidney disease or polycystic kidney disease, a characteristic pathology of Persians that is characterized by the formation of cysts or fluid-filled bags inside the kidneys, which are the organs responsible for filtering blood and forming urine. These cysts grow slowly from birth, and can damage the kidney and cause kidney failure that endangers the life of the cat.
The otitis or inflammations/infections of the ear canal are characteristic of this breed, so prevention, through hygiene and vigilance, are key to avoid them. Otherwise, Chantilly-Tiffany's are just as predisposed as other cats to feline diseases, infectious and non-infectious. While most of the former can be prevented with a correct vaccination schedule, the latter must be controlled through regular visits to the veterinary center.
Where to adopt a Chantilly-Tiffany cat?
Adopting a Chantilly-Tiffany cat is practically an impossible mission, since there are very few copies in the world. One option is to adopt a cross of this breed or one of its parents in a shelter or protector, as well as search the internet for specific rescue associations of these breeds. All cats deserve an opportunity and surely in your nearest shelter there are many cats waiting for a home that will offer you the same affection and loy alty as these purebred cats.
