Snowshoe: Nutrition and Characteristics
The Snowshoe is a medium sized shorthair cat from the USA. It owes its name to the characteristic white fur on its paws. The Snowshoe is popular with cat lovers, among other things because of its cuddly nature.
History of the Snowshoe
The Snowshoe comes from Philadelphia in the USA, where it was created more or less by chance in the 1960s. In a litter of Siamese cats of the breeder Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty there were some animals with white paws.
By crossbreeding with the American Shorthair and back-mating with Siamese cats it was possible to establish this characteristic. After the new breed met with little interest at the beginning, the Snowshoe was finally recognized by associations like TICA and ACFA in the 1980s.
The interest of some breeders in Great Britain and Germany, among others, has been growing. Nevertheless, the Snowshoe is still rather rare in this country.
Appearance of the Snowshoe
The Snowshoe is a medium sized cat. Males can weigh up to five kilograms, while females weigh around three kilos on average. The Snowshoe's body is slim and moderately muscled. Their legs are of medium length and their back is slightly curved.
The Snowshoe's head is wedge-shaped. She has large, pointed ears and oval eyes with an intense blue coloration.
The coat of the Snowshoe
The Snowshoe is a shorthair cat. Its close lying coat is smooth and has only little undercoat. The coat of the Snowshoe may show the same colours as in the Siamese. Accordingly the breed is available in the colours cream, red, blue, chocolate, seal and purple.
Apart from its characteristic white paws, to which it also owes its name, the Snowshoe often has white markings on other parts of the body like on the chest or the face.
Character of the Snowshoe
The Snowshoe is considered to be self-confident and curious. She is characterized by an extremely sensitive nature and does not like to be left alone for a long time.
The Snowshoe is very people-oriented and builds up a close relationship with her owner. At the same time she also feels very comfortable in the company of other snowshoes, which is why she can only be recommended for single keeping.
The Snowshoe possesses a distinct play instinct, which has a positive effect when dealing with children. But as it also needs a lot of calmness, at least living together with small children can be sometimes problematic.
Attitude and care of the Snowshoe
The Snowshoe is very well suited as an indoor cat. As long as it receives enough attention and is sufficiently occupied, it proves to be a pleasant roommate. Occasional trips to a cat-safe garden are of course gladly accepted by the Snowshoe. However, these are not absolutely necessary for her well-being.
As with most shorthair cats, the Snowshoe's coat is easy to care for. To remove loose hairs, it should be brushed about once a week. However, if the cat is changing coat, it may be a good idea to brush a little more often to help the new coat grow back healthily.
Snowshoe diseases
So far, no hereditary diseases typical for the breed are known to exist in Snowshoe. But the breed is still quite young and rare. Therefore it remains to be seen whether this will change in the future.
Regardless of this, the Snowshoe can of course get sick just like all other cats and get infected with cat cold or even life-threatening diseases like cat epidemic.
To avoid health problems as much as possible, cat owners should definitely plan regular visits to the vet with their Snowshoe. Vaccinations recommended for cats and other preventive measures such as prophylactic deworming of the cat contribute significantly to the prevention of possible diseases.
The life expectancy of the Snowshoe
The life expectancy of the Snowshoe is on average about 12 to 16 years. However, how old the cat becomes depends on various factors. Serious illnesses and bad keeping conditions can reduce the life expectancy of the Snowshoe considerably and lead to an early death of the four-legged friend.
The right food for the Snowshoe
Like all cats the Snowshoe is of course a carnivore. To meet their natural nutritional needs, their cat food must therefore contain a high level of animal proteins. Cereals and other unsuitable ingredients should be avoided.
So not only should you make sure that you give your cat the right amount of food, but you should also pay enough attention to the composition of the cat food for your Snowshoe.
For example, use the appropriate cat food from I love my cat. Our cereal-free wet and dry food for cats is characterised by high-quality raw materials and a recipe that meets the needs of your cat.
You can therefore be sure that your Snowshoe will tolerate its new food well and that an optimal supply of important nutrients is guaranteed.
In addition, the following products are suitable to support the well-being of your Snowshoe when needed:
- Dental powder helps to clean the teeth of your Snowshoe.
- Shiimun Immun contains valuable nutrients to strengthen the immune system.
- Eye Care Drops are ideal for gentle cleaning of the eyes.
Cat food for your Snowshoe in an inexpensive economy set
In order for you to convince yourself of the quality of our cat food, we have put together selected products from our range to form a 360° Vitalkonzept food set. You can order this for your snowshoe at a special price in our shop.
Leave your comment