Long And Short Haired

As societies have been lately formed to promote the interests of one or more colours in the cat world, it has been thought by a few fanciers of orange, cream, fawn, and tortoiseshell cats that there is an opening for a society for the purpose of encouraging the breeding of these colours. The objects of such a society would be : (1) To secure better classification for these varieties at the different shows.

(2) To encourage fanciers to breed and show these colours by offering special prizes, etc.

(3) To improve the type of cat bred.

(4) To secure recognition for all shades of orange, cream, and fawn ; and, inasmuch as many fanciers disagree as to the merits of the different tints for eyes, to encourage the breeding and showing of specimens with green, orange, hazel, and blue eyes.

Miss Mildred Beal, Romaldkirk Rectory, Darlington, has undertaken to act as hon. sec. to the society, and will be glad to hear from any fanciers who may wish to support it.

November, 1900.

Orange Self Or Tabby Points

Colour And Marking

Colour to be as bright as possible, and either self or markings to be as distinct is can be got. 25,

Coat

To be silky, very long, and fluffy. 25.

Size And Shape

To be large, not coarse, but massive, with plenty of bone and substance ; short legs. 20.

Head

To be round and broad, with short nose, ears small and well opened. 15.

Eyes

To be large and full, and bright orange or hazel. 5.

Condition

10.

It will be noticed that the heading of these points is "orange self or tabby"; but, as I have pointed out, the cats exhibited as orange Persians are neither self-coloured nor can they be called tabby. So it remains to be seen which type of cat will in due course be the established one. I incline towards a self-coloured orange in the Persian breeds, and a very handsome cat this would be - of just one tone of bright even colour, perhaps slightly lighter on the flanks and stomach, under the tail, and with a frill of paler tone. In fact, very much the type of a smoke cat, in two shades of brilliant orange. At the same time, if real orange tabbies can be bred with the distinct body markings these should be encouraged.

At the Cat Club shows it has been customary to give the classification for orange cats marked or unmarked, so that then the judge may not have to take tabby markings into consideration, but give his awards according to colour and other points of excellence. It is the same when a class is given for sable or brown tabby, silver or shaded silver. In such classes it would be unfair to consider either the tabby markings in the one or the amount of shadings in the other. Of course, it is possible that in time orange cats may be bred to such perfection that two distinct classes will be given, namely "orange" (selfs) and "orange tabby." In former years blues (selfs) and blue tabbies were included in one class, but gradually blue tabbies have been disappearing from our midst. If, therefore, orange tabbies - I mean, of course, long-haired cats - should likewise become extinct, our browns and silvers would be the sole representatives of tabbies in the long-haired varieties.

As regards the eyes in orange Persians, the standard given in the foregoing list of the specialist society is "bright orange or hazel." I should prefer the terms " golden bronze or hazel," as there is a special shade of gold with a dash of bronze or brown which seems to tone best with the bright coats of these cats. Certainly the pale yellow or greenish-yellow eye is not desirable - better a bright green eye. I often wonder if ever fanciers will be fortunate enough to breed an orange Persian with bright blue eyes, such as are seen in whites and Siamese. I have heard of a short-haired orange cat with blue eyes, and sometimes I have been told by a fancier of the Persian tribe that they had bred an orange, and its eyes had not turned from the deep kitten blue at four months, so they were fondly hoping they were going to astonish the cat world ; but their hopes were dashed to the ground, for surely and sadly a change came o'er the colour of that cat's eyes, and it was a case of the blue that failed! I once noticed an advertisement in one of our cat papers which announced, "For sale, a unique orange Persian male with perfect deep blue eyes"; but I also remarked that the age of this unique specimen was not given, and I did not think it was worth while to write and inquire.

"Benjamin Of The Durhams." The Property of Mrs. D'Arcy Hildyard. (Photo: Burgess, Market Lavington.)

"Torrington Sunnysides." The Property of Mrs. G. W. Vidal. (Photo: G. W. Vidal.)

The texture of coat in this breed ought to be particularly soft and silky, and is often of great length and thickness. The kittens when born are usually dull in colour, and gradually brighten as they grow older. As is well known to cat fanciers, orange females are rarer than orange males, so their market value is higher. There is, therefore, always a flutter of excitement on the arrival of a litter, and too often fate has decreed that all are males!

Orange cats make a splendid foil for other varieties. This is especially the case as regards blues and blacks; the contrast in colour enhances the beauty of each. I know one lady who, having an eye to the artistic, keeps a blue and an orange neuter, and a lovely pair they make. I think the largest cat I ever saw was an orange neuter that simply filled the show pen with a mass of bright colour - but he had a white shirt front and white gloves! As regards mating orange cats, they make a good cross with blacks and tortoiseshells; and if a brown tabby lacks the admired tawny or golden tint, then an orange may assist to brighten and improve the general tone, and do away, perchance, with that drabbiness which is so undesirable in a brown tabby.