Peculiarities of appearance, character and maintenance of Korat cats

Origin story

The second name of the Korat breed is Si-Sivat. This translates as “wishing for happiness.” And indeed: in Thailand, where Korat cats come from, long-eared purrs are a symbol of family well-being and personal prosperity. The most precious gift for newlyweds is a healthy fluffy pair: a male and female Korat.

The Korat cat was first mentioned in the 14th century in a book about cats bringing happiness and good luck to the human race. For many years, the Korat breed stood apart: it was not allowed to be exported from Thailand, sold or given to foreigners. However, in the 20th century, traditions changed.

The first pair brought out of the country ended up in the hands of the Jones family living in Oregon. Initially, they tried to associate the breed with both the Russian Blue and the British, but soon felinologists came to a unanimous opinion: the Korat is a separate breed and unlike any other. In 1956, they were recognized by a number of major felinological organizations, and in 1972 the cats were exported to Europe.

Accompanying illnesses

Natural selection has become a guarantee of excellent health. Long-lived cats live up to 20 years with appropriate care and well-organized nutrition.

• There are genetic diseases such as atelosteogenesis, when bone formation is disrupted; it can be detected by DNA diagnosis and ultrasound.
• Possible gangliosidosis with neuralgic symptoms. Cats native to hot climates react to drafts and cold with colds.

Standards

The cat weighs a little: 2.5-3.5 kg.

Significant disadvantages:

• "Medallions" on the body.
• White spots on the coat.
• Narrow or too wide chin.

Babies may have barely noticeable stripes on their bodies, but as they grow, they go away. The color of the eyes also changes: from gray-blue to amber or green.

The Korat is a rare breed and there are very few nurseries in the world. They are mainly located in the USA and Great Britain, but there is also one in Russia. The price of a kitten ranges from 80-100 thousand rubles.

Application

Pets of this breed are excellent companions for people who spend most of their time at home.

The active, but not meticulous nature of the animal will not make a person bored, and its gentle character will not cause additional trouble.

Korats have blue eyes as children, which may later change color.

Note! Korats have a well-developed hunting instinct. However, the pet is rarely used as a mouse catcher. The reason is the high price of the cat. When wondering how much a Korat costs, a person learns that for a kitten you will have to pay up to 400-500 dollars.

Korats have established themselves as regulars at exhibitions.

The rare animal receives high praise from both event visitors and judges.

Colors

The color allowed is only gray-blue, which is called “clean” - without spots or patterns. The fur is unevenly colored: the tip and base are always lighter than the middle. In those places where the fur is short (chest, crown), the fur shimmers and shines in the light.

In the photo there is a Korat cat of the only acceptable color - gray-blue

Interesting Facts

Over the centuries-old history of the breed’s existence, interesting beliefs have appeared about it:

• In Thailand, these cats are called Si-Sawat, which translates as “bringer of happiness.”
• At home, this breed is considered the key to a successful marriage. Therefore, in Thailand, the bride is still given a pair of such cats.
• Before the start of sowing, ancient Thai monks went around the houses, taking Korats with them. People who greeted the cat with honor received a generous harvest. And those who spared even a crust of bread for the guests faced half-starvation.

Character and behavior

These gentle creatures have an abundance of love, so they are generous in showing affection and care to their owner, whom they choose from the very first days in their new home. Moreover, they choose once and for all, giving him all the fervor of their heart. This love has no boundaries: only in the presence of the owner is the Korat happy and cheerful, only for him alone will he faithfully wait at the front door and only for him is he woken up in the morning by a ringing “meow!”

If your pace of life allows you to spend a lot of time at home, if you are not bothered by constant attention and a gray ball curling near your feet, this cat is made just for you. Otherwise, choose another breed.

Korats love to be the boss in the house, but since they bow to humans and obey them unquestioningly, other pets are targeted. Cats, especially weak ones, will definitely not have peace, and the Korat is not afraid of dogs (even big ones) and tries his best to let them understand who is boss in the house. Small rodents and birds are prey for cats, so try to protect them as much as possible from the toothy predator.

Korat understands immediately who little children are and why they should not be offended. Therefore, rest assured: he will not touch your little one, even if the latter swings a rattle at the cat or tries to put a doll’s cap on him. However, it is also not a cat’s style to tolerate obscenity for a long time. Seizing the moment, the Korat will simply run away and hide in a secluded corner.

These are sociable and sociable cats, so whether you like it or not, you will have to talk to them every day. Whether it lasts for a long time or not depends on you, but the Korat is ready to coo for hours. His vocal abilities are fully developed, so you will hear a diverse cacophony of sounds: from the most gentle purr to a real lion’s roar. However, the latter happens extremely rarely, and you still need to be able to bring the cat to the state of an angry “king of beasts” - they are so patient.

The love for games in Korat cats seems to be in their blood. So is curiosity. Snooping from room to room, opening and examining all the cabinets and boxes, poking your nose into all the bags and pots, and also stealing a small shiny thing and hiding it in your house or under the bed.

You, as a caring owner, need to make your home as safe as possible in advance: put strong screens on the windows, hide wires and sharp objects, put medicines and household chemicals away, raise poisonous plants higher.

You can find a Korat cat, but you will have to spend a lot of effort and money on it. This breed, despite its external beauty, stable psyche and good character, is practically not bred in Russia. And there is often deception on the part of sellers when they pass off a Russian Blue or a similar type as a Korat. The cost of a kitten for the “soul” ranges from $400 and above, show class - 2-3 times more expensive. You can try to order a Korat kitten through a Thai nursery or through intermediaries.

Characteristics

Korats become attached to their owner and need attention and affection. Human company is important for a pet; prolonged loneliness has a detrimental effect on the psychological state of cats. The animal will enjoy spending time surrounded by all family members.

By nature, male cats are confident and purposeful. They are smart and easy to train. They are easy to teach to rules and routines.

Animals have developed emotional intelligence. They sense the owner’s mood and help relieve stress.

Animals do not strive to climb to heights. She will attract the cat if she needs to explore a new object. Korats prefer to watch what is happening while lying on the sofa or the floor, or the owner’s lap.

Representatives of the breed are frightened by loud, sharp sounds. They hide when they hear a vacuum cleaner or the sound of a drill. Animals cannot stand swearing or screaming. An unfavorable emotional climate in the home leads to deterioration in the health of pets.

The attention of all family members is important to Korat. They get along with children, but do not tolerate unceremonious attitudes. Aggressive behavior is responded to with aggression. Guests, especially noisy ones, irritate them. The cats try to hide until they leave.

Males and Korat cats get along only with their own kind. Representatives of other breeds irritate them. They do not get along with dogs and perceive guinea pigs and parrots as prey.

Korats are talkative, but meow loudly in extreme cases (illness, hunger). Cats attract attention with quiet, melodic sounds.

Animals do not want to go outside. They will not run out of an open door or window. But they love to lie on the windowsill and watch street life.

Care instructions

You can care for a Korat cat according to the following scheme:

Wool

It is enough to comb the coat once a week with a regular brush with natural bristles, and during the shedding period - 2-3 times. Bath only when necessary. Korat does not like this procedure, so in some cases (if the contamination is small) you can get by with wet wipes without alcohol and aromatic fragrances.

Does your cat like to swim?

Not really

Claws

The claws are trimmed once a month, but if the Korat uses a scratching post, you can skip this point. But this trick won’t work with teeth. If you don’t clean them, your cat will develop a lot of problems over time: gums will become inflamed, teeth will rot and become loose. Everything can end badly, so buy a special toothpaste for cats and clean the plaque from the fangs once a month.

Ears

Clean your ears once a week by soaking a soft cotton swab in clean boiled water.

When choosing a kitten, pay attention to several factors at once.

1. The baby should look well-groomed and healthy, with a clean nose and eyes, an even tail and a soft, rounded tummy. If he does not want to play, does not go into his arms, hisses or shows aggression, this indicates fear of people, lack of love on the part of his parents and owner, and therefore poor care and upbringing.
2. It is also important to have documents, in particular a veterinary passport. It contains notes about vaccinations, operations and developmental features of the kitten. A pedigree is required if you are buying a kitten for a significant amount and it is important for you to confirm its breed. The paper must indicate the baby's parents.
3. Age. You cannot take a baby under 3 months: at this time, the mother still continues to feed the baby, passing on antibodies to him and forming the immune system. And from a psychological point of view, early separation from the mother does not bring benefit, as some people think, but harm: the kitten can grow up withdrawn, aggressive, and will not be taught the usual skills (properly sharpening claws, controlling one’s strength in games, using a litter box, switching to adult diet). Therefore, it is wiser to be patient a little and properly prepare during this time for the arrival of a new family member in the house.

Reviews from Korat cat owners

Korat owners evaluate not only the attractive appearance of the pet, but also its character and habits. Some people's blue cats show their "unchildish" character. Of course, the owners immediately rush to share this with other people.

He loves to wash everyone - sometimes he licks their nose, sometimes their hair, and at the same time he also holds them with his paws so that they don’t clean them up! In short, a Korat cat is a miracle: smart, affectionate, and easy to train. Brings good luck and happiness to the house!

Elena, forum user

https://www.baby.ru/blogs/post/118659685–62192170/

I have a green-eyed Korat cat named Paprika, she is big and serious. We also have a dog trained not to hurt cats. But Paprika herself always attacks big dogs and cats that come into the yard.

4le, forum user

https://www.mihav.com/en/forum/cat-breeds/does-anyone-have-a-korat-kitten-276741/

Catering

You can feed your Korat both natural and industrial food: dry or wet. This must be done according to the following rules.

Veterinarians advise immediately accustoming the kitten to one type of food or another. Firstly, babies are more obedient, and secondly, their stomach will be more difficult to “retrain” in adulthood.

Food should be healthy and of good quality. When choosing a natural menu, make sure that the products are fresh and do not contain harmful additives, toxins, dyes and chemical components. Much of what we humans are accustomed to is simply destructive for animals.

Natural products

The menu can include:

• Porridges cooked in water (or adding a little milk for taste): pearl barley, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, corn;
• Lean meat, boiled or pre-frozen and scalded with boiling water (turkey, chicken, veal, beef, rabbit or lamb);
• Boiled or raw offal: hearts, kidneys, ventricles, chicken liver (boiled only), chicken necks (ground into minced meat);
• Low-fat sea fish (flounder, hake, trout, salmon), boiled and peeled squid and shrimp;
• Chicken eggs (boiled yolk), quail eggs;
• Fermented milk products: unsalted hard cheese, kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, bio-yogurt;
• Stewed or boiled vegetables: carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, greens, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower;
• Apples, melons, cranberries, cucumbers, fresh corn.

Be sure to include dry brewer's yeast in your diet (you can buy it at any veterinary pharmacy) and a vitamin-mineral complex, but be sure to discuss with your doctor how much and for what time to give it to your cat.

You cannot give:

• Rotten or fatty meat, meat with parasites, bones, fatty layers, marinated or smoked;
• River fish;
• Alcoholic and carbonated drinks, compotes, juices, mineral water, cocoa, tea, coffee, herbal infusions (without consulting a veterinarian);
• Spices, seasonings, sauces, ketchups, mayonnaise (even homemade);
• Citrus fruits, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, legumes, grapes;
• Salty, sweet, flour, baked goods, canned foods, dog food.

Separately, it is worth mentioning about drinking water. The animal should always have it freely available at any time of the day. You cannot give your cat water directly from the tap: tap water contains a number of dangerous components: bleach, salts, and excess iron.

There may, of course, be areas where the tap water is clean, but if we take the average situation for our country, it is not recommended to pour water to a cat without first purifying it. The usual procedure for settling water will help with this: pour the liquid into a wide bowl or enamel pan, and place it in a dark place without covering it with a lid. After 12-15 hours, water can be poured into the cat. Other options: use a kitchen filter or buy bottled water.

Recommended food

If you plan to feed your cat commercial food, choose products from companies that have proven themselves in the market and have earned high ratings from users and veterinarians. Acana, Naturea, Primordial are holistic food products, for the production of which high-quality products and good complex vitamin and mineral supplements are used. There are also cheaper options: Brit Care, Mealfeel, Sanabelle. They are simpler in composition, but also cost much less.

Below are recommended holistic and super-premium foods. Links with the names of the food are clickable, on them you can, within our website, get acquainted with the descriptions of the food and read reviews from owners of Korat cats.

How to choose the right kitten

The main nurseries of York chocolate cats are concentrated in the USA and Canada. Therefore, you often have to choose kittens based on photos and videos.

Before purchasing, it is important to make sure that the baby you like has all the necessary documents, and that he himself meets the standard

You also need to pay attention to signs that indirectly indicate the health status of a Yorkie kitten. A problem-free baby has clean ears, clear eyes, a soft belly and a fluffy coat without bald spots.

Kitten care

A Yorkshire kitten from a good nursery goes to a new home fully prepared for independent living, and happy owners do not have to waste time training him to use a tray and scratching post. All that is required of them is to wait until the baby gets used to the changed conditions and show him where the bowls, toilet and place to rest are located.

Since the Yorkie Chocolate kitten is very curious and can get injured, wires, chemicals, indoor plants and small fragile objects are removed from it. Also, to ensure safety, the baby is denied access to open windows and large household appliances such as ovens and washing machines.

To prevent digestive upset due to the stress of moving and a sudden change in diet, at first follow what the breeder recommended. New food is added to the pet’s diet gradually to monitor the reaction of the cat’s body. The feeding schedule is based on the age of the Yorkshire chocolate:

• up to 12 weeks – 5-6 times a day;
• 3-6 months – 4 times a day;
• 6-12 months – 3 times a day.

A one-year-old Yorkshire cat needs only two meals a day.

Diseases

Korat cats cannot be called ideally healthy: despite the fact that the breed is indigenous, among individuals there are often animals that carry defective genes, which, in turn, produce sick and non-viable offspring.

The most dangerous pathology is atelosteogenesis. This disease is characterized by hypoplasia of the femur and humerus, the thoracic spine, and there are problems with ossification. Males most often die, while females become carriers and pass on the genes to their offspring. Your pet needs strict medical supervision and medication.

Another pathology is gangliosidosis (muscle atrophy, clouding of the cornea, neurological complications).

Other health problems arise mainly due to improper care and lack of attention to the animal. Korats are sensitive to drafts, so they should not be walked in cold and windy weather.

Vaccinations are preventative measures that should not be neglected. Whether or not to vaccinate at a certain point in time should be decided only by a veterinarian. Before this, he will examine your pet, examine the feces for the presence of parasites and make a decision. Sick animals should not be vaccinated!

Be sure to vaccinate your pet against the following diseases:

• Chlamydia.
• Rabies.
• Infectious peritonitis.
• Calcivirosis.
• Panleukopenia.
• Rhinotracheitis.

They are vaccinated against trichophytosis and microsporia at the request of the owner.

Expert opinion

Dusheba Vera Ivanovna

In 2010, she graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Scriabin with honors, specializing in veterinary medicine. I regularly attend veterinary conferences, congresses, and webinars.

Korat cats mature quite early, but doctors do not recommend allowing them to give birth immediately after their first heat. Experienced breeders advise breeding a female at the age of 2 years. Regarding childbirth: no more than once a year. The cat's body needs rest, otherwise it will become exhausted, the animal will lose its external beauty and begin to get sick.

If you do not want to breed, take the animal for castration (sterilization). Failure to meet needs leads to hormonal imbalances and ailments of the reproductive system, and even to cancer. The appropriate age for surgery is 9-12 months.

Grooming activities

Caring for a short-haired, clean kitty will not cause problems; brushing is carried out once a week, bathing as needed twice a month.

• You will need to trim your nails, clean your ears, teeth, and eyes.
• These are adherents of cleanliness; they will not go near a dirty bowl or poorly washed tray.
• The master bedroom is the best location for the house; the pet will be calm, feeling completely safe next to the owners.

Health

They are generally a healthy breed, but they can suffer from two diseases - GM1 gangliosidosis and GM2. Unfortunately, both forms are fatal. This is a hereditary, genetic disease transmitted by a recessive gene.

Accordingly, in order to get sick, the gene must be present in both parents. However, cats with one copy of the gene are carriers and should not be culled.

Tips for owners

These cats need constant communication and attention from the owner. There is no need to leave them alone for a long time, they may become sad. And so Korats are not problem animals.

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