Showkitty Highlander Cats

Highlander Cat Hellvellyn

2012-06-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

Kittens Available Highlander Group 30/04/11

2011-04-30T04:57:00.000-07:00

Magnificent 5
Update on kittens 18/05/11

Highlander outcross kittens
3 male tailled
2 female rumpy
1 Red Silver spotted male
1 Classic Silver tabby male
1 Golden Ticked tabby male
1 Golden Tortie tabby female rumpy
1 Brown Tortie tabby female rumpy

Highlander kittens Miami And Beverly

2010-10-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

Showkitty Beverly Hills

Silver classic tabby, longhaired, Highlander, poly feet, curled ears, full tail

Showkitty Miami Vice

solid white, longhaired, Highlander, polyfeet, curled ears, full tail

Highlander Cat Legally Blonde

2010-09-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

One of my lovely pure white Highlander Female Cats, Curled ears,Poly feet,Tailled, Semi Longhaired,

Multi Coloured Dahlia

2010-08-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

Myrtle

2010-07-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

Potentilla

2010-07-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Surfinias

2010-07-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Bottle Brush

2010-07-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

National Geographic Daily News

2010-07-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

Very good read for those interested in the living Planet.Articles that appear not to be discussed elsewhere.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/03/photogalleries/100312-cat-species-rain-forest-pictures/#highest-big-cat-diversity-marbled-cat_16732_600x450.jpg

Cat Registry Explained

2010-07-20T05:46:00.000-07:00

The difference between a Cat Registry and Cat Club
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_registry

Highlander Cats Could American Barn Cats Be The Origins of

2010-07-04T01:42:00.000-07:00

This picture was submitted to the original breeders group by a lady called Gloria. Place and date. Canada 1962. The lady states that cats just like the breed now called Highlanders were running around their Barn at this time and had always done so, some had the polyfeet and curled ears, it doesn't mention whether they had bobtail too but it is assumed they may have . These cats may show the breed are not a whim of breeders but it is believed a long standing natural breed that had never been recognised or registered at any governing body until recentley when a group of breeders formed a breeding group to breed and promote them.

Indoor Cat or Outdoor Cat

2010-07-04T00:58:00.000-07:00

Indoor Cat or Outdoor Cat?

Are you thinking about allowing your cat to go outside?

The average lifespan of an indoor cat is 15-18 years. For a cat allowed outdoors, the average lifespan is only 2-5 years. A cat who has never been outdoors will possibly never develop the urge to enter the outdoors. There are many dangers that can harm or kill an outdoor cat, there's also the danger that cats pose to birds and other prey animals, including endangered species. Free-roaming cats are superb predators who will kill many millions of songbirds and other feathered friends every year. If your cat goes outside, be prepared to deal with dead or worse, dying birds and small mammals (mice, voles, baby rabbits), snakes and other wounded creatures that your cat may leave on your doorstep or bring into your home.

For those who really want to give their cats the outdoor experience, without the risk of being run over. Cat-fencing or building an outdoor cat enclosure is ideal for those who need to let their cat outside. It doesn't have to be big, but it will keep your cat confined to their own safe area, out of danger from predators and you can find some great ideas on designs on the internet.

When your outdoor cat just doesn't come home one day, you may never know why, and you will only be able to hope his death was quick and painless. Worse than mentioned above. They could be sold for ransom back to the owner in pieces..
Or sold to..
Kitten mills
Fur trade
vivisection
dog baiting
The Urban Fox is also on the increase and may attack your cat along with any viscious domestic breed.
A cat was run over by a steam roller at the age of 1 year.
I helped to rescue a white Persian that had been skewered with a garden fork by a local because it ventured into his garden.
A youth chased a cat into someone's garden firing an air rifle and then proceeded to fire through the cat flap.
Some youths chase and batter them and worse.
Cats are skinned alive and they are chased as in fox hunting by people with terriers and torn to shreds. Some cultures still have cats on the menu. The news of the outside gets worse for the Cat...Or we are more aware of the dangers?
On the other side of the coin. Your neighbour may decide they like your new cat and keep it safely tucked away in their home denying any site of your cat.

Spaying/Neutering/Castration will stop your cat from getting any 'wandering bug' to find a mate and keep your premises clean. It will detract from attracting cats that are allowed to free roam marking your territory as theirs.

If you love your cat protect it as much as possible...Certain breeds of cat can be taught to walk on a Harness/leash. This is a good idea for those that really feel their cat needs an off premises experience. Never forget... You may love your cat but the neighbours may have other ideas and will not take kindly to cats on their prize Dahlias.
Copyright © 2009 Showkitty.co.uk. All rights reserved.

Highlander Cat Standard Of Points TICA

2010-07-04T00:51:00.000-07:00

The Highlander (HG) is a medium to large shorthair domestic cat. Well-muscled and feral in looks, the Highlander has the look of the "big cats" in a purely domestic breed. Highlanders are playful and good natured. The Highlander Longhair (HL) is the long hair version.
HEAD40 points Shape 6 Ears 10 Eyes 5 Chin 6 Muzzle 6 Nose 4 Profile 3

BODY40 points Torso 10 Tail 10 Boning 8 Musculature 7 Legs/Feet 5

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN20 points Length 4 Texture 4 Pattern 6 Color 6

CATEGORY: All.

DIVISION: Solid, Tortie, Tabby, Silver/Smoke.

COLORS: All.

PERMISSIBLE OUTCROSSES: Domestic longhair/shorthair, not a member of a recognized breed..

HEAD: Shape: Wide inverted pear-shaped head with substantial width to muzzle. Eyes: Medium to large set far apart. Set on a slight bias. Slightly flattened oval in shape. Eye color independent of coat color except in Pointed Category Ears: Medium to large, wide at the base, set as much on the top of the head as on the side, as erect as possible. Ears must be firm at the base, flexible at the tips. Loose relaxed curl with little backward direction, allowing the tips of the ears to be clearly visible in a frontal view. Ear furnishings and ear tufts are desired but not required. Kittens may have a greater degree of curl but not more than 90o. Muzzle: Full, wide, strong with a definite break. Prominent whisker pads should make muzzle appear squared. Muzzle length makes head appear longer than wide. Chin: Strong and deep. Must align with top of jaw. Profile: Rounded back skull, sloping forehead, change of direction at the nose bridge, slight curve to nose. Nose, muzzle and chin form a blunt look in profile Nose: Wide with substantial nose leather

BODY: Torso: Medium to large in size with noticeable depth. Rectangular in shape. Straight back with hips higher than shoulders. Overall muscled, athletic appearance. Males are proportionally larger than females. Legs: Medium in length, back legs longer than front.. Feet: Medium to large, rounded with large knuckles. Longhair (HL) must have toe tufts. Tail: Short and thick. Bone length must be a minimum of 2 inches in adults with proportional length in kittens. Must not extend past the hock. Slight kinks and curls are allowed. Boning: Moderately heavy and substantial. Musculature: Well-muscled.

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN: Length: (HG) Short, dense and resilient. (HL) Long hair up to 2-1/2 inches with shaggy belly hair, longer than the rest of the coat. Texture: There will be texture variations depending upon the color of the cat. (HG) Resilient, snapping back into place (HL) Soft Pattern: Spotted : Random pattern preferred. Spots should be well-defined. May be oval, round, squared or triangular in shape. Classic: Will have spots and swirls distinguishing it from the normal classic pattern. Pointed: Expression of the underlying tabby pattern is desirable.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Highlander began its development in 2004, tracing its roots back to the Highland Lynx. The Highland Lynx that were originally used in the development of the Highlander have no other breeds within a three generation pedigree. The Highlander is a muscular, athletic domestic cat. Selective breeding has contributed to protecting the unique features and enhance the bloodlines. Highlander cats come in both short hair and long hair.

LOCKETS: Withhold All Awards ALLOWANCES: Tarnishing in Silvers PENALIZE: Ears that are not open or wide based, ears too small or low set. Tips of ears not visible from frontal view in adults. Kittens with more than 90o curl. DISQUALIFY: Ears not erect. Tail too short, too long or docked.

Temperament must be unchallenging; any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but may not threaten to harm. In accordance with Show Rules, ARTICLE SIXTEEN, the following shall be considered mandatory disqualifications: a cat that bites (216.9), a cat showing evidence of intent to deceive (216.10), adult whole male cats not having two descended testicles (216.11), cats with all or part of the tail missing , except as authorized by a Board approved standard (216.12.1), cats with more than five toes on each front foot and four toes on each back foot, unless proved the result of an injury or as authorized by a Board approved standard (216.12.2), visible or invisible tail faults if Board approved standard requires disqualification (216.12.4), crossed eyes if Board approved standard requires disqualification (216.12.5), total blindness (216.12.6), markedly smaller size, not in keeping with the breed (216.12.9), and depression of the sternum or unusually small diameter of the rib cage itself (216.12.11.1). See Show Rules, ARTICLE SIXTEEN for more comprehensive rules governing penalties and disqualifications.

Return to The Highlander Cat Origins And Breed Standards page
Copyright © 2009 Showkitty.co.uk. All rights reserved.

This picture was submitted to the original breeders group by a lady called Gloria. Place and date. Canada 1962. The lady states that cats just like the breed now called Highlanders were running around their Barn at this time and had always done so, some had the polyfeet and curled ears, it doesn't mention whether they had bobtail too but it is assumed they may have . These cats are not a whim of breeders but it is believed a long standing natural breed that had never been recognised or registered at any governing body until recentley when a group of breeders formed a breeding group to breed and promote them

Links Useful

2010-07-03T04:52:00.000-07:00

For Information in regard to Bobtailled Breeds, Curly coated Breeds, Curled eared breeds and Blue Eyed cats please click http://showkitty.blogspot.com/p/links.html

Dispelling some Myths..

2010-06-30T02:52:00.001-07:00

Dispelling some Myths..

Wiki have a very good page on human eye colour. Please visit link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_color

On my site I am hoping to
disspell and help people to understand the Myths and Legends that
surround some of our most loved pet cats ..My choices are Both the
Blue-eyed Cats, Curly Coated Cats and Bobtailled Breeds.

A lot of Bias and ignorance surround the blue eyed cats Mainly that of deafness and blindness.
The blue -eyed gene does not cause blindness in cats.
Blue eyed white cats whether moggie or pedigree can occassionally be born deaf.
The majority are not.
Cats that are colourpointed do not share the same gene as blue eyed whites.
Colourpointed cats are not born genetically deaf at all.

Eye colours in cats..

All kittens are born with blue eyes although the eye colour of the
adult will not start to show until around 6-8 weeks when their will be
obvious colour change evident to your naked eye...Earlier than this you will need a good camera to spot significant changes.

Kittens with a very deep air force blue or purple looking blue at 4 weeks will possibly have a good green eye as an adult.

A pale blue Iris which shows red eye in photography will remain
blue and could possibly deepen the blue as an adult.

A blue that will be a rich copper colour as an adult usually shows browny speckles or Air force blue at 4 weeks

Eye colours

Greens

oo Emerald

oo Turquoise

oo Olive not desirable

Blues

oo Sapphire

oo Deep Aqua

oo Sky Blue

oo Very Pale blue not desirable

Coppers

oo Coppers Should be the colour of the one Pence piece a good reddish brown

oo Amber Orange yellow

oo Pale Yellow..Not desirable.

The colours that are not desirable only affect whether the cat is of a show quality it does not affect the sight of the cat and all eye colours including those with the ring surrounding the pupil still make
excellent pets..

During their progression cats can get a ring of different colour surround the pupil this can merge into the complete eye colour by the time they are adult. Usually between 2-3 years of age.
However in solid breeding what is not desirable, and can sometimes happen when a solid/self is mated to a colourpoint (i'e Siamese or Himalayan Persian), is that a green ring can occur between the pupil and the outer yellow.
Please note when breeding always use the best and deepest of the correct eye colour to try to alleviate this..

Lastly very often cats can be born with a combination...

Odd eyes

Blue /copper

Blue/green

Blue/yellow

Turquoise/Yellow

Other combinations will be possible. Even an individual eye can have one half blue the other half turquoise. The colours will all vary in intensity too.

The Highlander Cat Origins And Breed Standards

2010-06-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

The Highlander breed first began development in 2004 with its roots tracing back to the Highland Lynx,. An east coast breeder developed the Highland Lynx the first one born 1st July 1993 and although given the name that included “lynx”, these domestic cats were not of any lynx ancestry. These cats immediately attracted interest and a devoted following rapidly developed due to their unique looks, size, and playful, clown like personalities. They are slow to mature and do not reach full size until they are approximately 3 years of age the girls slightly younger. They do not attain a size bigger than 11lb for a female -17lb for the males all sizes are approximate and depend upon the individual cat. some may weigh slightly less others more.

These cats are not overly vocal and not as active as some of the more active breeds, neither are they couch potatoes, they get on well with other pets and like to be with people.

The Highlander is not related to, or, sharing the same genetic pattern as: The American Curl, Scottish Fold, Poodlecat or Manx cat. The Curled ear and polyfeet in the Highlander are thought to have originated from the famous Hemingway cats. The Highlander cat is a Dominant/Incomplete/Random gene (Not recessive). If you can see the variations then you have them. No other Pedigree breeds are allowed as outcrosses. Allowed: Non pedigree cats that conform to breed standard of points, Highland Lynx and Desert Lynx. No bi-colours.

Very important for those seeking to buy a Highlander...Due to the outstanding complexities and variety in this breed.. Many will try to copy it.by using other cats that may not altogether be in the interest of the breed and may not be compatable to the breeds genetic code. The Highlander Cats have not been found to have any health issues or skeletal problems or defects associated to the curled ears, bobbed tail or extra toes. However a careful selective breeding programme should be adhered too at all times maintaining the health and vitality in the breed. Breeders should not breed polydactol feet to polydactol feet Bobtailled should be bred to a tailled cat.

Big Cat Sightings

2010-06-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Please note that all of these links are courtesy of the individual site authors/owners and are not the findings of Showkitty.co.uk.I neither own any wildcats or have ever personally observed any in the British Isles. I am just interested in all things Feline.These links are not on here for Sensationalism but from my own interest.
Whether you believe in the existance of the Big Cats on the loose in the UK or not. This may become the country code for the British Isles of the future if they are discovered living amongst us. We are not talking about Yetis or UFOs but the practicality of a known living specy,that has been very much known in the UK in Zoos, Circuses and private collections over the years.Some were native to our Islands before us.
However if you do meet what you beleive to be a very large cat(not a domestic cat)whilst going about your daily life.
Do not get a group together to go off looking.Contact your local police force immediately.

Will this become the Country code for the British Isles of the future.

http://www.scs.abelgratis.co.uk/bigcats2/
For some reason the above link will not refer to the exact page for Safety Instruction so trace their link on left hand side.

What they have been saying in Wales
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/yoursay/topics/bigcat.shtml

The bear tracker link below has some good puma prints handy to use for reference purposes should you find any unusual tracks while out walking.

http://www.bear-tracker.com/cougar.html

http://outdoors.caledonianmercury.com/2010/05/02/big-cat-sighting-leaves-experienced-hillwalker-baffled/00783

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/New-effort-to-track-big.6407701.jp

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2883189/38-big-cat-sightings-in-UK.html

Could their be big cats prowling the British countryside
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_panther

By Angling Times
General News
18 June 2010 16:00

Anglers at a popular fishing lake in the south east are being warned to be on their guard after sightings of a large black cat, thought to be a panther.

Proof of the creature’s existence were given further credibility last week after a set of huge paw prints were found by the water’s edge at the venue - Burham Reservoir in Kent.

Venue owner Gary Dellaway told how the discovery was the latest in a long line of evidence that a mystery beast is stalking the banks.

“A couple of days after we found the pawprints a guy who had been night fishing told us that he’d been in his bivvy when he heard heavy, animal-like footsteps padding about outside. When he looked out, he said the bush behind his bivvy shook as something shot off into the dark,” said Gary.

“Then there was the time last year when a couple of guys were fishing the lake and noticed a large black animal on the far bank in one of the beach swims. It crouched down on its belly to take a drink, and that’s when they realised it was a large cat.”

“There have been other sightings too, including the time two ladies came running up to one of the lads at the fishery with their pet dogs in their arms, saying they’d just seen a huge black cat. They looked like they’d had the shock of their lives,” he added.

Over the past decade there have been numerous reports of big black cats in Kent, in particular around Blue Bell Hill, just a mile from Burham, where the mystery creature has been dubbed ‘The Beast of Bluebell Hill’. Further afield, sightings have been reported in Boxley, Ashford, Lenham and Canterbury.

The man who found the big cat footprints at Burham, Andrew Sprigett has a theory about where the creatures could have come from.

“In the early 1900s there used to be a zoo at Cobtree Manor Estate at the bottom of Bluebell Hill which had large cats. The rumours are that several escaped and sightings have persisted ever since.

“The prints were about 1ins deep, so whatever it was, it was heavy. There were a set of smaller identical prints alongside, maybe from a cub, which would suggest they are breeding. There’s a lot of woodland around the lake where they could happily hide away. That said, I wouldn’t feel too comfortable night fishing in the area!” he said.

2010-06-27T14:40:00.001-07:00

Red And Yellow Tiger Striped Gazania

2010-06-26T05:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome To Showkitty .co.uk Kitten Blog

2010-06-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

Where hopefully their will be the occassional Highlander or Arctic Curl Kitten available.
First litter from our home grown male BoomToon due early July.
Please call back then.
For further information regarding these breeds return to Showkitty.co.uk homepage.
I have placed a couple of Flower pictures for your interest also until kittens appear.

Dandelion Clock

2010-06-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Woodland In Cauldron

2010-06-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

Lilac Viola

2010-06-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

Hogmonay Potential Stud

2010-05-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

Hogmonay born on New Years Eve 2009 Hopefully will be a new stud for my Highlander Breeding programme.
Fantastic kitten Red spotty Super NST.

Wild White Climber Bindweed

2010-04-29T08:06:00.001-07:00

Although this is one of Englands verocious climbing weeds and hated by gardeners.
I love them

Gerbera Jamesonii

2010-04-25T03:13:00.000-07:00

Gerbera. Really is a blousy show off plant in the garden and does deserve a place in the border, as an individual specimen, or cut flowers. They really are versatile.