Oriental Cats & Oriental Cat Breeders
Orientals are long, slender, stylised cats. They are lively, talkative and intelligent and are very attached to their people. All of the members of this breed group have the same physical standard. What makes the Oriental Shorthair distinct from the rest of the Siamese group is their wide array of colours. The Havana, Oriental Lilac and Foreign White were the first of the Oriental breeds to be recognised.
Oriental Shorthairs are a very lively, elegant and colourful cat, in every sense. These are not cats for people who want to live a quite life but they are wonderful for people who want an interactive and amusing pet and a truly devoted companion.
The Oriental Longhair (formerly known as the Angora, and also known as the Javanese in some countries), is the longhaired version of the Oriental Shorthair just as the Balinese is the longhaired version of the Siamese. Alternatively, it could be considered to be the full coloured version of the Balinese in the same way as the Oriental Shorthair is the full coloured equivalent of the Siamese. The Oriental Longhair has a semi-long coat which drapes over the elegant body. The tail should be plume-like and the ears may be tufted.
Oriental cats - Personality
Orientals, like the entire Siamese breed group, are lively, intelligent, sociable cats who love to play. Many of them are fetchers, returning their favourite fetch toy tirelessly to the hands of their human. They can amuse themselves for hours with an empty cardboard box. They do not grow out of their love of play, remaining kitten-like all their lives. No cupboard or high shelf is safe from these inquisitive, high-jumping cats. Many Orientals are talkative cats, telling you about their whole day and commenting on what you are doing. They have strong and distinctive personalities. Do not let their fine bones and slender appearance fool you! They are athletic and confident and are built like runners or dancers.
They hold their own against much larger cats and dogs, often ruling the roost. In general, an Oriental does not do well as an only cat. They do well with children, other cats, dogs, and lots of activity and commotion. They love attention and like to snuggle and sleep in a heap with their companions or under the covers with you.
Skip to Registered Oriental Breeder list >
The overall impression of these cats is that they are elegant, slender and graceful; they are long and lean and are natural athletes with a surprising weight of muscle on their narrow frame. They are generally not large cats, though they are long and tall. This domestic cat is low maintenance in the grooming department.
Obviously, like any longhaired cat, the Oriental Longhair will require regular grooming although their silky and fine coat will not tangle or mat and so just needs a gentle comb-through.
The average weight of the Oriental Shorthair is between 8 and 14 lbs and they have a long life expectancy of between 12 to 15 years.
Check our listings for Kittens for sale here and click on the links to our breeders below to go to their profile page. You can also click here to search for Registered Oriental Breeders by location.
Oriental cats - Health
Although most Oriental Longhairs live long and healthy lives, there are a number of disorders that seem to be associated with the Oriental family – those similar to the Siamese as they are closely related. Flat chested kitten syndrome has been seen in Orientals.
An eye problem called progressive retinal atrophy, which causes progressive blindness, has also been identified in this breed. Fortunately, reliable DNA tests are available and prospective owners should ask breeders if their cats have been tested and are clear of the problem.
Hepatic Amyloidosis refers to the deposition of amyloid in the liver. Familial amyloidosis has been described in certain breeds of cats, including the Oriental.
If you are a small scale registered breeder and would like to be listed here, just contact us or follow a few simple steps to add your details yourself.
We welcome helpful comments and contributions to information about this breed by email
Registered Oriental Breeders
At Barradene we have been ... read more
FELV & FIV negative.
Kittens lovingly house reared - inclined to be ... read more
We have been breeding ... read more
Taking kittens application form for the waitlist on www.piticascreche.com.au/kittenapplication
Pitica's ... read more
PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST WILL ALWAYS GET FIRST OPTION TO ADOPT OUR AVAILABLE KITTENS.
Rislani is a small cattery based ... read more
Breeding for health, temperament and ... read more