The Oriental Shorthair is a breed
of cat.
It is also called a "Foreign Type" cat. This cat combines
the Siamese
body with a diversity of colorings and patterns.
Description
Oriental Shorthairs can be found in solid colors (white, red,
cream, ebony, blue, chestnut, lavender, cinnamon, or fawn), smoke
(silver undercoat to any of the above except white), shaded (only
the hair tips colored), parti-color (red or cream splashes on any of
the above), tabby (striped) and bi-colored. In total, there are over
300 color and pattern combinations possible. In addition to the
colors accepted for competition, in CFA,
a pointed cat from at least one Oriental Shorthair parent is
considered an AOV (Any Other Variety). In TICA,
these cats are considered Siamese and can compete as Siamese.
Oriental Shorthairs have expressive, almond-shaped eyes, a
wedge-shaped head with large ears that fit in the wedge of the head.
Their bodies are very elegant yet muscular. When seeing an Oriental
Shorthair, one would never guess them to be as solid as they are.
The longhaired version of the Oriental Shorthair, Oriental
Longhair, simply carries a pair of the recessive long hair gene.
Origins
The Oriental Shorthair breed was created by crossing a Siamese
to an American
Shorthair. This cross was then bred back to the Siamese to
retain the fine boning and elegant form.
The breed officially began around 1950 in England, when Baroness
von Ullman (Roofspringer Cattery), decided to create a breed of cats
with shorthair, solid colors, and the "foreign" body
type--the long, lean body characteristic of the Siamese,
Russian
Blue, and Abyssinian.
Initially accepted by Cat Fancy in England as "chestnut foreign
shorthairs", additional breeders soon created an all white,
blue-eyed variant who gained popularity and recognition by Cat Fancy
as "white foreign shorthairs". Breeders then began
cross-breeding with Siamese to move the body type closer to the
Siamese.
In 1972 Peter and Vicky Markstein (Petmark Cattery) visited
England looking for new Siamese breeds. Struck by the combination of
colors and patterns with Siamese body-type, the Marksteins brought
the breed to the United States. Shortly thereafter the Marksteins
proposed that CFA recognize the breed as a separate one from the
Siamese, designating it the Oriental Shorthair. CFA recognized the
breed for championship status in 1977. A rapid proliferation of
breedings led to new color and pattern combinations. CFA recognized
the Oriental
Longhair in 1995 (known as the Javanese or Havana
Browns in Europe; also known as the Angora in Great Britain, but
distinguished from the Turkish
Angora).
Oriental Shorthairs as pets
Oriental Shorthairs are intelligent, social animals who bond
closely to their people. They are inquisitive, highly friendly,
emotional, and sometimes quite vocal. People have commented that the
Oriental Shorthair looks like a Greyhound
or a Chihuahua.
Many comment that they are much more 'dog-like' in personality.
Breed Profile
The Oriental was developed to explore all the possibilities of
color and pattern. Since its initial acceptance in CFA, Oriental
breeders have maintained a constant pace to fulfill the breadth of
this destiny. The Oriental has an equally colorful personality. They
are closely linked to the people they claim as their own and
desperately want to share their lives with you.
In the busiest moments, your Oriental will find a way to
interrupt your activities; a little nudge while you eat, a close
examination of your tooth brush prior to use, or some help tying
your shoes before you leave in the morning. It’s understood
you’ll need help deciding which items to select from the
refrigerator! In the calmest of times they’ll share the warmth of
your lap, provide a comforting purr, and nuzzle your chin when you
need it the most.
They eagerly greet you at the door and tell you all about their
day. If you’re late, they will scold you and tell you how worried
they were that you didn't call. Hide their feather on top of the
refrigerator? Wrong! Curiosity and intelligence combine, providing
them a means of finding anything and everything. They have been
known to open a drawer, or empty your purse to discover their
favorite toy. It might be a pen or a crumpled up piece of paper that
they can chase around the kitchen floor, it really doesn’t matter.
Give them the attention and affection they so desperately need, and
they will do anything to please you. Ignore them, and they will
droop with despair. These elegant, svelte cats remain playful,
spirited and loyal well beyond their youth.
From the tip of its nose to the end of its long, whippy tail, the
Oriental is a study in sleek design. This elegant cat gracefully
glides across the room on its tall, slender legs. The lines of its
angular head flow into its large flaring ears, and are complimented
by its almond shaped eyes. Don’t be fooled by the svelte, tubular
body; these cats have surprising weight and muscle tone and are
neither frail nor fragile.
Orientals represent a diverse group of cats that have their
foundation in the Siamese breed. When the Oriental Shorthair was
accepted for championship status in 1977 it rapidly became one of
CFA’s most popular breeds. With the 1995 addition of the Oriental
Longhair into this family of sleek, muscular felines the Oriental
breed can provide a cat for just about anyone.
With over 300 different colors and patterns to choose from,
you’re guaranteed to find an Oriental that will tickle your fancy.
Imagine a Siamese wearing a head to toe coat in white, red, cream,
ebony, blue, chestnut, lavender, cinnamon or fawn. These are our
solids. For a sparkling undercoat, stir in the silver gene (to all
but the white), and you have a smoke Oriental. Perhaps, instead,
you'd like the color restricted to the tips of the hair. For this,
we have the shadeds to whet your appetite. Paint splashes of red
and/or cream on any of these coats and you have a parti-color.
If you like stripes on the legs, tail and face, try a tabby in
any of four different patterns: classic, mackerel, spotted, or
ticked. Cross the patterns and colors together for a bit of variety,
and 32 different combinations emerge…but we’re not through. Once
again add a patch of red and/or cream and voilá…another 24
combinations, referred to as patched tabbies. Layer in the sparkle
of that silver gene, and you’ve added yet again 56 more! (That’s
112 tabby combinations if you’ve been counting!)
In 1995 Orientals added the bi-color pattern to their repertoire.
With the clear white underside, legs, chest and inverted V on the
face, these distinctly marked members of this breed have already
developed a following of devoted fans.
Finally, breeders dedicated to developing another major addition
to the breed added the longhair variety, paralleling their Balinese
and Javanese counterparts. These beautiful felines carry the same
graceful bodies with the addition of a silky long coat, goatee, and
long plumed tail. For the shorthair Oriental, the coat appears
painted on, it is soft and satin like to the touch, and their long
whippy tail seems to go on forever.
Pricing on Orientals usually depends on type, applicable markings
and bloodlines distinguished by Grand Champion (GC), National or
Regional winning parentage (NW or RW) or of Distinguished Merit
parentage (DM). The DM title is achieved by the dam (mother) having
produced five CFA grand champion/premier (alter) or DM offspring, or
sire (father) having produced fifteen CFA grand champion/premier or
DM offspring. Usually breeders make kittens available between twelve
and sixteen weeks of age. After twelve weeks, kittens have had their
basic inoculations and developed the physical and social stability
needed for a new environment, showing, or being transported by air.
Keeping such a rare treasure indoors, neutering or spaying and
providing acceptable surfaces (e.g. scratching posts) for the
natural behavior of scratching (CFA disapproves of declawing or
tendonectomy surgery) are essential elements for maintaining a
healthy, long and joyful life.
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