Colorpoint Shorthair Cat

The Colorpoint Shorthair cat is a first cousin to the Siamese cat. In the US, the Siamese cat is only allowed to have the four classic Siamese colors – seal, blue, chocolate and lilac (frost). In Britain the red points and tabby points are classified as Siamese cats. Colorpoint Shorthairs are hybrid breeds of the Siamese and are recognized in sixteen different “point” colors beyond the four classic Siamese colors. In hybrid development, Siamese cats were crossed with cats of other varieties/color and the offspring were then back-crossed to Siamese cats. These hybrids were Siamese in all aspects except their unique colored points. Points are the face, legs, ears, tails and genitals. In early development, the solid points – red and cream – gained initial recognition as a new breed by the CFA in 1964. Later the tabby hybrids were developed and incorporated into the Colorpoint Shorthair breed in the four Siamese colors. These tabby pointed cats are called lynx points and are exhibited in the four basic Siamese colors and the red-lynx point and the cream-lynx point. The tortie or parti-color versions of the Siamese occur as a result of the red gene. These parti-color cats come in the four classic Siamese colors with random mottling or blotching of red and/or cream. The final four of the sixteen “point” colors occur when the parti-colored cats are bred to the lynx points resulting in seal-tortie lynx point, chocolate-tortie lynx point, blue-cream lynx point and lilac-cream lynx point. See the Siamese Cat for more information on it’s history and early development.

Colorpoint Shorthair Pictures

Cat size	Medium
Exercise	Quite active - requires daily exercise
Grooming	Easy to groom – brushing twice per week
Temperament	Lively, boisterous, intelligent, agile and affectionate

Characteristics

The Colorpoint is identical in conformation to the Siamese. The body is medium-sized, muscular, long and svelte with fine bones. The back legs are slightly longer than the front legs and the paws are small and oval. The medium-sized head forms a long tapering wedge or triangle extending from its large pointed ears to its muzzle. The eyes are medium-sized and almond shaped which slant towards the nose. The color of the eyes is a vivid blue. The coat is short and glossy and lies close to the body. There is a definite contrast between the color of the points and the body.

Color Varieties

The US Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) recognizes 16 “point” colors for the Colorpoint Shorthair.

Solid colors include: Red Point and Cream Point.
Lynx Point Colors include: iSeal Lynx Point, Chocolate Lynx Point, Blue Lynx Point, Lilac Lynx Point, Red Lynx Point, Cream Lynx Point, Seal-Tortie Lynx Point, Chocolate-Tortie Lynx Point, Blue-Cream Lynx Point and Lilac-Cream Lynx Point.
Parti-Color Point Colors include: Seal-Tortie Point, Chocolate-Tortie Point, Blue-Cream Point and Lilac-Cream Point.

Temperament

Colorpoint Shorthairs, like Siamese Cats, require a lot of time and attention. It has a lively temperament and this coupled with a keen intelligence can make this a difficult cat to manage. It has a highly developed language with a variety of cries or vocalizations that it can use to get attention. Colorpoints dislike being left alone and can be subject to mood swings which makes its behavior somewhat unpredictable. Colorpoints usually attach themselves to one member of the household and can become jealous if they don’t get enough attention. They are very intelligent and can be trained to walk on a leash. They may also be distrustful of strangers.

Cat Care

Colorpoints should be brushed twice a week and polished with a chamois or silk cloth to keep their coats healthy and glossy. Female cats mature early and can be sexually mature as early as five or six months. Colorpoints can live for more than 15 years if given sufficient exercise and a healthy diet. They have a tendency to put on weight after they fully mature and should be fed a calorie restricted diet and encouraged to play more if they are putting on weight.