The ideal Oriental Shorthair is a svelte cat with long, tapering lines, very lithe but muscular. It is essentially an alternately-coloured Siamese—though don’t say this to its breeders! Its reason for being is its coat colour, whether it is solid, shaded, smoke, tortoiseshell, bicolor, or tabby, and great weight is put on its color and pattern. There are over six hundred possible colours for Orientals, giving it one of the widest colour ranges of any accepted breed. The Oriental personality is equally colourful. They are true people cats, wanting to be as near to you as possible all the time—and of course, singing the whole time (this is the Oriental, after all!). The Oriental Shorthair was developed in the 1970s, and accepted in 1977, growing to become an extremely popular breed worldwide.
Type & judging remarks
Like its sister breeds, the Oriental Shorthair is a long, tubular cat with a distinct wedge-shaped head and Roman profile.