HIGHLANDER CAT STANDARDS SET BY TICA
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The Highlander is a muscular, athletic domestic cat. Selective breeding has contributed to protecting the unique features and enhancing the bloodlines. Highlander cats come in both shorthair and longhair.
Physical:
characteristics include a sloping forehead and wide nose, with the nose and muzzle forming a blunt look in profile. The curled ear is seen in profile as a loose, relaxed curl with minimal backward direction. The ears are wide-based, open and stand tall.
HEAD:
points For the head #40
Shape: 6 points
Wide, inverted pear shaped head with substantial width to muzzle.
Eyes: 5 points
Medium to large set far apart. Set on a slight bias. Slightly flattened oval in shape. Eye color independent of coat color except in Pointed Category.
Ears: 10 points
Medium to large, wide at the base, set as much on the top of the head as on the side, as erect as possible. Ears must be firm at the base, flexible at the tips. Loose relaxed curl with little backward direction of no more than 90º, allowing the tips of the ears to be clearly visible in a frontal view. Ear furnishings and ear tufts are desired but not required. Kittens may have a greater degree of curl but not more than 90º by adulthood.
Muzzle: 6 points
Full, wide, strong with a definite break. Prominent whisker pads should make muzzle appear squared. Muzzle length makes head appear longer than wide.
Chin: 6 points
Strong and deep. Must align with top of jaw.
Profile: 3 points
Rounded back skull, sloping forehead, change of direction at the nose bridge, slight curve to eye ridge, may have a slight concave curve to the nose. Nose, muzzle and chin form a blunt look in profile.
Nose: 4 points
Wide with substantial nose leather.
BODY:
points For the Body #40
Torso: 10 points
Medium to large in size with noticeable depth. Rectangular in shape. Straight back with hips higher than shoulders. Overall muscled, athletic appearance. Males are proportionally larger than females.
Legs:
Medium in length, back legs longer than front.
Feet:
Medium to large, rounded with large knuckles. Longhair (HD) must have toe tufts.
Legs and Feet 5 points
Tail: 10 points
Short and thick. Bone length must should be a minimum of one inches in adults with proportional length in kittens. Must Should not extend past the hock.
Slight Kinks and curls are allowed.
Boning: 8 points
Moderately heavy and substantial.
Musculature: 7 points
Well-muscled.
DIVISION:
Solid, Tortie, Tabby, Silver/Smoke
COAT,COLOR & PATTERN:
points For the Coat,Color & Pattern #20
COLORS:
All. 6 points
Length (HG): Short,
dense and resilient.
Length (HD): Longhair
up to 2½ inches with shaggy belly hair, longer than the rest of the coat.
Length 4 points
Texture: 4 points
There will be texture variations depending upon the color of the cat.
(HG) Resilient,
snapping back into place.
(HD) Soft.
Pattern's: 6 points
Spotted: Random pattern preferred. Spots should be well-defined; may be oval, round, squared or triangular in shape.
Classic:
Will have spots and swirls distinguishing it from the normal classic pattern.
Tabby:
All tabby patterns are all allowed.
Pointed: Expression of the underlying tabby pattern is desirable.
DISQUALIFY:
Ears not erect. Tail too long short or docked.
Temperament must be unchallenging;
any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but may not threaten to harm.
In accordance with Show Rules, ARTICLE SIXTEEN, the following shall be considered mandatory disqualifications:
a cat that bites (216.9), a cat showing evidence of intent to deceive (216.10), adult whole male cats not having two descended testicles (216.11), cats with all or part of the tail missing ,
unless proved the result of an injury or as authorized by a board approved standard (216.12.2), visible or invisible tail faults if Board approved standard requires
Disqualification (216.12.4), Crossed eyes if Board approved standard requires disqualification (216.12.5), total blindness (216.12.6), markedly smaller size, not in keeping with the breed (216.12.9), and depression of the sternum or unusually small diameter of the rib cage itself (216.12.11.1). See Show Rules,
Except as authorized by a board
Approved standard (216.12.1), cats with more than five toes on each front foot and four toes on each back foot,
LOCKETS:
Withhold all awards
ALLOWANCES:
Tarnishing in silvers
PENALIZE:
Ears that are not open or wide based, ears too small or low set. Tips of ears not visible from frontal view in adults. Kittens with more than 90 curl. Tail too short or long.
Balance:
All parts of the body in proportion.
Condition: Should reflect excellent health, good muscle tone.
Temperament:
Must be unchallenging.
PERMISSIBLE OUTCROSSES:
Domestic longhair/shorthair, not a member of a recognized breed.
The Head Points # 40
points
Shape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Ears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Eyes .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Muzzle. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Nose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
COAT,COLOR & PATTERN
# 20 points
Length.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Texture. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Pattern .. . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Color.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
BODY #40
points
Torso. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Tail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Boning. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Musculature. . . . . . . . . 7
Legs/Feet .. . . . . . . . . . 5
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