| Country of Origin: | United States |
| Colors: | Blue, Lilac, Chocolate or Seal Point |
| Average Size: | Weight: 10-12 lbs ( 4.5 – 5.44 kg) Length: Medium |
| Life Span: | 9-15 years |
| Coat: | Short |
| Personality: | Affectionate, sweet-tempered, and mellow |
| Characteristics: | Energy: Active Talkative: Little Kid Friendly: Yes Allergic: No |
Snowshoe cat is named for its distinctive “white gloves” on paws, and its color combination marks of Siamese cats and white spots. These beautiful white “boots” somewhat resemble those of the long-haired Birman cats, but snowshoe cat has a longer head, which is considered undesirable for Birman cats, probably due to the influence of short-haired breeds that are also added to its development .
Snowshoe cat is a result of the efforts of Dorothy Hinds, when he crossed Siamese with American Shorthair. At first, the other breeders of Siamese cats were suspicious and very cautious about this new hybrid – white fingers were considered as “lack” in the first Siamese cats, and many were afraid that the stains somehow return to Siamese lineage after ten years of efforts to eliminate that in the breeding.
In fact, the lack of it may be inherited from American shorthair Siamese ancestors. Moreover, the beautiful pattern markings are a trademark of Siamese cats, although today such signs are recognized in a number of breeds.
Snowshoe cat is medium in size and structure of its body is described as a semi-oriental slender, yet muscular, with moderately wedge-shaped head, blue eyes and large pointed ears.
Her feet are oval shaped; the tail is long and gradually tapering. The hair of Snowshoe cats is short, rich and dense, lying close to the body. White color cannot cover more than a third of the body – except for the black two-tone in which must not cover more than two -thirds of the body. In fact, the pattern on the face of a Snowshoe cat determines whether it is with or two colors: an inverted letter V on the nose, which extends between the eyes, means that it is a two-colored Snowshoe cat, and everything else means that it is a cat with “glove” patterns.
For kittens can take up to two years before the labels are clearly defined, and the colors become darker with age. This very pretty cat is friendly and of gentle nature. It was very little known about them until the eighties. TICA recognized them in 1983; however the Snowshoe cats still rare outside the United States.
