Viverral vs British Shorthair - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

A cat breeder, Harrison Wier took a street cat of Britain and with an intensive breeding program, transformed it to the British Shorthair.

The British loved this beautiful pedigree cat. During the Second World War, the British Shorthair all but disappeared but re-emerged as a popular cat that is today accepted in cat registries around the world.

This is a rare cat breed and therefore not much information on it is available. It does seem that in 2002, a 5th generation Viverral was developed and this established the breed. The cat is described as a fishing cat hybrid. A breeding program was started but it is thought that the cat became extinct.

The British Shorthair is a medium to large-sized cat and he can be anything from 5 to 9kg. He has a short to medium-length dense coat that can either be a solid color, bi-color tortoiseshell or patterned.

The coat becomes thicker and longer in the winter. This is a robust, strong cat, being heavily muscled with heavy bones. The cat also has a broad chest with thick, strong legs. The ears are fairly small and the round eyes give him a totally amicable expression on his face.

Temperament:

The British Shorthair is an amicable cat and makes a superb companion as it's an easy-going cat that adores his human family, being loyal towards them.

The British Shorthair is an active cat and it is able to get by on his own for a few hours without human company. If you do work particularly long hours and you go out a lot, it will be kind to perhaps get another cat for him as a friend.

He is quiet and undemanding and because he is big and heavy he doesn’t like being carried around.

The Viverral is muscular and substantial. He has a smallish head and smallish ears with a thick tail. The coat is spotted. The base color of the coat and the spots should be different. The light cream underbelly is also spotted. Large, muscular, and solid, the cat’s eyes are big and round in the smallish heald. The coat is short and plush with a spotted pattern of black, brown or tan spots. Temperament: The Viverral cat has been designed to produce friendly kittens that are curious and confident. They turn out strong and confident and are suitable as house cats. New cat owners might have success with them and they can even be friendly with children in the home, but the truth remains, they are unpredictable. Beautiful and something unique, it is not likely though that this cat breed would have wanted to be cuddled and petted by his human owners.

The British Shorthair is such a companionable cat, being intelligent and affectionate, even though he isn’t a lapcat as such.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love being around his human companions. He does and is loyal to them.

They’re laid back cats and are capable of getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He just loves lazing around in the sun and can spend a few hours on his own without feeling anxious or lonely.

These cats are really great companions and they make themselves at home in different lifestyles, whether you live in the countryside or in town and whether you are single, a couple or a family with children and other pets.

Easy to care for, the British Shorthair cat is guaranteed to make you an excellent companion.

Hybrid cats such as the Viverral can look quite a bit like a wild cat and this is what first appeals to cat lovers. They want an exotic cat to brag about. However, these cats can come up with a whole lot of behavioral problems so that you wish you had never got one. One should just go along to some of the many cat shelters there are to discover how many hybrid cats land up there. They turned out to be a disappointment – their behavior wouldn’t conform to what their human family expected of them. This is the story of hybrid cats. Humans want some exotic looking animal to please their greedy natures and then when the cats don’t behave the way they should, they get rid of them. Rather, it is humans that need to change their behavior and leave wild animals alone. The Viverral can have their good side and be splendid pets but they aren’t consistent. They have a streak of unpredictability, and they also have issues with the use of a litter box. They mark their territory too and can show some aggression. Any animal with a wild side isn’t going to make the best pet, but still, some cat lovers have managed to bring out their best side.

These beautiful cats are a robust, healthy type of cat breed and if you care well for him, you aren’t going to be taking him along to the vet too often. He can also live to be up to 20 years of age.

This cat has been bred with Persians in the past, so this should alert you to some of the diseases that this particular cat breed is susceptible to. It makes the cat a little bit vulnerable to polycystic kidney, an inherited condition in cats that causes cysts to form in the kidneys. They are small at first but they can grow bigger and actually result in kidney failure.

The development of hybrid cats began as a scientific effort in the 1970s. Hybrid pets can be aggressive and also solitary. Hybrid cats are an unnatural breeding. They are cat species that weren’t meant to mate in the first place. Breeders tell stories of premature births and also aborted pregnancies. Some of the more common illnesses among hybrid cats include digestive issues. Also, vaccinations used to protect our domestic cats from disease have not been approved for use in hybrid animals. A hybrid cat has a wild side to him. These cats were bred to look like a wild cat, and although they are healthy, they can also have some health issues. Ensuring the cat has a proper diet will contribute more to better health. As mentioned, some of these cats can battle with the likes of chronic diarrhea and irritable bowel disease and also battle with intestinal parasite issues.

The British Shorthair is a fairly large, robust cat but that certainly doesn’t mean he must be fat. Being overweight can bring about a range of health issues and you want to follow an appropriate diet for him ad see that he gets enough exercise.

When it comes to feeding your British Shorthair, always look out for the very best, most nutritious food there is as he is a big cat.

You want to ensure your pet gets enough protein as cats are carnivores - they’re meat eaters and they require chicken, beef and fish. You can give your cat some cooked egg as they are an excellent source of protein.

Be very careful not to be tempted to give your cat chocolates, grapes, nuts, onions or garlic as foods like this are toxic for your cat and can cause him pain and discomfort.

Remember to ensure that there is always a constant supply of fresh, cool water for your cat. If you’re wondering what to feed your cat or you have any other concerns, don’t hesitate to speak to your vet.

Brush your British Shorthair when he starts to shed his winter coat and trim the nails.

Do things for your cat that you would do for your own human child. This is your beloved fur-child and you want him to be happy and healthy.

Check inside his mouth to make sure there aren’t any loose or blackened teeth that could be causing him terrible pain. Also, check inside his ears for signs of redness.

Your British Shorthair is an elegant, clean type of cat so you want to keep his litterbox nice and clean for him.

These are different cats to your regular domestic cat, and they will require different care. One of the things you need to do for a cat like this is provide it with an outdoor enclosure. Because of their wild side, they are longing to be outdoors and you may find it difficult integrating such a cat into your home. The Viverral needs plenty of exercise but you can’t just let them roam freely outdoors. Yes, you can train them to walk with a leash but you need to allow him outside in the enclosure. You can include a shallow paddling pool for him too. These are active, intelligent cats and you will need to invest in some interactive toys for him to keep him amused. You will need to supply this cat with a scratching post and a climbing tree. This is because as a cat, he is a natural climber and scratcher and he will need these in his life. Ensure your feline pet has a nice warm, dry place to sleep.