Pictures of black leggy and slender Oriental Shorthairs

Here are some interesting and I think very nice pictures of black, leggy and slender Oriental Shorthair cats. The black coat delineates the cat's shape to the maximum against their background. And this cat has a very particular shape as guided by the breed standard. You don't have to look very far to see why the Oriental Shorthair is so slender with such long legs. 

Picture of black leggy and slender Oriental Shorthair. Photo: in public domain.

The International Cat Association's breed standard for what they describe as the Siamese Breed Group which includes the Oriental Shorthair, the Oriental Longhair and Balinese, states that the body should be "long and tubular with equal width at shoulders and hips. Medium-sized. Fine-boned". As for the legs the guideline is that they are "long with hind legs higher than front legs; finally boned but proportioned to carry the body length and weight; firm muscles." The feet should be small and the tail long.

Picture of black leggy and slender Oriental Shorthair. Photo in public domain.

Everything about this breed standard indicates slenderness and an elegant cat. I think this breed appeals to people who like elegance in domestic cats. I suspect that the interior of their homes may reflect this aspect of aesthetics. In many ways the black coat is highly suited to the Oriental Shorthair because, as mentioned, it shows off the elegant shape. You can make some extraordinary nice photographs of the Oriental Shorthair because they do form these wonderful shapes.

The only issue that I have with modern Oriental shorthair breeding is that they can be bred to extreme where they breed a bit too far in emphasising the breed standard's major characteristics. This can lead to overly long, unnatural legs and long faces (and huge ears). It is vital that breeders do not create animals which are so far from what nature would have given them that it affects their performance and health.

Black Oriental SH. Photo: public domain.