Colorpoint Shorthair

Even if you've never heard of the Colorpoint Shorthair cat before, you may have seen several of these elegant animals. Many people mistake Colorpoint Shorthairs for their close relative, the Siamese. After all, the only real difference in their appearance is that the Colorpoint has a variety of point colors that Siamese cats do not have.

These cats have a graceful body, a long, tapered tail, and a tan or white body color. The points, which include the feet, tail, ears, and face, are in a different color. Recognized Colorpoint colors include Red, Cream, Cinnamon, Fawn, Smoke, or Silver. In addition, this breed can have tortoiseshell, tabby, or particolor patterns in any color. These cats have a long, narrow face with an almost triangular shape and almond shaped eyes.

One of the main reasons people decide to own a Colorpoint Shorthair is the fact that these cats are less likely to cause allergies than most other cat breeds. Of course, someone with allergy induced asthma who is allergic to cats still should not add a cat of any kind to the home, but if you or a family member just suffer from mild allergies and you want to own a cat, then you may want to take a close look at this breed. Just be sure to spend some time around a few Colorpoints before buying a kitten so that you know that you can handle your allergies.

Of course, being a low allergy cat is not the only thing this breed has going for it. The Colorpoint is an outgoing, sociable cat breed and loves to spend time with its family and friends. These cats are ideal family pets, since they seem to enjoy all of the comings and goings in a busy household. Of course, they also love to see what is in all of those intriguing grocery bags, as well.

If you are away from home a lot, the Colorpoint is a poor choice, since the breed thrives on attention. If you do own a Colorpoint and work long hours, you may want to add a second cat to your household. Of course, two cats can get into twice as much mischief and these cats are very active and more playful than most cat breeds.

The Colorpoint requires very little grooming. However, if you are allergic to cats, you may want to give your cat a monthly bath to help control dander. Don't overbathe your cat or he will suffer from dry skin. In addition, you should groom your cat weekly to remove dander and loose hair.

This breed is very healthy overall. However, since the Colorpoint is very active, you should consider feeding your cat a high protein diet to keep him feeling healthy and strong. In addition, you should be sure that you discuss an immunization schedule with your veterinarian to keep your cat from contracting any common diseases, such as Distemper, Rabies, or Feline Leukemia.

If you want a friendly, intelligent cat that won't send your allergies into overdrive, then the lovely Colorpoint Shorthair may be the perfect breed for you.