RUS4OSH

FIFé Approved Crossbreed Project

Based on Art. 9.1 of FIFe Breeding & Registration rules, on October 10th 2012, Zo Senec members applied for being allowed the possibility to make a cross-breeding between OSH and RUS. On November 6th they got official permission from SZCH (FIFe member) to go on with the project so this adventure officially started.

The aim of our project is to help improve the health of Siamese and Oriental cats, to develop a better immune system by using an out-cross to a healthy and strong breed, so as to add healthy blood into a breed which is in serious jeopardy. The cats used in the crossbreed program were selected with the assistance of a panel of vets and feline genetics specialists, in order to avoid future problems.

Many Orientals and Siamese nowadays seldom reach the age of 5-6 years, and this, for most of us, is unacceptable. We would like to rely on strong and healthy hybrids in order to widen the gene pool of our cats, thus producing healthier kittens. Breeding for us is not only about winning at cat shows, so we have decided to focus on health first, and we can work on getting back to type.

We know that there are healthy OSH/SIA lines around, but we believe that a total outcross with healthy cats from a totally different gene pool is more useful and appropriate in the case of widening the gene pool. We do not want to risk losing too much of the already excellent SIA and OSH type which we have achieved, so with the advice of FIFé specialists, certain CFA and FIFé RUS have been selected.

The Russian Blue breed is well-known for being one of the healthiest breeds of cat, which has an A blood group, with no known genetically inheritable diseases and few defaults such as tail-kinks or others associated with some breeds. Historically, the Russian Blue breed has been used for the development of many other breeds such as the Sphynx, the Devon Rex and others, when a balanced cat without extremes needs to be out-crossed to for genetic diversity and health.

There is already a family link between the Siamese and the Russian Blue breeds, as blue point Siamese were used to re-create the Russian Blue breed after WWII. Now, we feel it is time to return to our shared history and ask for the Russian Blue breed to help us to save the SIA and OSH breeds today.

The RUS breed was selected because of: - the elegant body on high legs - the straight profile and nose and the wedge shaped head - the green eye colour (for OSH) - the large and low set ears (on the CFA RUS typed cats). We will work with these characteristics towards re-establishing the SIA and OSH features in future generations of F-hybrids.

Rules

The crossbreed programme has been authorized by Fifé and is following Fifé’s rules. This programme is exclusively open for Siamese, Oriental Shorthair, and sister breeds such as Balinese, Javanese and Peterbald, according to art. 9.1 of the FIFe Breeding and Registration rules.

All the SIA/OSH and RUS cats which have been included in this programme, have been registered and approved by our breed club, and only kittens out of specifically registered matings will be approved for F1 SIA/OSH status.

The F1 generation shall be registered according to art. 9.1.1 of the Breeding & Registration rules (XSH * <OSH>) and would be used for further breeding with SIA/OSH only. We would then consider the mating between two cats from F1 generations (those more adherent to the OSH standard) and again use the F2 generation for breeding OSH.

All of the F1 SIA/OSH registered kittens selected to contribute to this programme will be assigned to one of the SIA/OSH catteries specifically registered with this programme.

No kittens will be sold out of the programme.

The FIFé program does not ratify the assignment -for any reason- of any of the F1 SIA/OSH kittens, to any Russian Blue cattery or any other cattery.

All the offspring produced, which are not suitable for the inclusion in this breeding programme, will be neutered or spayed by their breeder and will be registered as F1 SIA/OSH, before going to live happy pet lives.

Cats Involved

All the cats used in the crossbreed programme were selected with the assistance of a panel of vets and feline genetics specialists, in order to avoid future problems. Write us to receive the complete medical records for all the cats used.

Males

GC Velva’s Superlight of Eudemonias 

GIC Grisaille's Brilliant Performer of Woldlake

Females

Enfant Terrible YesWeCat 

Marit van Scarlettini 

(for info on the kittens out of Marit van Scarlettini and Grisaille's Brilliant Performer of Woldlake please visit Van Scarlettini's Cattery Website)