Colourpoint Shorthair

The Colorpoint Shorthair has the Siamese personality and body type, and appears in red point, cream point, lynx (tabby) point, and tortie point colors.

Like the Siamese, the Colorpoint Shorthair is a highly interactive, talkative breed. They are devoted, playful, fun-loving cats who thrive on company. For this reason, it's best to keep them with cats of their own activity level or in busy households where they are not left alone for long periods of time.

The Colorpoint Shorthair was recognized in CFA in 1964 to distinguish it from the traditional colors of seal, chocolate, blue, and lilac (solid) point.

Description

Colorpoint Shorthair is the name the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), a United States breed association, uses to refer to pointed cats of Siamese ancestry and type in colors other than the four "traditional" Siamese colors (seal, chocolate, blue, and lilac point). This name is also given to cats of Siamese ancestry in the four recognized colors whose eight generation pedigree show ancestors with other colors. In registries of other countries, however, "Colorpoint (or "Colourpoint" is the name given to cats of Persian type and pointed coloring, as in Himalayans.

In the CFA, a Colorpoint Shorthair cat may also be any of the four traditional Siamese colors; however, they may only be shown in the red point (also called flame point in Persian Family) or cream point, or any of the above colors in tabby point (also called lynx point) or tortoiseshell point.

In all registries except CFA, the Colorpoint Shorthair is not considered a separate breed but is included in the Siamese breed.

Temperament

The Colorpoint Shorthair (a.k.a. Siamese) is a highly intelligent, playful, and people-friendly breed. They are extremely affectionate and outgoing and enjoy lounging around and playing with people, causing them to also be described as "extroverts". They can also be very sensitive with nervous temperaments, which do not adapt well to changes of environment or to strangers. Like Siamese, they can be extremely vocal and attention-demanding, feeling a need for human companionship.