Oriental Cat
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Cat Facts:
Breed Type: Man-made
Body Type: Slim bodied
Coat Type: Longhair and Shorthair
Size: Medium
Temperament: Highly active and needs lots of attention. talkative.Highly inquisitive and curious, and will be very inventive at getting at what they’re after. This cat will be a close companion. Likes to perch high. Likes to chose its own toys.
Colors: All, but not pointed.
Origins:
As a Siamese-derived breed the Oriental originated from crossing Siamese cats with American short hairs, Russian blues, Burmese and Abyssinians in England during the 1950s. Then in the 1960s the breed was perfected in America creating a Siamese looking cat with its svelte body style, head type and personality in a variety of colors.
After the oriental was accepted in 1977 by the CFA its popularity increased to being the fourth most popular breed by registration totals.
Breed Pros and Cons
Pros
- Has more than 300 color and pattern combinations
- They are natural entertainers; full of enthusiasm and energy
- Extremely people oriented and trusting
Cons
- Can become distressed or depressed if left alone too often
- Not for cat-lovers who want their cats seen but not heard
- Usually bonds with only one preferred person
October 30, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
Caroline Dorr said,
My Oriental is the love of my life. The bit about being very inventive to get what they after is sooo true. My cat worked how to get the fridge open by using his 2 front paws as hands. He then pulls out a few things until he finds what he is after, e.g tonight’s steaks, drags them down the passage underneath the spare bed. We now have a latch on the fridge!
So incredibly intelligent, never a dull or lonely moment when he is around, a true companion.
December 10, 2009 @ 2:23 am
david said,
i lived on a boat,my oriental would get very upset if i went in the dinghy fishing without her.one time dived in the sea to folow.the boat would bounce along with her hanging on for grim death, but loved it.always pulling fish out of the bucket. she had to go on valium when i finally moved into a house! just wants to be your best mate.
May 26, 2010 @ 9:00 pm
Claudia said,
My little oriental was found in a box somewhere
and was rescued and given to me.
Best cats in the world, so friendly and energetic
but he’s not too overly affectionate; which
a lot of cats are. Never need bug spray in my
house if master hunter is around! haha
Strangest obsession of his would have to be
him wanting to be in the bathroom every time
I have a shower. strange but true
August 2, 2010 @ 12:26 pm
Lauren said,
My oriental is very tiny. She is three years old and weighs four pounds, and is white with powder blue eyes. She is very talkative, and catches ever bug she can find. She also never lets me have a bath or shower without being in the room. She is a very much a carnivore, she steals meat off my plate. She is also very curious. She is the best cat I have ever had, hands down.
September 6, 2010 @ 9:41 am
Kat said,
My daughter gave me a Siamese (that some idiot gave up to the SPCA). I didn’t want a cat, but my daughter felt that I needed company, so she picked out Pax.
I was a little unsure at first. A cat . . . okay. They’re easy pets and not very demanding. But a Siamese? My only experience with orientals, as far as I knew, was with a very vocal, extremely territorial Siamese owned by family friends and she absolutely terrified me! Now I realize that she was a phenomenal cat and that I was terrified because 1.) I was a child and got my opinions from the adults around me and 2.) because she was a very odd cat, getting in my face and yowling and following me around. Now I realize her behavior was actually quite a complement, because she usually hated strangers. In retrospect, I now realize she liked me! I figured this out after getting to know Pax. And my daughter was right: Pax was the purrrrrrrrrfect choice. She is . . . well I don’t have to tell you what she’s like and about all of her antics if you know anything about Siamese.
Recently, however, my daughter moved in with me and brought her two cats. Motoko is solid black with very light eyes and she has always been an people-attention seeker too. We all thought she was a DSH. Now we wonder if she is actually more Siamese than whatever else is in her background.
At first Pax and Motoko HATED each other, but both were just fine with the other cat (a huge neutered male orange tabby). It seemed that Motoko and Pax sought each other out a lot - only to then get into a fight!
Lately the girls started getting along and are now best friends, UNLESS one of them is being petted by the other one’s favorite human.
And now we are absolutely certain that Motoko’s heritage is mostly oriental. She is vocal; she follows her humans around; she opens doors and other amazine things that the tabby doesn’t even seem to get - but Pax does. And the girls are teaching each other their tricks!
We never thought of getting Pax a companion because she is so people oriented, but now that I am going back to work I think I may give that some thought. But one thing is certain: Pax will play a big role in choosing her new friend.