GENERAL: the Colorpoint Shorthair is a medium sized, svelte, refined cat with long tapering lines, very lithe, but muscular. Males may be proportionately larger. The ideal is a cat with type identical to the Siamese, but with its own distinct and unique colors. While the color differences set it apart as a unique breed, the purpose of the hybridization was to establish cats identical in type to the Siamese but with separate colors. The Colorpoint Shorthair standard reflects this objective and preserves it's unique colors.

HEAD: long tapering wedge. Medium in size in good proportion to body. The total wedge starts at the nose and flares out in straight lines to the tips of the ears forming a triangle, with no break at the whiskers. No less than the width of an eye between the eyes. When the whiskers are smoothed back, the underlying bone structure is apparent. Allowance must be made for jowls in the stud cat.

SKULL: flat. In profile, a long straight line is seen from the top of the head to the tip of the nose. No bulge over eyes. No dip in nose.

NECK: long and slender.

NOSE: long and straight. A continuation of the forehead with no break.

MUZZLE: fine, wedge shaped.

EARS: strikingly large, pointed, wide at base, continuing the lines of the wedge.

EYES: vivid blue in color, no other shades or colors allowed. Almond shaped. Medium size. Neither protruding nor recessed. Slanted towards the nose in harmony with lines of wedge and ears. Uncrossed.

CHIN and JAW: medium in size. Tip of chin lines with tip of nose in the same vertical plane. Neither receding nor excessively massive.

BODY: medium sized. Graceful, long and svelte. A distinctive combination of fine bones and firm muscles. Shoulders and hips continue same sleek lines of tubular body. Hips never wider than shoulders. Abdomen tight.

LEGS: long and slim. Hind legs higher than front. In good proportion to body.

PAWS: dainty, small, and oval. Toes: five in front and four GO BACK TO LIST.

TAIL: long, thin, tapering to a fine point.

COAT: short, fine textured, glossy. Lying close to body.

CONDITION: excellent physical condition. Eyes clear. Muscular, strong, and lithe. Neither flabby nor bony. Not fat.

COLOR: Body: subtle shading is permissible, but clear color is preferable. Allowance should be made for darker color in older cats as Colorpoint Shorthairs generally darken with age, but there must be definite contrast between body color and points. Points: mask, ears, feet, legs, and tail dense and clearly defined. All of the same shade. Mask covers entire face including whisker pads and is connected to ears by tracings. Mask should not extend over the top of the head. No white hairs in points.

PENALIZE: pigmentation of nose leather and/or paw pads which is not consistent with the cat's particular color description. Palpable and/or visible protrusion of the cartilage at the end of the sternum.

DISQUALIFY: any evidence of illness or poor health. Weak hind legs. Mouth breathing due to nasal obstruction or poor occlusion. Emaciation. Visible kink. Eyes other than blue. White toes and/or feet. Incorrect number of toes. Malocclusion resulting in either undershot or overshot chin.

COLORPOINT SHORTHAIR COLORS

Solid Color Point Colors

RED POINT: body clear white with any shading in the same tone as points. Points: bright apricot to deep red, deeper shades preferred, with lack of barring desirable. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh or coral pink.

CREAM POINT: body clear white with any shading in the same tone as points. Points: pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, lack of barring desirable. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh to coral pink.

Lynx Point Colors

SEAL LYNX POINT: body cream or pale fawn, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking. Points: seal brown bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears seal brown with paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: seal brown permitted, pink edged in seal brown preferred. Paw pads: seal brown.

CHOCOLATE LYNX POINT: body ivory. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking. Points: warm milk-chocolate bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears warm milk-chocolate with paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: cinnamon permitted, pink edged in cinnamon preferred. Paw pads: cinnamon.

BLUE LYNX POINT: body bluish white to platinum grey, cold in tone, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking. Points: deep blue-grey bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears deep blue-grey with paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: slate-colored permitted, pink edged in slate preferred. Paw pads: slate-colored.

LILAC LYNX POINT: body glacial white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears frosty grey with pinkish tone, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: lavender-pink permitted, pink edged in lavender-pink preferred. Paw pads: lavender-pink.

RED LYNX POINT: body white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking. Points: deep red bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears deep red, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh or coral pink.

CREAM LYNX POINT: body clear white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking. Points: bars of pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh to coral pink.

SEAL-TORTIE LYNX POINT: body cream or pale fawn, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking and/or cream mottling. Points: seal brown bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears seal brown with paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of red and/or cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: seal brown permitted, pink edged in seal brown preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: seal brown, or seal brown mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

CHOCOLATE-TORTIE LYNX POINT: body ivory. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking and/or cream mottling. Points: warm milk-chocolate bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears warm milk-chocolate with paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of red and/or cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: cinnamon permitted, pink edged in cinnamon preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: cinnamon, or cinnamon mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

BLUE-CREAM LYNX POINT: body bluish white to platinum grey, cold in tone, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking and/or cream mottling. Points: deep blue-grey bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears deep blue-grey with paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: slate-colored permitted, pink edged in slate preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: slate-colored, or slate mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

LILAC-CREAM LYNX POINT: body glacial white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping or ticking and/or cream mottling. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears frosty grey with pinkish tone, paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: lavender-pink permitted, pink edged in lavender-pink preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: lavender-pink, or lavender-pink mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

Parti-Color Point Colors

SEAL-TORTIE POINT: body pale fawn to cream, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body color may be mottled with cream in older cats. Points: seal brown, randomly mottled with red and/or cream. Nose leather and paw pads: seal brown; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

CHOCOLATE-TORTIE POINT: body ivory, may be mottled in older cats. Points: warm milk-chocolate randomly mottled with red and/or cream. Nose leather and paw pads: cinnamon; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

BLUE-CREAM POINT: body bluish white to platinum grey, cold in tone, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body color may be mottled in older cats. Points: deep blue-grey randomly mottled with cream. Nose leather and paw pads: slate-colored; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

LILAC-CREAM POINT: body glacial white; mottling, if any, in the shade of the points. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone, randomly mottled with pale cream. Nose leather and paw pads: lavender-pink; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.