About the Colorpoint Shorthair

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Colorpoint ShorthairColorpoint Shorthairs are an affectionate breed, devoted and loyal to their people. Sensitive to their owner’s moods, Colorpoints are more than happy to sit at your side or on your lap and purr words of encouragement on a bad day. Colorpoints, like the Siamese, are talkative and want to discuss their day with anyone who will listen. If you don’t seem to want to pay attention to them, they will insist, following you around the house chattering away in their somewhat raspy voice. Colorpoints are very intelligent and easily learn to play games such as fetch. An item as simple as a wad of paper or as sophisticated as a stuffed mouse will become the object of their full attention as they demand that you throw it for them to bring back to you.

The Colorpoint Shorthair, like many of CFA’s breeds, is a man-made breed. In the 1940s-1950s, a few adventurous breeders decided that the beautiful Siamese would look nice in red. A seal point Siamese was bred to a red tabby American Shorthair, and a breed was born! CFA advanced the Colorpoints to championship status in 1964 with the red and cream points, and advanced the lynx and tortie points in 1969. The Colorpoint Shorthair breed currently includes 16 colors, with body and head type identical to the Siamese.

Colorpoint ShorthairToday’s Colorpoints are elegant and refined, with long, hard bodies, fine boning, and wedge-shaped heads with large, flaring ears. Their almond-shaped eyes are deep vivid blue, slanted towards the nose, in harmony with the shape of the wedge head and the placement of the ears. A blindfolded person holding both a good Siamese and a good Colorpoint should not be able to tell the difference.

Like their Siamese cousins, Colorpoint Shorthairs require little grooming. Most never need a bath. Gentle brushing with a rubber brush will remove loose hairs, and the coat can be “finished” by smoothing with a chamois cloth. Good food with lots of protein and plenty of playtime exercise will maintain the muscular body that is part of the natural beauty of the Colorpoint. These cats are heat seekers; they enjoy the warmth of your lap even on warm summer evenings. Colorpoints bask in the sunlight during the day and sleep under the covers with you at night. Heed the instructions of your cat’s breeder when you acquire your Colorpoint Shorthair, and you will be blessed with a long-lived joyous companion.

Colorpoint ShorthairWhen looking for a Colorpoint Shorthair, you should look for a reputable breeder who will have a series of questions for you designed to make sure that you and the kitten are compatible. Do not be surprised if there is a wait of some sort, especially if you want a particular color or sex. These little treasures are worth the wait!

Since the Colorpoint is a close relative of the Siamese, there are sometimes Siamese-colored kittens in the litters, and you may find these in your search for a companion. With respect to being someone’s beloved pet, cats of these non-showable colors are just as wonderful and loving as showable cats, and you will not notice the difference.

Breeders usually make kittens available between the ages of 14-16 weeks when they have had sufficient time with their mother and littermates to socialize and have had at least the basic vaccinations. Many breeders have retired show cats for adoption, and these adults are a great option for some, as this breed retains their loving nature their whole lives. For more information, please contact the Breed Council Secretary for this breed.

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