Portraits of popular breeds at home and abroad – Oriental Shorthair

This breed, a sibling of Siamese cat, combines charm and elegance with cuddly, extrovert and playful nature.

In 1950s, keepers expressed their wish to breed Siamese cat without its typical features. These efforts resulted in Oriental Shorthair. It came into existence by crossbreeding Siamese cats with common domestic cats and other breeds. First cats from this crossbreeding were havanas (chocolate brown hair) but other colours and shades gradually grew in number.

Thanks to their relations to Siamese cats, Oriental Shorthair do not have a very different nature. People say, they are less talkative but that’s not always true. And they are not different with regard to their good relationship with other cats and dogs. They also get on well with children. They are very social so if you spend most of your days outside, it’s good to get your Oriental Shorthair some cat companion. There’s nothing worse for them than staying home alone for days. After all, the dog owner will probably pay for it, as they tend to express their unhappiness by destroying their flat and lack of hygiene.

If you pay enough attention to them (and they will let you know if you don’t), you’ll have a very cuddly cat at home which loves caressing. Oriental shorthair cats also like games and they are playful even when older. Thanks to their intelligence, it’s not difficult to teach them various tricks such as fetching a ball. It’s easy for them to learn how to walk in a harness. But watch over small children when they play with them. These cats like wild games and they might be a bit too rough when playing. However, you don’t have to be very careful when playing with them, oriental shorthair cats definitely don’t mind poking in the heat of battle.

Oriental shorthair cats like attention and want to get it from you as well as your visitors. They thoroughly check them at first and they’ll demand caressing from them. However, their combination of inquisitiveness and intelligence may sometimes cause problems. They soon learn to open various doors and it’s no exception that cats of this breed know how to turn on taps, open a fridge or a window.

Besides the elegance of the slim body of oriental shorthair cats, their beauty is also supported by shiny, soft and fine hair you’ll like when caressing them. Also, it does not get easily dirty and therefore doesn’t need much care. It is usually enough to brush it once a week. Their amazing emerald green eyes also make them even more beautiful. With regard to hair colour, there are many variants and new ones are still emerging, so anyone can choose according to his/her own wish.

Keeping these cats is great but it’s definitely suitable for everyone. If you like your peace or are very busy, look for another breed. They are really very extrovert and they will need attention. With these cats, you’ll never forget you have them. However, they’ll show you twice as much love as you give them, you’ll have fun together and you’ll never feel alone. And as a plus, you never have to go far for a hug.