Precursors, along with Siamese cats and Persian cats, of many of today's cat breeds, oriental shorthair cats, despite not enjoying as much fame as these others, constitute a breed settled, which in their place of origin, Thailand, have become historically representative, being an ancient breed, very settled in the East. Outgoing and communicative, there is much to discover about these felines, which is why we at ExpetoAnimal want to dedicate an exclusive file to them.
Discover everything about the oriental shorthair cat: its characteristics, character, care or he alth, among others.
Origin of the oriental shorthair cat
The Oriental Shorthair cat breed is native to Thailand, where they have been held in high esteem since medieval times, reaching being named the national cat and enjoying great popularity. There are various documents that record the existence of the breed in the Middle Ages.
But it was not until the 1950s that international breeders began to show interest in this breed, expanding throughout Europe and the United States, where it was not officially recognized until the 1970s. be called oriental shorthair or foreign shorthair
The breed is considered to be the result of crossing Siamese with cats of various breeds, such as british or american shorthair, in the search for Siamese with different colors and patterns. In addition, they are the precursors of many other later breeds, and many of them are very popular and world-renowned. It is considered the monochrome relative of the Siamese.
Characteristics of the oriental shorthair cat
Oriental Shorthairs are medium-sized cats, as they usually weigh around 4-5 kilograms They have a slender and muscular body, their limbs are elongated and thin, which gives them an elegant and graceful appearance. Its tail is long and ends in a point and its feet are thin and small. The set gives the appearance of an animal light and agile, seeming to weigh less than it really does.
His head is medium and triangular, wedge-shaped, being fine at the nose, which is long and straight, and widening as it approaches the base of the ears, these are prominent and erect, without leaning forward, being proportionally large with respect to the head, and broad based. Its eyes are almond-shaped and oblique to the snout without protruding or sinking perceptibly, they are usually bright green.
The fur of Orientals is short, fine and shiny, it grows parallel to the skin, and does not have a woolly layer. The hair is in solid colors, accepting all color options, including unicolor, smoke, tabby, tortoise and bicolor patterns.
Oriental shorthair cat character
This is a breed that stands out for its way of communication, because their meows are powerful and they will use them to convey what they want or how they feel, being a breed with remarkable communication skills from very young.
Orientals love to spend time outside, but this does not mean that they do not adapt to life in flats or apartments without a garden, everything will depend on the hours of games and attention that we provide them, and if these are enough for them to release energy and remain calm. Does not tolerate loneliness well, which we have to consider if we spend a lot of time away from home, since they are animals with a great attachment to their owners and would have a great time wrong.
Their temperament is stable and playful, which makes them suitable if there are children in the home, as they will be excellent and respectful companions of games for the little ones in the house, as well as for other pets. Thus, as long as socialization has been correct and sufficient, and our cat has been educated for life in company, we will be facing an ideal feline for any family.
Oriental shorthair cat care
Despite having a short coat, we must brush it periodically to prevent knots from forming. This is especially important during the moulting season, which usually corresponds to changes in the season. In this way we will also avoid the formation of hairballs, in addition to not releasing so much hair around the house and furniture.
Regarding exercise, as we have said they are active animals and that love to play and exercise, that is why we must put their provision of toys that stimulate them and allow them to satisfy their desire to play and their curiosity. They especially enjoy heights, which is why a good idea is to create toys with shelves, or buy a scratcher with different heights.
Regarding the food we must ensure that it is balanced and of good quality, today we have various options that adapt to the needs and preferences of our pet, feed, pâtés, homemade food recipes… everything will depend on which one best suits our needs, each one having different qualities and advantages.
Finally, we must pay attention to the general state of he alth, which is evidenced by the appearance of the nails, hair, mucous membranes, that is, nose, mouth and eyes, ears, teeth and mood of our pet.
Oriental Shorthair Cat He alth
Oriental cats are generally very he althy animals, so with basic attention they do not usually present major problems. One of the notable pathologies in the breed is strabismus, this happens due to a genetic fault that affects the optic nerve, which is why when a breeder detects it in a company, it must be removed, since it is a hereditary disease.
However, it is more of an aesthetic defect, since it will not affect our kitten's vision, even so it will require veterinary follow-up to detect possible alterations. There are even cases in which an exhaustive diagnosis is necessary to avoid confusing it with other diseases that would affect our pet's vision with varying severity.
In turn, we must follow the veterinary guidelines regarding aspects such as vaccinations, chip implantation or deworming, to so that our kitten can enjoy enviable he alth.
