Sterling cats are a British breed of long haired chinchilla cats. It is a sub-category of the Persian cat with just a few differences in features and physical stature. At a 1993 TICA annual meeting of the board, this breed was discussed at length. At that time, it was simply known as the “Silver Persians”. At the TICA meeting, it was agreed upon that the silver haired Persian cats and the golden haired breed would be combined to form a new breed called the Sterling.

A Sterling has features resembling that of the original Persian cats. It has a round head with short limbs and a bushy tail. The Sterling breed has a fluffy appearance due to its thick fur. The undercoat of a Sterling is wooly whereas the outer coat is long and hairy. During winters, the undercoat as well as the outer coat becomes luxurious, but during summers, the dense undercoat wool is shed and only the long outer hair remains. The hair on the body is long except on the shoulders and the upper portion of the hind legs where it is a bit shorter. The thick coat does not require much grooming, despite the fact that it is pretty dense. An occasional brushing once or twice a week is all that it takes to keep your Sterling cat healthy and well groomed.

The nose of a Sterling helps in differentiating it from a traditional Persian cat. A traditional Persian cat has a round head with a small muzzle. On the other hand, a Sterling’s nose is slightly longer than that of the Persian breed.

Two of the most distinctive features of the Sterling breed are the eyes and the fur. The eyes of a Sterling are either bluish green in color or a vivid green with black rings around them. Sterling kittens have blue or purple-blue colored eyes. The fur is where the Sterling cat gets its name from. The coat is striking white, almost silver in appearance. The dense coat has a high sheen and form a thick, plush coat around the cat.

Thanks to having a well-balanced and powerful body, the compact structure of a Sterling cat makes it ideal for hunting. Regardless of its size, the cat can display a great deal of strength. It is loyal and easily trained as well. The famous fictional cat created by Lewis Carroll, the Cheshire Cat, is based upon the Sterling breed of cats.

An average male Sterling cat weighs between twelve to eighteen pounds upon attaining maturity. The females, on the other hand, weigh between eight to twelve pounds. The kittens are tiny, but continue to grow till almost the age of four. After the age of four, the cats stop growing, but they still have a very youthful appearance, which lasts for fifteen to twenty years.

Apart from being beautiful to look at, the Sterling breed of cats is playful, affectionate, easy going, confident, and playful by nature. No wonder that these cats make very good pets.