Personality and Temperament
Stunning blue-gray fur is only the beginning: The Korat cat is considered to be a living good luck charm in it's native Thailand. Whether you're in search of good fortune or if you're simply hoping to grace your home with a loving, intelligent cat, the Korat may be the perfect pet! This is among the rarest of all cat breeds, so you’ll certainly count yourself fortunate when you find the perfect Korat kitten to spoil.
Korat cats are closely related to Siamese, and share some of their cousin's most endearing personality traits. These kitties love attention, and they enjoy being involved in every aspect of household management: Whether you're fixing lunch, cleaning up after dinner, folding laundry, or catching up on your favorite show, the Korat cat will be on hand to offer advice and a helping paw.
A little less chatty than the Siamese, the Korat might greet you a chirping meow or give you an insistent tap when you aren't offering quite enough attention.
Playful and friendly, Korat cats tend to get along well with everyone including kids, other cats, and well behaved dogs. Fun and games make this cat's world go round, and the more you interact, the happier your relationship will be. Once playtime is over, the Korat cat will eagerly snuggle up next to you.
Care
Nutrition
Grooming
Exercise
Health
Korat cats have no special nutritional needs, however they thrive on a high-protein diet without a lot of added carbs. These cats look and feel their best when high-quality food with real meat or real fish as the first ingredient is the mainstay of their diet. If you are able, consider offering your cat a fresh diet.
Korat cats have short, easy-care fur that doesn't require much attention from their human companions. Consider brushing your cat once a week to remove loose hair and reduce shedding, and follow up with a quick polish using a chamois or a silk scarf to bring out the shine in their gorgeous gray coat.
Consider your home the Korat's personal playground! These cats love to run, jump, and climb. Tall cat trees, scratching posts, and plenty of toys help save your favorite belongings from damage while providing your cat with safe, socially acceptable ways to meet their physical activity needs.
Korat cats appreciate interaction from their human and animal companions. For those times when you are not available to play fetch or dangle a feather wand for your kitty, consider food puzzles and other engaging toys. Without appropriate methods of mental stimulation, these intelligent cats quickly find ways to amuse themselves, getting into cupboards and drawers and playing with your belongings.
Korat cats are generally healthy, however they are sometimes born with a fatal genetic condition called gangliosidosis, which disrupts normal cellular function and ultimately causes damage to the central nervous system. Cats with GM1 gangliosidosis show signs of neurologic disease including impaired vision and seizures by about three months of age, and are not likely to survive past their first year.
Korat cats with GM2 gangliosidosis typically show neurologic signs at an age as early as four weeks, and typically do not survive past the age of eight months.
Fortunately, reputable Korat breeders are able to test parents, greatly reducing the likelihood that offspring will be affected by this terrible genetic disease.
History
Natives of Phimai, Thailand, Korat cats are named after the Nakhon Ratchasima province, which is nicknamed Korat by the people of Thailand. Interestingly, the Korat cat is locally known as Si Sawat, which translates to "The color of sawat seed." Korat cats are first mentioned in the Thai Tamra Maew, also known as The Cat-Book Poems, which features entries that were written beginning as early as 1350 CE.
Until recently, Korat cats were only given away as gifts; they were never sold. At times, they were gifted to important community members as a sign of respect and appreciation. Korat cats eventually made their way to Britain, where they were called Blue Siamese. Since these cats did not conform to Siamese standards, they were sometimes shown in Russian or "Any Other Blue" classes. A cat breeder named Mrs. B. Spearman had a deep appreciation for these graceful feline and attempted to import more of them into England, but was unsuccessful.
Korat cats appeared in the West again when Cedar Glen Cattery imported a breeding pair to the US in 1959. CFA granted the Korat cat championship status in 1966 and today, these incredible cats are recognized by breed registries worldwide.
Most registries only recognize Korat cats with short, single coats that feature hairs with light silver blue roots and deeper blue hair shafts that lighten again to silver at the tips. The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy now recognizes Korat-type cats in solid lilac color, Colorpoint blue, and lilac Colorpoint, respectively known as Thai Lilac, Thai blue Point, and Thai Lilac Point.
Even though these cats are incredibly desirable, the Korat remains notoriously difficult to find.
Eyes
Legs & Paws
Tail
The Breed Standard
Body
Head
Ears
Coat
Color
FAQ
How much does a Korat cat cost?
Korat cats cost between $400-$2,000.
How big do Korat cats get?
Korat cats tend to be medium in size. A fully grown Korat cat might weigh between 6-10 pounds or more and range in height anywhere from about 10"-14" inches tall.
How long do Korat cats live?
The Average lifespan for Korat is 12-15 years.
Do Korat cats shed?
Korat are short-haired cats. Therefore, they do not shed as much as long-haired cat breeds.
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I have two of these amazing cats and they are loving respond to their name chill and over all amazing cats
I am not positive our cat is a Korat. But he sure looks like one. We rescued him from a horse breeding farm/barn at about 4 months old.
His personality & body description match the Korat perfectly. In only the two months we’ve had him, he is beyond our expectations. We feel so lucky to have found him. He is smart, wild, funny, loving, patient with the kids, snuggly and wants to be a part of everything we do.
I inherited this Korat from my daughter. I was able to identify his breed while looking for cats with crossed eyes. Because the Korat shares many characteristics with Siamese, Korat popped up in my search. My cat fits the description to a “T”. Loyal and loving and quite vocal. He is so manipulative and can be bothersome as he will place himself between in your line of sight and anything that is otherwise occupying your attention. When he wants something, he will stare into your eyes as if he is willing you to read his mind and it’s obvious that he wishes he could speak. He is very manipulative and will stare into your eyes and mimic a meow when asking for something he’s not sure you will give him and It gets me every time. Though he is slender in build, he is heavy to pick up and has a tendency to stand on your body with his tiny paws feeling like they are poking through you and that is when we call him Peg-leg.
Earl is a good boy. Very cuddly. Affectionate. Intelligent. Vocal. Loves to play with his sister but he often beats her up. He bites and swats at your ankles if you don’t look at him when you’re passing by. Greets everyone at the door with a few big meows and asks for you stretch him.
Think I have a korat, he was at the local animal shelter, he’s almost 2now , didn’t think I was going to keep him because he was so skittish, love, love him now and can’t imagine my life without him, He’s affectionate, talkative, very interactive, smart , and comes when he’s called! Does not like being alone, will actually cry out if he thinks I’ve left the house. Truly amazing cat.
Had never heard of the breed until I found Edward at our local shelter: talkative, deeply attached to ONE person, and the smartest cat I’ve ever had. I knew he was not a Russian blue, so looked up gray cats until I found photos of what appeared to be Edward staring back at me. Coat, shape, deep green eyes, habits: all are Korat. He puts front paws on my chair and pats me for attention, insists on “Edward lap time,” knows individual songs by their tunes (scary) and is bored by toys. Highly athletic and the Alpha of all our pets, both cats and dogs. A wonderful, if demanding companion. I’ve had him for twelve years — he is thirteen — and I hope to have him around for many more.
Sounds like an amazing companion! Thank you for sharing.
I also got my then unknown Korat from a foster parent who raved about her. I am allergic to cats but not to her very much. She is a gift from God.
When I’m reading a book she is right there in my face. Then there’s the laser pointer. She lives for it. This is a very sweet and intelligent breed.
I love our cat Slash. One thing tho he will never leave us alone.. But so loyal and loving cat.