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Known for their pointed ears and high intelligence, the Oriental Shorthair cats can be both rewarding as this may take more dedication. They love grooming and being played with, so you could even teach it a trick or two.
The main question, though, is what it can be like living with one of these cats and what considerations you need to make, as these kinds of cats, like many other types, may not be ideal for all owners.
Read on to learn more about this cat and the importance of caring for your oriental shorthair.
What’s It Like To Own These Cats?
Knowing that these cats can be moderate regarding social attention won’t be as much of a concern if you have other pets or children. If you find yourself short of time, this may become more of an issue, as these cats thrive on this type of social interaction.
This may be why some owners get these cats in pairs, so this aspect of their care is addressed, as they are on the extrovert side when it comes to curiosity and play. This can also mean that they have their preferences over certain people and play methods.
These cats can also be more vocal than other types to alert you to their happiness, but this does mean they are more expressive when they have a complaint. The payoff here is that you will have a loyal cat that doesn’t mind being around new people after some time.
Caring For Your Shorthair
If you’re still convinced this cat is a good fit, there are other considerations you have to think about, as some of these can take more planning and patience when implementing. An outline of these we look at next.
Diet
The oriental has a distinct shape with long and slender legs, so if their weight isn’t managed, the extra weight can be an issue as their legs aren’t made for this weight gain. You may even see a difference after meals, especially if the cat has overindulged.
For this, you want to ensure that you give your cat a quality amount of food that contains essentials like protein, should be full of vitamins and minerals, be absent of fillers like starches, and should have real named ingredients, which includes organs.
If your shorthair struggles with weight, they may have to be moved to healthy weight formulas, and here you can consider your cat’s preferences, as there’s nothing worse than a cat rejecting its food, so give your cat the incentive to try these formulas.
Grooming
With the usual care provisions, these cats only need to be groomed weekly, and these cats love this attention and care, so it not only keeps their coat looking healthy, but it can be advantageous when your cat shows adoration towards you.
Not only this, but you want to check their ears, as they have bigger ears and are more prone to getting wax or other dirt trapped inside. If you need to clean them, warm water on a cotton ball should be enough to gently swab their ears clean.
Environment
This may not be ideal for all environments, especially if you domesticate your cat and live somewhere like an apartment block, so to compensate for this, you can get cat trees and make shelving for them to climb on.
As these cats can be pretty active, you will need to cat-proof your home. Otherwise, you’ll find they get caught up in tight spaces and even in your blinds. At the same time, they are very curious breeds, so you want to open some areas for them to explore.
If you find you aren’t home as much, your cat won’t be able to thrive, as they love companionship, so you might have to consider getting them a friend to play with.
Common Shorthair Illnesses
These cats are prone to periodontal disease, so you will have to take more care with their dental care, so while they won’t like having their teeth brushed, you’ll have to be patient and stick with the process.
Like other breeds, this cat could develop issues like liver amyloidosis, mast cell cancer, heart problems, and bladder stones. Checkups with your vet are vital to check for these before they develop and get more serious.
Conclusion
You’ll find that these cats can live between 12-15 years, and in some cases longer, so you’ll have many happy years with your oriental shorthair.
And we can guarantee that there will never be a dull moment when living with these cats, and after some time, you’ll find that there are many benefits, especially to your own health and well-being.
