Colorpoint is a specific pattern of coloration that causes a cat’s body to be pale and their extremities to be dark. It is directly caused by temperature differences. The darker parts of the cat are colder, while the lighter parts are warmer.
For this reason, most colorpoint cats aren’t born that way, since their whole body is the same temperature in their mother’s womb. However, their points will be revealed after a few days. These cats also tend to get darker as they age.
Only certain breeds can be colorpoint. In fact, this coloration is a bit rare in the cat world. Keep reading to learn about all the different colorpoint breeds.
The 16 Beautiful Colorpoint Cat Breeds
1. Balinese
The Balinese is a long-haired cat that has similar coloration to a Siamese.
There are two types of Balinese: traditional or modern. Despite their name, these cats don’t actually have any connection to Bali.
2. Birman
This domestic cat breed is long-haired and always color-pointed. They have a silky coat and blue eyes. They are set apart from other color-pointed cats due to their contrasting white paws.
This breed originates from Burma (now Myanmar). They are a newer breed that wasn’t recognized until the 1920s.
3. British Shorthair
The British Shorthair can sometimes have a pointed coat, though they are usually a solid grey-blue color. They come in many different coat patterns, including tabby.
In many cases, this breed is considered to be one of the oldest in the world. To this day, they remain exceedingly popular. They are the most common breed in the UK.
They are known for their calm temperament, which sets them apart from many other cat breeds.
4. Colorpoint Shorthair
This isn’t technically a “breed” of cat, though that does depend on whom you ask. Some registries count this feline as a distinctive breed, while others don’t recognize it at all. It is thought that this breed comes from crossing a Siamese with an American Shorthair, though other breeds might be used as well.
Typically, this breed is like the Siamese, though they have non-traditional point colorations. In some cases, they may even have tabby points.
5. Highlander
A relatively new breed, the Highlander can sometimes have a pointed coat. This breed is created by crossing a Desert Lynx with a Jungle Curl.
While the foundation stock is mostly domestic cats, they are technically a hybrid wild breed, which makes them illegal in some areas.
6. Himalayan
The Himalayan is a breed of long-haired cat that is similar to the Persian, except that they have blue eyes and a pointed coloration. This breed was created by crossing a Persian with a Siamese.
Many registries simply classify this breed as a sub-breed of the Siamese for this reason.
7. Javanese
Also known as the Colorpoint Longhair, this breed is similar to most other colorpoints. They have long hair and are often considered an offshoot of the Balinese breed.
Only sometimes is this breed seen as standalone. Other times, they are merged within a general “colorpoint” category, or they are considered Himalayan cats instead.
Confusingly, there is another breed called the Javanese by the Cat Fanciers’ Association.
8. Napoleon
This breed is a cross between the Persian and the Munchkin cat. They are a smaller cat that can potentially be colorpointed, though this breed can be seen in various other color patterns too.
Since they are a mixed breed, their appearance isn’t set in stone. They can have a variety of different traits depending on what they inherit from their parents.
9. Peterbald
This breed originated in Russia. They are hairless and resemble Oriental Shorthairs. This breed only became an official breed in 2009. However, they were originally created as an experimental breed in 1994.
10. Ragamuffin
Ragamuffins were originally considered a sub-breed of the Ragdoll. However, they have since been established as a separate breed.
These cats are extremely common due to their friendly personalities and thick fur. They are extremely hairy and are commonly described to have rabbit-like fur. They are also extremely laid back and lazy, which means that they are generally considered less work than some other breeds.
This breed is quite large, which means they take longer to mature.
11. Ragdoll
This breed is commonly known for their colorpoint coat and blue eyes. They are quite large and muscular cats and take longer to mature than some other breeds. Their coat is commonly described as “semi-long.” They were originally developed in America in the 1960s and have become exceedingly popular since then due to their docile nature.
These cats are often described as acting like dogs, which may be one reason that they are so popular.
12. Sphynx
This breed has a naturally occurring mutation that makes them practically hairless. Some of them have a bit of fur, but it is often nothing more than fuzz. They were created through selective breeding in the 1960s.
These cats can come in many different colors, and they can also have a pointed coat.
13. Siamese
This breed is probably the most famous feline with a colorpoint coat. The Siamese cat was one of the first breeds recognized from Asia. They were originally brought to the West in the 19th century. These cats have large, triangular ears and bright blue eyes.
The modern Siamese is different from the traditional one. They have round heads and bodies, causing them to be renamed by many registries as the Thai cat.
14. Siberian
This landrace breed originated in Russia and was recognized as its own breed in the 1980s. These cats are quite large, and the breed is considered to be quite ancient. They are likely related to the Norwegian Forest Cat.
Today, this breed is selectively bred and registered with most major organizations.
15. Snowshoe
The Snowshoe is basically a Siamese with white paws. In fact, this breed was created when a Siamese cat randomly gave birth to three kittens with white feet. After this, the breeder started a breeding program for these new cats.
This breed does not have registration with most organizations. They are difficult to produce because reproducing the correct markings is difficult.
16. Tonkinese
This breed is created by crossing a Siamese with a Burmese. Therefore, this breed is almost always color-pointed. They have playful, lively personalities and are quite talkative.
They usually have short fur, though there is a medium-haired variety that is common in Europe.
Conclusion
While there are only a few felines with pointed coats overall, there is a surprisingly large number of breeds that can have this coloration. Some of these breeds are always pointed, while others are only pointed sometimes.
If you’re interested in adopting a color-pointed cat, you have many options to choose from!
Featured Image Credit: webandi, Pixabay
