Fun Oriental Shorthair Facts For Kids

Oriental shorthair cats are related to Siamese cats and are bred to be kept as pets. These cats show certain similar features to the Siamese cat, like triangular-shaped heads and large ears.

Their body appears to be very slender, but it is actually quite muscular in nature, just like those in the Siamese family. This breed has characteristic eyes which are almond-shaped.

Even though the Oriental shorthair cat is related to the Siamese cat, they differ in one aspect. The Oriental shorthair cat is found to have a variety of over 300 coats.

These coats have colors and patterns and enhance the appearance of the cat. This breed of cats was initially produced by breeders to have a combination of Siamese characteristics and varied coat colors, as Siamese cats are point cats (having a lighter body and darker ears, tail, feet, and face).

The Orientals gained popularity among people for their colorful appearance.

Soon after they were introduced, the Oriental shorthairs were accepted by the Cat Fanciers' Association in the year 1977, to be a part of their championship competition. These cats are also well-known for their sociable and attention-seeking personality.

To learn more about the fascinating Oriental shorthair cat, belonging to the Siamese family, keep reading! If you like this article, then check out Balinese cat and leopard cat.

‍

Oriental Shorthair Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an Oriental Shorthair?

The Oriental shorthair is a cat breed. These cats are mainly known for their coat color and pattern. They have a slender body and large ears.

What class of animal does an Oriental Shorthair belong to?

The Oriental shorthair cats belong to the class Mammalia. They are a part of the genus Felis.

How many Oriental Shorthairs are there in the world?

The exact population of this cat breed is not known. Since Oriental shorthair cats are bred to be kept as pets, their population trend has not been recorded.

Where does an Oriental Shorthair live?

This breed of cats is usually seen living as pets with people in their houses or apartments.

What is an Oriental Shorthair's habitat?

Since Orientals are a domesticated breed, their natural habitat is the houses they live in. They are highly energetic in nature and love being surrounded by toys and people. They usually like having other pets around them, to keep them company.

Who do Oriental Shorthairs live with?

Being a popular pet cat breed, an Oriental shorthair is seen living with people. This breed of cat is known to have a friendly personality, so they can happily live alongside other pet cats and dogs as well. They generally like being in a pair or group.

How long does an Oriental Shorthair live?

Cats belonging to this breed tend to live long lives. Their life expectancy is usually between 12-15 years.

How do they reproduce?

Usually, in cats, the mating season depends on the temperature and location of the cat. Cats are known to have multiple estrus cycles during a year.

These last for a few weeks and this is when they tend to show behavioral changes, which signify they are ready to mate. Following successful fertilization, a gestation period of 64-71 days is followed.

Consequently, four to six kittens are born. A similar pattern of reproduction can be expected in an Oriental shorthair cat, as they belong to the same family as other cats.

What is their conservation status?

Since Oriental shorthair cats are mostly bred in captivity, to be kept as pets, their conservation status is Not Listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN. It can be assumed that their population is not threatened, as they are bred to be kept as domestic pets.

Oriental Shorthair Fun Facts

What do Oriental Shorthairs look like?

The striking feature about an Oriental cat is that it appears in a variety of colors and patterns, unlike the Siamese cats. There are over 300 coat colors that can be seen in this breed, the Oriental shorthair.

Some of the coal colors and patterns which are seen are blue, white, chestnut, ebony, tabby, red, shaded, bi-color, and parti-color. Their head appears triangular and they have really long and slender body, with strikingly long ears.

The almond-shaped eyes in this breed can be blue, green, or odd colored. Some cats belonging to this breed can also have crossed eyes, like others in the Siamese family.

How cute are they?

Orientals are one of the cutest cat breeds. Apart from the color and pattern that a cat belonging to this breed has, their personality also makes them very adorable. They are loving by nature and love being the center of attention.

How do they communicate?

Like a Siamese cat, an Oriental shorthair cat is also very vocal. They love to engage in conversations with their owners.

They convey whatever they are feeling through a series of calls and vocalizations. They also like catching the attention of someone by jumping on their lap. Some people have also reported that their Oriental cat greets them when they come home.

How big is an Oriental Shorthair?

Being a medium-sized cat breed, the Oriental shorthair cat has a body measuring 11-14 in or 28-36 cm in length, and 9-11 in or 23-28 cm in height which is as big as the size of the Siamese breed.

How fast can an Oriental Shorthair run?

In general, most domesticated cat breeds are known to be fast and quick. The Oriental cat can also be considered to be the same, as they all belong to the same genus, Felis. The closest relative to the Oriental, the Siamese cat is also known to be quite fast. However, the exact speed is not known.

How much does an Oriental Shorthair weigh?

This breed of cat can weigh anywhere between 8-12 lb (3.6-5.4 kg). However, the females are usually lighter in comparison to the males in this breed, the Oriental Shorthair. So, they can weigh below 8 lb (3.6 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Just like other cat breeds, male Orientals are known as tomcats, and females are known as molly cats.

What would you call a baby Oriental Shorthair?

Baby Oriental shorthairs are known as kittens.

What do they eat?

Similar to other cat breeds, the Oriental breed also requires a balanced diet for good health. Apart from canned cat food, they should also be given fish, chicken, and dairy products.

They also require raw bones in order to keep their teeth in the right health. A low-fat diet is better for this cat breed, as that helps in maintaining their slender body.

Are they slobbery?

Like other cat breeds, the Oriental does not show signs of slobbering.

Would they make a good pet?

Oriental shorthairs would be ideal as a pet. This is one of the most affectionate and loving breeds and hence, they are the ideal companion.

Besides having a good temperament and being sociable with other pets in the house, their personality also makes them fun to have around, as they are really playful, just like the Siamese. They also do not require a lot of grooming or care.

So, they tend to be low-maintenance. Their unique color and pattern also make them quite popular as pets.

These cats are also considered to be hypoallergenic in nature, as they do not produce a lot of Fel D1 protein which causes an allergic reaction in some people. However, those with severe allergies should still be careful.

Did you know...

In 1976, Peter Markstein, a cat breeder, presented the Oriental shorthair cat to the Annual Cat Fanciers Association. This was shortly after an organization called, Oriental Shorthairs International was formed in the year 1973.

Being an intelligent breed, these felines can also be trained. They also like engaging in a game of fetch.

The Oriental longhair is very closely related to this breed. But as their name suggests, the Oriental longhair has a longer coat. If an Oriental longhair is mated with an Oriental shorthair, the baby would have short hair. This is because the gene for long hair is recessive in these breeds.  

Just like the Siamese, the Oriental shorthair cat loves to be the center of attraction. If they are not provided with enough attention, they might become depressed or irritated.

They are also called 'Ornamentals' due to the many-colored coat they have with different kinds of pattern.

Characteristics and health issues

Orientals display a wide range of health issues, just like the Siamese. These illnesses are heart defects, asthma, amyloidosis, bladder stones, crossed eyes, mast cell cancer, and so on. They also show a tendency of retinal degeneration. Many of these diseases are genetic in nature and are passed on for generations.

Getting your own Oriental Shorthair

The animals belonging to this breed can be bought from reputed and trusty cat breeders. An excellent Oriental from a well-known breeder can cost up to $1,000 or more. However, it is also possible to adopt these animals from any rescue center.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including Siamese cat, or Bombay cat.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Oriental shorthair coloring pages.