Surely you have already seen a white cat or more than one, and believe it or not, they are little animals that have different characteristics, there are many facts about them that you should know, that is why we invite you to read this post, so that you find out about the most relevant information, his character, his ailments and some important aspects in relation to his care.
The White Cats
It has been said that the characteristics of a white cat are that its appearance is snowy, solemn, impressive, immutable, majestic and several other adjectives that are identified with the stamp of these beautiful specimens, but it will seem incredible to you that these magnificent animals were not always as esteemed as they are today.
In fact, in the history of many cultures, many superstitions were created related to bad omens that were announced by the presence of these cute little animals, and we want to inform you about them and some practices that were used against them in the not so remote past.
Superstitions in the United States
Although it is an incontestable truth that the first settlers of the United States bequeathed their affection for the white cat as a custom, in ancient England they hated them and were very afraid of them, even claiming that they were spectral beings, related to ghosts and actions of the most there, they were even considered a bad omen.
However, in North America it was thought that the white cat was an allegory of kindness, joy and that its appearance was synonymous with knowing that good news was going to be received. Being lucky enough to see a white cat in the garden of a home was considered a prelude to an excellent event of a positive sign that was going to happen to the family that lived there.
Superstitions in England
On the contrary, ancient English custom advocated that a real fear, a feeling of panic, should be felt whenever an individual had the misfortune to come across a white cat in the street. They were called the cats of the devil, because it was believed that they were bearers of bad news and misfortunes for those who came across them and had to wait for the fulfillment of bad omens for the life of that individual who had come across them. they.
The cause of this superstition is apparently hidden in a grotesque superstition that was born about this beautiful animal, whose origin is very simple and is in a very simple aspect and that is that when you are in complete darkness on a street in a city as old as London, when a white cat appeared, it dazzled the viewer as if it were a ghostly specter that attracted a lot of attention.
For this reason of poor lighting, Londoners came to think that, when a white cat crossed their path, what they were actually seeing was, in truth, the ghost of a cat and that it appeared as an envoy from beyond, appearing to announce that an unfortunate event was about to occur.
The role of the human being in its expansion
A white cat is such a striking animal for human beings, both in their homes and in their natural environment, and the reason is logical. What you have to do is imagine that black cats can be camouflaged in their environment, while white cats, on the contrary, can only shine and are not able to blend in with the environment.
They are not very good predators, because their color makes them totally detectable in the environment, an issue that due to color is also very complicated for other predators that are larger. That is the reason why many white cats are not observed in a state wild, but we find them in a very large number in the domestic environment, because they have assumed the role of pets.
The truth is that it has been the intervention of human beings, with the mixtures that have been made between different specimens, which has made the white cat the one that is preferred as a pet in homes, particularly if they belong to some kind of specially valued breed, such as Turkish Angoras, White Siamese or White Persians.
Origin of the white cat
These are cats that came from the Middle East, at which time the European nobility began to adore a cat that was not only white, but also had very long fur. Both characteristics were not known by the European population of those times.
It happened in the courts that the kings and their courtiers fought to obtain a specimen of one of these striking felines, but, at the same time, expressed astonishment regarding their character. It so happened that the white cat had a different behavior from that exhibited by the other domestic felines.
They really behaved in a very arrogant and uptight way and as if they were not interested in what was happening around them. They began to be considered as unpleasant animals, until that estimation was modified when it was discovered that this behavior was due to the fact that they were deaf.
Genetic issues of white cats
Certainly the white color in an animal is very attractive, it turns out to be inconvenient for a species that needs to hunt for sustenance. The only exception to this consideration are the cats that have their habitat in the snowy mountains, but that is not what is usual.
The reason why these pets have white fur may be that they were born albino or that they have the S gene (White Spotting Gene), which is what causes the appearance of white spots. When the S gene is working at its best, it can make a cat completely white, although this is not common.
The W gene of white cats
However, for cats carrying the W gene, which is known as dominant white, the matter is very different. The cause is that this gene is very fast, which is why it is called the express gene, and it immediately predominates over any other color.
When a cat has inherited the W gene, this gene hides another color that the pet may have on its body. However, the white cat by gene W is capable of transmitting its true color to its descendants, for that reason it cannot be guaranteed that the litters of white cats will be entirely white.
Another curiosity that we have to show you is that some white cats that have the epistatic gene, also called that because it manages to hide all colors, are born with a spot that can be reddish, bluish, or black. However, that stain will disappear over time, although we will be able to have an idea of what the true color of the pussycat's fur is.
white cat deafness
It is a common belief that any cat that is white and has blue eyes is deaf and this is not true. In fact, if the cat is albino or carries the S gene, they are not usually deaf. It is a genetic condition that is only associated with the W gene, and even so, not everyone will necessarily be deaf.
Another aspect that you should consider is that white cats can have any eye color. But if their eyes are blue, then they will have a three to four times higher rate of being deaf. In addition, those with different colored eyes are twice as likely to suffer from this ailment.
How to know if a white cat is deaf?
The simplest test you can do at home is to stand behind the cat and make a very loud noise. If the cat does not react in any way, then it is likely that he is affected by this ailment.
In this case, you should take him to a veterinary consultation, where a BAER test will be carried out, through which electrodes will be placed and a sound test will be carried out. In this way, the electrodes will be able to record the response of the brain and it will be possible to establish whether or not it had a reaction.
Skin care for white cats
This, which seems so simple, will vary greatly depending on whether your white cat is albino or just white. Certainly both have several similarities, but the difference is that albinos will have red eyes. Another observable difference is that they do not have pigments in their skin, in addition their snout, paw pads, ears will have a soft pink coloration.
In contrast, a white cat may have some kind of skin pigment or moles. In any case, both types of white cats, in particular the albino white cat, need special care for their epidermis, because it is extremely delicate and sensitive to sunlight.
To try to help in this regard, creams and lotions can be found on the market that are special to reduce the risk of photosensitivity of the skin of white cats, although one piece of advice that we give you is that you make sure that your white cat does not expose directly to the sun during the day and if you have blue eyes, you have to protect them too because they are the most sensitive to sunlight.
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