The Tiffany Cat, also known as the Chantilly-Tiffany or the Foreign Longhair, stands out because of its exotic appearance. Originally, its full, silky, semi-long coat appeared only as chocolate brown, but more colors have emerged such as fawn, blue, cinnamon, and lilac. These colors mostly appear self or solid, but newer generations have more varied patterns like tabby, mackerel, and ticked.
It is not only their lustrous coats that make the Tiffany Cat showy and elegant. Their tail is plumed and elegant. They also have high, broad cheekbones, and a short muzzle. Their eye colors can range from gold, amber, and yellow, usually intensifying as they age.
The Tiffany takes longer to mature than most cats, coming into their adult shape and coat only at around 24 months. Once they’ve matured, their hind legs grow hair that form into distinctive “petticoats”.
Breed History of the Tiffany
The Tiffany has one of the most interesting breeding stories. Two cats, Thomas and Shirley, were purchased at a New York estate sale in 1967. They were bought by breeder Jennie Robinson, and they displayed the standard Tiffany characteristics that we see today. In 1969, Shirley gave birth to their first litter, which also displayed the same characteristics.
Some of the kittens were sold to a Florida breeder, Sigyn Lund, who continued the breeding program. She called them the “Tiffany”, after the famous classy Tiffany Theater from the 1920′s. However, this name wasn’t officially registered at the time, and in the 1980′s a different breed called “Tiffanie” emerged from England. To avoid confusion, the original Tiffany is registeed in North America as the “Chantilly” or the “Chantilly/Tiffany”.
The Personality of the Tiffany Cat
The Tiffany is known for its loyalty and devotion. Usually, they will select one person in the household and will bond with that person, following them around and preferring their company over other means of recreation. They can be very affectionate, and have unusual vocalizations. They converse using a soft chirping sound, which is almost bird-like.
Overall, The Tiffany Cat is moderately active. They can also interact well with children and other pets. So if you’re looking for a companion who is devoted but isn’t too hyperactive, the Tiffany may just be the ideal cat for you.
Caring for the Tiffany Cat
Unlike most longhairs, the Tiffany has no undercoat, which means that it doesn’t shed too much and is very easy to groom. Their hairs are very silky, so they are resistant to matting. The streamers on their ears, however, make it easy for dirt and wax to get trapped in their ears, so you may have to clean their ears at least once a week.
This breed is very healthy, and they aren’t known for particular health problems. Individual cats might have sensitive digestion, but if you stick to healthy cat food with minimal or no grain content, your Tiffany will be fine. If you have any concerns about your cat, I can recommend *Veterinary Secrets Version 2 an excellent resource when it comes to anything related to cats or dogs.
Because of its typically rich chocolate brown coat and its sweet demeanor, the Tiffany Cat is affectionately called the “Chocoholic’s Delight”. It is a wonderful addition to any household.
Tags: cat breeds, The Tiffany Cat
I came across this information in an email from Dr Andrew Jones ( *Veterinary Secrets Version 2) and decided to publish it in full here for anyone who uses this brand of pet food. His email begins below.
“I recently read the article on the Christian Science Monitor:
Pet food recall from Diamond Pet Foods has been expanded eight times, triggered an FDA investigation and critique, and now includes cat food.
The company’s handling of the salmonella crisis may be even worse.
From the recall of a single batch of its “Diamond Naturals” dry dog food on April 6 for possible salmonella contamination, Diamond Pet Foods has expanded the recall on eight separate occasions, endured a week-long inspection of one of its plants by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which criticized its practices, and most recently acknowledged that cats are also at risk.
Yet the Missouri-based maker of Diamond, Premium Edge, Kirkland Signature, and other pet food brands has not called special attention to the expansion of the recall to cat food beyond amending a statement on the company’s Internet recall site: “Diamond Pet Foods has voluntarily recalled some brands of dry dog and cat food that it manufactured in its Gaston, S.C. facility between December 9, 2011 and April 7, 2012 due to potential Salmonella contamination.
The Calgary Herald in Alberta, Canada, reported that two cats in a Montreal animal shelter have died, and another is ill, after eating Diamond Pet Foods products. Also in Quebec, another person has been reported with a case of salmonella, bringing the total number of cases to 16 in the United States and Canada caused apparently by handling the pet food.
On April 12, six days after Diamond’s first recall, the FDA began an investigation. Its week-long inspection of Diamond’s Gaston facility found numerous violations.
“All reasonable precautions are not taken to ensure that production procedures to not contribute contamination from any source,” its report said, noting that the factory’s screening process for possible contaminants wasn’t thorough enough.
Other violations: Factory workers were seen handling sensitive equipment with bare hands; there weren’t enough hand-washing stations throughout the plant (even in areas where raw meat was being handled); the factory used damaged equipment with holes and cuts, which would make the tools difficult to clean properly.”
Please feel free to pass this information on to friends who you think may use this brand of pet food. I thank Dr Jones for passing this information on.
Tags: cat food, Diamond pet foods, pet food, Pet food recall
