Also known as the Javanese or Mandarin cat, the Oriental longhair cat is considered one of the most endearing cat breeds in the worldIn addition, we are dealing with a cat that many tutors say is capable of speaking to us. These and many more curiosities will be discovered in this article on our site where we explain all about the long-haired oriental cat
Origin of the oriental longhair cat
Despite the fact that their Javanese cat name may lead us to think otherwise, these felines have nothing to do with the island of Java, this is really far from their origins, since the orientals of longhair are descendants of oriental shorthair cats and Balinese that English breeders crossed in the 1960s. That is why it is sometimes considered either a variety of color within the Balinese breed, or as a sub-race of semi-long hair of the oriental cats.
However, it is believed that the origin of the oriental longhair cat may be more remote, since specimens were dated in 1890 that even being classified as angora cats were far from the standards of the breed. Later they came to be called British Angoras, since they were not the same as the Turkish ones, although at that time the only officially registered long-haired breed was the Persian.
In 1983 it was registered as a Javanese cat in TICA and in 1995 the CFA recognized it as a differentiated breed. Even today there are feline associations, such as the GCCF that name it exclusively as oriental longhair. In the United States it is recognized within the Siamese-Oriental category.
Physical Characteristics of the Oriental Longhair Cat
The oriental longhair cat is among the medium-sized cats, since its weight usually ranges between 4 and the 6 kilograms. Their life expectancy is generally between 14 and 18 years.
His body is slender and tubular, with long and flexible limbs, as well as strong and muscular. The tail is long and thin, narrowing towards the tip of it and with hairs that resemble a kind of plumage. The head of the Javanese cat is triangular, long and narrow, with a finely shaped snout. wedgeIts eyes are almond-shaped, slanting towards the snout, not too far apart, of a deep color according to the coat, although the most prominent is vivid blue.
Something that characterizes the oriental longhair cat is its unique ears, as these are unusually long, broad at the base but sharply pointed at the ends, sloping slightly towards the sides of the head.
Finally, its hair is semi-long, dense and soft, being longer on the tail and neck. The most common Javanese cat colors are solid, although almost all colors and patterns are allowed. The most frequent are the unicolor, bicolor, turtles, smoke, tabby, silver tabby, van and harlequin. Best of all, due to the characteristics of its fur, it is one of the cats recommended in cases of allergy to cat hair.
Oriental Longhair Cat Character
This feline breed is highly appreciated due to its affable and endearing charactere. They are affectionate and communicative cats, who will let us know what they need at all times, almost holding conversations with their adorable sustained meows and penetrating gaze.
With a marked intelligence, it will be easy to educate a Mandarin cat, and even teach it fun tricks to everyone's delight. In addition, it is among the most recommended cat breeds to live in an apartment.
In short, within the temperament of the long-haired oriental cat, we highlight that it is a flexible feline that easily adapts to different environments. It is an excellent choice as a companion for both children and the elderly, because, as long as the relationship between both parties is based on mutual understanding and respect, they can enjoy great times of games and affection.
Care for long-haired Orientals
As a semi-longhaired cat, the Javanese cat will need frequent brushing to avoid annoying hairballs. To help you with this, we can also use products that prevent their formation or facilitate their evacuation if they are already present. Brushing will be easy, since it lacks a woolly layer at the base of the fur, which is present in other breeds such as the Siberian cat, which is why its hair does not get tangled and requires less effort to maintain.
Because it is a feline that loves to go outside and spend the energy it wastes, it may not be the most appropriate for living in a small apartment, unless we provide the hours of exercise and play enough to keep you he althy and calm. In turn, as in all feline breeds, we must keep their nails, teeth, fur, eyes and ears clean and supervised to detect possible conditions early, avoiding complications, as well as providing them with a he althy and balanced diet to guarantee the best care for our long-haired oriental cat.
Oriental Longhair Cat He alth
Broadly speaking, the Oriental Longhair is a he althy and strong cat, however shares diseases typical of Siamese or similar breeds, such as cranial sternum protrusion or endocardial fibroelastosis, which consists of a diffuse thickening of the left ventricular endocardium.
Because it lacks a woolly coat that insulates it from the cold and, at the same time, likes to spend time outdoors, we must bear in mind that it is a morebreed sensitive to cold and therefore we will have to be careful, since it can get colds and respiratory diseases more easily than other breeds of cats.
Finally, for optimal he alth of the Javanese cat, we must follow the vaccination calendar marked by our veterinarians, as well as carry out the pertinent deworming to keep our feline free of parasites.
