Originating from Thailand & the UK, the Oriental shorthair is part of the Siamese family of cat breeds (which also includes the Siamese, Balinese, and Oriental Longhair).
The Oriental Shorthair is a svelte cat with elegant features and a coat that comes in a rainbow of colours with up to 300 coat colour combinations. Their weight when fully grown is between 4-4.5 kilos.
Considered as an excellent pet, the Oriental Shorthair is outgoing and fun to interact with and craves human contact. Playful, friendly, gets along with other pets and very intelligent. A smooth, silky coat that lies close to the body accents the breed’s angular face, wide-set ears and long legs. Besides having a short and smooth coat, Orientals must have green eyes with any coat colour. The coat is low-maintenance with the Oriental shorthair doing an excellent job of self-grooming. It is recommended to wipe down coat with a chamois. Very minimal shedding all year round.
The Oriental Shorthair is often included on lists of cat breeds that are ‘hypoallergenic.’
While no breed of cat is truly hypoallergenic, this breed does produce less of the Fel D1 protein that is responsible for triggering cat allergies. The Oriental is also available in a semi-long hair version. This breed is generally considered to be healthy but you must observe the Oriental for bladder stones, dilated cardio myopathy, liver and mast cell cancer. It is recommended to purchase an Oriental from an experienced breeder. Also this breed has a tendency to have crossed eyes. Keeping your Oriental shorthair healthy requires feeding a high quality protein with good fats and premium wet food. Don’t let their vocal nature sweet talk you into too many treats. The long, svelte frame of the Oriental shouldn’t become flabby or overweight for the long-term health of your cat. The average lifespan is 10-15 years.