Oriental Cat

The Oriental cat... when it comes to cat breeds, imagine the Siamese cat without points, that is the Oriental. The genetic roots of this cat are in Thailand (formerly Siam) the same as the Siamese cat but the breed was developed mostly in the U.S.A. This Oriental Shorthair is a member of the Siamese family of breeds but has color variants that far outnumber those of the the Siamese. They can be solid colors or patterns, spotted, ticked, and shaded.

The body shape, head features and the skeletal structure all resemble the Siamese. the body is sleek, long and well muscled with a long tapering tail. The head is a long, angular wedge-shape with large, flaring ears and almond-shaped eyes. As for its skeletal structure, the Oriental is an elegant cat with long slender legs. There is also a longhair version.

They have stellar personalities. Energetic and entertaining...one minute they can be stuck-up and ignore you and the next...inquisitive about what you're doing and want to join you. They typically bond with one person and become devoted to their "chosen one" that they will follow and expect attention from. And, they are never at a loss for words.

The Oriental was developed as a hybrid breed from the Siamese and several other breeds to enjoy all the color and pattern possibilities known to exist in the domesticated cat gene pool. With more than 300 colors and patterns possible, the Oriental is truly a designer-gene cat.

Moreover, it comes in two coat lengths; short hair and long hair. The Oriental is available in many solid colors; tabby patterns and color including mackerel, classic, patched, spotted and ticked tabby; parti-colors; and bicolors. Orientals are busy cats that tend to get into and onto everything. But when their energy is spent, they are happy to share your lap and nuzzle.