Snowshoe Cat: Before You Get One

Last Updated on August 26, 2023 by Fumipets

 

Snowshoe Cat

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The characteristics of the Siamese and American shorthair are expertly combined in the snowshoe breed. The end result is this gorgeous cat who, while staying entirely original, is equally evocative of both sides of her genealogy in terms of both appearance and behavior.

The snowshoe cat is a dedicated family pet that not only tolerates but openly enjoys the presence and attention of her humans. She is a medium-sized, robust, long-living breed.

Appearance

The snowshoe resembles an American shorthair and Siamese cat hybrid nearly perfectly. The snowshoe cat is a medium-sized, fairly built cat that retains a big portion of the Siamese’s body length while adding a bit more of the American shorthair’s heaviness to it. Many of these stunning creatures have patterns on their faces, including an upside-down “V” marking that is one of the requirements for the breed. Their heads may be either triangular or apple-shaped. Wide-set, pointy ears, and always blue in color, walnut-shaped eyes.

Short, single-coated, and color-pointed describe snowshoe fur. The most frequent hues are darker ones like fawn, chocolate, and blue, however black, orange, and lilac are all possibilities. The breed’s name was taken from the appearance of its white paws. However, too much or too little white might reduce a purebred snowshoe to pet status rather than show or breeding stock. The white can extend up the legs to varied degrees.

Temperament

Although snowshoes may display a variety of distinct personality qualities, you can count on your cat to give it her all, no matter what disposition she ends up having. Some are jovial showoffs who are ready to pick up tricks and games to keep you entertained and smiling. Some people dedicate their lives to their families, seeing themselves as equal members who should participate in all family activities. Others will take on the role of protector, developing a close attachment with one family member and often being reluctant to leave their side.

Regardless of how your snowshoe’s personality develops, they are all very sociable cats that get along well with kids, other cats, and dogs who are not aggressive toward cats. On the other hand, since they don’t fare well alone, single-pet snowshoes could have separation anxiety if they are left alone at home for a long amount of time.

Your snowshoe will alert you to her presence when you are around, either by cuddling or by animatedly chattering (though even the chattiest snowshoes tend to be a touch quieter than their Siamese forebears). 

The very clever snowshoe cat is also trainable to walk on a leash, enjoys a good game of fetch, and often enjoys playing in the water. 

Living Needs

According to Bonk, snowshoes are often athletic, energetic cats that like sports and activities that keep them moving. A multi-level cat tree or even a running wheel would be welcome presents. They like playing with toys, but if you’re not around to play with them, they could become bored. For the entertainment of your clever snowshoe, have a variety available.

Snowshoes get along well with kids, cats, and dogs, so finding them homes with plenty of kids or pets should be simple. In fact, the snowshoe’s limited tolerance for solitude makes it a good idea to make other furry buddies.

Early and appropriate socialization will be a game changer, whether you have dogs or cats for your child to play with.

“[When] introducing a kitten to other pets, if we’re not aware of how those other animals are going to interact, we’ll want to control the environment as much as we possibly can,” explains Carol Margolis, DVM, DACT, of the Gold Coast Center for Veterinary Care on Long Island, NY. It’s a good idea to stay at home all the time during the first week so you can stop any bad habits there. The key to success is going to be patience.

Care

Your snowshoe’s single, short-haired coat will be quite simple to care for, according to Bonk. These cats should be kept sleek, content, and beautiful with only a weekly brushing.

You don’t need to worry about getting the lint roller out every time you leave the home since snowshoes don’t shed much. But be aware that just because a breed has little shedding doesn’t always make it hypoallergenic (neither a dog nor a cat is totally hypoallergenic). Spend some time with this breed to observe how you respond before taking a Snowshoe kitten home if you often sniffle or sneeze around cats. 

Like any cats, snowshoes need frequent nail trimming (so your lap won’t hurt when your kitty is making biscuits there) and a clean litter box.

Health

The snowshoe breed has shown itself to be very robust and healthy. This breed, according to Bonk, “can easily reach the late teens or even 20 [years] of age.” Although they often exhibit Siamese abnormalities like crossed eyes and kinked tails, they generally have extremely good health. However, these imperfections are solely aesthetic and have no impact on the cats’ health.

Other than conditions like renal disease and heart disease that are frequent in cats, the snowshoe should be a breed to consider with little concern. 

History

The snowshoe cat breed was created when a breeder saw a cat with a recessive feature and thought, “Hey, this could be a thing.” This is true of many cat breeds. The white feet of three Siamese cats from a litter in the early 1960s had the snowshoe characteristic, and the breeder in this instance was Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty of Philadelphia.

Hinds-Daugherty crossed those cats first with an American shorthair and then with a Siamese in an effort to create a color-pointed cat with white feet. The intended outcome was in fact achieved with considerable effort.

Due to the fact that all of its essential breed characteristics depend on recessive genes, snowshoes are still an uncommon and challenging breed to breed. Even today, no two snowshoe cats are precisely similar, making it something of a “luck of the draw” to get cats to create the coloring and patterns that are most sought after.

In the 1970s, Hinds-Daugherty ended the breeding program, and Vikki Olander took over. Olander was responsible for creating the first breed standard and promoting the snowshoe cat’s inclusion in the Cat Fanciers Federation (CFF), American Cat Association (ACA), and The International Cat Fanciers Association (TICA). The snowshoe finally received champion status from the CFF in 1983 and the TICA in 1993 after a lengthy journey.

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