Masked Silver (cat)

In 1947, Milo Denlinger, writing about the coat types and colours of Persian cats, said: “Masked Silvers are a new variety, and at present very few are bred. The ideal Masked Silver is a very beautiful animal; in colouring or, I should say marking, they should resemble a Siamese cat; that is to say, they should have a black mask or face, black feet and legs. The body should be as pale a silver as possible [and] the eyes deep golden or copper”.

Masked Silver cat Champion Lord Sylvester
Masked Silver cat Champion Lord Sylvester. Image in the public domain.

Apart from the eye colour, the description would apply or would nearly apply to what is now known as the Himalayan cat or Colourpoint Persian.

In 1964, Jeanne Ramsdale added that “[In] about 1900 there was a colour of Persian called Masked Silver which is not seen any more. From the pictures, these cats seemed to resemble Silvers having black faces and legs, similar to the points of a Siamese.”

And Sarah Hartwell on her website tells us that Masked Silvers were introduced into America in 1901. The variant was discontinued in 1910. Only 19 cats of this type were registered in the combined Stud Books of the Beresford Cat Club, the American Association and the Cat Fanciers’ Association over that period of nine years.

Mrs DB Champion, was one of those who introduced the Masked Silver to America. She said that the ideal specimen was (I will quote Sarah Hartwell), “a very beautiful animal in colouring and marking. It resembled a Siamese in that it had a black mask or face, black feet and legs.”

According to Sarah, the Masked Silver was the result of mating Shaded Silvers, Chinchillas, Smokes and Blues.

The first two cats of this type imported into America came from England. Their names were Champion King of the Silvers and Champion Lord Sylvester (see picture on this page). They were the sires of most of the cats of this type registered in the UK. The former was born on August 19, 1898.

It is a shame that this Persian variant was discontinued.

follow it link and logo