Cat breed · Oriental
Oriental Shorthair
A Siamese in hundreds of colours: equally talkative, equally social and just as reliant on company.
Medium12–18 yearsUnited Kingdom / Thailand lineageCan suit apartments
Breed characteristics
- Group
- Oriental
- Origin
- United Kingdom / Thailand lineage
- Size
- Medium
- Weight
- 2.5–5 kg (5–11 lb)
- Height
- 20–25 cm
- Lifespan
- 12–18 years
- Coat
- Very short and close-lying
- Temperament
- VocalCuriousAttachedEnergetic
History
Created in the 1950s by crossing Siamese with other shorthairs to widen the colour range.
Appearance
Long, tubular body with enormous ears and a wedge-shaped head.
Exercise and activity
Several active play sessions daily plus climbing and puzzle feeding.
Care and grooming
Very simple grooming; the real requirement is social contact and stimulation.
Health considerations
- Progressive retinal atrophy
- Amyloidosis
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Asthma
- Dental disease