Cat breeds

Oriental Shorthair

The talkative one with enormous ears

A slender chocolate Oriental Shorthair standing with its whip tail raised

A chocolate-brown Oriental Shorthair with very large ears perched on a woman's shoulder

A chocolate Oriental Shorthair lying on white bedding while someone strokes it

Built along the same lines as the Siamese but bred in an enormous range of colours and patterns, the Oriental Shorthair has large ears, a wedge-shaped head and a long, athletic body. They are among the most vocal and most closely attached to their people of any breed.

Written with reference to The International Cat Association (TICA). Oriental Shorthair on TICA

History

Developed in Britain in the 1950s and 60s, when breeders crossed Siamese with other shorthairs to produce the Siamese build in colours and patterns the Siamese standard did not allow.

Personality

Vocal, opinionated and deeply attached. Orientals hold conversations, supervise every task, and take being left out personally. They are one of the most people-dependent breeds.

Did you know?

The breed is recognised in over 300 colour and pattern combinations, more than any other — which is precisely what it was created for.

At Pink Paws