CLIPPERCAT Shorthair & Longhair
Standard of Excellence

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The typical Clippercat is a New Zealand Shorthair or Longhair Cat, (Domestic Shorthair or Longhair), with the autosomal dominant mutation of Polydactyly (extra toes), whose ancestors arrived in the Antipodes as “ships cats”, on Clipper Ships bringing immigrants to our Southern shores, from the British Isles.

For more than 150 years, these cats have flourished in colonies in sometimes isolated locations, but also as the farm cats, shop cats, working cats and feral cats, establishing themselves as one of the native Domestic Cat Breeds of the Antipodes.

The Clippercat, like its New Zealand SH and LH counterpart, is a medium bodied cat of muscular build. The overall appearance is that of a sound, well-balanced working cat, indicating endurance. The cat must not show evidence of any extremes, it shall be neither exceptionally long or elegant or foreign in type, nor have an elongated head. Nor shall it emulate an abnormally cobby, or short body or have a foreshortened or bracheocephalic head. Everything about this cat should reflect its domestic origins.
The most striking and unique feature of this breed is its large paws with extra toes.

Body

Medium, solidly built, muscular, with well rounded ample chest and well developed shoulders. Back straight and level, equally broad from shoulder to hip. Males proportionately larger than females.
Faults:

  • Excessive cobbiness or ranginess.
  • Lack of sufficient muscle tone or any suggestion of softness.
    • Head

    Medium to large, with fullness of cheek and well developed jawline. An open expression. A slightly truncated triangular wedge, but in profile neither too elongated , nor too foreshortened, but may fit anywhere in between, preferably with gently rounded contours, or with angular contours which complement the skeletal structure. A gently rounded and gently sloping forehead leading to an obvious dip and then a straight or very slightly downward curve to the nose is preferred. The muzzle should be obvious, and slightly or more fully rounded. Chin firm and well developed. Jaw broad at the hinge, to indicate a powerful bite.
    Fault:

  • A marked nose break or a nose extending from the forehead without a dip
    • Neck Medium and muscular, in proportion to the body.
    Ears Medium in size, slightly rounded at the tips and not unduly open at the base.
    Faults:
  • Overly large or pointed ears.
  • Small ears .
  • Ears cupped or overly open at the base.
    • Eyes Large, and lustrous, but not completely round nor slanted in an oriental style. Any shape between almond and almost round. A slight flattening of the top line, set wide apart and at a slight angle. Bright, clear and alert. Eye colour to compliment coat colour, the more intense the colour, the better. All eye colours acceptable, including green, aqua, yellow, gold, or copper, and including blue or odd-eyes in Whites.

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    Standard of Excellence

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    Legs

    Medium, or medium short or medium long, but in proportion to the body, medium boned and heavily muscled. All four legs straight with paws firm, and facing forward.

    Tail

    Medium, in proportion to the body, heavier at the base but tapering to a gently rounded tip.

    Coat

    Short, lustrous, moderately thick and even in shorthairs. Dense enough to protect from moisture, but not plush or double coated. In semi-longhairs, soft and silky with a moderate “lift“ and in full longhairs, shaggy and thicker, with a definite lift.

    Paws & Toes Paws should be firm and facing forward.
    Polydactyl paws may be “Closed Mitted“, “Open Mitted“ or “Patty-footed“.
    • Closed Mitted: Where the four toes are in a normal position, with a thumb and possibly extra toes with it, set to appear like a normal hand.
    • Open Mitted: Similar to a baseball mitt, having four toes together, also having a thumb and possibly extra toes with it, set in an OPEN position, like an extended hand.
    • Patty Footed: The toes form one large foot, without the division.

    Show cats SHOULD have extra toes on the front feet, but having them ONLY on the back feet is acceptable.

    Extra toes on the back feet are desirable but not essential.
    Where choosing between two exhibits of equal merit, preference should be given to exhibits with a symmetrical number of toes on both front and rear paws.
    A maximum of eight claws on the front paws, and seven claws on the rear paws for exhibition.

    Penalise
    • Excessive cobbiness or ranginess.
    • Very short or very long tail.
    • Lack of sufficient muscle tone or any suggestion of softness.
    • Overly large or pointed ears.
    • Lack of dip in profile.
    • Weak chin.
    Disqualify
    • Exceptionally long or fluffy fur, or exceptionally sleek and close lying fur.
    • Deep nose break or exceptionally straight profile from forehead to nose tip.
    • Kinked or abnormal tail.


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    SCALE OF POINTS
    TOTAL 100 Points
    Head
    incl. size, shape, neck, ears, eye shape & colour, nose & muzzle (eye colour – 5)         		20
    Body
    (incl. Size, shape, condition, muscle tone, legs & tail.)     		20
    Coat (incl. condition & texture) 10
    Colour (incl. pattern) 20
    Paws 30


    RECOGNISED COLOUR VARIETIES

    All Traditional Solids, Tabbies, Smokes, Silver Tabbies, and related Parti-Colours.
    Pointed Colours if occurring from the natural gene pool. (BOD MTG 2008)


    ALLOWABLE OUTCROSSES:

    New Zealand Shorthair or Longhair.
    No deliberate outcrossing to hybridised colours allowed. (BOD MTG 2008)


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