Oriental Shorthairs are Siamese in a different coat, including the same nonstop, opinionated vocalizing — often described as sounding more like a goose honking than a meow — and it is not occasional; it is how this breed communicates its needs and displeasure at all hours, 3am included.
Health tests to ask the breeder for
There is no CHIC program for cats. These are the DNA and screening tests that the testing laboratories and cat health bodies name for the Oriental Shorthair. A breeder who tests will show the certificates; a DNA result of "clear" for one variant is not a guarantee against the disease.
- PRA-rdAc (CEP290) DNA test (UC Davis VGL / Langford Vets) screens for late-onset progressive retinal atrophy / blindness
When to spay or neuter: by five months, whatever the breed. That is the one answer the AVMA, the feline practitioners and AAHA all give, and the spay and neuter page has why, and the two weeks after.
Sources: vgl.ucdavis.edu · langfordvets.co.uk. Checked September 2026. Check a breeder has the questions.
Adopt a Oriental Shorthair near you
Shelters and rescues list Oriental Shorthairs and Oriental Shorthair mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Oriental Shorthair
This is a highly social, clingy, constantly-talking cat that does not do well left alone for long stretches — Orientals bond intensely with their people and can become genuinely unhappy, and destructive, if under-stimulated or ignored. If you or your neighbors are noise-sensitive, or you actually want a quiet, independent cat, this is one of the worst matches on this entire list, however striking the breed looks.
Health you should know about
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) — inherited, incurable retinal degeneration causing night blindness that progresses to full blindness, typically apparent by 3-5 years old.
- Familial amyloidosis — abnormal protein deposits that damage the liver and kidneys; can appear unusually early in this breed, sometimes as young as 1-4 years old, well before the more typical senior-cat onset.
- Feline asthma and respiratory disease — Siamese-derived breeds like the Oriental Shorthair are considered at increased risk of asthma compared to cats generally, with a dry or hacking cough often the first sign.
- Vestibular disease episodes causing sudden dizziness and loss of balance have also been reported in the breed; usually not life-threatening but can take up to several weeks to resolve.
Read the full Cat Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a cat needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Oriental Shorthair? Thai cat names, 79 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 3 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 3 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.