The Pointed Pattern Persian, Himalayan, or Colorpoint Shorthair as it is called in North America, is a mix of Abyssinian, Siamese, American and red domestic shorthairs. The Colorpoint could be called a Siamese of a different color. They are graceful, active, smart and vocal, traits in common with Siamese, also sharing the same body style, head type, beautiful blue eyes, coat length and pointed pattern. The aloof personality of the Siamese also appears in the Colorpoint Shorthair, but comes in a variety of colors not seen in Siamese. Colorpoints are accepted in red point, cream point, lynx (tabby) point, and tortie point (a mix of red and black or their diluted colors, or blue and cream.)

Colorpoints are specially bred cats to produce a Siamese-style in non-standard colors. The quest began in Britain and America in the 1940s. They began by trying to produce red point and cream point (dilute red.) Breeders crossed Siamese with red domestic shorthairs and later with Abyssinians and American Shorthairs in North America. At first they had to allow different body types to get the desired colors and patterns. The breeders then began perfecting their creations, crossing back to the Siamese to acquire a Siamese body style and personality.
When Colorpoint Shorthairs gained popularity the lynx (tabby) point was introduced, which added ten additional colors and patterns to those acceptable colors. The last color combination to appear was the parti-colored (tortie) point, adding four more color varieties. The Colorpoints are eye-catching when people see a face with a blaze, or one color on one side and one of the four Siamese colors on the other side. Because the red gene is part of the X chromosomes, parti-colored cats are almost always female.

These unusually colored cats grew in popularity and began to gain recognition from various registering associations. Siamese owners opposed this progress fearing their purebred lines would be blurred. To appease them, the North American breeders suggested the name Colorpoint Shorthair to distinguish their cat further from the Siamese. The CFA agreed the Colorpoints were a hybrid, and acknowledged the interest shown in these colorful cats. By 1974 they were accepted for championship standing. Most associations show the Colorpoint and its color variations as part of the Siamese breed. Only the CFA, CCA, and TCA consider the Colorpoint a separate breed.

Keep the brick-a-brack in the cabinet for safety reasons. Colorpoints are primed for long conversations and a constant perusal. This is the breed for people who want lap loving, upward bound to a fault, mischievous, people-oriented, perpetual motion cats who won’t be ignored! These cats make fantastic companions for people with a good sense of humor, because they are born acrobats and natural stunt cats. Toys bring on a flash of movement and a graceful pounce on it with amazing accuracy. They want to share their games with their person--that’s the best of all worlds.

Colorpoint’s detective instincts are legend. They are able to infiltrate closed cupboards and securely closed doors. Nothing is safe from their investigation. They can reach any height and are clever enough to find a way into most nooks and crannies. The only quiet time is when they’re sleeping. Awake, they’re busy climbing cat trees, or your furniture, playing fetch, being where they’re not allowed and getting into things that are forbidden. They are talking cats; not quite as vocal as Siamese, but still very talkative. But their claws-on-a-blackboard yowl clearly demonstrates their Siamese genes. The interactive personality of Colorpoint Shorthairs is attractive to their proponents. These interactive, constant companions are amazing in their unbreakable love and loyalty. They will tag along with you everywhere and accompany you when you sleep. They require a lot of your time, because they expect you to be as committed to the relationship as they are. Completely devoted to their person and are extremely tuned in to your mood. Your Colorpoint will cry when you do, only in her case it will be caterwauling that grates on your ears and ends your tears with a giggle. If you raise your voice, it hurts their heart; so a positive reinforcement works better for training; you will still need to be patient to the extreme to train the Colorpoint. You will have a long-lived, joyous companion to bless your home and family--trained or not.

Siamese and Siamese mix cats, such as Colorpoint Shorthairs, bond very closely with their people, more than any other breed. They tend to suffer emotionally when they end up in a shelter. Siamese Rescue Central was formed by individuals operating a non-profit rescue with the purpose of saving these cats from further trauma and providing an internet presence. Their common goal is to rescue homeless, abused, or abandoned Siamese/Colorpoint cats and locate carefully screened, loving, forever homes for them. Rescue a cat. Save a life. Have an appreciative companion for life! http://http://www.siameserescue.org/