Lifespan	10 – 15 years
Height (at the withers)	Males and Females: 7.9in – 10in
Weight	Males and Females: 7.9lb – 14lb
Coat	Medium to long coat, fine and silky
Color	Wide array or coat colors and patterns
Eye color	Green, blue, odd-eyed
Common health issues	Bladder stones, heart problems, liver amyloidosis, periodontal disease
Other Names	British Angora, Mandarin, Javanese (for a solid colored Oriental Longhair)

Much like other Oriental breeds, these cats are energetic and social creatures who never out-grow their love of play. They're chatty cats who love to tell you anything and everything, and if they need more attention – you'll definitely hear about it! Oriental Longhairs can become bored easily so they need plenty of attention from their humans, they especially enjoy fun and games and will jump (quite literally) at the chance to play fetch.

With their silky long coats, these cats have an elegant look – but don't let that fool you, under their fine fur they're strong, athletic cats that will hold their own against larger cats and even some dogs. If you have an Oriental in your home, they will probably rule the roost! You'll be most likely to find an Oriental Longhair jumping, climbing or following their favorite humans around the home, happily telling them all about their day.

Oriental cats can be separated into two categories: long or short-haired, with the short-haired variety being much more common.

These cats were originally imported from Ankara in Turkey in the 19th century and were the first longhaired cats to be brought to western Europe. Unfortunately, the breed disappeared in the early 1900s with the arrival of the more fully coated Persian.

In the mid-twentieth century, breeders wanted to develop cats that were similar to the Siamese in shape, but with a greater variety in color and pattern, and so they began crossing Siamese with other breeds like Russian Blues, British Shorthairs and Abyssinian. This is how the Oriental cat came to be! By the 1970s, they were being imported to the USA where they became very popular. In 1977, the short-haired variety was recognized in their own right by the Cat Fanciers Federation, and by 1975 the Oriental Longhair was added to their listing.

In 1979, the International Cat Association recognized the Oriental Longhair in its own right. While both the short and long-haired variety have similar temperaments, the Longhair has a longer coat (as its name suggests!) which is silky and lustrous, as well as an elegant plumed tail.