Oriental Shorthair

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

According to the CFA, 'Orientals represent a diverse group of cats that have their foundation in the Siamese breed.' The Siamese foundation stock were landrace cats from Siam (today, Thailand) in both pointed and full colours, imported to the UK and later selectively bred since the end of the 1800s. The gene that causes colour to be restricted to the points is recessive; therefore, the random-bred cat population in Siam was largely full-coloured. When foundation cats were selectively bred, pointed cats were eventually registered as Siamese, while others were referred to as 'non-blue eyed Siamese' or 'foreign shorthair'. While the breed's genetic roots are ultimately in Thailand, it was formally developed in the US by a number of New York area cat breeders, led by Vicky and Peter Markstein (PetMark cattery), who in 1971–72 were intrigued by tabby point and solid coloured cats of a Siamese body type at Angela Sayers' Solitaire Cattery and at Patricia White's. These were based on solid-coloured cats with the oriental-type body of a Siamese, bred by Baroness von Ullmann over the 1950s. An 'Oriental Shorthairs International' was formed in 1973, and Peter Markstein presented the breed to the 1976 Annual CFA meeting.

Reader's Guide

The Oriental Shorthair was accepted as an actual breed for championship competition in the US-headquartered CFA in 1977. In 1985, the CFA recognised the bicolour variant. Two decades later, in 1997, the breed was also recognised by the UK-based GCCF, but with some differences from CFA on coat conformation. GCCF publishes separate breed registration policies for a number of specific-coat Oriental Shorthair variants today. The Germany-based World Cat Federation (WCF) recognises the breed, but with colour requirements that are comparatively unrestrictive in some way, but notably opposed to white ('all colours and patterns without white and without points are recognised'). Under recognised breed standards, more than 300 coat colour and pattern combinations are theoretically possible, although permitted colourations differ between registries. These coat combinations are derived from base colours such as black, chocolate, cinnamon, red, white, and their dilutions, and patterns including solid, tabby, tortoiseshell, and parti-colour. Their personalities are very similar to the Siamese; they have high locomotion levels and are natural conversationalists. Orientals are social, intelligent, and many are rather vocal. They often remain playful into adulthood, with many enjoying playing fetch. They prefer to live in pairs or groups and also seek human interaction. The long-haired version, the Oriental Longhair, differs only with respect to coat length and has been recognised since 1995 by CFA.

Did You Know?

• The Oriental Shorthair was accepted by the CFA for championship competition in 1977.
• The breed was formally developed in the US by New York area breeders led by Vicky and Peter Markstein (PetMark cattery) starting in 1971–72.
• More than 300 coat colour and pattern combinations are theoretically possible under recognised breed standards.
• The long-haired version, the Oriental Longhair, differs only in coat length and was recognised by CFA in 1995.
• The Germany-based World Cat Federation (WCF) recognises the breed but notably opposes white, stating 'all colours and patterns without white and without points are recognised'.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

Some people mistakenly believe the Oriental Shorthair originated in Thailand, but the breed was formally developed in the United States from Siamese foundation stock. Another common error is assuming all Oriental Shorthairs have blue eyes like the Siamese; in fact, they usually have green eyes.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

The Oriental Shorthair endures because it embodies the elegant Siamese body type while offering an extraordinary diversity of coat colors and patterns—over 300 theoretical combinations. This breed appeals to cat enthusiasts who admire the Siamese silhouette but want a wider palette, and its official recognition by major registries underscores its lasting place in the pedigreed cat world.