The Oriental Shorthair is a breed of domestic cat that is developed from and closely related to the Siamese cat. It maintains the modern Siamese head and body type but appears in a wide range of coat colours and patterns. Like the Siamese, Orientals have almond-shaped eyes, a triangular head shape, large ears, and an elongated, slender, and muscular body. Unlike the breed's blue-eyed Siamese forebear, Orientals are usually green-eyed. and at Patricia White's. These were based on solid-coloured cats with the oriental-type body of a Siamese, bred by Baroness von Ullmann over the 1950s. An "Oriental Shorthairs International" was formed in 1973,
Breed recognition
thumb|286x286px|Black and white bicolour male displays the typical long, tubular Oriental body
thumb|3-month-old solid black male kitten|211x211px
The Oriental Shorthair was accepted as an actual breed for championship competition in the US-headquartered CFA in 1977. Two decades later, in 1997, the breed was also recognised by the UK-based GCCF, but with some differences from CFA on coat conformation.
Havana brown and Foreign White
In some of the cat registries, the solid chocolate variety is referred to as the Havana Brown. Solid white cats are sometimes recognised as Foreign White.
Colourpoint
In the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), some of the point-coloured offspring from Oriental Shorthair parents are considered "any other variety" (AOV), but depending on the pedigree, some may compete as Colourpoints. Not all variants are acceptable to all organisations that recognise the breed.
Conforming Oriental Shorthairs, like any of the Siamese type, have almond-shaped eyes and a wedge-shaped head with large ears. Their bodies are typically "sleek" but muscular.
Coat colouration
Under recognised breed standards, more than 300 coat colour and pattern combinations are theoretically possible, although permitted colourations differ between registries. These coat combinations are derived from one or more of the following base colours and patterns: They often remain playful into adulthood, with many enjoying playing fetch. Despite their slender appearance, they are athletic and can leap into high places. They prefer to live in pairs or groups and also seek human interaction.
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See also
- List of cat breeds
- Foreign White
- Havana Brown
- Peterbald
- Colourpoint Shorthair
- Siamese cat