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The Oriental may well be the most colorful cat breed on the
planet. This breed has the same svelte chassis, silky fur and
chatty personality as the Siamese, but comes clothed in myriad
colors. Nor is the Oriental bound to the Siamese’s
point-restricted pattern - the breed has many patterns from which
to choose. This breed is growing in popularity and appeals to the
cat-lover who wants the elegant Siamese body type and outgoing
temperament but with fresh, colorful packaging.
History and Origin
The Oriental is a deliberately created Siamese hybrid. Breeders
wanted to develop a breed that looked and acted like the Siamese
but came in a wider range of colors and was not confined to the
pointed pattern. First in Britain in the 1950s and then in America
in the 1960s and early 1970s, breeders set out to create a new
look by crossing Siamese cats with American shorthairs, Russian
blues, Burmese and Orientals. The Siamese’s svelte body style,
head type and personality were maintained, however, by crossing
the hybrids back to the Siamese after the color was achieved.
In 1977, the Cat Fanciers Association accepted the Oriental
shorthair for championship status. Since then, the Oriental
shorthair has rapidly increased in popularity. In recent years the
Oriental shorthair has been consistently ranking high among
shorthaired breeds and is currently the fourth most popular
shorthair according to CFA’s registration totals, a status it has
maintained since 1996.
Appearance
The body of the show Oriental is long, lithe and muscular with
sleek tapering lines, long, slim legs, and dainty, oval paws. The
head is a long tapering wedge with very large pointed ears and
slanted almond-shaped eyes. (see Siamese Breed Profile) While
Orientals might look like the cat fancy equivalent of today’s
supermodel, they are not starved to keep their shapely forms, nor
are they fragile. Pick one up; they are surprisingly heavy cats.
The Oriental is accepted in more than 300 color and pattern
combinations. Some colors are more common than others, of course;
solid ebony is a popular and striking color. Solid white, chestnut
and blue, and tabbies in ebony, blue and red are also favored. In
the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), green is the accepted eye
color, except for white and bicolor Orientals that may have blue
eyes, or one blue and one green eye. Other associations accept
additional eye colors.
The Oriental shorthair has short, glossy, fine hair. The Oriental
longhair has a medium length coat that’s fine and silky. The hair
lies close to the body so the fur appears shorter than it really
is. Because of the longer hair, the Oriental longhair appears to
have softer lines and a less extreme body type than the shorthair.
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Top: Foreign
Black ,Smoke; Blue Tortie Bicolour;
Bottom: Cinnamon Tabby; Black |
Personality
The personality of the Oriental is as distinctive as the
multicolored exterior. They are natural entertainers - full of
enthusiasm, energy and the belief that the world revolves around
them. Extremely people oriented and trusting, they show a deep
dependence on their human friends and can become distressed or
depressed if left alone too often. They usually bond with one
preferred person. Expect them to be at your side, in your lap, and
at the door interrogating you about where you’ve been.
An Oriental’s feelings are easily hurt if you ignore her, but
given her full share of affection, Oriental shorthairs will repay
you with a lifetime of love, affection and intelligent
conversation. Like the Siamese, the Oriental is not for cat-lovers
who want their cats seen but not heard. The breed’s vocal tone is
generally softer and milder than that of the Siamese, but they are
never at a loss for words.
Grooming
Oriental shorthairs need very little grooming. Their coats are
very short and close lying with no noticeable undercoat. Oriental
longhairs need a bit more grooming, but not as much as some
longhaired breeds. Their hair is medium long with no undercoat,
which means tangles and mats don’t form easily. Figure on a quick
combing once a week.
If you’re looking for a special color or pattern, expect a longer
wait or a higher price, or both. Retired show or breeder Orientals
are sometimes placed in good homes for pet quality prices or less.
Orientals are generally healthy but since they are closely related
to Siamese they share some of the same diseases, notably
gingivitis, a liver-destroying disease called amyloidosis, and the
heart disease cardiomyopathy.
Buy from a breeder who offers a written
health guarantee and
registration papers.
Written by Roeleen Bloemhof –
MISTBESQUE SIAMESE AND ORIENTAL
CATTERY
(based on The Essential Cat Book by Paddy Cutts)
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From Left to Right:
Tr Sp Ch Roarn Salvador Oleander NQ
Sire: Tr Sp Ch Jangar Rave Review of Mistbesque NQ IMP AUST
Dam: Mistbesque Soya Misaki
Tr Sp Ch Roarn Violet Angel NQ
Sire: Tr Sp Ch Jangar Rave Review of Mistbesque NQ IMP AUST
Dam: Mistbesque Soya Misaki
TR SP CH Jangar Rave Review of Mistbesque NQ IMP AUST
Sire: ••aus DB GR CH Jangar Tolouse Lautrec
Dam: Jangar Cordelia
Kioko Asian Purrsuasion of Mistebisque
Sire: ••Supreme Champion La Maska Arabrai Renji of Kioko
Dam: Gr Ch Mistbesque Silverstan of Kioko
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Oriental Profile,
Written by Roeleen Bloemhof
MISTBESQUE SIAMESE AND ORIENTAL
CATTERY (based on The Essential Cat Book by Paddy Cutts)
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Ratings out of 10 |
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Compatibility:
-Children
-Other Pets
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5 |
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Grooming |
2 |
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Affection |
9 |
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Playfulness |
8 |
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Attention Need |
9 |
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Healthiness |
8 |
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Independence |
2 |
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Activity Level |
9 |
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Vocality |
9 |
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Intelligence |
9 |
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