Mary Allen
The German long-haired cat is a medium-sized to the large long-haired cat. It comes very close to the archetype of the centuries-old long-haired cats of Russia and Europe.
Origin and Breed History
Long-haired domestic cats have been known for a very long time, even if they are always rare. In Europe, they were very much valued at the courts of the nobility. In the past, all long-haired cats were called Angora cats. But they were different from the long-haired cats bred today such as Persians, Maine Coons, Norwegians, Ragdolls, or Turkish Angora. In terms of their shape, they were comparable to today’s normal domestic cats, only with a longer coat. Starting in England and France, these cats were bred since the end of the 19th century, but increasingly heavier and chubby, the heads became larger and especially shorter.
This is how the Persian cat as we know it today came about. The zoology professor Dr. Friedrich Schwangart, a profound cat connoisseur, who among other things had published the manual with the first standards for pedigree cats in Germany, wanted to save the old type of longhair. In 1929 he designed the first standard for the German long-haired cat. Since such old-type cats were still available, a German long-haired male cat was chosen as the Reich Winner of a cat show just two years after the official breed presentation. With the upheavals of the Second World War, these hopeful beginnings were initially lost. But there were apparently leftovers until recently. In 2005 the German long-haired cat was revived and has been bred since then.
It is very important to follow the instructions and intentions of Professor Schwangart and to revive the vital, healthy long-haired cat of the classic type. It looks like we’re on the right track here. Between 2001 and the beginning of 2017, more than 900 German long-haired cats were entered into the stud books of various cat breeding clubs. In April 2012 the German Longhaired Hair was officially recognized by the World Cat Federation. In terms of its formalities, it is the youngest pedigree cat in Germany, but its roots are the oldest. It is looked after by the “Association of German Long-Haired Cats”, a sub-club of the German Noble Cats e.V.
Description
The German longhair cat is a medium to large breed. The standard wants a large, muscular cat, with a long, rectangular body. The chest is round and well developed, the neck is strong. The legs are of medium length and muscular, the large paws are round, firm, and hairy between the pads. The tail is of medium length, thick at the base, and tapers slightly to the tip of a rounded tail.
Cats have a weight of 3.5 to 5 kilograms, males from 4.5 to 6. The snout should also be rather short, but by no means extreme or even as extreme as you see it in today’s Persians. The eyes are oval, large, and open. They stand at a slight angle and at a large distance from one another. All colors are allowed in this breed, just as all colors are allowed in the fur. The German Long Hair cat has a long coat, a ruff, and knickerbockers. The easy-care coat has a shiny, silky structure and an undercoat. Compared to the Persian cat, the movement of a German long-haired cat is more fluid, the legs a little longer, the figure less compact.
Temperament and Essence
The German Long Hair has a very people-oriented, friendly, and uncomplicated nature. The German Long Hair interest group describes its nature: “She goes through life openly and with a rather moderate temperament, but without being boring or even phlegmatic. She is sociable, balanced, and has excellent social skills, which is why she usually feels most comfortable in the company of her two- and four-legged family. All of this makes them a very suitable cat for keeping in an apartment, but one that is also happy to have a safe free run in the garden.”
The German Long Hair has a wonderful charisma and that is how she is in her essence.
Attitude
The German Long Hair is an ideal house cat. It is undemanding and frugal in terms of its keeping conditions. But she needs an intimate relationship with her two-legged friends. She loves to be with people as well as the animal partners in her family. They are extremely sociable and get along with children, all friends of the family and other animals in the house without any problems. However, the four-legged friends should have been used to each other with patience. You don’t have to be outdoors to feel good all around, but you also don’t say no to the possibility of being allowed to wander around in a garden. As with only a few pedigree cats, with a German long-haired cat you don’t need to worry and you don’t have to have a guilty conscience about diseases caused by breeding or restrictions on the quality of life for your four-legged friend.
Upbringing
The German longhair cat is very easy to train because it is intelligent, calm, sociable, and people-oriented. If she comes from a reputable breeder who has looked after and socialized parent animals and puppies well, she will easily fit into the rules and habits of her family on her own.
Care and Health
The cat’s coat should be brushed regularly.
Diseases Typical of the Breed
No data are available on diseases spread through breeding in this breed. The commitment of the IG Deutsch Langhaarkatzen gives reason to believe that everything possible is done here according to the rules of the art of breeding to maintain healthy and vital cats and that black sheep of the breed has, at least so far, no chance.
Nutrition / Feed
The German Long Hair is a problem-free border for a cat.
Life Expectancy
A German long-haired should be very long-lived. However, reliable data are not yet available.
Buy German Longhair Cats
If you want to get a German long-haired cat, you should look around at a breeder who is a member of the German long-haired cat’s interest group. German long-haired kittens should cost around 1000 euros.