Neva Masquerade | |
---|---|
Origin | Russia |
Breed standards | |
FIFe | standard |
WCF | standard |
ACF | standard |
CCA-AFC | standard |
Domestic cat (Felis catus) |
The Neva Masquerade is a breed or sub-breed of long-haired domestic cat, which originates in Russia. [1] [2] It is the sister breed [3] or colourpoint variant of the Siberian cat, a centuries-old Russian landrace. The colourpoint markings are the result of a colourpoint gene originally found in Siamese cats. [4] The Neva Masquerade is believed to be derived from crossing the Siberian cat with Asian colourpoint cats, such as the Siamese or Thai landrace, or possibly cats related to those, such as the colourpointed Persian cats. [3] [5] [6] Some cat registries may classify the Neva Masquerade as a colourpoint variety or sub-breed of the Siberian cat, while others consider it to be a separate sister breed. Regardless of its classification, all Neva Masquerade cats are selectively bred and pedigreed today in all major cat fancier and breeder organisations under the Siberian (Forest) cat or Neva Masquerade. This means that all Neva Masquerade cats are purebred cats with a formally registered ancestry.
The colourpoint Neva Masquerade has distinctive blue eyes and dark point markings. It is a medium to large sized, muscular long-hair breed with a bushy tail. [7] Apart from the obvious similarities with the Siberian cat, the cat bears similarities with the Norwegian forest cat, and with other colourpoint long-haired cats, such as the Birman, Himalayan, and Ragdoll.
The term Neva Masquerade is derived from Neva, for the river in St. Petersburg, where they are said to have originated. [1] [2] [8]
References of the ancient Siberian landrace date back a thousand years, [9] but the colourpoint variety did not appear until the 1970-80s. [1] [2] [5] It is believed that colourpointed cats of Asian origin, or their descendants, were naturally or intentionally crossed into the Siberian breed to achieve the Siamese colourpoint gene. [3] [5] [6] During the introduction of the Siberian cat to Western European countries and the USA in the late 1980s, the traditional coloured Siberians and colourpointed Neva Masquerade cats were both presented. [8] The Siberian breed was generally recognised in the late 1990s by cat fanciers; however, some registries chose to not accept colourpoint varieties in the Siberian breed and made the Neva Masquerade into a separate breed. [5]
Subsequently, the classification of the Neva Masquerade is a highly debated topic under breeders, enthusiasts, organisations, and (inter)national cat registries of the Siberian and Neva Masquerade cat. Some registries such as TICA [10] and CFA [11] accept the Neva Masquerade point colouration as being a natural coat colour within the Siberian cat breed. However, they are classified as a separate breed, the Neva Masquerade, by other registries, such as FIFe, [7] WCF, [12] CCA-AFC, [13] and ACF. [14]
The pointed Neva Masquerade always has blue eyes, [5] but the intensity of blue can vary. [9] It has an overall light coat colour with darker solid or tabby point markings on its head, legs, and tail. [1] The tabby point marking is sometimes referred to as lynx point (mostly in North America). The point colouration includes the colours:
Several cat registries do not permit the colour varieties chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, caramel, and apricot, and the colourpoint varieties sepia and mink, in the breed. [2] [7] [15] [16] All accepted colours are allowed in solid point or in combination with a tabby or tortoiseshell pattern. [2] Any amount of white spotting is permitted. [7] [9] The golden and silver (incl. smoke) factors are allowed in tabby, tipped and shaded banding. [9]
The colour intensity of the point markings spread from a light tipping to a nearly full body coverage. As with other colourpoint cats, the Neva Masquerade is nearly white at birth and develops its darker coloured markings whilst ageing. The Siamese colourpoint pattern is controlled by a heat-sensitive enzyme, which results in darker pigmented extremities on the cooler body parts, i.e. the legs, tail, and head. [1] Colder living environments will additionally darken the fur, even as a full-grown adult.
These colourpoint markings can be mixed with any amount of white spotting. [7] However, completely white (solid-white) cats are not considered Neva Masquerades, as they do not have the Siamese colourpoint marking. The solid-white colouring is considered Western, [1] and is one of the many colours of traditional Siberian cats. Solid-white Siberian cats can also have blue eyes; however, this is due to lack of melanin pigment and not a result of the colourpoint gene. Solid-white blue-eyed cats have a higher prevalence of genetic deafness. [17] It is advisable and in most cat registries (and certain countries) mandatory to test (BEAR- or OAE-testing) white cats for this trait before breeding with them. [15] [17] [18]
Known to be an exceptionally agile jumper, the Neva Masquerade is a strong and powerfully-built cat, with strong hindquarters and large, well-rounded paws. [2] [11] Their bushy tail is medium in length and slightly shorter than the torso length. [11] [13] Their body lengths varies in size from medium to large. [7] Neva Masquerades have firm, barrel-shaped torsos, [11] and stockier builds than other cats. [11] The general impression of the body is one of circles and roundness. [7] [11]
Neva Masquerades have a slight arch to their back, because their hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs. [11] This shape and the power in their hind legs contribute to their incredible agility and enables them to jump exceptionally high. [9]
Neva Masquerades develop rather slowly, reaching their fully matured body at about five years of age. [1] [9] [11] Female Neva Masquerades are considerably smaller than males. [11] [14] Full-grown adults weigh on average between 4.5–9 kg (10–20 lb). [2]
The characteristic round shapes are also clearly visible in the facial features of the Neva Masquerade. Their round face consists of a broad forehead at the top of its skull and narrows slightly to a full-rounded nozzle. [11] [16] The eyes are large and round, and give an overall sweet expression to their face. [11] The outer corners are slightly angled towards the base of their ears. [11] Their medium sized ears are broad at the base and rounded at the tip. [16] They are slightly tilted forwards [11] [16] and should be set as much on the sides of the head as on top, [11] preferably one to one and one half ear width apart. [11] Lynx ear tipping is allowed. [11]
Neva Masquerades express the three natural types of feline fur: guard hair, awn hair, and down hair. These three layers form a semi-long to long, well developed, very dense triple-coat, [10] [13] from which the guard hairs are water-repellent. [7] [9] This dense triple-coat protects the cat from the Russian weather extremes. The thick fur is textured but glossy, and needs frequent grooming to prevent matting. [9] The summer coat is distinctly shorter than the winter coat. [7] Because the Neva Masquerades are a slow-maturing breed, it can take several years for the coat of young cats to fully develop. [9] [10]
Neva Masquerade cats moult twice a year. [19] They will shed their heavy winter coat during spring. [9] This winter moult is instigated not by a change in temperature but by a change in day length. Many Neva Masquerades will experience a less intense "mini-moult" at the end of the summer season to prepare for their thick winter coat, [9] unlike other cats, which will experience a "heavy moult" more than twice a year. However, they will still lose fur year-round and need to be groomed daily in order to prevent their dense triple coat from matting. The Siberian Neva Masquerade cat has been noted for its hypoallergenic properties primarily attributed to lower levels of the Fel d 1 protein. [20]
The Neva Masquerade carries the same colourpoint gene (c.904G>A, a variant of the TYR gene) as the Siamese, which can also be found in other cat breeds related to the Siamese, namely the Birman, Himalayan (colourpoint Persian), Ragdoll and Toybob. [4] This Siamese colourpoint mutation provides the distinctive dark point markings and bright blue eyes in Neva Masquerade cats. The gene pool of the Siberian and the Neva Masquerade share a significant overlap, as the two have been crossbred for many years. Nowadays, commercial tests exists for point mutations, [21] which allows breeders to specifically target carriers of the popular point gene.
Although the Neva Masquerade shares many characteristics with the Siberian in terms of character and appearance, recent studies have shown distinctions between the two in terms of body language, [3] vocalisations, [22] and feline hereditary diseases. [6]
Research on the body language and vocalisation of the two sister breeds showed that Neva Masquerade cats behaved more stressed and fearful in isolation compared to Siberian cats. [3] [22] The vocalisation of Siberian cats is spread over a broader energy spectrum than the Neva Masquerade, which probably results in more diverse sounds in the Siberian cat. [22]
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a feline heredity disease, which is highly prevalent in the Persian cat gene pool. [23] The heredity disease has not been found in the gene pool of traditional Siberians; however, it is diagnosed in a Neva Masquerade male cat. [6] Genetic analysis confirmed the inherited pattern of PKD in its relatives. [6] [24] The origin of the Neva Masquerade is unclear, and some believe it is related to the Persian cat, which may explain the prevalence of PKD in this breed. [6] PKD should be considered as a possible cause of chronic renal failure in this breed.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) stands as a significant health concern in the feline world particularly in Siberian cats. HCM is characterised by the thickening of the heart's muscle walls which can lead to various complications including heart failure, arterial thromboembolism and sudden death. [25]
These differences between the two sister breeds seem surprising, as they are treated as one breed by many cat enthusiasts and are allowed to be mixed with each other by most breeding registries. Further studies are needed, as these study results are just the beginning of the research on the two sister breeds. Especially, the prevalence of PKD in the Neva Masquerade gene pool is of concern as crossbreeding the two sister breeds could potentially spread PKD into the Siberian breed. [6]
The British Shorthair is the pedigreed version of the traditional British domestic cat, with a distinctively stocky body, thick coat, and broad face. The most familiar colour variant is the "British Blue", with a solid grey-blue coat, pineapple eyes, and a medium-sized tail. The breed has also been developed in a wide range of other colours and patterns, including tabby and colourpoint.
The Siamese cat is one of the first distinctly recognised breeds of Asian cat. It derives from the Wichianmat landrace. The Siamese cat is one of several varieties of cats native to Thailand. The original Siamese became one of the most popular breeds in Europe and North America in the 19th century. Siamese cats have a distinctive colourpoint coat, resulting from a temperature-sensitive type of albinism.
A bicolor cat is a cat with white fur combined with fur of some other colour, for example, solid black, tabby, or colourpointed. There are various patterns of a bicolour cat. The coat patterns range from the Van-patterned, which has colour on the tail and crown of the head, to a solid colour with a throat locket or medallion. Bicolour coats are found in many cat breeds and are in domestic longhair and domestic shorthair cats.
The Turkish Van is a semi-long-haired, standardised breed of domestic cat, which was developed in the United Kingdom from a selection of cats obtained from various cities of modern Turkey, especially southeast Turkey. The breed is rare, is one of the larger breeds, and is distinguished by the Van pattern, where the colour is restricted to the head and the tail, and the rest of the cat is white; this is due to the expression of the piebald white spotting gene, a type of partial leucism. A Turkish Van may have blue or amber eyes, or be odd-eyed.
The Maine Coon is a large domesticated cat breed. One of the oldest natural breeds in North America, the breed originated in the U.S. state of Maine, where it is the official state cat.
The Birman, also called the "Sacred Cat of Burma", is a domestic cat breed. The Birman is a long-haired, colour-pointed cat distinguished by a silky coat, deep blue eyes, and contrasting white "gloves" on each paw.
The Burmese cat is a breed of domestic cat, originating in Burma, believed to have its roots near the Thai-Burma border and developed in the United States and Britain.
Cat coat genetics determine the coloration, pattern, length, and texture of feline fur. The variations among cat coats are physical properties and should not be confused with cat breeds. A cat may display the coat of a certain breed without actually being that breed. For example, a Neva Masquerade could wear point coloration, the stereotypical coat of a Siamese.
The American Shorthair (ASH) is a breed of domestic cat believed to be descended from European cats brought to North America by early settlers to protect valuable cargo from mice and rats. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, it was the eighth most popular pedigreed cat in the world for 2020.
The Javanese, also known as the ColorpointLonghair in some registries, is a variety of purebred domestic cat.
The Oriental Shorthair is a breed of domestic cat that is developed from and closely related to the Siamese cat. It maintains the modern Siamese head and body type but appears in a wide range of coat colors and patterns. Like the Siamese, Orientals have almond-shaped eyes, a triangular head shape, large ears, and an elongated, slender, and muscular body. Their personalities are also very similar. Orientals are social, intelligent, and many are rather vocal. They often remain playful into adulthood, with many enjoying playing fetch. Despite their slender appearance, they are athletic and can leap into high places. They prefer to live in pairs or groups and also seek human interaction. Unlike the breed's blue-eyed forebear, Orientals are usually green-eyed. The Oriental Longhair differs only with respect to coat length.
The Siberian is a centuries-old landrace of domestic cat in Russia, and recently developed as a formal breed with standards promulgated the world over since the late-1980s. Since 2006, the breed is recognised for registry and championship status with all major cat registries.
The Snowshoe is a rare breed of domestic cat originating in the United States of America in the 1960s. The Snowshoe is a short-haired bicolour colourpoint breed. Snowshoes were first produced when a Siamese breeder's cat gave birth to three kittens with white feet. The breeder, Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty, then began a breeding program to produce what were originally called "Silver Laces", crossing the strangely marked Siamese cats with bicolour American Shorthair cats and other breeds. Despite having existed for 45 years, Snowshoes are rare due to the difficulty of reproducing the correct coat markings.
The Colorpoint Shorthair is a variety of Siamese cat. The only major registries to recognise them are the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) and the World Cat Federation (WCF). This breed was established from breeding American Shorthairs with the Siamese to produce different point colors, beyond the four standard Siamese colors.
A cat registry or cat breed registry, also known as a cat fancier organization, cattery federation, or cat breeders' association, is an organization that registers domestic cats of many breeds, for exhibition and for breeding lineage tracking purposes. A cat registry stores the pedigrees (genealogies) of cats, cattery names, and other details of cats; studbooks, breed descriptions, and the formal breed standards ; lists of judges qualified to judge at shows run by or affiliated with that registry, and sometimes other information. A cat registry is not the same as a breed club or breed society. Cat registries each have their own rules and usually also organize or license (sanction) cat shows. The show procedures vary widely, and awards won in one registry are not normally recognized by another. Some registries only serve breeders, while others are oriented toward pet owners and provide individual as well as cattery memberships, while yet others are federations only deal with breed clubs or even other registries as intermediaries between the organization and breeders.
Acromelanism or colorpoint is a genetically determined, temperature-dependent pigmentation pattern, with full expression only occurring on legs, ears, tail, face and scrotum. It is most recognized as the coloration of Siamese and related breeds of cat, but can be found in dogs, rabbits, rats, mice, sheep, guinea pigs, minks, and gerbils. It is a specific type of point coloration.
The Minuet is a hybrid mix of Persian and Munchkin cat breeds. Categorized by The International Cat Association (TICA) as a domestic hybrid, "developed from a deliberate cross between two existing domestic breeds, incorporating characteristics of both parental breeds into the new mix." The Minuet cat is characterized by its short legs, as a result of the dwarfism-mutation derived from the Munchkin breed.
The Persian cat, also known as the Persian Longhair, is a long-haired breed of cat characterised by a round face and short muzzle. The first documented ancestors of Persian cats might have been imported into Italy from Khorasan as early as around 1620, however, this has not been proven. Instead, there is stronger evidence for a longhaired cat breed being exported from Iran from the 19th century onwards. Persian cats have been widely recognised by the North-West European cat fancy since the 19th century, and after World War II by breeders from North America, Australia and New Zealand. Some cat fancier organisations' breed standards subsume the Himalayan and Exotic Shorthair as variants of this breed, while others generally treat them as separate breeds.