British white cat with green eyes. What is the eye color of British cats? Black color of the breed

Any breed has a certain standard, which includes different criteria. One of the most important is color. Sometimes determining it is much more difficult than it seems at first glance. This is especially true for British cats because they have the strictest criteria. Today, seven colors are clearly defined, and there are more than two hundred variations. With the help of our article, you can check your pet for compliance with the standard and find out a description of all the options.

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Varieties and characteristics of colored Britons

If you decide to buy a kitten with a view to further participation in exhibition competitions, then keep in mind that the requirements for British cats are the most stringent. The term “color” is a general term, and consists of a combination of the following characteristics: eye color, coat, and coat pattern. Even the nose and paw pads are taken into account, the color of which is interconnected at the genetic level. Just imagine, if there is a gray spot on a pink pad, the cat's color does not fall under the cream standard. Therefore, when choosing kittens, it is very important to pay attention to all these nuances.

According to standard requirements, every hair on a cat's fur must have an even color from root to tip. Only silver and tabby varieties fall under the exception. This means that solid-colored kittens should have an even color without overflow. No one will argue that the silver tint on a blue cat’s coat looks impressive, but she will simply not be allowed to compete due to inconsistency. Unfortunately, only a few of our domestic cats fall under such a strict requirement.

Not only the colors of British dogs, but also the patterns on their coat are subject to strict restrictions. In accordance with one of the authoritative American standards, in bi-color or calico, as well as in smoky, solid and shaded colors, signs of residual pattern are considered to be a serious fault.

Over the many years of their existence, British cats have won the hearts of many furry lovers. The blue-colored British have held the palm for a long time. Lilac kittens are a little behind, followed by silver tabbies and spotted cats. In a number of countries, brown-spotted kittens are popular, having pronounced chocolate spots on a light background.

The color of the coat should be as pure and uniform as possible. The presence of spots, white hairs and other shades is unacceptable. The coat of British cats is very soft, despite its thickness. It is for this reason that this breed does not leave anyone indifferent.

Colors of cats

The main colors of the British are divided into seven groups, each of which has a corresponding coding. A special table will help you understand in more detail.

Color	Photo	Code
Blue		BRI a
Black		BRI n
Lilac		BRI c
Chocolate		BRI b
Cream		BRI e
White		BRI w
Red		BRI d

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A little about whites

Cats with a white color stand out noticeably from others. Their eyes can be blue or orange. Some kittens may have different eye colors at birth. The popularity of white British cats has been growing rapidly recently. This is facilitated by their incredible appearance, which eliminates the appearance of extraneous shades and yellowness.

Breeding White Britons is fraught with some difficulties: the offspring may have physical defects, problems with vision and hearing. The coat is not always exceptionally white, and some kittens may be born with barely noticeable markings, which usually disappear completely with age.

Tortoiseshells

The tortoiseshell color has the following description: two-color spots are evenly distributed over the body. The most common combinations are black and red, cream and blue, cream and chocolate. Only females are genetically predisposed to tortoiseshell coloration.

The main requirement for color is the uniform distribution of spots over the body, that is, one color should not prevail over another. Small stripes on the muzzle are acceptable. According to the standard, the eyes should be copper or gold, and the nose and paw pads should be painted black or pink.

The fate of tortoiseshell cats is very controversial. For some, this color is unacceptable, while others are not even against such diversity. One way or another, British tortoiseshells are indispensable for further selection. Their offspring are so diverse that just a few years later another group will appear.

Blue British

British blue cats may have a silver tint, that is, the hair is not completely colored, but only its middle part, starting from the middle. Based on the ratio of the colored part of the hair to its total length, shaded, smoky and chinchilla colors are distinguished. Smoky kittens are the most closely related to silver cats. Their coat is dyed in the dominant color only a third of the hair size, and the lower part and undercoat can very often be almost white. The color of the paw pads of these cats is identical to the color of the coat, and the eyes sparkle with copper or gold. At first glance, it seems that the fur of smoky cats is completely uniform, but looking at the photo, you will understand that this is not entirely true.

Chinchillas

They are shaded and look almost white, but upon closer examination you can see that there is a characteristic coating at the ends of the hairs. In shaded cats, this coating occupies 1/6 of the hair, and in chinchillas only 1/8.

Tabby or wild color

Kittens with tabby color have the greatest similarity with representatives of the wild world. Their coat color can be anything, but according to established standards, only three patterns are recognized: spotted, brindle and marbled. At first glance, it seems that everything is extremely simple, but each type of pattern can be on the main color.

Color point

Kittens whose fur has darker spots fall into the color point category. As a rule, these spots (points) fall on the tail, muzzle, ears and limbs. The color of the points corresponds to one of the six main color groups, excluding white.

Bicolor

Cats that combine any of the main colors with white are divided into a separate group - bicolor. This also includes tortoiseshells, and those with patterns that also have white inclusions. Among bicolored Britons, there are three main groups: harlequin (only 1/5 of the body is colored, large spots are located on the back and head), van (with two spots on the head and a colored tail) and bicolor (half of the body is colored, a white spot on the face and collar on the neck).

As you can see, Britons can come in a wide variety of colors. Perhaps this is where the incomparable magic of this breed lies.

Photo gallery

Video " British Specialty Show»

At exhibitions, British cats are always subject to high demands. In this video you can not only see the variety of colors of the breed, but also find out the judges' requirements for them.

There are no marks or smoke marks on it. The nose, eyelids and paw pads are characterized by a pink tint. At birth, kittens may have a colored spot that lasts for one year. A characteristic feature is the absence of yellowing on the paws, especially on their inner surface, as well as at the root of the tail and under the eyes.

The eyes of white cats can have different colors:

• White with blue eyes(BRI W 61) Cats of this color are characterized by blue eye color, which is characterized by significant intensity. Blue-eyed white cats are often deaf - this connection is established at the genetic level.
• White with orange eyes(BRI W 62)
• White with green eyes(BRI W 64)
• White with differently colored eyes(BRI W 63)

This color is characterized by the presence of eyes that differ in color from each other. Usually one of them is blue in color, while the other has a predominantly copper or orange tint.

Disadvantages of the white color include dark spots that are present on the head of adult individuals. Basically, they are only permissible for kittens at the beginning of their growth.

The active gene for this color is white dominant - W, in which the cat has a snow-white coat. The white color gene is unusual - it does not color the fur white, but reliably hides all other colors present in the cat’s genetic makeup.

Under the white color, several genes are successfully hidden, which are masked by the active influence of the predominant W gene. Under the influence of this gene, not only the color of the fur coat changes, but also the shade of the eyes. Blocking the processes of pigment formation leads, as a rule, to a predominance of blue eye color. In these individuals, only one eye has a blue color, while the other has a widespread shade. Usually this color is yellow-brown, copper-orange or yellow. This does not indicate that in the cells of the other eye the influence of the dominant W gene is completely absent. The predominance of the traditional color indicates that its effect did not affect the iris of the eye. It is very interesting to observe what eye color white cats have. Some of them have an eye, half of which has a normal tone, and the other part has a blue tint. In some cases, various inclusions are found in the iris.

White cats with different eyes are classified as rare because the number of such individuals is small. It is because of their features that they are called “royal”. There is a belief that a cat whose eyes differ in color ensures good luck and prosperity for its owner.

There are certain conditions when breeding white cats. It lies in the fact that it is forbidden to mate cats that belong to the white color with each other. One partner must be of a different color. This is explained by the fact that when two white cats mate, the risk of giving birth to an animal homozygous for W increases significantly, which may have congenital deafness. However, there is an opinion that this condition is far-fetched, since most cat lovers have great love for individuals with blue eyes, and the Turkish Angora cat, with multi-colored eyes, belongs to the category of royal ones. This is a kind of memory of the hero of Turkey Ataturk, who had eyes of different colors. It is worth saying that a white cat in Turkey can walk around the mosque without hindrance.

Every connoisseur of the cat family knows well and can easily recognize a British cat. However, sometimes they are completely different from each other. All because of the diversity of their appearance. Therefore, let's try to find out what colors of British cats exist in nature today and how to identify them.

A little about the breed itself

Cats of this breed are short-haired and have a characteristic face. They are mainly distinguished by their kindness, strength of character and intelligence. At the same time, their body sizes generally correspond to medium or large; the animals are called strong and strong.

They say that the British are direct descendants of the well-known Cheshire cat.

External features of animals

If you take into account the coat color of cats, you will notice that their appearance has certain patterns. These include:

• Round head and wide cheekbones;
• Short and rough neck;
• Short and straight nose,
• Small and low-set roundish ears;
• Big eyes;
• Grounded, massive body;
• Short but fairly thick paws;
• Thick, medium-sized tail;
• Short, soft, but very thick coat.

Character and behavioral characteristics

The main difference between Britons is that they are very independent from their owners. It is convenient to have such animals for businessmen or those who like to travel, because the cat will not be too sad during separation.

They will not cuddle and bask in the arms of their owners. However, this does not mean that the British do not love their partners. The main thing for them is just to be nearby, and they also love to play and “talk”. At the same time, the cat will not escape from the hands, but will calmly withstand all the outbursts of tenderness of the owner. Such a British temperament in an animal.

Positive and negative sides

Like any animal, the British dog also has its pros and cons. The first is that he doesn't require much attention and can easily be left alone for long periods of time. However, the negative aspects include the severity of upbringing, since they almost always have their own opinion about everything and their own vision of what they need to do.

Colors of British cats

Today, the colors of the British Shorthair are known in more than 200 variations. A small part of them has been known since the appearance of the breed in general, the other is a consequence of the painstaking work of breeders.

The very variety of colors depends on the combination of two components - the color of the animal’s villi and the presence of a pattern on their body.

Melanin is responsible for what kind of pattern will be shown on the British fur coat. At the same time, two different types of substances can give a black or red base, which ultimately acts as a key in the formation of color. The combination of these two types of melanin in different proportions allows you to create very diverse animals in appearance. In addition, it is worth noting that there are solid colors - when the wool is one color, as well as wool with a pattern.

Popular varieties

Speaking about the diversity of British cats and taking into account the components that were mentioned above, they can all be grouped into certain categories. It is in such groups that we will further consider:

• blue;
• monochrome and smoky;
• Collor Point;
• silver and gold shaded;
• tortoiseshell cats;
• Tabby;
• Bicolor, Party-colors, Harlequin, Van.

Blue plain

Due to the great similarity of cats of this breed to the Scottish Fold, mainly those who want to have an animal think that the color must necessarily be blue. This color is indeed recognized as a certain standard. Quite often in colloquial speech they are called classic.

The fur of such British cats is mostly monochromatic and does not have any light-colored fibers. The skin of animals is always blue, however It is the light shade of the coat that is much more valuable to specialists In addition, at the age of the kitten, some kind of pattern may exist, but with age it necessarily disappears.

Myths and their refutation

Although photos and descriptions of the colors of British cats can be easily found both on the Internet and on the pages of specialized magazines, many people quite often make mistakes in their thoughts. For example, most cat lovers think that a Briton of this category is born with bright orange eyes. But this is not so - British kittens of all colors appear with blue and sometimes gray eyes, the iris of the eye acquires a different color only later. Another mistake that cat owners make is that they are not aware of the existence of the British Shorthaired Fold.

Plain

Representatives of this group are considered to be those animals in which all the villi, the layer under the fur and the skin are strictly one solid color or even shade. Literally one small spot is the reason why a Briton is not enrolled here. This group includes colors:

• Lilac;
• Black;
• Cinnamon;
• Faun.

Lilac cat

Animals of this breed have a uniform color that combines blue and pink tones. You can notice that these animals have pink hair color, which is difficult to explain in words. Therefore, before making a choice, you should first look at the photos of the colors of British cats.

Interestingly, adult cats are similar in color to delicate milk coffee. Of the entire set of color components, only the undercoat can have an excellent tone.

It is quite difficult to obtain an animal of this color, because quite often it is just luck and a consequence of the unpredictability of the actions of breeders.

Chocolate animals

This coat color is primarily a one-color kitten with increased pigmentation of the fibers. For them, there is one pricing law: the darker the color (shade) of a brown British cat, the more expensive it is. People can easily hear this shade called “chestnut” or “havana”.

Black color of the breed

These Britons are characterized by a deep and highly saturated black tone of the body, which covers the villi, undercoat and even the entire skin. These animals are very difficult to breed because their fur begins to fade at the age of seven months. Enough often, a kitten that was born black can turn brown in just one year. Such British people generally cannot have a silver shimmer. If it exists, then this means that the breeders tried hard to give birth to a kitten. And such a violation results in the animal being rejected on the list of rejected ones.

Cinnamon color

Shades of this light brown color are rare colors of British cats. After all, at first they were light tones of a chocolate type color, but over time they were crossed by two carriers of this gene. Their rarity is manifested in the fact that a brown British cat can give birth to such heirs only after one generation, and sometimes much less often.

Faun

The coat color of this group of cats is very easy to confuse with cinnamon or cream. However, fauns belong to the category that is called “rare and expensive colors of British cats.” It contains shades of pink or cream.

White British

Such animals are characterized by a cold tone of the villi and a pinkish tint to the skin. In nature, there is a British white cat with blue eyes, as well as multi-colored ones. Kittens may have a small spot, but it should definitely disappear over time.

At the same time, the British, in which yellowing still appears in specific places - on the paws, hair under the eyes, and also on the tail, are considered to be defective.

Collor Point breed

These animals include those in which there are two colors in color, but white significantly predominates. The second color can range from gray with a lighter shade to red. The most expensive representatives of the breed with a very rare Siamese type color with dark colored locks.

Silver and gold shaded

Representatives of this category are characterized by the presence of the main color on the ears, head, back and even on the tail. In this case, the silver shade should predominate on the collar, paws and belly. Quite often, all owners of this color are mistakenly called chinchillas. Among them are the colors of the coat:

• brown or black;
• blue;
• chocolate;
• cinnamon;

Silver chinchilla

If we talk about what colors British silver cats come in, then this category can be classified as the rarest. Thanks to the direct connection with representatives of the Persian breed, they have a more flexible and gentler character.

At the same time, they have an important feature - the hairs should not be silver more than one-eighth of the length.

Golden color type

In this group of animals, the base tone is necessarily dark, and the upper part of the hair is painted gold. A gray tint in this case is not acceptable, and therefore such cats are considered defective. People call them chinchillas.

Turtle animals

Owners of tortoiseshell colors are characterized by a uniform distribution of tones on the body, but with the condition that there are no patterns on the light parts. It is acceptable to have red or cream spots on the face. This species, due to genetic predisposition, is only possible for females, which makes the work of breeders even harder. Another injustice is that the British in this category are infertile. For animals, a combination of 3 colors is important:

• black or brown;
• cream/red;
• blue or purple.

Patterned (Tabby)

Another species that contains a table of colors of British cats. What is characteristic of these British cats is that they can have excellent hair color at the very base. The pattern on the body can be striped or spotted. It is advisable to divide them into silver and gold types; sometimes a subspecies of the Collor Point type is also distinguished.

Snow (asymmetrical) leopard color

This type of tabby is characterized by large dark spots on a light-colored coat. The pattern practically cannot be symmetrical, and the spots themselves are dark inside and less saturated along the contour. On the lateral areas of the skin there are thin stripes resembling marble. The kittens' eyes are large and copper-colored. The base tone can be anything.

Cats are popular pets. They are found all over the world, and the number of breeds has long exceeded 500. The British Fold cat is widely known on the American continent and in Europe. These are beautiful graceful animals with ash, chocolate and black coat colors.

History of the breed

The breed is one of the oldest. In the form in which we currently know, it was bred back in the 19th century, when a Persian was crossed with an English domestic cat. The roots of this breed go deep into antiquity, to the period of the reign of Emperor Claudius.

Together with the legionnaires, cats went to Britain on ships, which successfully went ashore and began to explore new places. It was these representatives, descendants of the Roman breed, who became the ancestors of the British Fold cat.

For a long time this breed was widely known in Europe, but was brought to Russia relatively recently. The black color of British cats appeared due to the fact that the British believe that it is this color of a pet that brings happiness and good luck to the home.

Description

The head of a British cat or tom should be wide and round, of regular shape. The ears are set wide apart, medium in size, slightly drooping. The tips are rounded, and the outer part is densely covered with hair. The nose of these animals is small, short and wide. British cats are black in color and have large, round, golden eyes. On the muzzle they are placed quite far from the nose, which gives the head an even more impressive appearance.

The body of British cats and cats is strong, muscular, with well-developed wide bones. The legs are short and strong, the tail is thick, of medium length and tapers towards the end. Full maturation and final formation of the body occur at 4-5 years of age, despite the fact that kittens grow and get stronger very quickly. Their weight at this age reaches 6-8 kg in males, 1.5-2 kg less in females.

Wool

The British black cat should have an even coat color. No inclusions, transitions or shades are allowed. The undercoat should also match the color and not differ from the main color. There are about 30 color varieties in the breed.

The coat can be long, in which case it is thick and requires much more attention and care from the owners. Special shampoos and brushes are used for combing. Black or an animal of any other color also refers to representatives of a pure breed.

Character

For those who like to play, pet and cuddle their pet, the British breed is unlikely to be suitable. These cats are famous for their love of showing off, but do not like to be touched. They quickly get used to a new environment and will be affectionate and playful with those who love and care for them. At the same time, if possible, they will hide from guests and new people and avoid contact in every possible way.

A British black cat will never be bored alone. They are self-sufficient and have a great time with themselves. Therefore, this particular breed is well suited for busy people and businessmen who spend a minimum of time at home.

Care

The British black cat is one of the most unpretentious breeds among this species. The first thing you need to pay attention to is the wool. Special brushes and trimmers are purchased to comb out the undercoat. The process is carried out weekly, if necessary 2-3 times in 7-10 days. Especially during the molting period.

Also, during the period of annual renewal of fur, cats actively lick themselves, and clumps of hairs collect in their stomach. To prevent intestinal obstruction from occurring, it is necessary to give special pastes, tablets or food that naturally dissolve the hair in the pet’s body.

The sharp and long claws of a British cat can cause the most damage to furniture. To protect household utensils, it is necessary to install several “scratch guards” in the house. These can be special posts with a thick rope wound, which can be purchased at a pet store, or beautiful logs from felled trees. It is also necessary to regularly trim the claws and treat them with preventative agents, as this breed is susceptible to fungal diseases.

Health

British or any other color) inherited good health and immunity from its ancestors. But there are several diseases that can occur in this breed. First of all, professional breeders and specialists recommend monitoring the heart condition of your pet.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy manifests itself in adults and cannot be treated, therefore, in order to prevent such a disease, it is necessary to regularly, at least once a year, perform an ultrasound of the heart. This procedure begins from an early age of the cat.

The British black cat is also susceptible to dental diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor the oral cavity. If periodontal disease is not noticed in time, your pet may subsequently lose up to 30-35% of its teeth. Regular cleanings, stone removal and veterinary checks will help prevent this.

In order for the British to always feel good, it is necessary to properly care for them, select a special diet and regularly visit specialized clinics for examination. It is preferable that the cat be monitored throughout its life by one doctor who will be aware of all the ailments and characteristics of your pet.

Feeding

British cats are not picky when it comes to nutrition and will eat almost anything that is offered to them. Therefore, it is necessary to create the right diet and feed your pet natural and high-quality food in order for him to be healthy, beautiful and active. Many people mistakenly believe that there is nothing better for cats than fish. Such a diet will not bring the necessary nutrients and vitamins to the animal’s body.

Pet stores offer a large number of types of food, both dry and wet. Some companies develop a special balanced diet intended only for this breed. Preference should be given to more expensive products; they contain more natural meat, fresh vegetables and nutrients.

If you are a supporter of natural products, you need to prepare daily portions yourself. Your cat should get the necessary proteins from meat, natural fiber from vegetables and herbs, and you can sometimes add eggs and dairy products. From time to time, your pet needs to buy vitamins, which a veterinarian can recommend after an examination. Also, fresh water should always be freely available in the house.

How to choose the right kitten

Ash, black, cat or any other color stands out for its attractive appearance. To purchase a healthy kitten, you must first make sure of the good qualities of the parents. This is verified using a passport and pedigree. Experts recommend taking babies only from trusted nurseries.

First of all, in addition to the passport and pedigree, the kitten must have all the characteristics of the breed. Next, you need to pay attention to the baby’s activity and playfulness. If lethargy appears, then there is a possibility of infection or disease. The condition of the ears and eyes should also be normal.

Imagine a British cat. Most likely, your mind's eye will see a large, beautiful, gray-blue animal with bright copper eyes. In fact, the eyes of British cats, like the colors, can be very different.

The richness of the palette is endless. The main thing for participation in exhibitions or breeding programs is that the eye color of British cats is in harmony with their color.

However, when buying a small kitten, the owner is unlikely to be able to guess what his pet’s eyes will become over time - after all, tailed babies are born blue-eyed, and the real eye color appears in some by six months, and in others only by one and a half years.

But in this case, nature itself gives a hint - the eye color of British cats is directly related to color. If you want to know what eye color British cats will have, pay attention to the color of their coat.

Yellow eyes of warm fire

What kind of eyes do British cats have of solid colors or, in other words, solid colors? All monochromatic British cats, except white ones, are left with no choice - their eyes are yellow, sometimes even closer to orange. The brighter and more saturated the shade, the more beautiful and expensive the cat.

British tortoiseshell cats also have yellow eyes. It is genetically determined that mainly female cats are born with such “speckles”. If a tortoiseshell cat is born, then this is the result of a genetic mutation, and the boy, alas, is infertile.

The classic yellow eye color is also found in spotted-striped animals - this color is also called tabby (tabby) or drawn. If there is no gold or silver in the color of the British minke whale, then, in theory, it should also be yellow-eyed.

Emeralds - for gold and silver

What are the eyes of British cats that have “noble metals” in their colors? If we are talking about gold, that is, the colors “golden tabby”, “golden shaded” or “golden chinchilla”, then only a British cat with green eyes corresponds to it. There are no other options - gold in this case should only be combined with greenery in bright shades.

As for silver cats - the same tabbies, chinchillas or “silver tabbies” - their eyes can be either green, preferably a shade of turquoise, or yellow-orange.

Siamese color - for blue eyes

If in front of you is a British cat with blue eyes or a British blue-eyed cat, with almost 100% probability we can say that this is a color-point animal (it is also called Siamese or acromelanic).

British cats with blue eyes can have six variants of the “Siamese” color - black, blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream. We can say that these are the real lucky ones, because if a cat has blue eyes, then, as the song says, nothing will be denied to her!

Blondes rule!

White color is not the most common among representatives of this breed: it is very difficult to breed such kittens, in addition, white cats of any breed often suffer from deafness, so selection work with white British cats has not been carried out for some time. But if such a kitten appeared in the litter by the will of nature, the color of its eyes can be a real surprise for the owner.

British blondes can have yellow eyes, more precisely, gold, copper or amber - this is the most common option. It is extremely rare, but there are white British cats with blue eyes - they do not participate in breeding, but this does not detract from their unique beauty.

And finally, perhaps the most incredible white British cats are those with different eyes, a phenomenon called heterochromia. Usually one eye is blue and the other yellow. In English, such cats are called "Odd-Eyed", that is, strange-eyed.

White mark

What kind of eyes do British cats with white markings, the so-called bicolors, harlequins and vans have? In this case, everything depends on the main color - the color of the cat’s eyes should correspond to it. Most often, British cats with white spots are yellow-eyed or green-eyed, but sometimes there are rare heterochromic specimens among them.

However, all these nuances are important only for those who actively participate in exhibitions or are involved in breeding cats. For most ordinary cat owners who have British cats, the color of their pets' eyes does not matter. Yellow, green, blue or even different - they are still the most favorite!