With the growing abundance of ‘What breeders are near me?’, ‘What should I know before owning an OSH?’ and other various questions, I decided it would be best to create an FAQ so we can keep this sub filled with more photos than text posts.

Now, as I am not an owner myself, I ask the community; please leave your questions, comments, tips and other information in the comments to this post, and the community should be able to fill you in for what this post may not. If some of my information is wrong, please do not hesitate to alert me so that it may be corrected.

—— General Information & FAQ ——————

• What is an OSH?

OSH, short for Oriental Shorthair, is the breed of cat with the obvious traits of having a longer face and snout, bigger ears, a slender physique, almond-shaped eyes and etc. They are a Siamese hybrid, created first in England in the 1900’s. As the name suggests, their hair is short but also sleek, as well.

• I heard this breed is something akin to a dog. Is this true?

Somewhat, yes. The OSH is a sociable breed, they thrive best in a home with other cats/dogs/etc. to play with and keep them company, which is why they are best adopted in pairs. Often, an OSH kitten will grow to be very playful and keep this trait well into adulthood. They are very affectionate, as well; and while sometimes your OSH may seem to not be so loving at times, they need their alone time too, however they can almost always enjoy a good snuggle. Not to mention, they can be vocal at times, and they do love to use their voice.

• What’s their temperament like?

They have a high activity level, so unlike something like a Persian or Ragdoll, they may always be looking for trouble. You can counter this by keeping them occupied and busy, if you don’t have another pet to keep them company, so make sure to make time for them. If ignored, they can become quite cranky and sensitive, so be sure to avoid this to keep you and your cat happy. However they are very excitable and usually will be interested in whatever it is you’re doing, even if its something as mundane as getting the mail. They are generally very sweet and affectionate so look forward to this.

• I’m afraid I might not be a good match for this cat, what should I avoid, or what can I do to improve?

These cats do not like to be ignored or left alone for too long. If you have a job with lots of hours and your home will be empty for most of the day/night besides your cat(s), consider searching for a trustworthy petsitter who can watch and entertain your little friend(s) while you’re gone. If that’s not an option for you, you may have to adjust your schedule, or look for a less demanding job. As the breed may act like a dog, it is still a cat and they aren’t very high maintenance, save for the copious amounts of love and attention you’ll be handing out. As long as you bond with them often, the breed should be fine for you! As for general improvements and things to avoid, that may change depending on your situation, so feel free to ask in the comments if you need further help.

• I’m only allowed one pet. What should I do?

Personally, I suggest considering another breed or even another animal who might do better living with just you if you can’t get them another animal to hang out with, but if you really are bent on getting an OSH, the most you can do is keep it busy with toys, good food/treats and lots and lots of attention and love. Make sure to consider your friend in everything you do!

• My OSH does not get along with my other pets. What can I do?

If your OSH isn’t getting along with another pet, try to narrow down the source of the issue. Could it be under-socialization? This is the most common reason, and it means the cat hasn’t had enough good experiences with the aforementioned species to willingly get along with them. Before you decide, though, consider these few fixes before confirming the issue: - Keep them happy and occupied. This may seem obvious, but sometimes all they need is a little playtime and some pets. Try to figure out what they want or need and keep them feeling satisfied, so they don’t lash out on anyone or anything. - Neuter/Spay them. The cat should always be neutered/spayed; sometimes a female cat who’s in heat may get very aggressive, or a male cat who’s still intact are generally known to be aggressive anyway. Not to mention, it will keep out the risk of having new kittens. - Check your cat for anything that might be causing them pain. Constant pain would make you angry, right? It’ll make your little fellow angry, too. Look for something like bugs (fleas/ticks/earmites etc.), bald spots, sores or odd behavior to determine. If you have suspicions, be sure to take them to the vet for a checkup to make sure they are in top condition and mention everything to them. - Try a scent that may calm them, or play nice music for them in the background. This should help either pet, whichever one is the issue. If your pet is naturally aggressive, try using something that may make them feel at ease and to soothe them. It may make them feel happier and they’ll reflect this on how they act around other pets. If the issue is something else, try asking your vet or r/CATHELP to get possible answers for your questions. The comments here are also a good place to ask; we will try to help you find an answer.

• My question isn’t listed.

Please leave them in the comments! We will try to help you the best we can.

——— Shelters —————————

If you can manage to find a siamese or OSH (be it mix or pure) at a shelter, that’s great! But if the ones you are looking for don an elongated snout and larger ears, you may have some trouble finding one just anywhere. Before you search for a breeder, give a couple of these sites a search before that to see if there’s already one out there who needs a home.

If you have information, recommendations or other input about any breeders or adoption websites, that would be very helpful as well. Please let me know if any breeders or specific shelters should be added or removed from the lists. They’ll then be reviewed and the action will be performed if required.

— USA/Canada ——

PetFinder

AdoptAPet

ASPCA

Petango

— Asia ——

Soidog (Thailand)

ArkBark (Japan)

Pet no Ouchi/Pet’s House (Japan)

Nabiya (South Korea)

PAWS (Philippines)

— Europe ——

Vozmi Sobaky (Russia)

Tierheim Muenster (Germany)

Cat Chat (UK and Ireland)

La Spa (France)

Scooby Medina (Spain)

— Other ——

RSPCA (Australia)

TEARS (South Africa)

Ra Na (North Africa)

——— Breeders —————————

Finished looking through the shelters and adoption websites near you? That’s fine! But these little kitties cost a pretty penny, so be ready!

— USA/Canada ———

H&L Cattery (USA, Georgia)

Eseda Cattery (USA, New York)

Faery Fire Cats (USA, Ohio)

HotzCats (USA, Kentucky)

Cats Cradle Cattery (USA, Massachusetts)

Sharbo (USA, Illinois)

Bershar (USA, Texas)

Purrsia Cattery (USA, Nevada)

ThaiDi Cattery (USA, Colorado)

Heavenly Hairless (Canada, British Columbia)

Practical Cats (Canada, Ontario)

Siam Jewels Cattery (Canada, Ontario)

Just Oriamese (Canada, Ontario)

Sous Le Saule (Canada, Montreal)

Amourichat (Canada, Quebec)

— Asia ——

(Please leave suggestions in the comments!)

— Europe ——

Bestcats Cattery (Germany)

(Please leave suggestions in the comments!)

— Other ——

(Please leave suggestions in the comments!)

Lastly, if you’d prefer to ask a sub instead of the comments of a post that won’t even be comment-able after so long, check out these subs:

r/CATHELP r/CatAdvice r/catquestions r/AskVet

Don’t forget, as previously stated, to leave your input and/or questions in the comments below if you have anything to add or request. Happy honking! 🐱