Everything you need to know about oriental cats and cats

Oriental cats are a breed that was officially recognized in 1977 in the United States. Having seen the face of an animal once, it is difficult not to fall in love with huge eyes, big ears and a wide nose. The breed has a muscular, slender body and a slender long tail. Cats of this breed are very curious and strongly attached to their owners.

It all began at the end of the 19th century, when the ancestors of the Oriental were taken from Thailand to England along with Siamese cats. The first mention of painted Siamese dates back to 1903. Fans of this type of cats tried to decide the fate of the show, a new breed for the European continent. Disputes in the ranks of felinologists lasted until 1923. It all came to a halt after the ruling of the Siamese Cat Club in Britain, which reported that the organization does not support the breeding of other breeds. Thus, monochromatic cats were excluded from the Siamese class, work on a new species stopped.

In the mid-50s of the twentieth century, the cat Havana Brown Roofspringer Mahogany Quinn was brought to the American cattery Quinn from England, with which the American history of orientals began. Two years later, Havana Brown takes the standard and receives the CFA title.

The "chocolate" cat is registered as a separate breed of Havana Brown, while breeders manage to fully preserve its uniqueness. The original color is an important pedigree trait. In the European part of the world, this color is lost due to mixing with the Siamese.

American felinologists went further.After the company for the recognition of other colors in 1977, orientals finally take their place on the list of approved international cat breeds. In 1995, a breakthrough came for bi-colors - cats with a two-tone color. The long-haired gene is introduced into the breed. Two years later, this type of oriental receives the title of champion in the CFA. The animal has a slender flexible body, outwardly looks graceful, while it has developed muscles.

Oriental cats are similar to Siamese cats by standards, but differ in color and type. They have the same characteristics, description of body structure and character. Animals have an unusual head shape with large ears, a medium-sized body.

The weight of the female reaches 3 kg, the males are slightly heavier - up to 5 kg. The height at the withers is 25 cm, the length of the body is no more than 90 cm. The Oriental has a large number of colors.

For orientals, there are the following generally accepted standards:

• head the animal has the shape of a narrowing wedge;
• eyes usually almond-shaped, the color is most often green, but blue is allowed in white orientals; if the eyes are of different colors, then such animals do not participate in exhibitions or breeding; by American standards, they should be oval and spaced evenly to each other in relation to the nose, the eyes should not be protruding; newborn kittens are born blind, but in Oriental cats they open their eyes earlier than other breeds - 8-9 days; kittens' eyes are gray-blue, after 2-3 months they turn green;
• ears immediately attract attention: wide at the base and pointed at the tips, they look as if the animal is in an alert state; eared muzzles attract attention, kittens look especially interesting; in orientals, there is the so-called early growth of ears in the first 3 months of life, then the body and head catch up with them in proportions;
• body combines graceful bones and developed muscles, the abdomen is characterized by tightness;
• neck corresponds to the structure of the cat as a whole - in males and females it looks the same - slender and long;
• hind legs longer than the front;
• fur in an animal it shines, silky to the touch; the pile fits snugly against the cat's body.

The disadvantages of cats include squint, hollows between the eyes, snub nose. If there is a so-called straight line fracture between the forehead and nose, then this also refers to disadvantages - according to the rules, only a straight line is allowed.

Many owners note the talkativeness of their favorites. They have a habit of constantly giving voice, various signs, and also try not to lose sight of people. Where the owner goes, the cat immediately moves there. Animals have a playful character, they are happy to indulge in feline fun in the form of chasing a ball or hunting for a rustling piece of paper. They can play catch-up and hide-and-seek with the owner. Not only kittens like to do this, but also more adult individuals.

If an oriental cat appears in the house, do not expect that she will doze, curled up in a ball in a secluded place... The animal, of course, can lie down in between activities, but its place of rest will be the master's table, computer, stereo system, pillow, bed, back of the sofa.

Cats can ruin things in the apartment due to their violent energy, therefore it is necessary to provide the pet with toys and other entertainments in the form of a house with areas for climbing and jumping.

Orientals are very curious. They participate in all the events that can take place in the house.They love to meet guests, they will definitely follow what the person is doing in the kitchen, and they will also ask to enter the room if the door suddenly closes in front of their noses. Cats of this breed are great for children and get along well with them. You don't have to worry that the oriental will scratch your child. They will never allow their claws to be released, even if they are going through not the most pleasant moments of playing with their tail.

Any breed has its own pros and cons. Orientals are no exception. The breed has an equal number of advantages along with disadvantages. This cat is not suitable for everyone, so you need to know and be ready for the manifestations of her stubborn character and temperament. The owners point out a few downsides to orientals.

• They are very capricious and used to getting their way.... If the pet wants to play, and the owner decides to rest at this moment, then he will have to give in to the animal. They love to be in the spotlight. Due to their curiosity, they can climb into hard-to-reach places, they like to conquer new peaks - therefore, they can jump on cabinets and curtains. If you start to train them, then all attempts will be unsuccessful. You cannot punish them, let alone beat them. You just need to take the character of the animal for granted.
• It is necessary to understand that oriental cats are restless "couch" pillows, like Persians or chinchillas. Even after having a good meal, the Oriental will not warm the sides under the sun on the windowsill. The animal loves outdoor activities.
• The claws of this breed grow very quickly.... They need to be trimmed, so kittens need to be taught to use the scratching post from the very first days of their appearance in the house. If this is not done, then the animal will grind its claws on furniture, wallpaper or curtains.
• Orientals love to eat well and are not picky about their food at all. However, the breed needs to be given a portion in a limited amount to keep the animal slender. The calculation is carried out according to the following scheme: 30 grams of food per 1 kilogram of the pet's weight. You need to feed the animal 2 times a day. Cats are very smart and will plaintively or, on the contrary, impudently beg for an additional portion.
• Another disadvantage is the high price for pedigree kittens. Although thanks to this, people make the purchase of a future pet consciously.
• Orientals are susceptible to diseases that are passed along with genes... One of them is gingivitis, so you need to constantly monitor the state of the animal's oral cavity. Retinal atrophy and blindness are common.

Now it is worth considering the merits of the breed.

• Orientals are wonderful companions... They constantly "talk" with their owners, showing emotions. They are very loyal, they do not tolerate loneliness and betrayal.
• These cats sense the mood of the owner and try to adapt their behavior to it. They closely monitor the actions of the owner and try to be close.
• They have a stunning appearance. Having seen them once, it is difficult to forget them later. Cats have almost no undercoat, and the coat itself is very short.
• The cat behaves well on a leash. It is best if the animal is in a harness. It will not try to escape, but there is still no need to let go of the Oriental alone.
• He enthusiastically plays with everythingthat rustles and rolls, using a variety of objects for this. Funny pet games will not leave anyone indifferent.

Life expectancy with good care can reach 18–20 years, on average - from 13 to 15 years. It all depends on heredity and compliance with the rules of crossing.Orientals are considered centenarians among other feline breeds. If we translate the age limit of oriental cats to an analogue of a human, then they live to the old 92 years.

Oriental or Oriental cats can be of any color. It can be coat color or pattern. Based on this, animals can look different. At the same time, cats also differ in the length of the coat: there are short-haired and long-haired species. The latter appeared as a result of crossing of Oriental short-haired cats and Balineese. In another way, this type of feline is called tangerines. The body of the animals looks like that of the Balinese, and the color is like that of the Oriental, but the coat is semi-long.

This species is rare, although it was recognized by international felinological organizations. The body of these cats looks more robust compared to the short-haired species. Otherwise, it differs little from the accepted oriental standards. At the same time, the wool of animals fits snugly to the body and visually seems shorter, in fact, it is long and silky to the touch, has an undercoat. It is necessary to comb out twice a week, during the molting period - preferably every day. In this form, the most valuable in color are chocolate and lilac shades.

Oriental cats have about 300 types of color, but there are the following so-called basic shades:

• ebonite - refers to animals with black hair; representatives of this species have green eyes and resemble a panther;
• havana - in this species, the nose and coat should have a uniform brown color, the cushions on the paws, respectively, are pink-brown;
• lavender or purple - gray wool, so-called frosty bloom may be present, which should not cast blue shades;
• blue - evenly colored hair from nose to tail tip;
• cinnamon - the coat is light brown, while the nose of the animal and the pads on the paws are pink;
• faun - this color includes the following shades: wool beige and light gray in combination with pink nose and pads on the paws;
• ginger - coat with a uniform red tint, nose and pads of a pale pink color;
• cream - wool is close in color to pastel shades; the tip of the nose and the pads are pink.

There are also subspecies in oriental colors.

• Solid. When the color goes evenly throughout the body of the cat. That is, the skin on the nose and legs is also the same color as the wool.
• Shaded. Animals have black hair on the back, but due to the undercoat, the color on the sides fades into a lighter color and completely lightens on the belly and tip of the tail.
• Smoke. In another way, it is called smoky. With a dark color, there is a light undercoat that is visible only when the animal is moving. It is difficult to determine from a photograph, so it is better to watch such a cat live.
• Parti-Color... This is a tortoiseshell color. As a rule, only cats possess it, but cats are a rare exception. Spots of a different color are evenly distributed over the coat. Most often, there are colors with cream or red spots.
• Bi-Color. Cats are usually monochromatic, except for the legs, belly, muzzle and chest, which are white. The eyes can be green and blue.
• Tabby. This is one of the common types, which in turn is also divided into subspecies. Cats of this type are very popular. The tabby color is characterized by the imposition of a certain pattern on the uniform color of the coat.

According to the drawings, tabbies are divided into the following types:

• brindle - the main stripe is located on the back, from which lighter stripes go down on the sides;
• spotted - in another way it can also be called leopard because of contrasting spots on the coat;
• marble - the most rare color; kittens are born only from "marble" parents who have a gene of such a pattern in their blood, the stripes go to the body's will and only further emphasize the refined silhouette of the animal, the babies very much resemble chipmunks;
• ticked - outwardly resembles a monochromatic animal, while each hair of wool is colored along its entire length; there are light and dark tones.

For cats of a solid color, another requirement: there should not be any spots or marks of a different color. Oriental cats also have a special color.

In the photographs, such animals look very unusual due to the completely white color, without any hint of shades. The eyes in such cats can be green or blue, but eyes of different colors look especially exotic - one blue, the second green.

Special care of the breed is not required. Cats themselves are happy to watch their fur. But still, it's best to help the animal, combing it out twice a week with a rubber mitten during the shedding period. You can replace it with a damp cloth to pick up pieces of shedding wool. It is necessary to bathe the animal in rare cases. Usually before participating in an exhibition.

It is recommended to clean your ears once a week. The procedure is carried out with cotton swabs and a mild cleansing lotion or petroleum jelly. The eyes must be treated with a cotton pad moistened with water, which will clear them of mucus. Brushing your teeth is also a necessary procedure. Not every animal, especially if it has not been tamed since childhood, will allow someone to pick their teeth.

You will need a scratching post to take care of your nails. Once a month, it is necessary to shorten the claws by 2 mm or more, so as not to injure the animal. If at one time it does not work out, you can carry out the procedure for several days. Orientals are very fond of poking around in home flowers, tasting the leaves and stems. To prevent poisoning of the animal, plants such as dieffenbachia and azaleas you need to either remove it completely, or put it in an unattainable place.

Cats are very curious and fearless, therefore it is important to keep an eye on the windows and the balcony so that the animal does not fall off the floor... They quickly get used to the toilet. But if the kitten does not want to go to the litter box, then you need to understand the reasons. He may not be happy with the smells, especially if the tray is in the bathroom next to home chemicals. It may be that the animal's toilet is located in a prominent and noisy place for it.

Orientals are lovers of delicious food. They do not hesitate to grab the master's food from the table. But it must be remembered that the digestive system of such cats can not digest every product. Therefore, it is best to focus on industrial feed in the diet. Oriental cats prefer wet food over dry... It is best for owners to feed the animals mixed, alternating between canned and dried. It is strongly discouraged to mix both types.

You can feed your pet with natural food: treat with a piece of meat or fish, porridge in milk. But in this matter, too, you should not get carried away, since Orientals can refuse industrial feed, moreover, they are prone to obesity.

The cat should not gorge on for the future, so it is best to leave the required amount of food in the bowl. It is not necessary to feed the Oriental according to the schedule, since the animal will subconsciously prepare for a hunger strike and eat more food than it should. There must always be fresh water. You can feed the animal with vitamins and minerals. Veterinary stores have special complexes.

Breeding orientals requires experience. Finding a mating cat is half the battle. It is not a fact that the kittens will turn out to be exactly like a matched father. There are many nuances that experienced breeders know about.

• The oriental cat's heat is no different from other breeds. It is recommended to knit a pedigree cat at least once a year and not more often than once every six months. If a cat asks for a cat again in the presence of small kittens, then it is better to follow the pet's lead and bring her down again.
• The knitting process must be approached very responsibly, taking into account the right time and the right partner. If show-class kittens are required, then both parents must also be of the same level. However, there is no guarantee that the entire litter will meet the specified class.
• Only experienced breeders can determine the future fate of the litter - who is suitable for breeding or "goes" to the so-called pet class (not suitable for breeding and participation in exhibitions).
• A cat's pregnancy lasts from 58 to 70 days. Special care for the animal is not required, the only thing that will have to revise the nutritional norms by increasing the volume. You need to feed it with special food for pregnant and lactating cats. The belly begins to grow at 4 weeks, and already at 6-7 weeks you can feel the movement of the kittens. At the onset of the eighth week, it is necessary to prepare the place for the cat to give birth. It should be a secluded, peaceful place. Oriental births are not much different from others - she can lie quietly or run around the apartment, meowing. Childbirth can last from 2 to 6 hours.
• Kittens are usually delivered at the age of three months. When choosing a small oriental, you should pay attention to its appearance. The kitten should look healthy and nimble. The eyes and ears should be clean, without bleeding, and the coat should shine in sunlight.
• Upon purchase, the owner must hand over a metric or pedigree. If there are no documents, then, most likely, a mixed breed kitten. If the animal is purchased for breeding, then it is best to take it in a nursery. These are breed-class cats with good pedigrees.
• The castration of the animal is carried out at the age of 8 to 12 months.

For many, the cost of an animal seems prohibitive. It depends on the class and color of the cat's coat. For example, "chocolate" pet-class kittens are estimated from 25 thousand to 30 thousand rubles. If the same baby has shades of a faun or cinnamon, then its cost doubles: from 45 thousand to 60 thousand rubles. The most expensive price tag for animals with pedigrees intended for breeding. The price for one oriental kitten can reach 100 thousand rubles.

On the Internet, you can find a wide variety of reviews about orientals. Someone likes a cat, people, in spite of the problems brought by animals, continue to adore the pet. And someone complains that orientals are very talkative and intrusive.

Oriental owners can be divided into two camps. In one, people are touched by pranks and pranks - tattered wallpaper, night jogging on walls and curtains, a tour of the dining table and eating "sweets", exploring the shelves on the wardrobes - all this is simply amusing. Therefore, we can say that these cats are intended for people of a cheerful disposition who are easy on everyday problems. For other owners, orientals deliver only torment in the form of night screams, an offensive nature, theft from a garbage can and torn rolls of toilet paper. In short, there is dirt and disorder in the house. Becoming like an unusual species, people bought an animal, which, indeed, has not a simple character, as it seems to many.

The owners advise not to pamper the animal strongly, as it begins to become like a child for whom there are no barriers and nothing is possible. Cats are already demanding of themselves, and in this case they become very annoying until they get their way. Do not forget that any cat walks by itself, especially such an unusual one. In this breed it still makes itself felt independent character of the Siamese ancestor.

In the next video you will find more information about oriental cats and cats.