Mekong Bobtail - breed description and cat character

The Asian Mekong Bobtail cat is considered an aristocrat of the cat world. If we talk about the myths of the area that is considered the birthplace of these cats, namely Siam, then these thoroughbred cats are depicted in jewelry worn by Thai princesses. And they wore these jewelry only on the tail. But the legends about these cats do not end there.

Breed history

Representatives of this breed were used as guardians of vases in ancient temples - on the territory of the southeast Asian continent. The cats were sitting next to the vase, and with their tail circled this object, which led to its curvature. And due to the fact that the animals gazed closely around, in order to avoid the theft of a vase, her eyes eventually became slanted.

But by modern standards, these stories are nothing more than myths. And myths exist to be told as fairy tales. If you appeal to the facts, then the reason for this appearance lies in other reasons.

The Mekong Bobtail was protected for quite some time, and it was strictly forbidden to take representatives abroad. If these animals were exported, then only as a gift, and to very respected persons living in other countries. The first special one to receive two kittens of this breed was the governess of the children of the Siamese king. Upon leaving home, namely to England, the king himself gave her such a gift. After some time, the king presented two more cats to one of the English ambassadors.

The modern history of the Mekong Bobtail has just begun. In 2003, people noticed some differences between these cats from Thai representatives, and therefore decided to separate them in a different look. And only a year later, these cats were given a name, and they made a list of standards that applicants must meet.

The main characteristics of the breed

These animals are distinguished by their calm and grace, their beauty is amazing. About these cats only write poetry. But let the poets remain this matter, because the description of the breed will be more understandable in the language of felinologists. The following is a list of characteristic features of the animal, according to which there is a selection for belonging to the species:

1. Like representatives of the Siamese breed, these cats have a wedge-shaped head shape with a flat frontal part.
2. The Mekong beauties have an even and beautiful nose, like a real Roman.
3. If you look at the muzzle in profile, then these cats do not have a sharp bend. Here you can observe an easy transition, which begins slightly below the eyes. In full face, you can also observe the beginning transition from the forehead to the nose below the eye level.
4. The ears are small in size with rounded tips. The distance between them is small, slightly less than the width of the ear.
5. The eyes have an interesting shape, where the lower part of the eyelid is rounded and the upper part is almond-shaped. Representatives of this species have a slight slanting of the eyes. But their color always remains blue or light blue.
6. In size, these cats do not differ in large parameters. Their body is mostly average. The cat itself is always slim, but with well-developed muscles.
7. The limbs, as well as the body, are medium. The very shape of the paw is oval. On the hind limbs, the claws do not retract, giving the impression of a clatter of heels when the animal walks or runs. Such an interesting feature is noted only in the Mekong Bobtail.
8. A special part of the body that is paid more attention to is the tail. Many are mistaken when they say that this breed is tailless.In fact, this is a fallacy, because not a single cat of this breed has been observed born without this part of the body. Therefore, they bear such a name - the Mekong Bobtail, where bobtail translates as "short-tailed", but not tailless. If you look closely, then in each animal, this short little tail is unique. They have kinks with bends that are no longer repeated in any form. Therefore, it is impossible to meet the same Mekong Bobtail. To make sure of this, you can compare photos of different representatives of this very breed. And if there is still the opportunity to feel, then it turns out that each of them has its own nodes, vertebrae. But its length cannot exceed a fourth of the cat's body. Despite its size, it can still swing it like a regular long-tailed cat.
9. The weight of this breed is quite small, and, on average, does not exceed the mark of four kilograms. The average weight varies from two and a half to four.
10. The hair of the animal is very short, but shiny and soft to the touch. These cats do not have undercoat.

The Mekong Bobtail is considered difficult cats, at least that's what legends tell us. It is believed that the ancient representatives of this species were unique animals and fought with more powerful rivals, such as, for example, poisonous snakes that lived in the same Siam. Because of these constant battles, the cat acquired its own body structure, which is not like any other, where the skin does not quite fit on the muscle tissue. Previously, this contributed to the fact that the poison that the snake released into the cat could not penetrate the body. But today, this feature is allowed to squeeze the cat without unpleasant sensations for him.

These cats and cats have color color. All colors of cats that were accepted and are standard. The exception is the white color of the animal. The peculiarity of these cats is that, like Siamese cats, their paws and muzzle have a darker color.

It is worth noting that the presence of underfaminess in the representative, the expressive zygomatic part of the muzzle, as well as the rounded eyes, are an excuse not to attribute the animal to the Mekong Bobtail breed.

Animal character

When a person first sees such a cat and watches his behavior, the first thing that comes to mind is that he behaves like a dog. Those who choose this wonderful creature as their pets, shares that the bobtail have a dual nature, because, despite their grace, they can easily be taught to walk on a leash, as well as bring things on command. Most likely, these animals would bring slippers to the owner at his request, but for this they are disturbed by cat pride.

Breeders note that, despite the fact that cats have long claws on their hind limbs that cannot be pulled in any way, they are not scratched at all. But, if someone crosses all possible boundaries in relation to the animal, then the Mekong Bobtail can well bite.

Such representatives are very curious by nature. They love their master, and remain loyal to him. And also animals have a unique property that distinguishes them from other representatives of the cat world - they never look away first if you look at each other.

It is quite interesting that if there is a cat and a cat of this breed in the house, then the cat is not the cat who cares for the little kittens. And the cat, in turn, is the leader, and in case of insufficient care for the kids, the cat gets a good deal from the cat.

Mekong Bobtail Health

Breeders note that representatives of this breed are quite strong. And they don’t even have any genetically transmitted diseases, which is very good. The only thing that cats are prone to a mild degree of periodontal disease, namely, to gingivitis. But this ailment can be avoided if you take care of the animal.

In some cases, some diseases are observed in cats, and in order to understand that a pet is sick, the following manifestations should alert the owner:

• Bad smell from cat's mouth.
• Decreased or lack of appetite.
• Frequent salivation.
• Inflamed and bleeding gums of the animal.

Having noticed these symptoms, it is worth contacting a specialist for help. After all, only a veterinarian can diagnose and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Despite the predisposition to gingivint, the pet owner can easily overcome it. To do this, you should buy a special feed that helps cleanse cat's teeth. Thus, plaque on the teeth is reduced, and the likelihood of even a mild periodontal disease is reduced significantly. It is also worth periodically brushing your cat’s teeth.

With proper care and excellent living conditions, representatives of this species can live from twenty to twenty-five years.

Care

Keeping such an animal is quite simple. To make the cat feel good, it is necessary to clean his coat, as well as his teeth and ears, and cut his nails.

As already mentioned, the Mekong Bobtail must definitely brush your teeth. But for this it is worth buying a brush and paste designed for a cat. It is absolutely forbidden to use human toothpaste. At first, it will be difficult to do, but the sooner the cat begins to accustom, the easier it will become for him to get used to.

Feeding

Where to buy a Mekong Bobtail kitten

This breed is not very common, therefore, if we talk about the total number of representatives in the nurseries of the world, then they are purely equal to 600 representatives. The cost of one kitten on average is 5,000 rubles, or 2,000 hryvnias. The price is affected by the sex of the animal, as well as the saturation of the color. You can buy such a kitten in nurseries, in Moscow and Minsk, as well as one of the Ukrainian cities - the Dnieper.

Video: Mekong Bobtail