York Chocolate Cat vs Skookum - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Skookums are a new cat breed – an experimental and rare hybrid dwarf cat breed, It was developed in the United States in the 1990s.

As a new breed, you’re not going to find too much information on their history, but is was breeder Roy Galusha who started crossing the Munchkin cat with the LaPerm.

Even today, some years later, the Skookum cat is still an experimental cat breed that is considered a rare dwarf breed. It is recognized as an Experimental breed by Independent European Registries as well as the Dwarf Cat Association.

The York Chocolate cat is often referred to simply as the York. The cat was developed in New York in 1983 by breeder Janet Chiefari. The American breed of cat came about by selecting certain colors for breeding.

The breed isn’t recognized by cat registries, however, in March 1990, the Cat Fanciers’ Federation of the New England area recognized York Chocolates as an experimental cat breed.

By 2016 no registry carried its breed standard and it looks as though the cat is now extinct. Later is was also established that the International York Chocolate Federation was founded in 2003 but that the site seems to be archived.

The dwarf Skookum only weighs between 2 and 3kg. It is a new cat breed with a curly coat. The coat can be in a range of colors and patterns.

It is a small, lightweight cat with short legs and a broad head and stocky build. It has a muscular build. The eyes are large and walnut- shaped while the ears are large and pointed.

The neck is also thickish. The coat is soft and curly, standing away from the body and spiraling into ringlets. It can feature a number of colors and patterns such as solid, bicolor, and colorpoint. These cats can be long-haired or short-haired.

Temperament:

They are playful cats, full of energy and they love climbing and jumping. They’re intelligent, confident cats and are also loyal and loving towards their human family. They may be active, playful cats, but they still like to settle down into your lap.

Today the breed is still under development and in the experimental stages. It is a medium to large cat, both robust, sturdy, and muscular.

He can weigh up to 7 or 8 kg. The head is medium-sized with a rounded muzzle and the ears fairly large, pointed and tufted and broad at the base.

The eyes are medium in size, almond-shaped, and slanted slightly. The color of the eyes is a striking gold, green, or hazel.

The legs are also medium to long in length and well-muscled with the hind legs being a bit longer than the forelegs. The coat is medium to long, smooth and glossy with no undercoat. Color of the coat is mainly a rich chocolate color or silver, black and white.

Temperament:

The York Chocolate is a loyal and friendly cat. He is independent and although he loves his human family, he is perfectly happy on his own as well. They make wonderful pets as they get on well with children and also with other pets in the home.

They’re even-tempered and adapt well to all kinds of lifestyles. What is notable about this cat is that even if you tend to ignore him, he wants to lavish you with his attention. He is a cat that just loves to spend time with his human family.

Because the Skookum cat is still in its early stages of development if you want to know precisely what the characteristics of the cat are you would want to look at the Munchkin and the LaPerm cat.

One thing is sure the Skookum cat thrives on the attention of his human family and if you provide him with the love and attention he craves, you can be sure that he will turn out to be the right friend and companion for your family.

The York Chocolate is an ideal breed for families but he will get along well with single people too who are willing to make a fuss of him.

He is the kind of cat that makes himself at home indoors or outdoors. He has such an amicable nature and wants to be your friend. In return for this friendship, he needs to be given a whole lot of love and attention.

Because the Skookum cat is a new, experimental breed, health problems with the cat are not well known. However, every cat can succumb to some of the common cat health issues there are. As a pet owner you want to watch for and recognize signs that your cat’s health is in trouble.

Feline leukemia for instance is a disease that spreads through bodily fluids such as urine, saliva and nose discharge, and saliva. Mother cats can even pass the disease along to her kittens. Feline leukemia can also lead to a host of conditions such as diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, skin problems and eye diseases among others.

Feline panleukopenia is known to most people as feline distemper and it is a very contagious viral disease with kittens being most at risk.

The disease affects a cat's immune system and the cat will likely have diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration, and lethargy. It’s a deadly disease that requires a vaccine to prevent it.

York Chocolates are generally considered to be healthy cats, but always schedule regular wellness visits with the vet if you suspect even the smallest illness.

The insides of the cat’s ears should be examined regularly for signs of dirt and wax build-up that can lead to an infection.

The trend these days is to brush your cat’s teeth. This can absolutely traumatize your cat. When you take your cat for a check-up he will in any case look inside your cat’s mouth to make sure there aren't any bad teeth.

As a cat owner, it is a good idea to recognize the signs and symptoms of common illnesses in your cat. Cancer

Cats can get different kinds of cancer – where cells grow uncontrollably and spread to all parts of the body.

When a cat doesn't produce insulin, his blood sugar levels elevate and this can result in hyperglycemia.

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It's a deadly disease that can be prevented by vaccination.

Spread by infected mosquitoes, heartworm causes lung disease in cats.

Vomiting is a common problem with cats with many different causes. The danger with vomiting is that it can lead to dehydration,

A cat’s upper respiratory tract is susceptible to infections caused by a variety of viruses and bacteria.

Even though the Skookum has curly hair, it’s not difficult to groom him. You want to brush the soft curls gently once a week. Keep it gentle so that you don’t make the curls frizzy.

Use some warm water in a spray bottle with some pet conditioner and spray the curls lightly and use your fingers to liven up the curls.

Cats like to nibble throughout the day and it is better for them to feed like this as opposed to a larger meal morning and night.

However, you will need to know what your cat is eating as you don’t want to overfeed your cat. Obesity comes with a host of health issues. As a carnivore, your cat requires meaty foods so make sure to feed him high-quality cat foods that have meat and protein as the top ingredients.

Your cat must have a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Provide your cat with a litter box. You will need to clean out the box every day of cat feces as cats don’t like to use a box that is dirty. You get special cat rakes at the vet or the pet shop that makes it easy just to rake up the feces and dispose of them.

The coat of the York Chocolate is fairly short and it doesn't shed heavily. A weekly brush will suffice to help remove dirt and loose hairs as well as to maintain the coat’s sheen.

The nails need to be trimmed.

A high-quality diet high in protein and animal meat must be provided for your cat Cats are carnivores and are not plant eaters.