The Society's Cats...
The club officially caters for British, Korats, Oriental and Russian, you can now read about each breed on our breed pages. The show however encompasses all Shorthaired Breeds and we welcome for all shorthaired breeders/owners and Household/Pedigree pet owners as members.
The club officially caters for British, Korats, Oriental and Russian, you can now read about each breed on our breed pages. The show however encompasses all Shorthaired Breeds and we welcome for all shorthaired breeders/owners and Household/Pedigree pet owners as members.
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About The Breed
British shorthairs can trace they ancestry back to the domestic cat of Rome, initially revered for their physical strength and hunting ability, these cats soon became equally recognisable by their calm and loyal manners. In 1871, at the Crystal Palace cat show British Shorthairs were first shown as a breed, indeed Best in Show was awarded to blue tabby British Shorthair female! By 1910, no cat had done as well as brother and sister British Shorthair silver tabbies, male CH Jimmy, and female CH Laurel Queen. Thanks to the Brits "teddy bear" look they have become the most popular breed of cat in the UK. There are today many different colours of British shorthairs, from the original and more recognisable British Blues, other include black, red, chocolate, white, tortoiseshell, silver series, bi-colours and colour points. |
British Shorthairs are a comparatively large breed of cat but should be compact and well-balanced, of powerful appearance and not rangey.
As with most breeds, the males are larger than the females though both should be of a good size. They have round faces with comparatively small ears and large round eyes. One of their most characteristic features is their coat which should be thick and up-standing, not flat lying giving rise to the description of "teddy bear" cats.
As the pedigree version of the naturalised British cat, they are ideally suited to the climate and enjoy access to the fresh air if available, though they will also settle to an indoor life if that is what they have been brought up to. They should receive a varied diet (all cats prefer variety to the sameness) and do not eat larger than normal amounts despite their size which is derived from their basic bone structure. As with all cats "cupboard love" is uppermost, a well-fed and comfortable cat will remain a friend for life. All cats not intended specifically for breeding should be neutered as kittens and will not subsequently roam far from their home.
They are independent by nature, coming for attention when they want it but being contented with their own company at other times. They are not naturally noisy (except when hungry or in a breeding situation). Though lively, they are not normally as destructive as some of the "Foreign" Shorthair breeds (however, there are exceptions to all rules and all kittens can be mischievous !).
Although the grey cat known as the "British Blue" is the most well known colour, the breed comes in many different colours and patterns all with the same essential characteristics. Other single colour breeds are the Cream, White, Black, Chocolate and Lilac breeds. They also produce the Tortoiseshell and the smart Bi-colour and Tortie and White versions with white patches.
Cats with Tabby or Spotted patterns can be silver coloured (such as Jack and Jill, the former Blue Peter cats), or Brown or Red (a more intense version of the traditional "ginger" cat). All of these varieties exist in less striking form in the non-pedigree populations though they lack the stunning orange eye colour which all but the silver cats show in the pedigree version.
Deliberate interbreeding has produced breeds such as the Tipped which looks like a shorthair version of the well known longhair Chinchilla cat and the Colourpointed version which has the conformation of the British cat but with the pattern of the siamese. These patterned cats retain a little of the temprement of the original outcross in addition to their otherwise Britishness.
GCCF Standard of Points for the British Shorthair
The British Shorthair cat is compact, well balanced and powerful, showing good depth of body, a full broad chest, short legs, rounded paws, tail thick at base with rounded tip. The head is round with a good width between small ears, round cheeks, firm chin, large round and well opened eyes and a short broad nose. The coat is short and dense. A muscular cat with an alert appearance and in perfect physical condition.
Head - Round face with full cheeks and good breath of skull with round underlying bone structure. The head should be set on a short thick neck.
Nose - The nose itself should be short, broad and straight. In profile, a rounded forehead should lead to a short straight nose with a nose break that is neither too pronounced nor too shallow.
Chin - A strong, firm and deep chin is essential. Any deviation from this to be considered a fault. The bite MUST be level, the tip of the chin to line up with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane.
Ears - Small, rounded at the tips. Set far apart, fitting into (without distorting) the rounded contour of the head. External ear to be well covered with fur, internal furnishings not to be excessive.
Eyes - Large, round and well-opened. Set wide apart with no tendency to Oriental shape. No squint.
Body - Cobby type with short level back. Low on legs with broad deep chest. Equally massive across the shoulders and the rump. Medium to large, but not rangy.
Legs & Paws - Short strong legs. Paws round and firm. Toes carried close, five on each forefoot (including dew-claw) and four on each back foot.
Tail - Should be thick and of medium length, thicker at the base with rounded tip.
Coat - Must be short, dense and crisp. A soft and / or overlong and fluffy coat is incorrect.
As with most breeds, the males are larger than the females though both should be of a good size. They have round faces with comparatively small ears and large round eyes. One of their most characteristic features is their coat which should be thick and up-standing, not flat lying giving rise to the description of "teddy bear" cats.
As the pedigree version of the naturalised British cat, they are ideally suited to the climate and enjoy access to the fresh air if available, though they will also settle to an indoor life if that is what they have been brought up to. They should receive a varied diet (all cats prefer variety to the sameness) and do not eat larger than normal amounts despite their size which is derived from their basic bone structure. As with all cats "cupboard love" is uppermost, a well-fed and comfortable cat will remain a friend for life. All cats not intended specifically for breeding should be neutered as kittens and will not subsequently roam far from their home.
They are independent by nature, coming for attention when they want it but being contented with their own company at other times. They are not naturally noisy (except when hungry or in a breeding situation). Though lively, they are not normally as destructive as some of the "Foreign" Shorthair breeds (however, there are exceptions to all rules and all kittens can be mischievous !).
Although the grey cat known as the "British Blue" is the most well known colour, the breed comes in many different colours and patterns all with the same essential characteristics. Other single colour breeds are the Cream, White, Black, Chocolate and Lilac breeds. They also produce the Tortoiseshell and the smart Bi-colour and Tortie and White versions with white patches.
Cats with Tabby or Spotted patterns can be silver coloured (such as Jack and Jill, the former Blue Peter cats), or Brown or Red (a more intense version of the traditional "ginger" cat). All of these varieties exist in less striking form in the non-pedigree populations though they lack the stunning orange eye colour which all but the silver cats show in the pedigree version.
Deliberate interbreeding has produced breeds such as the Tipped which looks like a shorthair version of the well known longhair Chinchilla cat and the Colourpointed version which has the conformation of the British cat but with the pattern of the siamese. These patterned cats retain a little of the temprement of the original outcross in addition to their otherwise Britishness.
GCCF Standard of Points for the British Shorthair
The British Shorthair cat is compact, well balanced and powerful, showing good depth of body, a full broad chest, short legs, rounded paws, tail thick at base with rounded tip. The head is round with a good width between small ears, round cheeks, firm chin, large round and well opened eyes and a short broad nose. The coat is short and dense. A muscular cat with an alert appearance and in perfect physical condition.
Head - Round face with full cheeks and good breath of skull with round underlying bone structure. The head should be set on a short thick neck.
Nose - The nose itself should be short, broad and straight. In profile, a rounded forehead should lead to a short straight nose with a nose break that is neither too pronounced nor too shallow.
Chin - A strong, firm and deep chin is essential. Any deviation from this to be considered a fault. The bite MUST be level, the tip of the chin to line up with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane.
Ears - Small, rounded at the tips. Set far apart, fitting into (without distorting) the rounded contour of the head. External ear to be well covered with fur, internal furnishings not to be excessive.
Eyes - Large, round and well-opened. Set wide apart with no tendency to Oriental shape. No squint.
Body - Cobby type with short level back. Low on legs with broad deep chest. Equally massive across the shoulders and the rump. Medium to large, but not rangy.
Legs & Paws - Short strong legs. Paws round and firm. Toes carried close, five on each forefoot (including dew-claw) and four on each back foot.
Tail - Should be thick and of medium length, thicker at the base with rounded tip.
Coat - Must be short, dense and crisp. A soft and / or overlong and fluffy coat is incorrect.
KoratIt’s an easy task to define the Korat. It is the blue cat of Thailand. Indeed, its very name in its native country means exactly that: ‘si-sawat’ greyish-blue cat. Many countries have their own blue cats, so keeping records of origin has always been important for the Korat breeders and clubs. All Korats in the west today can have their ancestry traced back to imports from Thailand. Not for nothing has it become known as the ‘blue cat with the Thai Passport’. No outcrossing to any other breed is permitted in any of the world’s registries.
Origins and Traditions The earliest existing records of the cats of Thailand can be seen in the Bangkok National Library, and are known as the Cat-Book Poems. Each of the breed colours is pictured and described poetically. The Korat entry relates that, ‘The base of each hair, Is the colour of a cloud’ and Korat eyes are ‘Like dew when dropped on the leaf of a lotus’. The villagers say the eye colour is green as the first shoots of young rice. According to the unknown author some of these cats are bringers of good luck, some bad. The Korat with its rain-cloud coat and green eyes is one of the luckiest, a symbol of wealth, fertility and good harvests. It used to be tradition for a newly married couple to be presented with a Korat on their wedding day, and in remote villages in the north east of the country a Korat is still paraded around , and carried in procession to the well where it is sprinkled with water, to ensure the rice paddies are filled by rain. |
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Breeders take a pride in their Korats as an ‘ancient natural breed.’ Indeed the current show standards require the Korat to be as it was described in the Cat Book Poems written hundreds of years ago. Only the style of the language has changed!
Mystery Appearance
Officially Korats first came to the west in 1959 when Mrs Jean Johnson imported a pair to the USA. There is though an intriguing reference over fifty years earlier to a blue cat from Siam in Britain in 1896. It was exhibited as a Siamese cat, but had the ignominy of being disqualified by one of the most famous early cat fancier judges, artist Louis Wain. The reason given was that its colouring was not the accepted biscuity fawn. The only blue cat of Siam is, of course, our Korat.
Stunning Looks
An adult Korat can be breathtakingly beautiful. Large, luminous, green eyes, that seem oversized for the heart-shaped face, gaze appealingly. A blue coat with an abundance of tipping gives a halo effect as the light gleams on the silver sheen. The males show muscular power and, though the females are often smaller and dainty in appearance, both sexes surprise those who lift them as they are far more solid in substance than appearance suggests.
Choosing a kitten for looks though is just about impossible with this breed. Korats are slow maturing, and kittens and adolescents are often ugly ducklings, with dark, rather fluffy coats and amber coloured eyes; the mature ‘swan’ taking three/four years to blossom.
An Interactive Companion
Do not choose this breed for its looks alone. The Korat is not for you if you are desirous of the merely decorative. They wish to be involved in the lives of their people and are truly companions. There has to be a reciprocal commitment on the part of the new owner. All of us who have owned them know how our lives were changed when Korats arrived. Their natural intelligence, liveliness and playfulness is their charm and the new owner must know of this, and be ready to give time and love, which will then be repaid a hundredfold.
Korats love to play. They like to have a store of small toys to give a variety of activities. Some will retrieve small objects and carry them around - though they don’t necessarily remember where they dropped them last. Balls provide lots of fun, so do things on strings that can be jumped for. Korats are lithe and active athletes. Enthusiastic climbing comes instinctively too, a strong tiered climbing/scratching post is a recommended accessory.
Long Healthy Lives
The policy of only Korat x Korat breeding has not brought problems, probably because new bloodlines directly from Thailand have always been part of the breeding programmes in western countries. The Korat may be a minority breed but it’s strongly supported by its international community of breeders. This made it possible for our cats to be tested when genetic screening for a known inherited disease was offered. The first cat breed to be involved in this advancement of science, and wonderful to find no affected cats in the UK. The lifespan of the Korat is exactly that of the domestic pet, barring accidents many live until their late teen, some into their early twenties.
Beautiful, active,companionable and long lived. It’s not really surprising that in my 31 years of breeding I’ve often been asked for another Korat from a bereaved owner, ‘because nothing else could be the same’. I have to agree wholeheartedly
The Thai Blue Point & Thai Lilac.
Although the name Korat is only given to the blue cat of Thailand and no outcrossing has taken place, recessive colour genes have been carried from their country of origin. From time to time Korats had non-blue kittens and some GCCF breeders chose to work with them.
They were given their own identities, rather being seen as substandard Korats. The Thai Blue Points looks remarkably like old fashioned Siamese and the Thai Lilacs, is a solid lilac cat with some of the Korat silvery sheen to its coat. It is only in appearance that they are different from their parent breed. Temperament and requirements don’t vary. However they are perhaps harder to find so you may have to wait for your special kitten of these rare breeds. It will be worth it, I promise.
GCCF Standard of Points for the KORAT and THAI GROUP
GCCF Standard of Points for the Korat and Thai
Foreign type of medium build, firm, lithe and muscular, never large or coarse. The body to be of a medium length, with a medium length tapering tail. Females are more dainty in appearance, but should not be undersized. The two most distinctive features of the Korat should be its large, green eyes and the coat's silvery sheen. The Korat can be a very vocal cat, but this does not usually indicate aggression.
Head - When viewed from the front, the head is heart-shaped, with breadth between and across the eyes, gently curving to a well developed but neither sharply pointed nor squared muzzle. Forehead large, flat.
Nose - Short and with slight downward curve. In profile there is a slight stop between forehead and nose.
Chin and Jaw - Strong.
Ears - Large and with a rounded tip and large flare at base, set high on head, giving an alert expression. Inside ears sparsely furnished.
Eyes - Large and luminous, particularly prominent. Wide open and oversized for the face; eye aperture, which appears as well rounded when fully open but has Asian slant when closed or partially closed.
Body - Medium-sized body, strong, muscular and semi-cobby. Medium bone structure; males powerful, females should be smaller and dainty. Back carried in a gentle, natural curve.
Legs and Paws - Legs should be well-proportioned to body and paws oval. Five toes in front, four at back.
Tail - Medium in length, heavier at the base, tapering to a rounded tip.
Coat - Single. Hair is short to medium in length, glossy and fine and lying close to body. The coat over the spine is inclined to break as the cat moves.
Condition - Perfect physical condition, muscular, alert appearance.
KORAT (34)
Body Colour - Any shade of blue all over, tipped with silver, the more silver tipping the better. Without shading or tabby markings. Allowance should be made for ghost tabby markings in kittens. When the coat is short the silver sheen is intensified. Silver tipping develops throughout kittenhood and adolescence to full intensity at about two years old.
Nose Leather and Lips - Dark blue or lavender.
Paw Pads - Dark blue ranging to lavender with pinkish tinge.
Eye Colour - Brilliant green, but amber cast acceptable. Kittens and adolescents up to two years have yellow or amber to amber-green eyes.
With thanks to Jen Lacey for her help and information
Mystery Appearance
Officially Korats first came to the west in 1959 when Mrs Jean Johnson imported a pair to the USA. There is though an intriguing reference over fifty years earlier to a blue cat from Siam in Britain in 1896. It was exhibited as a Siamese cat, but had the ignominy of being disqualified by one of the most famous early cat fancier judges, artist Louis Wain. The reason given was that its colouring was not the accepted biscuity fawn. The only blue cat of Siam is, of course, our Korat.
Stunning Looks
An adult Korat can be breathtakingly beautiful. Large, luminous, green eyes, that seem oversized for the heart-shaped face, gaze appealingly. A blue coat with an abundance of tipping gives a halo effect as the light gleams on the silver sheen. The males show muscular power and, though the females are often smaller and dainty in appearance, both sexes surprise those who lift them as they are far more solid in substance than appearance suggests.
Choosing a kitten for looks though is just about impossible with this breed. Korats are slow maturing, and kittens and adolescents are often ugly ducklings, with dark, rather fluffy coats and amber coloured eyes; the mature ‘swan’ taking three/four years to blossom.
An Interactive Companion
Do not choose this breed for its looks alone. The Korat is not for you if you are desirous of the merely decorative. They wish to be involved in the lives of their people and are truly companions. There has to be a reciprocal commitment on the part of the new owner. All of us who have owned them know how our lives were changed when Korats arrived. Their natural intelligence, liveliness and playfulness is their charm and the new owner must know of this, and be ready to give time and love, which will then be repaid a hundredfold.
Korats love to play. They like to have a store of small toys to give a variety of activities. Some will retrieve small objects and carry them around - though they don’t necessarily remember where they dropped them last. Balls provide lots of fun, so do things on strings that can be jumped for. Korats are lithe and active athletes. Enthusiastic climbing comes instinctively too, a strong tiered climbing/scratching post is a recommended accessory.
Long Healthy Lives
The policy of only Korat x Korat breeding has not brought problems, probably because new bloodlines directly from Thailand have always been part of the breeding programmes in western countries. The Korat may be a minority breed but it’s strongly supported by its international community of breeders. This made it possible for our cats to be tested when genetic screening for a known inherited disease was offered. The first cat breed to be involved in this advancement of science, and wonderful to find no affected cats in the UK. The lifespan of the Korat is exactly that of the domestic pet, barring accidents many live until their late teen, some into their early twenties.
Beautiful, active,companionable and long lived. It’s not really surprising that in my 31 years of breeding I’ve often been asked for another Korat from a bereaved owner, ‘because nothing else could be the same’. I have to agree wholeheartedly
The Thai Blue Point & Thai Lilac.
Although the name Korat is only given to the blue cat of Thailand and no outcrossing has taken place, recessive colour genes have been carried from their country of origin. From time to time Korats had non-blue kittens and some GCCF breeders chose to work with them.
They were given their own identities, rather being seen as substandard Korats. The Thai Blue Points looks remarkably like old fashioned Siamese and the Thai Lilacs, is a solid lilac cat with some of the Korat silvery sheen to its coat. It is only in appearance that they are different from their parent breed. Temperament and requirements don’t vary. However they are perhaps harder to find so you may have to wait for your special kitten of these rare breeds. It will be worth it, I promise.
GCCF Standard of Points for the KORAT and THAI GROUP
GCCF Standard of Points for the Korat and Thai
Foreign type of medium build, firm, lithe and muscular, never large or coarse. The body to be of a medium length, with a medium length tapering tail. Females are more dainty in appearance, but should not be undersized. The two most distinctive features of the Korat should be its large, green eyes and the coat's silvery sheen. The Korat can be a very vocal cat, but this does not usually indicate aggression.
Head - When viewed from the front, the head is heart-shaped, with breadth between and across the eyes, gently curving to a well developed but neither sharply pointed nor squared muzzle. Forehead large, flat.
Nose - Short and with slight downward curve. In profile there is a slight stop between forehead and nose.
Chin and Jaw - Strong.
Ears - Large and with a rounded tip and large flare at base, set high on head, giving an alert expression. Inside ears sparsely furnished.
Eyes - Large and luminous, particularly prominent. Wide open and oversized for the face; eye aperture, which appears as well rounded when fully open but has Asian slant when closed or partially closed.
Body - Medium-sized body, strong, muscular and semi-cobby. Medium bone structure; males powerful, females should be smaller and dainty. Back carried in a gentle, natural curve.
Legs and Paws - Legs should be well-proportioned to body and paws oval. Five toes in front, four at back.
Tail - Medium in length, heavier at the base, tapering to a rounded tip.
Coat - Single. Hair is short to medium in length, glossy and fine and lying close to body. The coat over the spine is inclined to break as the cat moves.
Condition - Perfect physical condition, muscular, alert appearance.
KORAT (34)
Body Colour - Any shade of blue all over, tipped with silver, the more silver tipping the better. Without shading or tabby markings. Allowance should be made for ghost tabby markings in kittens. When the coat is short the silver sheen is intensified. Silver tipping develops throughout kittenhood and adolescence to full intensity at about two years old.
Nose Leather and Lips - Dark blue or lavender.
Paw Pads - Dark blue ranging to lavender with pinkish tinge.
Eye Colour - Brilliant green, but amber cast acceptable. Kittens and adolescents up to two years have yellow or amber to amber-green eyes.
With thanks to Jen Lacey for her help and information
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OrientalThe Oriental Shorthair was derived from the Siamese and has the same conformation and character but does not show the Siamese pattern instead being a single pattern and / or colour all over.
It is a beautifully balanced animal with head and ears carried on a slender neck and with a long svelte body supported on fine legs and feet and with a whipped tail. The head is long and well proportioned with a wide top, which narrows in a perfectly straight wedge to a fine muzzle. It should not, however, be exaggerated in length. The ears should extend the lines of the wedge. The eyes are oriental in shape, slanting towards the nose, and in all but one variety they are green in colour. The exception is the Foreign White, which is the all white variety, which has blue eye colour. |
The coat is very short and fine in texture; it is glossy and lies close to the body.
The earliest colour to be developed was the Chestnut Brown, an all chocolate-coloured cat which was subsequently named the Havana, the name which it retains to the present day.
All the other varieties are prefixed with the name Oriental (except White) to indicate their family relationship. The Oriental Lilac, the dilute version of the Havana, was the next to be bred since which time the colours have been expanded to include also Black, Blue, Red, Cream, Apricot, Cinnamon, Fawn and Caramel.
All these colours also come in a range of patterns which include the Tortoiseshell, where the base colour is mixed with red or cream, the tabbies in which the pattern may be Spotted, Classic, Mackerel or Ticked and these can also have the silver gene in which there is a silvery white undercoat as does the Smoke and the Shaded (a tipped cat) also has a paler undercoat, silvered or not, depending whether it has a silver gene or not.
Like the Siamese the Oriental is an intelligent, curious cat that makes its presence known. They love to talk to their human companions and expect a reply. They want to be part of the family and enjoy playing games like fetch with a ball of scrunched up paper. Orientals need to be kept amused with toys and do not like to be left alone so if you are out at work all day another Oriental is probably a good idea. As they are such curious creatures it is not ideal to allow them to roam outside as their curiosity can get them into trouble but they are often happy to be indoor cats as long as they have plenty of company.
ORIENTAL LONGHAIRS
The complete range of colours is also present in the Oriental Longhair, which is the Semi-longhair version of the Oriental. It has the same type as the shorthaired cat but the coat is medium long, glossy, fine and silky in texture with no undercoat. It lies flat along the back of the body whilst on the chin, neck and underside there is a tendency to frill. The longer parts of the coat may be waived. The tail is plume-like.
In all other respects the Longhair mirrors the Oriental Shorthair, with the addition of the Green & Odd-eyed White.
An Oriental Bicolour cat has recently been introduced which has white patches superimposed on the Oriental and Siamese patterns
ORIENTAL SECTION
including Oriental Shorthair, Oriental Bicolour and Oriental Longhair
GCCF Standard of Points for the ORIENTAL SHORTHAIR
FOREIGN WHITE (35)
The Foreign White should be a beautifully balanced animal with head, ears and neck carried on a long svelte body, supported on fine legs and feet, with a tail in proportion. The head and profile should be wedge-shaped, neither round nor pointed. The eyes a clear brilliant blue. Expression alert and intelligent.
Head - Long and well proportioned, carried upon an elegant neck, with width between the ears, narrowing in straight lines to a fine muzzle, with straight profile, strong chin and level bite.
Ears - Large and pricked, set so as to follow the lines of the wedge.
Eyes - Oriental in shape and slanting; clear brilliant blue, the deeper the better.
Body - Long and slender, the rump carried higher than the shoulders. Well muscled and elegant.
Legs and Paws - Legs long and proportionately slender, paws neat and oval.
Tail - Long and tapering, whip-like, without kink.
Coat - Pure white, short and close-lying.
Nose Leather, Eye Rims and Paw Pads - Pink.
Note: ‘Freckles’ may appear on nose, pads, lips and eye rims. Slight freckling in a mature cat should not be penalised.
Thank you to Jan Hirst & the Oriental Cat Association for their help and information.
The earliest colour to be developed was the Chestnut Brown, an all chocolate-coloured cat which was subsequently named the Havana, the name which it retains to the present day.
All the other varieties are prefixed with the name Oriental (except White) to indicate their family relationship. The Oriental Lilac, the dilute version of the Havana, was the next to be bred since which time the colours have been expanded to include also Black, Blue, Red, Cream, Apricot, Cinnamon, Fawn and Caramel.
All these colours also come in a range of patterns which include the Tortoiseshell, where the base colour is mixed with red or cream, the tabbies in which the pattern may be Spotted, Classic, Mackerel or Ticked and these can also have the silver gene in which there is a silvery white undercoat as does the Smoke and the Shaded (a tipped cat) also has a paler undercoat, silvered or not, depending whether it has a silver gene or not.
Like the Siamese the Oriental is an intelligent, curious cat that makes its presence known. They love to talk to their human companions and expect a reply. They want to be part of the family and enjoy playing games like fetch with a ball of scrunched up paper. Orientals need to be kept amused with toys and do not like to be left alone so if you are out at work all day another Oriental is probably a good idea. As they are such curious creatures it is not ideal to allow them to roam outside as their curiosity can get them into trouble but they are often happy to be indoor cats as long as they have plenty of company.
ORIENTAL LONGHAIRS
The complete range of colours is also present in the Oriental Longhair, which is the Semi-longhair version of the Oriental. It has the same type as the shorthaired cat but the coat is medium long, glossy, fine and silky in texture with no undercoat. It lies flat along the back of the body whilst on the chin, neck and underside there is a tendency to frill. The longer parts of the coat may be waived. The tail is plume-like.
In all other respects the Longhair mirrors the Oriental Shorthair, with the addition of the Green & Odd-eyed White.
An Oriental Bicolour cat has recently been introduced which has white patches superimposed on the Oriental and Siamese patterns
ORIENTAL SECTION
including Oriental Shorthair, Oriental Bicolour and Oriental Longhair
GCCF Standard of Points for the ORIENTAL SHORTHAIR
FOREIGN WHITE (35)
The Foreign White should be a beautifully balanced animal with head, ears and neck carried on a long svelte body, supported on fine legs and feet, with a tail in proportion. The head and profile should be wedge-shaped, neither round nor pointed. The eyes a clear brilliant blue. Expression alert and intelligent.
Head - Long and well proportioned, carried upon an elegant neck, with width between the ears, narrowing in straight lines to a fine muzzle, with straight profile, strong chin and level bite.
Ears - Large and pricked, set so as to follow the lines of the wedge.
Eyes - Oriental in shape and slanting; clear brilliant blue, the deeper the better.
Body - Long and slender, the rump carried higher than the shoulders. Well muscled and elegant.
Legs and Paws - Legs long and proportionately slender, paws neat and oval.
Tail - Long and tapering, whip-like, without kink.
Coat - Pure white, short and close-lying.
Nose Leather, Eye Rims and Paw Pads - Pink.
Note: ‘Freckles’ may appear on nose, pads, lips and eye rims. Slight freckling in a mature cat should not be penalised.
Thank you to Jan Hirst & the Oriental Cat Association for their help and information.
RussianThe Russian is a cat of elegant "foreign" type without the exaggerated elongation of the Oriental Breeds. It has an even, gentle temperament.
The body is long and graceful, strong boned and well muscled. The head has a medium wedge with an angled profile and prominent whisker pads which create a gentle expression. The ears are set high on the head, which are large and pointed and vertical. The eyes are vivid green, set wide apart and almond in shape. The most characteristic feature of the breed is the coat which is a clear blue, even throughout, with a distinct silvery sheen. It is a double coat with a very dense undercoat, the whole coat being very fine and short, soft with no harsh feel to it. A Black and a White version are bred from time to time but have never captured the imagination as the blue variety can and are only seen occasionally on the show bench. The Russian White has now been recognised in its own rights. |
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GCCF Standard of Points for the Russian
The Russian is a cat of elegant foreign type without the exaggerated elongation of the Oriental. Its high ears, green almond-shaped eyes, angled profile and prominent whisker pads create a distinctive gentle expression which, together with its essential velvety double coat, gives the breed its unique charm.
Head - The wedge from tip of nose to eyes is short. The distance from eyes to ears should be equal to or slightly longer than the wedge. The top of the head should appear flat between the ears. The whisker pads are prominent giving a broad end to the head.
In profile the forehead should appear straight to the level of the upper edge of the eye. The profile from here to the tip of the nose has such a shallow concave curve that it appears virtually straight. This creates a distinctive angle level with the upper edge of the eye. There must be no stop, break or nose bump, nor must there be a straight profile from top of head to nose tip. The tip of the chin should line up with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane. The chin should be strong and deep with a level bite. The back of the head should not fall away.
In kittens the top of the head may appear more rounded and the profile angle may not be as well developed.
Ears - Large and pointed, wide at the base and set vertically to the head. The ear placement is such that the outer line of the ears continues the line of the upper part of the face, although in mature males with jowls this will be less apparent. There should be little inside hair.
Eyes - Vivid green. Set rather wide apart, almond in shape, not small and deep set. In kittens allowance should be made for eye colour.
Body - Long and graceful in outline and carriage. Medium strong bone, well muscled. Cobby or heavy build undesirable. The females may be slightly smaller than the males but should also be well muscled.
Legs and Feet - Long legs. Feet small and oval.
Tail - Moderately long and in proportion to the body. Tapering, neither blunt-ended nor whip.
Coat - The coat is double with a very dense undercoat; the whole coat is very fine, short and soft with no harsh feel to it, very different in texture from any other breed and the truest criterion of the Russian.
Condition and Temperament - In the Russian the condition and temperament of the cat are important considerations.
Note: We are looking for an even-tempered cat and it is hoped that Judges will distinguish between a balanced but temporarily upset or frightened cat and a cat with extreme or aggressive temperament. The latter is most undesirable in the breed and should not be encouraged.
The Russian is a cat of elegant foreign type without the exaggerated elongation of the Oriental. Its high ears, green almond-shaped eyes, angled profile and prominent whisker pads create a distinctive gentle expression which, together with its essential velvety double coat, gives the breed its unique charm.
Head - The wedge from tip of nose to eyes is short. The distance from eyes to ears should be equal to or slightly longer than the wedge. The top of the head should appear flat between the ears. The whisker pads are prominent giving a broad end to the head.
In profile the forehead should appear straight to the level of the upper edge of the eye. The profile from here to the tip of the nose has such a shallow concave curve that it appears virtually straight. This creates a distinctive angle level with the upper edge of the eye. There must be no stop, break or nose bump, nor must there be a straight profile from top of head to nose tip. The tip of the chin should line up with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane. The chin should be strong and deep with a level bite. The back of the head should not fall away.
In kittens the top of the head may appear more rounded and the profile angle may not be as well developed.
Ears - Large and pointed, wide at the base and set vertically to the head. The ear placement is such that the outer line of the ears continues the line of the upper part of the face, although in mature males with jowls this will be less apparent. There should be little inside hair.
Eyes - Vivid green. Set rather wide apart, almond in shape, not small and deep set. In kittens allowance should be made for eye colour.
Body - Long and graceful in outline and carriage. Medium strong bone, well muscled. Cobby or heavy build undesirable. The females may be slightly smaller than the males but should also be well muscled.
Legs and Feet - Long legs. Feet small and oval.
Tail - Moderately long and in proportion to the body. Tapering, neither blunt-ended nor whip.
Coat - The coat is double with a very dense undercoat; the whole coat is very fine, short and soft with no harsh feel to it, very different in texture from any other breed and the truest criterion of the Russian.
Condition and Temperament - In the Russian the condition and temperament of the cat are important considerations.
Note: We are looking for an even-tempered cat and it is hoped that Judges will distinguish between a balanced but temporarily upset or frightened cat and a cat with extreme or aggressive temperament. The latter is most undesirable in the breed and should not be encouraged.
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