This breed was officially recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association in 1995. It can be found in a variety of colors and its long and silky hair makes it extraordinarily pretty. The most favorable characteristics of the Oriental Longhair cat are its beauty, easygoing mood, curiosity, and talkativeness. It feels perfect surrounded by its human family but likes to be dedicated to a single owner. It is like company versus being left alone.
Breed Overview
These cats are called by a few names, such as British Angora, Javanese, and Mandarin. They are friendly, sociable, talkative, and curious. Their weight can reach up to 12 pounds (5.4 kg) and up to 18 inches (45.7 cm) tall. The eye color may be green or blue. The pattern of the long coat of an Oriental Longhair is tabby, solid, bicolor, tortoiseshell, or color point. The lifespan is up to 15 years of age. These cats are not hypoallergenic. The country of origin is the UK.
Characteristics of the Oriental Longhair
The ancestors of this breed are the Siamese cats. The same as their relatives Long Oriental cats have personalities that are not shy to show. They are highly vocal and like to communicate. Oriental Longhair cats are outgoing but good-natured. They are not aggressive or too annoying.
Oriental Longhairs are as curious as all the rest of the cat breeds, they love to play with the members of the family and do not have any problems accepting the company of gentle dogs or other cats in the house.
This breed is not as common as other cat breeds. Oriental Longhairs have a high-quality litter if grown by a respectful breeder. That is why the price of getting a cat of this breed is expensive.
History of the Oriental Longhair
There are longhaired and shorthaired Oriental cats. The short-haired Oriental is more common. It was speculated that the Oriental Longhair cat was first developed in the 19th century in Turkey. However, the widely accepted theory for the appearance of this breed says that in the mid-twentieth century, some breeders wanted to develop a Siamese-like cat in a greater variety of colors, and by crossing the Siamese with other breeds came the first Oriental cat.
In the 1970s these cats were imported into the USA where they were and still are very popular.
The International Cat Association recognized the Oriental Longhair as an official breed, but it was in 1995 that this cat breed was added to the CFA listing.
The Oriental Longhair cat, sometimes called British Angora has a silky coat and a very impressive plumed tail.
Oriental Longhair cat appearance
It looks similar to a Siamese with a triangular head, large ears, and eyes in an almond shape. These cats have long and slim bodies. Oriental longhair cats are well-known for their variety of coat colors and patterns. With more than 300 color combinations the Oriental Longhair is more significant than any other cat breed.Diet and Nutrition for an Oriental Longhair
These cats are prone to dental diseases because of their long and slim faces where jaws accumulate bacteria and plaque. So, feed them with a portion of high-quality dry food. If your cat lets you brush its teeth you should do it once in two days.
Oriental Longhair cats do not have any diet restrictions but they need very high-protein food since they are very active. They need more proteins, fats, and acids as kittens to help their growing bodies.
As adult cats they decrease their activity level and need fewer calories, so you can adjust their diet by consulting with your vet.
Oriental Longhair adult cats can eat wet food or kibble, and a combination of both. As with some other cat breeds the Oriental Longhair does not get enough hydration so giving them wet food is not a bad idea sometimes.
Exercise and training
Oriental Longhairs exercise alone if there is nobody is there to join them. Oriental Longhairs are very energetic so you will have to obtain lots of toys, and cat climbing trees. These cats need at least 15 -20 minutes of exercise per day so they can stay fit and burn energy.
As they become older, they calm down but they will never stop playing with the members of the family and interact with you in any possible way. This exercise time is a great opportunity to strengthen the bond between your cat and you.
The intelligence of an Oriental Longhair cat makes the training very simple. They can walk on the leash and play fetching games.
Grooming the Oriental Longhair
This cat is not hard to take care of when grooming is in question. Not long after you become an owner of one of these cats you will see that Oriental Longhair cats are experts in self-grooming. The only thing that you will have to do is brush your cat a few times per month to remove the dead hair.
Their coat is silky and has a fine texture without an undercoat. They shed less than other longhaired cats.
You should try and teach the cat brushing sessions and it won’t make any fuss out of it.
Health Issues with an Oriental Longhair
Oriental Longhair cats are healthy cats speaking in general. But there are still some conditions typical for them as with any other cat breed. Regular visits to the vet will make a good prevention.
Minor medical conditions are bladder stones. As with the rest of the breeds, they may have some heart issues as cardiomyopathy which is a common disease in cats.
There are few differences between male and female Oriental Longhair cats. Males appear to be more friendly and vocal, while females are more particular. Both sexes may spray to mark their territory.
