The Oriental was developed to explore all the possibilities
of color and pattern. Since its initial acceptance in CFA,
Oriental breeders have maintained a constant pace to fulfill
the breadth of this destiny.
The Oriental has an equally colorful personality. They are
closely linked to the people they claim as their own and
desperately want to share their lives with you. In the busiest
moments, your Oriental will find a way to interrupt your
activities – a little nudge while you eat, a close examination of
your tooth brush prior to use, or some help tying your shoes
before you leave in the morning. Of course, you’ll need help
deciding which items to select from the refrigerator! In the
calmest of times, they’ll share the warmth of your lap, provide
a comforting purr, and nuzzle your chin when you need it the
most. The eagerly greet you at the door and tell you all about
their day. If you’re late, they will scold you and tell you how
worried they were that you didn’t call. Hide their feather on
top of the refrigerator? Wrong!
Curiosity and intelligence combine, providing them a means
of finding anything and everything. They have been known to
open a drawer or empty your purse to discover their favorite
toy. It might be a pen or a crumpled up piece of paper that they
can chase around the kitchen floor; it really doesn’t matter.
Give them the attention and affection they so desperately
need, and they will do anything to please you. Ignore them,
and they will droop with despair. These elegant, svelte cats
remain playful, spirited, and loyal well beyond their youth.
From the tip of its nose to the end of its long, whippy tail,
the Oriental is a study in sleek design. This elegant cat
gracefully glides across the room on its tall, slender legs. The
lines of its angular head flow into its large flaring ears and are
complimented by its almond-shaped eyes. Don’t be fooled by
the svelte, tubular body; these cats have surprising weight and
muscle tone and are neither frail nor fragile.
Orientals represent a diverse group of cats that have their
foundation in the Siamese breed. When the Oriental Shorthair
was accepted for championship status in 1977, it rapidly became
one of CFA’s most popular breeds. With the 1995 addition of
the Oriental Longhair into this family of sleek, muscular felines,
the Oriental breed can provide a cat for just about anyone.
These beautiful felines carry the same graceful bodies with the
addition of a silky long coat and long plumed tail.
With over 600 color, pattern, and coat length combinations
to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find an Oriental that
will tickle your fancy. Imagine a Siamese wearing a head to
toe coat in white, red, cream, ebony, blue, chestnut, lavender,
cinnamon, or fawn. These are our solids. For a sparkling
undercoat, stir in the silver gene (to all but the white), and
you have a smoke Oriental. Perhaps, instead, you’d like the
color restricted to the tips of the hair. For this, we have the
shadeds to whet your appetite. Paint splashes of red and/or
cream on any of these coats, and you have a parti-color.
If you like stripes on the legs, tail, and face, try a tabby in
any of four different patterns: classic, mackerel, spotted, or
ticked. Cross the patterns and colors together for a bit of
variety, and 32 different combinations emerge…but we’re
not through. Once again, add a patch of red and/or cream
and voilà…another 24 combinations, referred to as patched
tabbies. Layer in the sparkle of that silver gene, and you’ve
added yet again 56 more! That’s 112 tabby combinations if
you’ve been counting!
In 1995, Orientals added the bi-color pattern to their
repertoire. With the clear white underside, legs, and chest,
these distinctly marked members of this breed have already
developed a following of devoted fans. Just imagine any of the
colors listed above, plus pointed colors, that can be combined
with the bi-color pattern!
True to their roots, Orientals also come in every point color
imaginable, including delicious cinnamon lynx points and
tortie smoke points to the more traditional point colors.
Usually breeders make kittens available between 12 and 16
weeks of age. After 16 weeks, kittens have had their basic
inoculations and developed the physical and social stability
needed for a new environment, showing, or being transported
by air. Keeping such a rare treasure indoors, neutering or
spaying, and providing acceptable surfaces (e.g. scratching
posts) for the natural behavior of scratching (CFA disapproves
of declawing or tendonectomy surgery) are essential elements
for maintaining a healthy, long, and joyful life.
For more information, please send
inquiries to CFA at cfa@cfa.org.