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	FAKED BRITISH SHORTHAIRS
	(and not only)
Bogusława Czarnecka All rights reserved This article is the property of MUEZZI Cattery (c)	THAT IS - CATS' MONGRELS

From some time, a pure breed cat became very sought-after animal, living with us in our apartments. Silent, not barking all the day during our absence doesn't need to take a walk for pee... Generally - wonderful, trouble-free friend, which we enjoy without troubles.

After making a decision abort buying a pure breed cat, people became to look in books and albums to find a breed, convenient for all the family. Reading breeds' descriptions, a cat's character is the most important thing, their temperament as well as appearance. Then, such a family is ready to buy a kitten.

And, some problems may begin. Often, a kitten is too expensive, because pure breed cats, as well as breed dogs and other things we buy, are rather expensive. Some are more expensive, other is less expensive, and some we may buy for half price. Such cats, named pure-breed - "for a half price" - people often buy on auctions.

Pure-breed cats' prices depend on the kittens' quality, genetic line, conducted by a breeder and many other factors. If a kitten is not expensive and it hasn't a pedigree, it's, in most cases, forged, it means - a mongrel. For the buyer, who hasn't an idea about cats, such a kitten looks like a British shorthair. Such "British shorthairs" are often created by mating, for example, a blue exotic shorthair and Russian blue, as well as Siamese blue-point, or crossing a British shorthair and a Russian blue etc…. Little kittens looks like beautiful British shorthairs and gullible buyers are often deceived by such "breeders". People, who know the breed, see that it's a mongrel at once.

A salesman or another person, selling such "British shorthairs" explains, that the female didn't take part in cat shows or her license expired, or that it's the last kitten in litter, or that he/she had too many litter in current year, or that the kittens' father was too young and he doesn't have the breeding license yet, so the seller didn't obtain the pedigrees for his/her kittens. Sellers' explanations concerning the lack of pedigrees are very convinced for a buyer. A little, charming, blue kitty and the desire to immediately having such a kitty very often move away any doubts. What is more, the price of such "pure-breed kitten" isn't very high. Even unfavorable comparison of the kitty with pictures in a book is

not important in the moment of buying a kitten. Actually, there're many salesmen, pseudo-breeders or simply producers of "very pure-breed cats without pedigrees, having parents with many show titles, both having pedigrees"... Grey, short coat and too long muzzle doesn't mean that a kitty is British shorthair. And, during some months, when a buyer loves his/her kitty, what will he/she could do to such con man?! The answer is one. The buyer knew that a kitty had no pedigree, which it was sold for half price! And what one can expect, buying such a cheap "British shorthair" kitten?! Real British shorthairs' price is twice more! Unfortunately, I often hear about such incidents during cat shows, where I show my British shorthairs. Comparison with a real British shorthair is shocking for the owner of a mongrel! The problem of "cats' fake" concerns many cats' breeds, not only British shorthairs.

For example, a kitten born from a Persian and a Maine Coon is often sold as a Siberian cat, because this is what the buyer looks for, and the kitten resembles a Siberian cat. In the other case, the same kitty may be a bit worse Maine Coon or a Persian with a bit longer nose, because some cats are not of show quality etc.

People should remember that it's not only an outward appearance which determines the breed of a cat (phenotype). Also a character as well as genetic guilds (genotype) is very important. When people make intention or doesn't control crossing two another breeds, it may cause an aggression in such a mongrel. The same is when crossing with domestic cats (European shorthairs), which very often has a pure breed cat carrier. The owners of domestic cat's females very often cross their females (allegedly for their health) with various breed males. The owners of such males - there's often a friend or a neighbor, or even breeders, wanting to have some money from the part of delighted owner of such a domestic cat female.So, don't be surprised, when our kitty, bought on the auction "British shorthair without pedigree for half price" suddenly start to climb on the curtains or start to be aggressive in the period of adolescence. Don't wait that it'll have an excellent head and big cheeks and green eyes suddenly change to amber in color.

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These beautiful, round head and wide cheeks should be visible even when a British shorthair kitten is very young. So, our pupil's (mongrel) head won't change in a year or two or even three years. Such a kitty will never have the characteristic guilds of a real British shorthair. Of course, it doesn't mean that our beloved "British shorthair" won't be the most wonderful cat in the whole world... but it'll never become a British shorthair, especially as a breed cat.

Well, if we want to have a real breed cat, we should think before buy a kitty on the auction "pure breed cat without pedigree", coming from an unknown source and often having a weak psyche - think if we don't make a mistake! Because there's no such a thing as A BREED CAT WITHOUT PEDIGREE. Every cat, having no pedigree, is, unfortunately, a mongrel and we have to realize that before buying really breed kitten.

GEC Kliford Wonder