California Spangled Cat And Kitten Information

The California Spangled Cat is a designer breed specifically created to resemble a small leopard or an ocelot. The body shape of the California Spangled is lean and long, with adult males weighing between 12 and 15 pounds. Adult females can weigh up to 10 pounds.

The eyes are almond shaped and the ears are medium and rounded. The spots and coloration give this cat a wild look but they have been bred for both looks and good personality. They love being in the company of a favored human and are considered very affectionate and playful.

California Spangled Cat History

The development of the Anthropologist Louis Leakey motivated Paul Casey to develop a breed of cat that resembles a miniature leopard. This engineered breed includes a variety of breeds plus street cats from Malaya and Cairo. Twenty years ago, the breed was thought to be extinct but has rebounded, growing in popularity. The California Spangled is recognized by The International Cat Association TICA as a registered breed.

The ancestor of all domestic cats is the African Wildcat, the genus Felis Lybica. This genus is comprised of smaller cats. Cats are thought to have been domesticated with the advent of farming and the storage of grain. The grain attracted rats and other vermin which naturally attracted wild cats. As time evolved, certain of these cats were domesticated for the mutual benefit of both cat and man. The African Wildcat has certain features which is obvious in the housecat of today.

Feline Health Considerations

Cats who reside in the house should generally visit the veterinarian yearly, unless health problems are evident. Cats who enjoy the outdoors may need to see the vet as many as four times a year. When you take your cat to the vet, be sure to bring along a fresh stool sample so the vet can do a fecal exam to check for internal parasites such as tapeworm, round worm, whip worms and hook worms. The vet will also check for external parasites such as fleas, ticks and ear mites. Feline Enteritis, Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus pose serious health dangers to cats and vaccinations against these diseases should be given as soon as recommended by your veterinarian.

Any vet check should include a complete dental examination and a cleaning if necessary. Cats who are eight years of age or older are considered geriatric and additional blood and urine tests may be necessary to screen for any health problems. At about six months of age, the kitten should also be examined for sexual maturity and decisions about birth control should be made.

California Spangled Kittens

The California Spangled Cat can be very hard to find and very expensive. Kittens are generally available and the price depends upon bloodlines color and markings. Unlike puppies, kittens should not be separated from their mother until twelve to sixteen weeks of age. Some very important developmental stages occur during this period including emotional, mental and health. Curtailing this development may lead to any number of medical and behavioral problems.

Kittens that are separated from their mother at too young an age often fail to gain weight fast enough, have immune system problems because they have not had enough mothers milk. The may also develop eating and eliminating problems, and can have problems socializing with other cats and with people. Kittens, regardless of the breed, have much to learn the mother so early separation should be avoided.

Every cat and kitten is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your cat or kitten. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.