Breed · Cat

Oriental Shorthair

A Siamese in every colour but the points, developed in Britain from the 1950s.

Structurally and temperamentally this is a Siamese: the same long lines, the same enormous ears, the same opinion about everything. What differs is the coat, which comes in a few hundred colour and pattern combinations rather than points. Everything on the Siamese page about noise and neediness applies here without discount. People underestimate it here for the same reason and with the same result.

At a glance

Lifespan: 12–16 years
Adult weight: 3–5 kg
Daily attention: 90+ min
Alone time tolerated: Poorly
Grooming: Minimal
Noise level: Very vocal
With children: Good
With other pets: Prefers company
Indoor only: Recommended

Colours · 6 listed

The colour list runs to hundreds of combinations, and none of them changes the cat behind it.

Ebony
Blue
Havana
Lilac
Red
Ebony Tabby

Right for you if

You want a cat that talks to you all day and you will answer.
Somebody is home most of the day, or you can keep two.
You want an athletic, involved cat with almost no grooming.
You have heard a Siamese in full voice and liked it.

Wrong for you if

You need quiet to work or you sleep lightly.
The house is empty all day and one cat is the plan.
You want a cat that entertains itself.
You are buying on the colour. It is the least important thing here.

What runs in this family of breeds

Amyloidosis runs in the Siamese and Oriental family. In a post-mortem series of 194 Siamese and Oriental cats, 12 had it, pedigree analysis suggested a familial trait, and the amyloid protein differed from that of other breeds.¹ There is no DNA test, so this is a question to ask, not one to certify.
A progressive retinal atrophy test exists and is offered for this family of breeds, though it is not Oriental-specific.² Ask what the parents were tested for and with which test.
Two cats is close to the default recommendation for this breed. One Oriental alone in an empty house is a loud, unhappy animal.
Adopting an adult is a good route in — you hear the voice before you commit to it.

Sources

van der Linde-Sipman JS, Niewold TA, Tooten PC, de Neijs-Backer M, Gruys E. Generalized AA-amyloidosis in Siamese and Oriental cats. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 1997; 56(1-2):1-10. International doi:10.1016/s0165-2427(96)05717-0 PMID 9220576 Of 194 Siamese and Oriental cats examined post mortem over seven years, 12 (6.2%) had amyloidosis, affecting liver, spleen and intestines. Pedigree analysis suggested a familial trait, and the amyloid protein in Siamese differed from that in other breeds.
Siamese — available DNA tests. Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis 2026. Accessed 2026-08-31. International Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis The laboratory offers a progressive retinal atrophy test (the rdAc variant) for this breed. No amyloidosis test is offered for any cat breed.

Every source here was checked, not recalled. Where this page makes a health statement and no source appears against it, that is not an oversight we have hidden — it means the claim is not yet sourced, and the build reports how many are in that state.

Availability, registration and keeping requirements differ from place to place. Check the rules where you live before you commit to any animal — we describe animals, not law.