- Height: 20-25 cm
- Weight: 5-7 kg
- Lifespan: 13-15 years
- Color: brown, chocolate, lavender
- Suitable for: families where the pet will be given a lot of time and attention
- Personality: loving, affectionate, sociable, intelligent
The York Chocolate cat is a relatively new breed, developed in the 1980s when a black and white farm cat sired a black cat.
One kitten in the litter was brown. A year later, his offspring appeared, and after another generation, the chocolate Yorkies we know appeared. These cats have a soft and friendly character. They are smart, curious, and also inherited energy and activity from their ancestors. They can be shy, especially around strangers, but in general they are quite sociable and it will be difficult if you leave them alone all day. These cats love to lie on their owners' laps, play with them with interactive toys, and chase around the apartment.
Yorkie Chocolate cats can get along not only with people of all ages, but also with cats, dogs and other animals. These cats like not only communication, but also active pastime, which prevents them from being lazy and bored.
How much do Yorkie Chocolate kittens cost?
Yorkie Chocolates are beautiful cats with long chocolate fur. However, they appeared not so long ago and are not yet so well known. These cats were named after New York, the city where this breed was first bred. Now their popularity is growing, but Yorkies are not yet included in all cat registries, and the price per kitten varies from 37,000 to 75,000 rubles.
Yorkie chocolate cats are not so well known yet, so you have a chance to find such a kitten in one of your local shelters. In this case, you will only pay the shelter, which will cost you somewhere around 15,000 rubles to cover any medical expenses he may have incurred, including spaying or neutering.
Yorkie Chocolates have a light brown coat when they are young, but as they age it becomes a beautiful chocolate color. Their coat is long, which is one of the distinctive features of the breed. It is unlikely that a breeder will try to pass you off as another breed of Yorkie because they are not so well known.
When buying a kitten, try to ensure that it spends some time with its mother. Mother cats teach kittens basic skills and socialization. The kitten can learn to use the litter box, and mom can show him how to be friendly.
Purchasing a kitten
There are only a few nurseries with chocolate breeds in the whole world, most of them are located in America and Canada, a few in Europe. It is impossible to find a purebred Yorkie cat in Russia; if you suddenly see an advertisement, then most likely these are scammers who are offering a simple cat, passing it off as a purebred one.
If you decide to buy a purebred kitten, then find the nursery from which you want to adopt a pet. Read reviews about the nursery itself, study the conditions of detention. When choosing a kitten, do not forget to check all the necessary documents (kitten birth certificate or pedigree, veterinary passport, parent pedigrees), ask to see the kittens’ parents.
Before purchasing, carefully study all the information about the breed so that you can choose the best kitten. When choosing, look at the behavior of the kittens: a healthy kitten should be active and mobile. If your pet is sitting in a corner looking lethargic, then something is wrong with him. Look at the kittens' fur, it should be fluffy and shiny, and their eyes should not water. Kittens must be treated for fleas and worms; all these nuances must be noted in the veterinary passport along with vaccinations.
When choosing a kitten, you need to pay attention to its behavior and appearance.
It is best to adopt a kitten at about 1.5–2 months; it is at this age that the cat stops feeding her babies, the kittens begin to eat on their own and also go to the toilet on their own.
Character and intelligence
The personality of Yorkie Chocolate cats is often compared to that of a dog. They love to follow people, vocalize quite often and love active games with their owners. Buy them interactive toys and be prepared to find time to play every day.
Are these cats suitable for families?
Although Yorkies can be shy around strangers, this is not the case with family members. They get along with everyone in the house. They will happily lie on your lap or sit next to you on any other suitable surface.
Do Yorkie Chocolates get along with other pets?
Yorkie chocolates get along not only with other cats, but also with dogs. But remember that they are descended from farm cats, so they can pose a danger to small animals, especially if given the opportunity to chase them. These moments must be monitored.
Breed defects
Chocolate breed cats are very healthy and are extremely rarely exposed to any diseases, especially if they have received all the necessary vaccinations. The maximum that can appear is caries, which can be avoided if you take care of your cat's teeth, and worms - any animal is susceptible to them, the problem is solved with the help of a tablet. The breed has no hereditary diseases, but has a strong immune system.
The standard color of the breed for exhibitions is chocolate or lilac. Up to 18 months, kittens are allowed a small amount of white fur, but adult cats should have a uniform color.
If after one and a half years the cat still has stripes or white spots, it will not be able to take part in exhibitions; the presence of white is considered a color defect.
What you need to know about the needs of Yorkie Chocolate cats:
These are beautiful cats with pleasant personalities. They are loving and active, love to cuddle with their owners and play with interactive toys. However, Yorkie chocolates are not suitable for all families, and the following factors must be considered before adopting one:
Nutrition and diet requirements
How much food to give your cat depends on its weight, as well as how much energy it expends daily. It is important to give a certain amount of food if you do not want your pet to develop obesity. Also remember that an active cat needs more food than a lazy one.
Cats are obligate carnivores. This means they need to eat meat as it is their main source of animal protein. They definitely won't like a vegan or vegetarian diet, although you can add some fruits and vegetables to your pet's diet.
You can give your pet wet or dry food, or a combination of the two. Wet food gives your cat extra moisture and is more palatable to your pet, while dry food has a longer shelf life, but you will have to make sure your cat has fresh water at all times.
Physical activity
Yorkies are descended from farm cats, which means they are active and energetic. These cats are muscular and strong, any physical exercise will only benefit them. Buy them interactive toys and spend time playing with your pet. Don't forget to buy a scratching post and a cat tree, your pet will love climbing on it.
Training
You can try to train Yorkie Chocolates, but they are quite independent. Even though these cats are smart, it's hard to convince them to do what you want. Training results may vary.
Care
Yorkie Chocolate cats have long hair that can become matted if not properly groomed. The pet needs to be combed 3 times a week, this will help prevent the appearance of tangles. It also reduces the amount of shedding and you won't have to constantly remove cat hair from the floor and furniture. It is necessary to brush your cat's teeth and trim its claws periodically to avoid injury and discomfort.
Health and diseases
Due to the fact that this is a new breed, no diseases specific to Yorkie chocolate cats have been identified. However, it is important to monitor for symptoms of illnesses common to all cats and seek medical attention if necessary.
Who are the British
All representatives of the British breed, regardless of color, are distinguished by a rather massive and muscular physique. The body is compact, round and very harmoniously designed, with a wide, large chest and slightly short, strong legs. The average weight of males is 6–8 kg, but sometimes reaches 10 kg. Females are much smaller and lighter.
British cats have a massive build
The British have a large round head on a massive neck, with thick convex cheeks and a firm, pronounced chin. The ears are straight, medium-sized, and set wide apart. The eyes are large, round and well open. The tail is not distinguished by its outstanding size; at the base it is thickened to a rounded tip and slightly narrows. The coat is extremely thick and short with good quality undercoat and is very soft and pleasant to the touch.
Upbringing
If you are attracted to kittens of a given breed and color, and after looking at numerous photos and videos, you decide to get a pet, you should understand that you will practically become a parent for it. Chocolate fluffies are no different from other little four-legged friends. They love to be active, playful, and want to receive affection and praise from their owners.
Kittens are very curious creatures. In their quest to know everything, they are capable of crawling around the entire house. A kitten can charm quite easily, as evidenced by various photos. Spontaneity and sweet habits and habits help him in this. However, from a young age he must be taught discipline. This will help get rid of numerous problems and protect your pet from all kinds of injuries.
Kittens must understand immediately what can and cannot be done. Hitting and swinging at the fluffy is not recommended. You should stop pranks with your voice. This will help not embitter the baby. If you approach your upbringing wisely, kittens will not put out their claws, bite, crawl on clothes or damage furniture. Don’t forget that both cats and cats of popular colors need affection and praise.
British standard
At the present stage, approximately 60 different fur colors have been recorded. A kitten can be blue, black, cream, lilac, red, tortoiseshell, etc. Among the newest and rarest, a cat with chocolate-colored fur occupies a special place. You should know that if stripes or marks of a different color are present, the four-legged furry is discarded.
British chocolate cats are rare. This can be attributed to the fact that a similar color is found only in those animals that have Color Point ancestors with the same coat color in their family. Chocolate British cats have a calm, friendly character. Their short fur is not capable of causing much trouble when cleaning rooms.
Color Russet (from the English russet - dark brown with a reddish tint)
The Russet first appeared in New Zealand in 2007 in the offspring of brown European Burmese who were carriers of the lightening and chocolate genes. Like Amber, kittens with "strange" colors changed as they grew older, becoming red. DNA testing showed that the kittens have the standard brown or chocolate gene. It was suggested that this is a manifestation of a certain recessive gene as a result of a spontaneous mutation, which causes eumelanin to gradually disappear and the red pigment to appear. Perhaps this is the influence of an expansion gene.
Tabby
The Tabby (Tabby) color allows cats to have patterns of different directions, sometimes the coat can even be ticked or marbled. The main signs of a Tabby are the letter M located on the animal’s forehead (scarab sign), dark stripes near the eyes and on the cheeks, and rings on the neck and chest.
The brindle (mackerel, striped) color option is considered the most common among tabbies. A line of the main coat color runs along the entire spine. From the name it is clear that the pattern is made up of dark stripes. A clear and separated pattern is a requirement made by specialists. If this rule is violated, the animal is rejected. The eyes are bright - red and copper.
The British spotted tabby cat is distinguished from others by horizontal dark lines extending from the eyes. There are also stripes on the animal’s cheeks. A dark broken line runs along the spine, and on the sides there are a large number of dark spots and dots. The tip of the tail is dark, with striped rings running along its entire length.
Spotted tabby color
The British merle tabby color is considered classic. It is characterized by light silvery sides with dark spots or stripes. The pattern looks very impressive, since it is not interrupted or intersected anywhere. On the back of the head there is a pattern in the shape of a butterfly, and the letter M, standard for the color, is located lower than usual, closer to the nose. Eye color is copper with smoky rims. The British Marbled cat looks expensive and elegant.
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Interesting! Small kittens may have an undivided merle color. When they reach the age of 2 months, the pattern becomes clear.
Torby (tobry) is a color that combines two color varieties: patterned and tortoiseshell tabby. A spotted, marbled or striped pattern arrangement is allowed. The standard assumes that the British tortoiseshell tabby color has rings on the neck, stripes on the legs, the letter M on the forehead, which is characteristic of all tabbies, and rings along the entire length of the tail. In kittens, identifying this type of pattern is problematic, but as they grow older, at about 12 months, the lines become clearer.
For many, this coloring of a cat looks like it is uniform, but it is not. The color is original, since the top part of the coat looks like a light dusting, and this shade is identical to the color of the lower part of the undercoat. Most often these colors are blue, black and chocolate, but others are also allowed.
Fur of four-legged friends
The main color of animals is chocolate color. It has a deep and rich shade. According to the standard, there should be no tabby marks, spots or light-colored hairs at all. The chocolate pigment should be distributed evenly throughout the coat. In this case, the hairs should be soft and short.
Kittens take a long time to acquire a truly chocolate shade. In some cases, the formation process can continue for 15 months. Sometimes the fur can acquire a brown tint, as shown in the photo. However, over time, kittens lose it.
British cats can have fur of different shades of chocolate. Therefore, it will be possible to find pets whose fur coat may be the color of a bitter or milky dessert. A kitten of this color is very popular today. In this, it is not inferior to its purple and blue counterparts.
How to determine the color of a British cat
The color of a British cat is determined visually, and the final decision is made only upon reaching the age of 1–1.5 years - until this time, the coat may fade and change. An expert can give the most accurate assessment. A specialist must study the main color, the presence of rejection characteristics, pattern and shading (if any) - all this can really be done by eye, knowing the requirements for the numerous colors of British cats.
There is such a procedure as conducting a genetic test (using any biological material, most often blood). It also relates to the determination of color, but not of an adult animal, but of its future offspring. Based on the results of the analysis, it is possible to determine the carriage of certain genes, which will allow you to select a partner to obtain the desired color. So, for example, any British dog can get a lilac coat color, but only if both have a recessive form of the d gene. Such a test is of great importance for breeding work.
British cats are not only the familiar gray plush pets, this breed boasts a huge list of possible colors. Various monochromatic (solid) variants can be called classic, and active breeding work has made it possible to create the most incredible combinations, in particular, tortoiseshell multi-color colors with a tabby pattern.
