The Fancy Beauty - Chinchilla Cat
It’s time to check out another beloved breed in the cat world, this time we have the elegant and adorable Chinchilla in the cat spotlight.
Chinchilla cats have rapidly become one of the world’s most popular cat breeds. They have unique identifiable traits and are known to be a cat of luxury and certainly look the part. Their beautifully long fur coat accompanied by diamond like eyes that shine in various colors make this cat a beauty to behold. Let’s take a look at some of the special features and requirements of this fancy beauty, the Chinchilla cat.
Chinchilla Cat’s Inception
Not to be confused with the Chinchilla rodent, this cat is related to the Persian cat family and is a product of selective breeding that sought to establish a new breed. This breed has been successfully maintained since its conception and is recognized by numerous cat associations. Featuring an almost flamboyant coat, they are soft and fluffy all round. Continuous and controlled breeding would eventually realize the desired traits within this cat and a benchmark standard created.
Place of Origin
Hailing from jolly England in the late 1880’s, this was the birthplace of the original Chinchilla breed. Since then, its popularity has grown exponentially, reaching all corners of the world. Variation within this breed has been observed as the genetic pool has naturally expanded through selective breeding. While these variations are very similar in appearance and features, the vanilla and most pure Chinchillas are from England.
The Fancy and Fabulous Look
Beautiful and adorable, is how we would describe our Chinchilla friends. Their longhair coats create a balanced form that makes them appear cloudlike and chubby. Fluffy coats are just that however, and this cat is not known to be on the larger side of the feline cat scale. Their long and thick hair envelopes their entire body, almost becoming cloud like in form. Even its ears can be encompassed in this shroud of hair, they are like miniature clouds from the sky walking around your house. We love the Chinchilla tail, it’s short yet wispy with volume.
The Smart One
Chinchillas are regarded as an intelligent cat that displays great aptitude for learning new habits and understanding situations. Their bodies are small yet sturdy as they carry themselves with a gentle composure. Life is calm and collected in the way of the Chinchilla and we love their docile attitude to general living. Owners and cats can feel proud as this cat carries itself with pride, keeping itself clean and often standing out from a group of other cats. If you have other cats at home, you may notice something a little special about the Chinchilla that goes beyond just visual appearance. With loving personality, we think they are a perfect family choice for a home.
Some Considerations When Getting a Chinchilla Cat
Chinchilla cats are cuddly and charming, whether you are gifted, adopt or buy, there are a few things to know when opening your home to this specific cat. Understanding its needs are an essential requirement and its best to think about whether you and your household can be committed to offering all the necessary resources to fulfil this cat’s needs.
As with most other long hair breeds, Chinchilla cats will require a regular and frequent grooming routine. Failure to do so will lead to matting, which can tighten and harden around the skin, causing major discomfort. Keeping this cat clean is a priority as dirt and other particles can lodge themselves deep within a coat, spending time to inspect and bathe when required will help to lower the chance of infection around the skin.
Aside from regular grooming, accepting the level of loose hair spreading around your home is a natural part of Chinchilla keeping. Cats groom often and their long hair will continuously shed throughout the year, perhaps even more when a coat change is needed. During malting season this can reach significant levels with hair particles flying through the air, on the sofa and across the floor. Managing this is important and it’s best to think about this issue beforehand.
Beautiful eyes need tender care. Chinchilla eyes glisten and shimmer but without proper care, tear eye problems can be caused. Eye health is important in cats and specific attention to diet is required to make sure that sufficient nutrients are provided. When feeding foods that contain high sodium, excess tearing may occur. A balanced and healthy diet will help to keep their eyes and coat in pristine condition. If your cat is experiencing eye problems, be sure to wipe away any discharge and seek advice from your vet as soon as possible.