The snowshoe cat is a breed of cat that was created by crossing the Siamese cat with the American short-hair breed. The result is a cat with the pointed coloration of the Siamese and the stocky body type of the American short hair.
How did snowshoe cats get their name?
Snowshoe cats are named for their white “socks” which resemble snowshoes. Snowshoe cats also have white markings on their faces.
Snowshoe cats are friendly and outgoing and make great companions. They are also relatively active and enjoy playing games and exploring their environment.
What is a snowshoe cat?
Snowshoe cats are medium-sized cats with stocky build and long legs. They have a triangular head and large ears.
As their name suggests, snowshoe cats have white “socks” on their feet, as well as white markings on their faces. These markings take the form of an inverted V on the forehead and may extend down the nose and onto the cheeks.
The eye color of the snowshoe cat is always blue although the intensity can range from a light blue to a deep blue color.
Their coat is short and fine and comes in a variety of colors, including seal point, blue point, and lilac point. Like most colorpoint cats, the contrast in colors on a snowshoe deepens as the cat gets older.
Snowshoe kittens are born completely white
Snowshoe kittens are born all-white with the colorpoint pattern developing a few weeks after birth.
When was the snowshoe cat breed developed?
The snowshoe cat is a relatively new breed of cat that was developed in the United States in the 1960s. In Philadelphia, a Siamese cat breeder, Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty, discovered three kittens in her Siamese litter with peculiar white paws and decided to promote this natural mutation.
The original goal was to create a cat with the pointed coloration of the Siamese and the stocky body type of the American short-hair. To create a stable breed, she crossbred the Siamese with American Shorthair cats.
Now, other shorthair cats like the Oriental shorthair are also used by breeders to create snowshoe cats.
Is the snowshoe cat a recognized breed?
After Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty gave up trying to develop the snowshoe cat as a breed, another breeder named Vikki Olander continued the effort.
Olander developed the first breed standard and got the snowshoe cat designated with the “experimental breed status” in 1974 by the Cat Fanciers Federation. In 1982, the snowshoe cat was accepted as Championship status by the CFF. In 1990, the American Cat Fancier’s Association also accepted the snowshoe cat to Championship status.
The International Cat Association accepted the snowshoe cat as a championship breed in 1994. The Cat Fanciers’ Association does not list the snowshoe cat as one of their registered cat breeds.
Snowshoe cats are considered to be a rare breed. There aren’t a lot of established breeders that can breed snowshoes to the correct coat markings as the white markings on the feet and face are the result of a recessive gene.
What is the temperament of the snowshoe cat?
Snowshoe cats are social creatures that enjoy spending time with their human companions. They are outgoing and friendly and love to play games. They love to play games and will often “play fetch” with their favorite toys.
They are also relatively active and enjoy climbing and exploring their environment. Snowshoe cats are intelligent and can be trained to perform tricks like opening doors.
Unlike most cats, snowshoes are known for their fondness for water.
They are generally good with children and other pets, although they may become jealous if they feel they are not receiving enough attention from their humans.
Snowshoe cats tend to bond with one person in a household.
Because of their sociable nature, snowshoe cats don’t like being left along for a long period of time without another cat in the house.
If you’re looking for a fun-loving and social feline friend, the snowshoe cat may be the perfect breed for you.
Activities that snowshoe cats enjoy
Because of their outgoing personalities, snowshoe cats enjoy spending time with their human companions. These cats are also relatively active and enjoy climbing and exploring their environment.
Snowshoe cats are generally good with children and other pets, although they may become jealous if they feel they are not receiving enough attention from their humans.
What is the best way to care for a snowshoe cat?
A: Snowshoe cats are relatively easy to care for. They should be brushed regularly to remove any loose hair, and their nails should be trimmed on a regular basis.
These cats also enjoy having access to a scratching post or cat tree, as they love to climb. As with all cats, it is important to keep up with vaccinations and routine vet check-ups.
Infamous snowshoe cat
One infamous snowshoe cat named Dusty was a San Mateo-based cat with a penchant for swiping items from around the neighborhood.
His owners in 2011 estimated that Dusty had stolen over 600 items from neighbors over a three-year period. Animal Planet even set up infrared cameras to capture the cat burglar in action.
Quick facts about snowshoe cats
- They are a relatively new breed: snowshoe cats were developed in the 1960s by breeding Siamese cats with American Shorthair cats.
- Snowshoe cats have a short, glossy coat colorpoint markings on their face, ears, legs, and tail and inverted “V” shaped white spotting on their muzzle. These cats are known for their distinctive white paws, which give them their name.
- Snowshoe cats always have blue eyes that are typically larger and rounder than those of other cat breeds.
- Snowshoe cats are known for their intelligence and are generally very active and playful. They enjoy interacting with their caregivers and playing with toys.
- Snowshoe cats are known for their sweet disposition and are generally good with children and other pets.
- Snowshoe cats become highly bonded to one owner and don’t do well being left alone for too long.
- Snowshoe cats are a medium to large breed, with a sturdy, muscular build.
What is the difference between a snowshoe cat and a ragdoll cat?
While the snowshoe cat and the ragdoll cat have some physical similarities, they are not the same breed of cat. While both cat breeds have their origins from breeds in the 1960s, the ragdoll cat was developed by a California-based breeder.
Physical similarities and differences between snowshoe and ragdoll cats
Both the snowshoe cat and the ragdoll cat feature a version of the colorpoint pattern, in which the extremities—like the ears, tail, and paws—are a darker color than the main body. Both breeds of cats have an inverted “V” that is white and mitted feet. Furthermore, both breeds are generally sociable, friendly, and affectionate, making them excellent pets for many types of households.
Ragdoll cats are larger and have semi-long, plush coats, while Snowshoes are medium-sized with short, smooth coats. While snowshoes weight between 7 – 14 pounds, ragdoll cats are much larger, weighing between 15 to 20 pounds. Ragdolls are one of the largest domestic cat breeds. Snowshoe cats are a medium to large cat breed.
Although both breeds have colorpoint patterns, the specific markings and color distributions can vary. Both cat breeds are known for their blue eyes.
References
Patterson, J. (2020, April 13). Snowshoe at a glance. International Cat Association. https://tica.org/breeds/browse-all-breeds?view=article&id=1817
This article was originally written on July 11, 2022 and has since been updated.
