Indian street cat breed: characteristics and features

The Indian street cat is a quite unique, active and curious breed. If you love to observe the world around you and need a loving pet that will demand constant attention, here is the perfect companion!

Description of the breed

Movements:
The characteristic gait of the Indian street cat breed looks like a wiggle and resembles the gait of an Indian black leopard.

Weight:

Male: 5+ kg

Female: 4-5 kg

Characteristics:

• eye color: copper or golden;
• life expectancy – 9-13 years;
• moderate need for communication and attention;
• low tendency to molt;
• short smooth coat;
• low overall need for care.

Despite its average size, the Indian street cat is much heavier than it seems. This is felt immediately, as soon as the pet climbs into the hands of the owner.

Among the breed-forming features of the Indian street cat are large, wide-set oval eyes of copper or gold color and a jet-black glossy coat, reminiscent of silk in texture and appearance. The nose and paw pads are also black. Its body is medium-sized, muscular, with a short muzzle and deep chest. However, for all its compactness and grace, this cat is quite powerful.

Cats of this breed are also rather compact. At the same time, they have developed muscles and a strong skeleton. The Indian street cat is round on all sides: it has a round head, ear tips, eyes, chin and even paws. The coat of the Indian street cat is short and shiny, looking like patent leather.

The Indian street cat has a very characteristic gait: when they walk, their body seems to sway from side to side. It resembles the gait of a black Indian leopard.

Outwardly, the Indian street cat resembles Burmese and Ragdoll cats – only more elongated and long-legged.

Maintenance and care

Indian street cats are very robust cats, both in appearance and health. They have considerable strength and are good at climbing and jumping, so they need perches and cat trees. Since these cats are strong and stocky, you will have to carefully monitor their diet. This is important in order to prevent weight gain, especially if the pet has little exercise.

Adult Indian street cats are quite calm, but sometimes behave like kittens that love daily games. They like it when the owners pay attention to them, scratch their tummy and stroke them. Each breed representative strongly needs a daily portion of affection.

Key qualities

1. Activity. Cats of this breed love outdoor games. Moreover, they retain enthusiasm until adulthood.
2. Developed intellect. These cats have a good memory, quickly learn new skills, and understand many words from human speech.
3. A good appetite. These cats eat any type of food and are not averse to luring treats from the table. However, due to the tendency to gain weight, portion sizes and food quality will have to be monitored carefully.
4. Moderate vocalization. Indian street cats inform their owners when they are hungry or want to attract attention. But that meow will be quiet and jerky. Compared to the vocal Siamese, Indian street cats sound softer and more delicate.
5. Alertness at the sight of strangers. The cat does not like to be petted and refuses to sit on a stranger’s lap.
6. Few kittens. The Indian street cat gives birth to 1 to 4 kittens at once.
7. Poor tolerance of loneliness. This breed is human-oriented. If the owner works full time, the cat needs the company of other pets – preferably another Indian street cat of the opposite sex or even a dog.
8. Lachrymation tendency. This issue is caused by the structure of the muzzle. Due to the shortened tear ducts, the eyes can get wet more often, especially during feeding.
9. Exclusivity. Representatives of the breed are not common in Europe and USA. Therefore, the cost of kittens can be quite high.

How to choose a kitten

Go to cat shows. This will help to find reputable breeders who are ready to provide all the documents and guarantee the health of the producers. Do not buy a cat from unknown breeders. If the breeder is not licensed, there is a risk of buying a cat that has nothing to do with the Indian breed.

Visit a nursery. Evaluate the conditions of life, the number of animals and their general condition. Nurseries with crowded conditions are best excluded immediately. It is also preferable that the breeder is engaged in only one breed.

Specify the number of matings per year. A mature individual can give birth up to 3 times a year. However, this worsens their health and makes subsequent offspring weaker than the previous one. Due to low birth rates, animals can be subjected to harsh exploitation for commercial gain.

Check the papers of the kittens and parent couples. Familiarize yourself with the pedigrees and title certificates. Pedigree kittens are sold with a temporary equivalent of a pedigree, a veterinary passport with a mark on the vaccination and a contract for the purchase.

Ask for a standard contract to familiarize yourself with it in advance. The breeder should draw up all the papers on the origin of the cats free of charge.

Check out the medical test results. Breeding animals must be tested for genetic, viral and infectious diseases – in particular, congenital pathologies of the heart.

Specify the breeding value of the kitten. If you do not plan to participate in exhibitions, look for pet-class kittens. They have minor deviations from the breed standard and are subject to sterilization, but their cost will be significantly reduced. If you are planning a mating and show career, you need cats of a breed or show class. The cost of reference individuals is much higher and you will have to queue for the “star” kitten.

Observe the behavior of the kittens. They should be playful, energetic and cheerful. The appearance of a new person can cause alertness. However, the cat should try to interact and play with you.

Now that you know everything you should, we wish you luck in finding the kitten that suits you and your family most! Good luck!