Snowshoe | Facts & Information

Temperament: affectionate, sociable, intelligent

Snowshoe is a relatively new breed of cat with its origins in the United States of America. The first cats of the breed Snowshoe appeared in the city of Philadelphia, when one of the Siamese of a breeder gave birth to three puppies with a peculiar color pattern.

The owner of the puppies began to promote their original specimens. Several selective breeding programs and efforts for recognition from U.S. feline associations followed.

Even though they have existed for more than 45 years, Snowshoe cats are quite rare due to the fact that the specific coat pattern is difficult to obtain. However, the breed is becoming increasingly popular in the USA and Europe.

In the 1960s, a Siamese cat belonging to breeder Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty gave birth to three puppies with white fur on their legs. Intrigued by the unique appearance of the kittens, the breeder began to selectively breed cats with the same coat pattern, using Siamese with bicolor specimens of American Shorthair.

Hinds-Daugherty gave the name of the breed (snow = snow, shoe = shoe) inspired by the white paws of the specimens. Hinds-Daugherty quit Snowshoe cat breeding after attending several feline exhibitions where the breed was not recognized.

The efforts of the Philadelphia breeder were taken over by Vikki Olander, who managed to obtain experimental breed status from the American Feline Association in 1974. Olander also wrote the first description of standard snowshoe specimens. In 1993, Snowshoe cats were recognized as a breed by the international feline Association.

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Appearance Snowshoe Cat

The ears of these cats are medium in size, with slightly rounded tips and the head is usually triangular in shape. The eyes are Oval in shape and are oriented towards the bases of the ears.

Males are slightly larger than females, but do not exceed the size of an ordinary cat. The average weight of Snowshoe cats ranges from 3 to 5.5 kilograms.

The paws are Oval, the front ones having five fingers and the rear ones four. The length of the tail of a Snowshoe is proportional to that of the body and slightly narrows towards the tip.

The short coat shows white areas on the legs and a pattern in The Shape of the letter V turned from the center of the forehead to the snout. The accepted colors for the hair of these cats are blue, lilac, tan and chocolate.

Behavior Snowshoe Cat

Snowshoe cats are generally very affectionate and quiet. He enjoys the company and attention of people. They get along very well with children and other pets.

These cats are very sociable and docile, showing a lot of devotion to their owners. It is precisely these qualities that make snowshoe cats pets that cannot stand alone for very long periods of time.

This situation can be avoided by purchasing a second cat for the company.

Snowshoe cats can express their desires and disapproval by meowing, but they are not as loud as Siamese. Many Snowshoe owners have confessed that these cats are very intelligent, managing to learn tricks or open different types of doors.

These cats love water, especially flowing water, and will occasionally even swim. Although they have an active temperament, Snowshoe cats do not quickly become restless or agitated. These felines have a weakness for high places in the House.

Features Snowshoe Cat

The short fur of Snowshoe cats does not require special care, but cats enjoy the attention given during brushing. Normally, cats

Snowshoes are quite resistant to diseases, not presenting specific ailments. However, after age 8, regular medical check-ups are necessary to avoid kidney and dental problems.

A Snowshoe cat can live as long as 15 years, but the average life is 10 years.

Snowshoe Cat Diseases

Snowshoe does not show any health problems.