Mary Allen
She is loving, adaptable and a perfect family cat: the British Colourpoint not only enchants with her irresistible mask markings and thick plush fur. Find out all about the British Colourpoint cat breed here.
British Colourpoint cats are extremely popular pedigree cats among cat lovers. Here you will find the most important information about the British Colourpoint.
Origin Of The British Colourpoint
Strictly speaking, the British Colourpoint is not a separate breed, but one of the numerous color variants of the British Shorthair (BKH). Anyone who is interested in the history of this extraordinary cat should first take a look at the British Shorthair. The BKH has been recognized for over 140 years: it was first presented in 1871 at an exhibition in the Crystal Palace in London – but it is said to have been Roman legionnaires who brought it to Great Britain many centuries earlier. Over the years, breeders have wanted to create a new breed that would combine the body and coat of the British Shorthair and the masked face of the Siamese. The British Colourpoints have therefore existed since the 1990s, although they are not recognized by the major breeding associations.
The Appearance Of The British Colourpoint
The British Colourpoint is a variety within the wide range of colors of the British Shorthair. They are therefore subject to the same standard as all other British Shorthair cats, apart from color: the body is medium-sized, muscular, stocky, with a broad chest and strong shoulders/back. The broad skull of the British Colourpoint is round and massive, the nose is short, broad, and slightly indented. The wide ears of the British Colourpoint are small with a rounded tip, the eyes are large, round, and widely spaced. The British Colourpoint’s neck is short and strong, and the legs are short and stocky. Cats’ tails are also short and thick. The mask pattern that adorns the rounded head is also characteristic of the British Colourpoint. The ears are relatively small.
Coat And Colors Of The British Colourpoint
The fur of the British Colourpoint is very dense, sticks out from the body, is very soft, and has a dense undercoat.
Kittens are always born white, but after just a few days the first point marks appear on the ears, the pads of the toes, and the nose. Points are available in agouti (with a tabby pattern), non-agouti (unicolored), bicolor (two-colored), or tricolor (three-colored). In addition, the points of the British Colourpoint can also be shaded (only the tips of the hair are colored).
In the case of the British Colourpoints, nothing may even be removed, e.g. B. remind of a Thai – apart from the points. Only the well-defined mask, ears, legs, and tail may be colored in the respective coat color, the body remains light off-white. Any white is considered a fault.
The Temperament Of The British Colourpoint
Like all British Shorthair cats, the British Colourpoint is calm, uncomplicated, adaptable, and lovingly devoted to its people without being intrusive. Nevertheless, they are not sleepyheads, because they can really step on the gas. She is an easygoing family cat as she not only gets along well with children but also with other pets. Although the easy-going breed is also suitable for keeping alone, regular (several times a day) hours of play and cuddling should be scheduled because they can become lonely and become frustrated out of boredom. Ideally, however, the British Colourpoint has at least one conspecific around it.
Keeping And Caring For The British Colourpoint
The British Colourpoint only needs to be combed or brushed once a week to regularly remove dead hair. If the procedure is grossly neglected, depending on the density of the undercoat, the procedure can be uncomfortable to painful and in the worst case the cat has to be shaved (veterinarian, anesthetic) – whereby the body fur usually grows back dark! If attention is paid to a balanced diet and avoiding obesity, the British Colourpoint will remain vital and alert for life.