Oriental shorthair cat: everything you need to know about this breed

Oriental Shorthair cats are intelligent, strong and with a refined personality, their body is similar to that of Siamese cats, and for a time they were considered as one.

However, they managed to gain their own recognition and place as a breed. And here I will tell you more about these amazing cats, their history, characteristics, and care.

Origin of the Oriental Shorthair

It is presumed that their origin dates back to the time of the kingdom of Siam, nowadays Thailand because they have found cat figures that resemble the physical characteristics of the Oriental Shorthair cat.

Also, a scroll entitled "cat poem" was found in which different graphic representations of cats similar to this breed can be seen.

However, these early cats were lost in time, and the breed had to be reconstructed later.

In the 1950s, British breeders crossed Siamese cats with domestic shorthair cats and the Russian Blue Cat.

Breeders developed Orientals as an attempt to create Siamese with an unusual coat color. At first, and for many years they were considered as Siameses not suitable to the pedigree or breed standard, but eventually, they were distinguished as a breed of origin.

In 1972, the CFA accepted the Oriental Shorthair Cat for registration, and granted it full status in 1977. Since then, their popularity has increased.

In 1995, the Oriental Shorthair and Oriental Longhair became a single breed called the Oriental Cat. A new color class for the Oriental, the bicolor, was also accepted.

Physical characteristics of the Oriental Shorthair cat

Size: they measure between 25 to 30 cm.

Weight: females weigh 3 kg and males between 3 - 5 kg.

Eyes: almond-shaped, they should not be sunken or bulging, they are usually of different shades of blue and green.

Ears: large and wide at the base, set wide apart and perfectly prolonging the triangle formed by the head.

Coat: short, dense, close, fine, and silky. They have a very diverse appearance, with more than 300 combinations of colors and patterns! They are usually white, cream, blue, red, light gray, seal, and more. They also have different patterns such as solid, bicolor, tricolor, calico, tortoiseshell points, tabby, etc.

Body: they have a tall, slender and muscular body, their shoulders and hips are of equal width.

Their head is triangular, with a long and slender neck that gives them a haughty demeanor, and their nose is wide and straight. Their legs are long and slender and they have a long and thin tail that ends in a point.

Life Span: between 8 - 12 years.

The character of the Oriental Shorthair

They tend to be proud and arrogant, inquisitive, lively, curious, and attention-loving cats.

They are very intelligent, with an incredible talent for opening doors and cabinets, the more forbidden or difficult they are the better.

They do everything they can to get their owner's attention, usually with meows as they are known to "yell" at their owners with a demanding sounding meow, or else they will call your attention to mischief.

If ignored, they can get into trouble, they do not like being alone, and they don't do well being the only cat in the family, these cats prefer the company of children and other pets, including socialized dogs.

Oriental Shorthair cats are very loyal to their owners, they tend to pick their favorite person and jump into their lap to rest.

Like Siamese, they are very active and energetic cats, they love to play with anything they can find, from rattlesnakes to an empty cardboard box.

These cats adapt well to different environments, are very curious, and love to explore, so you must be careful not to let your cat escape to explore the outdoors.

Oriental Shorthair Cat Care

• Their coat does not need so much care, it should only be brushed periodically, once a week will be enough.
• Your cat will need toys that can keep him entertained all day long so that he can use up his energy.
• It is necessary to protect Oriental Shorthair cats from cold weather. When temperatures are low, they should have a warm place to curl up and get warm instead of staying outside.
• It is necessary to clean their ears regularly, as they tend to accumulate a lot of earwax.
• At the same time, the eyes should be checked and a damp cloth rubbed in the corner if they are dirty, to reduce the risk of infection.
• Brush your cat's teeth on a regular basis no less than once a week, this is to avoid plaque build-up, which can cause not only bad breath but periodontal disease.

Feeding

Oriental short haired dogs do not need a diet out of the ordinary, the most essential thing is to satisfy their nutritional needs according to their age, health, and activity level.

You can offer good quality feed combined with wet food. Avoid feeding human food unless it is a diet plan with a veterinarian.

These cats love to eat, so they are prone to obesity, so you should control your cat's daily food portions.

Oriental Shorthair Cat Health

Oriental Shorthair kittens are prone to respiratory tract diseases. Like any Asian breed, they are prone to strabismus, which is a deviation of the eyeball, where each eye points in different directions. 

This disorder does not affect the feline's quality of life and is caused by an alteration of the optic nerve, produced by the cs gene.

They can also suffer from renal amyloidosis, a hereditary disease that causes an abnormal accumulation of amyloid-like proteins in the kidneys and leads to irreversible kidney failure, and congenital megaesophagus, a condition in which the esophagus has a delay in its development.

And asthma, a bronchopulmonary disease that causes severe respiratory attacks resulting in attacks of dry cough and breathing difficulties. They can also suffer from psychogenic alopecia or hair loss as a consequence of constant licking.

Also, keep in mind that all Orientals are more sensitive to anesthesia and vaccinations than other breeds.

Now you know more about the Oriental Shorthair cat!

In addition, their impressive diversity of colors and patterns means that they can attract many people. Add to this their good nature and their attachment to humans, and it is easy to understand why they are very attractive and popular.