Korat
Cat
Weight:
8-10 lbs.
Color
- Silver-tipped blue all over, the silver sufficient to produce a silver halo
effect. The hair is usually lighter at the roots with a gradient of blue, which
is deepest just before the tips, which are silver. Eyes
- Like all newborn kittens at first the eyyes are blue, changing to amber with
a green tinge around the pupil during adolescence. Then, when the cat reaches
approximately two of age, the eyes are luminous green. Appearance
- Its general appearance is of a silver bllue cat with a heavy silver sheen, medium
sized, hard-bodied, and muscular - all smooth curves with huge eyes, luminous,
alert, and expressive. Perfect physical condition, alert appearance. Personality
- They are gentle pets, moving softly and cautiously, disliking sudden, loud or
harsh noises. Those destined to be shown must be trained from birth to accept
noise and handling, possibly by keeping a radio on in the nursery, and by lifting
and posing the kitten as judges do. Korats form an exceptionally strong bond of
affection with their owners and respond warmly to cuddling, setting as close as
possible. Breed Fact
- The earliest known picture of a Korat, oor Si-Sawat, cat is to be found in the
ancient book of paintings and verses known as The Cat-Book Poems in Bangkok's
National Library. It is believed by the Fine Arts Department, a division of Thailand's
Ministry of Education, to have been produced some time during the Ayudhya Period
of Siamese History (1350-1767). The gift of a pair of Si-Sawat cats to a bride
ensures a fortunate marriage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sometime
in the 1300's, a book was written that contained paintings of cats that brought
good luck. Among the good luck cats is a clearly recognizable Korat; a muscular
and compact cat of solid blue fur tipped with silver, and incredible green eyes.
This ancient manuscript was recovered from Ayudhya, the capital of what was then
Siam, and shows how long this breed has had a special relationship with their
humans. King
Rama V adored animals and was known to hold a state funeral when one of his cats
died. He became enchanted when he met one of the silver blue cats. When he learned
that the feline came from a area in eastern Thailand known as Korat, he "named"
the breed. The
name followed the cat throughout the country and into the rest of the world. These
Thai cats are seldom sold in their country, but because they are considered good
luck they are a favorite gift to visiting dignitaries. And in Thailand, if a pair
of Korats are given to a bride on her wedding day, it will ensure a happy marriage!
Korats are nosy
and extremely intelligent companions. They are active members of a household,
interested in working with you on the computer, helping you clean the house, sharing
the covers and the pillow and insisting on a daily game of fetch. Their
playfulness does not go away with age and they love to be physically close to
their person. A very notable trait of the Korat is that they have strong opinions.
They intensely like or dislike and can be very territorial. They are an excellent
companion for people who live alone and they also will bond strongly to other
cats or dogs! The
first pair of Korats arrived in America as a gift to Jean and Robert Johnson of
Oregon, who had served in the Foreign Service in Thailand. She was a Siamese breeder
whose Thai friends explained that the genuine cat of Siam was the solid blue cat
and not the pointed cats everyone assumed. Johnson
bred them to her Siamese to establish a gene pool from which to work and started
her work of establishing a very healthy and hardy breed. The early breeders of
Korats were very careful and there is really only one genetic disease associated
with the breed: gangliosidosis, which is a rare degenerative neuromuscular disease.
Because it is distinguishable through testing, potential carriers of the gene
can now be altered and eliminated from a breeding program. Unlike
many of the older, existing breeds, the Korat has changed little from its beginnings.
This is due in large part to the Korat Fanciers Association in that all imported
Korats come with a passport, proving origin and after the early Siamese outcrosses,
only Korat to Korat breedings have been acceptable in the cat fancy and the only
acceptable color is blue. The
Korat is distinguishable from the other popular blue colored cat (The Russian
Blue) by its body type and eye color. The Korat is more compact and its eyes are
large and a luminous green. In fact the eye color can take over two years before
it reaches the proper shade of green! A
medium sized cat, the Korat weighs between five and ten pounds and its nose has
a lion like doward slope. An interesting trait of this breed is that inside the
heart shaped outline of the head, lies a second heart that can be traced from
the chin, over the ridges of the eyebrows and dipping down to the bridge of the
nose. "Two hearts in one" which is part of the good luck charm, I am
sure. The best
place to find a Korat is by attending a cat show and talking to the breeders there
and seeing the cats first hand. Also, before you buy a kitten from anyone, please
visit the cattery and see where and how your kitten was born. And most importantly,
you must remember that you do not own a Korat. The Korat picks its human and basically
owns you. And being picked is in itself, part of the good luck! | 
