CAT BREEDS A-Z

Oriental Shorthair
The Oriental Shorthair is a breed of cat. It is also called a "Foreign Type" cat. This cat combines the Siamese body with a diversity of colorings and patterns.

Description
A pile of Orientals - Two white, one blue and white bicolor, and one ebony and white bicolor.

Oriental Shorthairs can be found in solid colors (white, red, cream, ebony, blue, chestnut, lavender, cinnamon, or fawn), smoke (silver undercoat to any of the above except white), shaded (only the hair tips colored), parti-color (red or cream splashes on any of the above), tabby (striped) and bi-colored. In total, there are over 300 color and pattern combinations possible. In addition to the colors accepted for competition, in CFA, a pointed cat from at least one Oriental Shorthair parent is considered an AOV (Any Other Variety). In TICA, these cats are considered Siamese and can compete as Siamese.

An Oriental Shorthair ebony-ticked tabbyOriental Shorthairs have expressive, almond-shaped eyes, a wedge-shaped head with large ears that fit in the wedge of the head. Their bodies are very elegant yet muscular. When seeing an Oriental Shorthair, one would never guess them to be as solid as they are.

The longhaired version of the Oriental Shorthair, Oriental Longhair, simply carries a pair of the recessive long hair gene.

Origins
A Tabby and White Bicolor OSHThe Oriental Shorthair breed was created by crossing a Siamese to an American Shorthair. This cross was then bred back to the Siamese to retain the fine boning and elegant form.

Oriental Shorthairs as pets
An Oriental Shorthair curious about a bag of cat foodOrientals are intelligent, social animals who bond closely to their people. They are inquisitive, highly friendly, emotional, and sometimes quite vocal. People have commented that the Oriental Shorthair looks like a Greyhound or a Chihuahua. Many comment that they are much more 'dog-like' in personality.