The Oriental Shorthair is a reproduction of Siamese cats. The literature on this topic depicts the blue-eyed, pointed pattern cats which belonged to royalty in Siam. The Oriental Shorthair breed has come about through cross-breeding between Siamese, Abyssinian, and the Russian Blue in the 1950s and 1960s.
This new breed is also called ornamental because of the in-built beauty of its short glossy fur. It is a rainbow cat because of its diverse coat shades almost 300 variations. The body type and head are like Siamese. This domestic popular cat is medium in size and smart in actions. They are social, intelligent, and highly vocal. Visibly they are slender but athletic and can climb high places.
Distinctive Features of Oriental Shorthair Cat
The male Oriental weighs 3-5 kg and the female 3 kg. The life expectancy is 8-12 years. It has a wide range of coat colors. The body is light in color and the paws ears and face have darker markings.
The body is lustrous flexible graceful and muscular. It is the best combination of fine bones and muscles. The shoulders are wider than the hips. The legs are slim, long concluding in tiny delicate, and oval-shaped feet. The hind legs are taller than the front ones. Toes five in front and four behind. The abdomen is taut. The neck is elongated and slender. The coat hair lies close to the body.
The head is propionate to the body. It is in the shape of a long triangle. The nose is long and straight. Chin is of medium size. The tail is long and tapering. It is thin at the base. The conspicuous ears are big pointed and wide at the base. Eyes are almond-shaped with pointing towards nose slant are medium in size. The color could be bright green, blue bi-color with white or odd-eyed.
Orientals are found in colors and patterns like solid, smoke, bicolor, tri-color, solid color shaded, particolored, tabby, patched, etc. The personality is unique as its multicolored surface.
How to Take Care of Pet Oriental Shorthair?
Caring for an Oriental Shorthair requires a lot of time and patience. They have very specific needs, which means that if the owner doesn't know how to care for them, they are likely to be neglected. They require special diets and need extra attention in order to stay healthy.
What to Feed Oriental Shorthair?
The Oriental gains weight fast even if she overeats one day. The potbelly becomes visible. Nutrition should be served in a balanced way. The long slim legs cannot carry a fat body. Serve the cat with feline food in quantity enough based on age and activity. The cat should drink enough water. So, keep the water bowl filled with fresh water.
How to Setup Habitat for Pet Oriental Shorthair?
The cat entertains and at the same time poses challenges. In case you leave the cat in an empty room with few accessories around them, they will likely play by tearing a piece of the carpet or disintegrate the lamp. If they are not occupied they turn their attention to the room and its belongings. This breed should be housed in a place where it can run, climb and explore. Toys are essential. Procure perches and cat trees. They also like to watch TV.
What are the Health Concerns of Oriental Shorthair Pet?
Several of the diseases can be genetic and some environmental. It can have similar health issues as the Siamese cat. The core-vaccine preventive infections for bacterial and virus infections namely:
- Panleukopenia
- Calicivirus
- Rhinotracheitis
- Rabies
Parasites can reach the Oriental through fleas, ticks, and ear mites. Roundworms, hookworms, heartworms, and whipworms reach the system of the cat through dirty water, walking on infected soil, or through a mosquito bite.
Other diseases likely to be prevalent are:
- Amyloidosis
- Crossed eyes
- Bronchial disease
- Congenital heart defect
- Lymphoma
- Gastrointestinal conditions
- Hyperesthesia syndrome
- Nystagmus
What it's Like to Keep Oriental Shorthair as a Pet?
They are good companions to adults' children and other pets. These person-oriented cats should not be left alone for a long time. They are soft-spoken and adore to carry on a conversation with the family. It will look for approval always by giving amiable nudges, sneaking onto the lap, or making loud purr sounds. They will sleep next to the parent in bed. They mostly bond with one person so be ready for a lifetime commitment.
The faint and mild tone welcomes you at the door. Orientals are amazingly intelligent. If you happen to hide a toy they will search for it by opening drawers and doors, a bag. Thus this breed relishes interaction, incentive, and play-time. They are naturally curious about things around them. The Orient is best suited to active families and those who will love them unconditionally.
In case there is a loss of the family or attached person it is very difficult for the cat to adjust. To prevent such a situation socialize the cat kitten with many people by taking them to different places. This will train them not to give a negative response to others in case of owner's hospitalization, or out of town.
Training
As the cat is very intelligent and individualistic, it can be trained to walk on a lead. Another thing which she can learn is to fetch and retrieve. The cat loves to make the owner happy and in her presence, the training sessions become interesting and fun-filled.
Keep the instincts and strengths of the cat in mind while executing training sessions. These are:
- They adore climbing
- They appreciate affection
- They yearn to chat
Using these three alternates makes training sessions rewarding and fruitful. You can train the pet to ride around on the shoulder or jump through your arms through treats and cuddles. The cat is fond of watching TV. As you watch your favorite show she will cuddle next to you and give you company. Arrange for cat trees and let her use her intelligence to solve the involved puzzles as she climbs around.
Some interesting facts about the cat are that it triggers no allergies to humans. The Oriental becomes suspicious or territorial about their human companions.
The cat prefers to spend time with the feline companion rather than staying alone. When bored or left alone for a long period they open doors, cabinets' drawers, your purse, and even the fridge.
Maintenance
The grooming of the cat is not laborious. The low-maintenance single-layer coat needs to be brushed once or twice a week. Good teeth can be taken care of by regular brushing.
Inspect the ears for wax debris and sign of infection. Clean when required. Give plenty of exercise to the cat. Give daily play sessions through high-activity toys. The cat stays playful and toy-centered even when adult. It is essential to keep the body and mind active otherwise it will develop behavior issues.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Oriental Shorthair
Some of the generally asked questions about Oriental Shorthair as answered below:
Are Oriental Shorthair Cats Friendly?
At no time you will be bored with a cat like this. It is because it is full of life and playful, stays playful as a kitten all through life, meows continually seeking attention, likely to want to participate in your activity, they are natural performers very enthusiastic, energetic and assume that the world revolves around them and a devoted and loyal companion
How Much is an Oriental Shorthair Cat?
Orient Shorthair price varies by breeders. Potential buyers should research breeders to discover the right match. Look for breeders that provide guarantees and are open to having the kitten examined by the buyer's vet. Reputed breeders can be discovered by contacting fancier associations and cat show communities. Generally, breeders give kittens to buyers between 12-16 weeks when they are physically mature enough for the change. Consider keeping an Oriental Shorthair rescue cat.
Are Oriental Cats Cuddly?
The answer to this question is a resounding yes, as these cats are not only cuddly but also love to be petted and scratched.
