Safari vs Brazilian Shorthair - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

This attractive purebred cat is the first cat from Brazil to get international recognition.

It is amazing that this cat goes back to the streets of Brazil as a feral cat. Centuries ago, when the Portuguese arrived in Brazil, they brought cats with them.

It was in the 1980s that a Brazilian cat breeder wanted to transform certain street cats into purebred cats and the Brazilian Shorthair emerged from these efforts. In 1998, the World Cat Federation gave the cat ‘approval breed’ status.

The Safari Cat, hailing from the USA, is one of the rarest breeds of cats. There are only about 70 of these cats registered at the International Cat Association.

The Safari cat is a mix of a moggy and Geoffroy's cat. At first, the cat was used for research purposes by Washington State University but then cat breeders took over the development of the breed.

The name ‘Safari’ was chosen because of its wild look.

The Brazilian Shorthair is a purebred, medium to large sized cat that can weight between 5 nd 10kg. He is a thick-set cat that is muscular and strong and elegant to look at. The short coat comes in a variety of colors and patterns such as grey, black, orange, white and tan. The coat doesn’t require much grooming, but it is always beneficial to your cat to gently brush him to remove any excess hair there is. This cat has got such beautiful expressive eyes that you feel as if he wants to communicate with you sized cat

Temperament

This is an adaptable cat that is able to adjust to the lifestyle you provide him with. He is an outgoing, intelligent, and inquisitive cat and enjoys the company of his human family, whether that includes children and other pets.

He gives a lot and expects lots of attention back from his humans. He is an inquisitive cat and loves to be going on his own adventures exploring.

He loves life and won’t enjoy a lifestyle where he is expected to lie around most of the day. He is intelligent and can learn tricks, and even though he is an elegant looking cat, he likes being active, spending time outdoors, and putting his hunting skills to the test.

The hybrid Safari cat is a medium to large-sized cat that at first weighed in the region of 15kg, but the cat now weighs roughly 11kg.

Its body is much like that of the wild parent, the Geoffroy – muscular and compact. The ears aren’t particularly large and are smallish, rounded ears with a fairly broad head.

It has a typical wild cat look and is a spotted or rosetted cat breed. Below the spots, the coat is a silvery grey shade.

The coat which is short actually comes in a variety of colors that come from both cat breeds. The eyes of this cat are either yellow or green. The Safari cat certainly has a wild cat appearance, because of the cross-breeding. This is a rare cat and because of this, there is no breed standard for it.

They can live to be between 17 and 20 years of age.

Temperament:

Even though one of the parent breeds is a wild cat, the Safari cat is described as an easy-going cat that can make a good pet.

The cat is very intelligent and playful and will enjoy swimming and climbing. It is for this purpose that he needs to have quite a large outside enclosure with a pool of sorts so that he can paddle.

There isn’t much information on their interaction with children and other pets in the home. While they are quite likely to make good pets where there are children, there would have to be supervision where there are small children. During play, these cats can bit. It would be extremely important to teach children to respect any animal and to be gentle and kind to them.

The Brazilian Shorthair makes a great choice for a loyal feline companion and he is a good looking cat too. They love human contact and love spending time with their human family, getting on well with the children in the home as well as other pets.

They don’t shed a lot either and therefore require little grooming. They’re adaptable pets too and become used to their different environments, loving to explore new places and even meeting new people.

They’re intelligent and can learn a few tricks that you’d normally teach a dog. As an intelligent cat, it loves to be challenged.

With so much going for him, no wonder the friendly, adaptable Brazilian Shorthair cat is such a popular breed as a domesticated house cat.

As a hybrid cat, your Safari is interesting alright, but unfortunately, you can’t ever be 100% sure of a hybrid cat. It needs careful consideration before you bring one into your home.

Apart from coming into the home from time to time, hybrid cats need an outside enclosure too that is securely fenced and gated and with a roof.

You made a decision to buy a cat with a wild side. It may live up to all your expectations but it may not either.

When you do research you find that the biggest number of behavioral complaints from owners of hybrid cats are about aggression issues and the refusal to use a litter box when indoors.

There is still a raging debate going on as to whether hybrids make suitable pets, but when you bring any animal into your home, as a responsible adult it is your job to provide well for it to ensure its happiness.

The Brazilian Shorthair is a robust cat and doesn’t suffer from many health issues.

Like several other cats, one of the common health issues to watch out for with the Brazilian Shorthair is polycystic kidney disease, where cysts form on the kidneys and eventually lead to kidney failure.

The Safari cat isn’t a particularly well-known breed so there isn’t much information on their health. They can suffer from the same illnesses as non-hybrid domestic cats.

Certain hybrid breeds, such as the Safari, can sometimes have issues with reproduction as some cats are infertile. Domestic cats and wild cats have a different number of chromosomes and this results in reproductive problems, and stillbirths are quite common.

The Brazilian Shorthair has a short coat and won’t require too much grooming, although a gentle brush once a week is enjoyable. It becomes a bonding time with his owner and it keeps the coat free from dust and loose hairs.

Check inside your cat’s mouth and make sure that all his pearly whites are just that. Sometimes a rotten tooth that he can’t tell you about can be a tremendous course of discomfort and pain. Also, check inside the ears for dirt and infection.

You can learn to clean the inside of the ears yourself but if you don’t want to do it, your vet or pet groomer can do these things for you – clip the nails of your pet, check the teeth for dental disease and check inside the ears.

Diet:

Cats are carnivores, so they require animal protein for good health. Wet or dry commercial manufactured cat foods are super convenient and the best ones are excellent for your pet.

If you feel clueless about what to feed your cat, speak to your veterinarian who will guide you on the right food to give your pet. Certainly, your cat will need meat to get the nutrients he so badly needs.

The amount of food your cat needs to eat each day will depend on his age, weight, and activity levels. You want to get the correct amount of food right as obesity is a common health issue with cats and can contribute to a shorter life span. Always make sure your cat has access to fresh, cool drinking water.

It is recommended that you brush this cat each week. He isn’t a big shedder but the brushing once a week keeps the fur in good condition, removing loose hairs and dust.

A high protein diet is imperative. Cats are carnivores and a meat diet is imperative. You can speak to your vet or a cat expert about feeding your Safari cat. Certainly, they need to be fed high-quality cat food. These foods are available in wet and dry form.

He will definitely need some raw meat. Make sure you understand the ingredients in some low- quality cat foods as corn for cats can be a problem for them, hard to digest and it could cause intestinal problems.