The Oriental Shorthair: A Delightful Blend

by Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger

13 Jun 2006 03:39 AM

This English breed dates back to 1950, and the Baroness von Ullman of the Roofspringer Cattery. In between her numerous duties as baroness, she decided to create a shorthaired, solid-colored cat with the body characteristics of the Siamese, Abyssinian and Russian Blue breeds. Cat Fancy in England initially accepted them as "chestnut foreign shorthairs," but soon an all white blue variant was created and became very popular. These cats became known as "white foreign shorthairs." Siamese cats were then introduced into the foundation stock so the resulting body type would come closer to it.

Peter and Vicky Markstein of the Petmark cattery brought the breed to the United States in 1972. It was with their urging that the Cat Fancier's Association (CFA) recognized the breed as separate from the Siamese and gave it the moniker, "Oriental Shorthair." These beautiful and graceful cats come in over three hundred colors, including solid, tabby, smoke, partly-colored and bi-colored. The short sleek coat requires minimal grooming. They have a true oriental cast to their features with their wedge-shaped heads, almond-shaped eyes and very large ears. Some say they resemble Chihuahuas and most agree that even though they are cats, they are definitely dog-like in their devotion to their owners.

These cats are very talkative and thrive on attention. They are laps cats and adore being near their owners even when it's inconvenient. Inspecting toothbrushes and the contents of the refrigerator as well as the insides of purses, pockets and drawers are everyday occurrences in the lives of these adorable creatures. Curious and intelligent, you can forget about hiding anything in your home from them, as it is an impossible task! They are wonderful with children and other pets, and complement any home lucky enough to have them as residents.

Do YOU own an Oriental shorthair? Please share your experiences.

Related Articles:

"The American Shorthair: Our Nation's Own" http://blogs.families.com/admin/b2browse.php?blog=28&p=6533 "The Exotic Shorthair: the Best of Two worlds" http://blogs.families.com/admin/b2browse.php?blog=28&p=6512

Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger

Nicole Humphrey (15757) 13 Jun 2006 12:36 PM

ok that's a face only a mother could love, but he really is pretty cute! Great article!

Marjorie Dorfman (2577) 14 Jun 2006 04:12 AM

Thanks for sharing, Nicole and I am happy you liked the article. i agree about this little guy's face, but there is a sweetness lurking there too, don't you thinlk? Keep reading!