The history of the origin of the Nibelung breed, a description of the standard of appearance, the nature of the cats, the health of the animal and possible diseases, advice on keeping at home, the price of a thoroughbred kitten. Nibelung (Nebelung) - no less mysterious living creature lives behind such an interesting and unusual name. Some say that at first glance it seemed to them that these cats are too serious and ferocious. Others take a different point of view, which is that these are the most ordinary representatives of the feline world, just with an original shade of fur. But there are also people who consider Nibelung cats to be supernatural pets, they say that there is something in them that all others are completely deprived of.
Indeed, appearance is deceiving and these cats are a clear confirmation of this. Who would have thought that as aristocratic, graceful and narcissistic as it might seem at first glance, cats can be so cute. Representatives of this species are distinguished by their special good nature, the ability to love and honor their master. To some extent, it is a living toy, just with a serious expression on its face. Nebelung is more than just a pet, the cat will faithfully and faithfully wait for you from work, guard you on the couch near the TV and will always gladly keep you company wherever you are going. If you breathe fresh air outside, he will go with you, and if at night to the refrigerator for something tasty, then this comrade will run with a jump.
History of the origin of the Nebelung breed
There simply cannot be such that around such an extraordinary animal not a single legend or, at least, a small invention, hovers. And this is the case. Rumor has it that the excellent coat color of the Nibelungs is not a gift from Mother Nature or such a successful result of human selection. This feature went to these amazing cats, due to mysticism, since there is a version that the first representative of this species was born from a thick, dense fog.
But who, in fact, should be thanked for the appearance on our planet of such beautiful purrs, no one knows for certain, whether all this is the will of fate, or just a fortunate coincidence. The thing is that around the beginning of the 80s of the last century, the most common cat, a coal-black color, walked along the paths of the American city of Denver, where he met her. "He" is the same mongrel cat, which in its appearance very much resembled a Russian blue cat. From such a union, several cute kittens were born, they were all beautiful, but one of them was clearly different from his fellows. This cub inherited almost all the basic features of its appearance from its father, but it also had a peculiarity - the kitten had a long, silky fur.
The owners of the cat did not even think that they had a very "exclusive" cat in their house and happily presented it as a gift to their friend, the programmer Kore Cobb. The woman doted on her pet, he seemed so extraordinary to her that they called him unusually - Sigmund, in honor of one of the heroes of Wagner's opera. Sigmund, of course, lived long life, but still he lacked someone, as well as the hero of the same name - his Brünnhilde. And very soon the same yard black cat again bore offspring and among the newborns there was "that one" female kitten with the same amazing hair as Sigmund. Cora Cobb could not resist and took the kitten to her. And so it happened that Sigmund and Brunhilde are not only heroes of the opera, but also heroes in the world of pets, because they are the founders of such a fabulous breed of cats - the Nibelungs. The name of the variety came up by itself, in honor of Richard Wagnen's opera "The Ring of the Nibelungen".
Cora Cobb, a programmer by education, firmly believed that she would be able to prove to everyone that her pets deserve to be called purebred and began to talk about them with universal delight. The owner of unusual cats began to compile the breed standard with her own hand. Due to the fact that all criteria, except for the length of the coat, were identical with the Russian blue cat, almost all organizations refused. Only one advised the woman to more accurately indicate the requirements for the physical data of the animal. As soon as she did this, luck was already knocking at the door. Starting from the second half of the 80s of the last century, a new honorary representative, Nebelung, gradually began to appear in the list of recognized breeds of world famous feline associations.
Description of the standard of appearance of cats of the Nibelung breed
- Head for cats with foggy hair, it is relatively small, its configuration resembles a slightly modified wedge, slightly elongated in length, outlined by smooth lines. These purrs have an even, aristocratic profile, a straight nose, without a single notch or hump. The nose is painted in gray color. The frontal bone is wide, the collections are well defined. The neck, although long, cannot be called strong.
- Auricles specimens of the Nebelung breed are large, always set up straight and straight with a slight inclination forward. According to the official standard, the lateral dimension of the ears at the base should be equal to the length of the outer ear. The auditory organs are placed at an impressive distance from each other. The outer part of the ear is covered with a thin layer of short hair.
- Eyes Nibelungs are quite large, in shape they most resemble a circle. They are positioned in such a way that there is a slight tilt between the ear and the eye. As for the basic tone of the iris, the breed standard states that small kittens have eyes that are always exceptionally yellowish. But when the baby reaches four months of age, a green border should appear around the pupil, which gradually stains the entire iris. Thus, the eye color of purebred fog cats can only be green. Any impurities of a different tone or residual yellow tone are a signal of a lack of breed.
- Limbs cats with smoky hair are long, with well-developed muscle tissue, rather strong and resilient. Legs are relatively small, rounded in shape. The color of the paw pads is always in harmony with the basic tone of the coat color.
- Tail process elongated, tapering gracefully from the base towards the tip. The organ of balance is densely covered with wool; there must be a plume.
- Torso the Nibelungs is a kind of optical illusion. With a very impressive size, these purrs are quite light, the average weight of an adult animal ranges from 2.5 to 5.5 kg. They cannot be categorized as either thin or fat. Their body is strong, but not stocky, as if elongated, besides, despite their weight, these seals are very tall.
- Wool American purr is also a unique phenomenon. It is long, silky, flowing, quite dense in texture, but at the same time, it is extremely pleasant and delicate to the touch. It is also noteworthy that although Nebelung cats have a thick undercoat, their fur coat never gets tangled, which greatly simplifies pet care. In addition, their fur does not get dirty and they say that it does not get wet.
- Color the woolly coat of these cats can only be gray or, in extreme cases, smoky. The light light ticking of the hairs is their calling card, it is this feature that gives the animal's fur a certain veil, as if a cat had just emerged from a thick fog.
No matter what anyone says, cats of any other colors and shades, similar in parameters and shapes to Nebelung specimens, are not and never will be.
Nibelung: features of the character of the animal
These fog cats seem to have collected all the very good qualities. They always know how to behave with dignity, in their behavior and even in their gait there is something majestic and aristocratic. But, despite all this splendor, these Murziks are very strongly attached to one of your family members. It is for this chosen one that the cat will always follow on the heels, and he knows how to do this beautifully and unobtrusively. With other inhabitants of your house, this pet will always be polite and courteous, but someone is always worthy of his love.
Such an animal lends itself well to education, so there are rarely problems with it. The Nibelung gets along well with young children, even shows great patience and understanding, in which case it will not release its claws.
But there is one "but", these handsome men with misty hair do not tolerate loneliness. And this can manifest itself in different ways: some can simply walk discouraged, while others can go on a hunger strike, in the truest sense of the word. In general, these pets are obedient and not harmful, but in order to attract your attention, they can sometimes decide on very desperate steps. For example, knocking over an expensive vase, knowing that you will not be delighted with it. But it is better for the cat to be paid attention to him even in this way, even if it is negative, but at least some.
Therefore, if you are away from home for a long time, then either this pet is not for you, or he should bring a friend. Be it another cat or dog, they will become friends and there will be no talk of any depression or bad mood.
The health of the Nibelungs and their lifespan
These gray pussies can boast of excellent health. Although the breed is relatively young, it is safe to say that they have no hereditary pathologies. But this does not mean in any way that they cannot pick up something primordially feline. Nebelung owners should not forget that they are responsible for their pets and depend a lot on the owner. These animals also need proper care, timely vaccination and periodic courses of prevention of internal and external parasites.
Correct and timely fulfillment of all maintenance requirements, regular preventive visits to a veterinarian, high-quality, balanced nutrition and, no less important, your love and care will do their job, and this exotic cat will delight you on average for 12-16 years.
Nebelung: keeping at home
- Personal property. Representatives of this species cannot be called too active pets. The cat is always not averse to running after the ball, but with even greater pleasure he will roll with the owner on the bed, while humming to him some of his own feline "hit". Perhaps for this reason, they say that this is the ideal pet for a small living space. It will be enough for the animal to equip a soft, comfortable bed, where the cat could sleep or just lie down, thinking about his own. In addition, the Nibelung needs a scratching post. It is advisable to teach a pet to this adaptation from early childhood, immediately after adaptation in the house. Many at first ignore this attribute, but there is no cat in nature that does not need to grind its claws and to do this in the apartment, it will either be on a scratching post, or on wallpaper or rough upholstery.
- Toilet. For a cat with foggy fur, you can choose whatever container you want, but you should take into account the fact that this pet is very clean. Therefore, if you are not at home for a long time, then it is better to give preference to such devices in which you need to pour filler, since, having safely buried the products of its vital activity, the cat can use the same restroom a second time. But if the tray is with a grid, then the animal can scare off an unpleasant smell, and he can look for a more neat place for his business.
- Walking. These cats feel quite comfortable in a city apartment, but nevertheless they do not mind sometimes taking a walk in the fresh air. For walks with the Nibelung, they use a leash and then you can be calm, but you should not send one for a walk. This fluffy will not seek adventure and go far from home, but seeing a dog, or hearing some loud sound, can easily climb to the top of a tree, and how to get it out of there is another matter.
- Hair care. Wool is the main wealth of Nebelung cats, so you need an eye and an eye for it. Their fur coat must be regularly combed in order to remove dead hairs. Thus, the animal will always look well-groomed and tidy, and its hair will not get into its stomach. It is necessary to comb out your pet at least two to three times a week, using a massage brush of medium hardness.
Most breeders advise not to wet the chic coat of fog cats once again. In the event that swimming is inevitable, you need to remember a few simple rules:
- Before the procedure, it is better for the animal to close the ears with cotton swabs in order to prevent water from entering the auricle.
- You need to lather the cat strictly in the direction of wool growth. And most importantly, the color pigment of these murziks is extremely sensitive, therefore, when choosing a shampoo, you should give preference to products with the most natural composition. It is important to pay attention to the color of the shampoo itself, it should be neutral, never buy pink or red cosmetics. Dyes can negatively affect the condition of your friend's coat.
- Also, the characteristic color of the Nibelungs is sensitive to direct sunlight, so beware of prolonged exposure of the animal to the sun, especially after bathing. Over time, his fur can acquire a certain shade of rust, which is almost impossible to get rid of.
Hygiene is an equally important factor that affects both the appearance of your pet and the state of its health. It is important to regularly clean your cat's ears, as the accumulation of earwax and dust particles can lead to serious problems, it can be both inflammatory diseases of the inner ear, which can be cured, or hearing loss, which, unfortunately, cannot be eliminated.
You need to clean Nebelung ears at least once a week, using children's ear sticks with a stopper and a special lotion for cleaning animal ears. Cats rarely like this procedure, so it is better that the pet gets used to it from childhood.
You also need to wipe the cat's eyes once a week with cotton pads (necessarily individual for each eye), previously soaked in a disinfectant solution. It can be either a solution of boric acid or potassium permanganate of low concentration, or a decoction of chamomile or calendula.
The Nibelung needs to brush their teeth, it is best to do it twice a week. To do this, you will need a baby, soft toothbrush and tooth powder. In the case of Nebelung cats, natural products with periodic inclusion in the menu of ready-made premium industrial food are best suited. Products that can and should be fed to a pet: lean meats, river fish, offal. This also includes fermented milk products, cereals, vegetables, fruits, chicken eggs. In addition, it is periodically necessary to give vitamin and mineral complexes.
Nibelung: kitten price and photo
Since this breed is very rare, the price for it is not low either. The nearest nursery of the Nibelungs "Severnaya Zvezda" is located in St. Petersburg. The average price of a kitten, including the cost of booking, varies from 55,000 to 70,000 rubles.
