Oriental Longhair

The Oriental Longhair is an elegant, medium-sized pedigree cat closely related to the Siamese, known for its long, silky coat, slender body, and very social, talkative personality. It suits homes that can provide lots of interaction, mental stimulation, and regular grooming.

Appearance

The Oriental Longhair has a long, lithe, muscular "Siamese-style" body with fine bone, long legs, and a long tapering tail. The head forms a triangular wedge with a straight profile, large wide-set ears, and almond-shaped eyes, usually green except in some white cats, which may have blue or odd-coloured eyes.

Its coat is semi-long, fine and silky, lying close to the body without a woolly undercoat, with a full plume tail. The breed comes in a huge range of colours and patterns, including solids, tabbies, smokes, tipped, and particolours.

Temperament and behavior

Oriental Longhairs are highly social, affectionate cats that bond closely with their people and often follow them from room to room. They tend to be very vocal and expressive, similar to Siamese, and often enjoy being involved in all household activities.

They are active, intelligent, and playful, typically remaining kitten-like and energetic well into adulthood. Many enjoy climbing, high perches, interactive toys, and even fetch or leash training, and they generally do poorly if left alone for long periods.

Care and living needs

The semi-long coat usually needs brushing several times a week, and some sources recommend daily grooming to prevent tangles and reduce shedding. Because they are energetic and curious, they benefit from cat trees, shelves, puzzle feeders, and regular interactive play sessions.

This breed thrives with plenty of social contact, and many do best in multi-pet homes or with an owner who is home often. They are generally suited to indoor life but often appreciate secure outdoor access such as a catio or supervised garden time in safe environments.

Health and lifespan

Oriental Longhairs typically live into their mid-teens, with an average lifespan around 15 years when well cared for. As with related Siamese-type breeds, they can be prone to certain issues such as respiratory problems in flat-chested kitten syndrome, amyloidosis (particularly involving the liver), and some cancers.

Regular veterinary checkups, dental care, and maintaining a lean body weight help reduce health risks over time. Responsible breeders screen breeding cats for known hereditary conditions and focus on overall robustness and temperament.

Summary Table

Aspect	Oriental Longhair details
Origin	Closely related to the Siamese; developed as the longhaired variant of the Oriental Shorthair.
Size	Medium-sized, long, lithe, muscular body with fine bone, long legs, and long tapering tail.
Head	Triangular wedge with straight profile, large wide-set ears, almond-shaped eyes (usually green, blue or odd-coloured in white cats).
Coat	Semi-long, fine and silky, lying close to body without woolly undercoat; full plume tail; huge range of colours and patterns (solids, tabbies, smokes, tipped, particolours).
Temperament	Highly social, affectionate, very vocal and expressive; bonds closely with people; active, intelligent, playful; kitten-like and energetic well into adulthood.
Activity needs	High; enjoys climbing, high perches, interactive toys, fetch, leash training; needs regular interactive play sessions; does poorly if left alone for long periods.
Grooming	Moderate–high; brushing several times a week or daily to prevent tangles and reduce shedding.
Living environment	Thrives with plenty of social contact; best in multi-pet homes or with owner home often; suited to indoor life but appreciates secure outdoor access (catio or supervised garden time).
Lifespan	Average around 15 years when well cared for.
Health considerations	Can be prone to respiratory problems (flat-chested kitten syndrome), amyloidosis (particularly liver), and some cancers; regular veterinary checkups, dental care, and maintaining lean body weight important.
Best suited for	Homes that can provide lots of interaction, mental stimulation, and regular grooming; active households with time for play and companionship.

Quick comparison

Aspect	Oriental Longhair	Oriental Shorthair / Siamese-type relative
Coat	Semi-long, silky, no woolly undercoat	Short, sleek, close-lying coat
Body type	Long, slender, muscular "tubular" body	Same basic long, slender type
Personality	Very social, vocal, playful, people-oriented	Similarly social and vocal, often equally demanding
Grooming needs	Moderate–high, several times weekly or daily	Low–moderate, simple brushing occasionally

References

← Back to all breeds