Whether still or in motion, Orientals are strikingly lithe and elegant. Their angular heads join sleek, svelte bodies and long legs, but they're considerably heavier and sturdier than they look. These cats have been bred specifically to explore coat variations, so they come in more than 600 color, pattern, and hair length combinations. However, shorthairs are the breed standard (a few cat associations classify Longhair Orientals as a separate breed). Their eyes are almost always green, although white Orientals' eyes are sometimes blue or other colors, and they have large triangular ears.
Orientals are highly intelligent and very curious creatures. They climb, jump, open drawers and cabinets, and do everything in their power to explore
These cats are healthy, enthusiastic, energetic, and extroverted and require a lot of attention. They make their needs and wants known vocally and physically. Orientals must be in homes where they have plenty of companionship and attention. They do well as single pets, but they can also be paired with very active cats or some dogs; they easily annoy animals that are less active than they are.
Orientals become extremely attached to their favorite people. In fact, they will experience great difficulty if they're hospitalized, boarded, left with unfamiliar people, or if they lose a cherished human.
Orientals are some of the most loyal cats around, and they expect loyalty in return from their human family. These cats don't just want attention, they truly need it, and their feelings get hurt when they don't get it. They stick close to their favorite person, but aren't too fond of staying put in a lap.
These cats are playful and active, and they don't mind commotion. In fact, they often seek it out. They do best in homes where they are the only pet, and it's hit-or-miss to place them with children. Any other animals in the house must be equally active. Orientals are ideally suited for families who want to interact often with an energetic cat.
Orientals nag, interfere, and vocalize when they want attention. Patience for this personality type is a must. These cats don't fare well when they're left in an unfamiliar setting without their favorite person. They tend to bond very strongly with one family member, and they may become upset if they are away from this person for a prolonged period.
The Oriental breed is a healthy one. When individuals are well cared for, their lifespans can exceed 15 years. A proper diet, an appropriate caloric intake, daily exercise, and annual or semiannual veterinary checkups all contribute to the health and longevity of these cats.
In addition to periodontal disease, Orientals are genetically predisposed to a few other health conditions. They may inherit a neurological defect that causes crossed eyes. These cats also have increased risk of developing hepatic amyloidosis, which causes liver dysfunction and sometimes failure.
Dilated cardiomyopathy is another health problem that runs through the Oriental's bloodline. This condition inhibits contractions of the heart. Bladder stones and mast cell cancer have also been reported in the Oriental breed.
Orientals are highly intelligent and very curious creatures. They climb, jump, open drawers and cabinets, and do everything in their power to explore. These cats can learn to walk on a leash or harness, play fetch and other games like fetch, and perform tricks.
Teaching tricks and providing puzzle toys are good forms of stimulation for Orientals. They respond well to feline agility training, too. However, nothing is more important for these cats than a lifetime commitment to lots of love, affection, and interaction.
It's crucial that Orientals are extensively socialized from the time they're young. This helps build resistance to stress, and it minimizes the separation anxiety these cats are so susceptible to. Without interaction with many people from early on, these cats can become devastated when they lose their family or favorite person, or even when they are temporarily left somewhere unfamiliar.
Shorthair Orientals are about as low-maintenance as cats come, and Longhair Orientals don't require much daily grooming, either. To prevent tangles and matting, a rubber curry brush should be used on Shorthairs once per week and a stainless steel comb on Longhairs twice per week.
Orientals are relatively light shedders. Along with brushings or combings, a rubdown with a damp cloth works well to remove loose hair. Bathing is generally not recommended unless it becomes necessary due to soiling with a sticky, stubborn, or toxic substance.
This breed is prone to periodontal disease, so dental hygiene is important. An Oriental's teeth should be brushed regularly with feline toothpaste. Professional cleanings twice each year are also beneficial. Other grooming is standard cat care; the ears need cleaning every week or so with a gentle otic cleanser and cotton balls. The tips of the claws should also be clipped once every 10 to 14 days.
The Oriental breed originated as a solid colored Siamese. As such, mentions of these cats date back to the late 1800s. However, the cats known today as Orientals are considered to have come about in England in the 1950s and 1960s, when breeders became interested in creating Siamese cats with more color and pattern variations.
To achieve this goal, English breeders began crossing Siamese cats with Russian Blues and British and domestic Shorthairs. In the late 1960s, American breeders got in the game, adding Abyssinian genes into the mix. The Siamese body type and personality was never sacrificed for the benefit of colors or patterns as breed development progressed.
In the 1970s, breeders introduced Balinese cats into the Oriental line to create Longhair Orientals. Today, the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) considers both Shorthairs and Longhairs to be the same breed. However, The International Cat Association (TICA) and the American Cat Fanciers' Association (ACFA) classify the two types as different breeds.
The CFA accepted the Oriental Shorthair for registration in 1972 and for championship status in 1977. It added the Oriental Longhair in 1995. The Longhair Oriental's first recognition as a breed came in 1985 from TICA.
