fellfolioSiamese group · Great Britain
Oriental Shorthair
Long, lean and talkative, the Oriental Shorthair is an athletic cat that enjoys playing with people and making itself heard.
At a glance
- Size
- Medium
- Weight
- 2.3 to 5.4 kg
- Lifespan
- 12 to 15 yearsUK GCCF cat breed profile
- Activity
- High
- Care needs
- Low
- Enrichment
- Enjoys learning together
- Owner experience
- Experience recommended
Vocal and keen to join in
An Oriental Shorthair is unlikely to ignore a closed door. Many follow their people from room to room, comment on events with their voice and want to be involved in games. The breed belongs to the Siamese group and shares its long, fine-boned outline, but comes in a much wider range of coat colours. Before bringing one home, consider whether you enjoy living with a vocal cat.
Room to climb and play
Many Oriental Shorthairs enjoy high resting places and climb while exploring their surroundings. Secure shelves, a tall cat tree and clear landing places let it climb without vases in the way. Many enjoy returning a ball or finding a toy in an open box. Alternate chase games with small searches and breaks instead of repeating one stimulus indefinitely. A sociable Oriental Shorthair also benefits from reliable company and interaction.
For practical play, food searches and quiet retreats, read Indoor Cat Enrichment: Play, Food Puzzles and Safe Retreats ↗
Sleek coat, simple care
The very short, sleek coat lies close to the body. A fine comb every couple of weeks, or a slightly damp hand to lift loose hair, is often enough. The thin coat offers less insulation than a thick winter coat, so a warm resting place away from draughts is welcome. A routine handling moment also gives you a chance to look at teeth and gums.
A long, clear outline
The Oriental Shorthair has a long, slender body with shoulders and hips of about equal width. Fine bones, firm muscles, long legs and a long tail define its build. From the front, the head forms a triangle; large wide-based ears and almond eyes follow those lines. Under the TICA standard, the Oriental Shorthair does not have pointed colouring. This term describes a contrast in which the face, ears, legs and tail are darker than the rest of the body, as in the Siamese. Solid, tabby, bicolour and many other patterns occur. The International Cat Association (TICA) lists adult females at around 2.3 to 3.6 kg and males at about 3.6 to 5.4 kg.
Eye results and family history
An inherited form of progressive retinal atrophy, PRA-rdAc, has been described in the Siamese group, which includes Oriental Shorthairs. It gradually destroys light-sensitive cells in the retina, the layer inside the eye that detects light. Vision deteriorates and the cat can become blind. The available DNA test checks one particular inherited variant, not every possible eye disease. Ask a breeder for documented results for both parents. TICA also lists amyloidosis as a possible health concern. In this condition, abnormally folded proteins accumulate in organs and can interfere with their function. TICA does not currently list a test that can reliably rule it out in breeding cats. Ask about illness in the parents and grandparents, and have changes in your cat’s health assessed by a vet.
Could this breed fit your life?
Could work well if …
- You enjoy a vocal cat that seeks company and shared games.
- You can provide safe climbing surfaces and daily activity.
May be more difficult if …
- You want a very quiet animal that mostly keeps to itself.
- Your home has few safe elevated places for a keen jumper.
Meet other cat breeds.
Selected by size, activity, care and play needs.
Shorthair cat · Southeast Asian roots
Burmese
Compact, silky-coated and strongly people-oriented, the Burmese often seeks close contact and joins in family life.
Spotted shorthair · Egypt
Egyptian Mau
The Egyptian Mau is a fast, spotted cat that enjoys playing with familiar people and often watches a new situation carefully before joining in.
Shorthair · Thailand
Korat
The Korat, with its silver-sheened blue-grey coat, comes from Thailand. Compact and muscular, it seeks familiar company and often plays with impressive persistence.
Sources and photograph credit
- Oriental
Used in this profile for: Lifespan
- Amyloidosis in Cats
Used in this profile for: Health
- Oriental Shorthair
Used in this profile for: Size / Weight, Temperament, Everyday life, Day-to-day care, Size and build, Health, Could this breed fit your life?
- Siamese Breed Group Standard (SI/BA/OS/OL)
Used in this profile for: Size and build
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA rdAc) in Cats
Used in this profile for: Health
Portrait · Oriental shorthair, black spotted tabby · Olga Shatokhina / Cataristocrat Cattery · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited
Side view · OSH 24-CH Clamoris Epeius (Omar) · Heikki Siltala / Catza.net · CC BY 3.0 · Edited
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In action · Where's that ball? · Lil Shepherd · CC BY 2.0 · Edited
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Kitten · Oriental Shorthair kitten chocolate spotted tabby · Olga Shatokhina / Cataristocrat Cattery · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited
