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Information on the Tortoise Shell Cats or Spanish Cat Breeds / Varieties.
Tortoise-Shell or Spanish Cats
THE TORTOISE-SHELL. (Sometimes called Spanish Cats.) HEAD of the Tortoise-Shell The head of the Tortoise-shell should be rather small, broad across the forehead and between the eyes, rounded on top, with a nose rather longish, the whole having a somewhat bullety appearance. The head is carried on a rather longish neck, which adds grace, under somewhat savage aspect, to its appearance. EYES of the Tortoise-Shell The eyes are round, brilliant, and vary in color from a bright amber to an orange- yellow ; the darker the hue the better. EARS of the Tortoise-Shell The ears are medium in size, rounded at the apex, and broad at the base, giving them an angular form. They should be set well apart and carried well cocked or erect, giving a bright appearance. CONFORMATION of the Tortoise-Shell The Tortoise-shell is rather a smallish cat ; but allowance must be made for the fact that the immense majority of Tor- toise-shells are females, which in all the cat families are smaller than the males. The bodies are rather long, giving the animal the graceful turn of the tiger or leopard. TAIL of the Tortoise-Shell The tail is long, thick at the base, tapers toward the end, and has an upward curve. Patches of color on the tail should be as distinct as they are on the body. Coat Color and Quality of the Tortoise-Shell The Tortoise-shell in color is black, red, and yellow ; the less black the better. The three colors should be distinct, in well-defined patches, with sharp lines of demarcation between them. The color should be rich and deep, and any blur in the marking or intermixture of the color becomes a weak point in it. The hair should be short, lie close to the body, silken in texture, and have a glossy or brilliant appearance. According to the markings, a Tortoise-shell may be a very homely animal or a most beautiful one. Any white absolutely disqualifies the animal. There is a popular superstition that Tortoise-shells are all females; but this is not the case, for while females are in the majority, males are often to be found, and sometimes are grand, beautiful, large animals. Merits of the Tortoise Shell Cats The Tortoise-shell is one of the best of hunters of all the families of the cat, is a most patient mouser, and is brave to the extreme. It is not over-affectionate, and sometimes even sinister and most ill tempered in its disposition
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