Korat Cat Looks

Grey and Silver and Green

Perhaps the most striking feature of a Korat cat are those huge green eyes – they are really big and accentuated by a bony crest that goes from one cheek bone and over the eyes to the other cheek. This same crest gives the impression that a Korat cat has a heart-shaped face. The overall effect is truly beautiful.

This photo of EP&CH Suchada Chatmanee SaiSoi Kor - "Helmi" to her friends - from FIN*MYTHAI Cattery shows those huge eyes very well - please respect the copyright of the photographer, Milla Talja

And another picture showing those huge eyes beautifully is this picture of Champion Pimai Pra Kwan Jai - she's just gorgeus! This photograph was taken by Outi Niemi at POISON'S (FIFe) / THAIOUT (CFA) KORATS. Her breeder was Elfi Kleive in Norway. And the next thing you notice about the Korat is how the light reflects like silver from its grey coat. The Korat has a single coat – there is no undercoat. For this reason the fur lies close to the body and doesn’t shed much. You’ll notice that when you pet a Korat cat, the fur does not float off. This may be one of the reasons some say a Korat does not cause as many allergic reactions as some other breeds (still, if you are allergic, and consider getting yourself a Korat, do ask the advice of your doctor).

Korat’s fur is from short to medium in length and amazingly soft to the touch – the word “silk” has been used. The grey color can vary in lightness, but all shades have the silver tipping. The base of the coat is light in color, then darker in the middle and each hair is silver-tipped. This gives the Korat cat its beautiful sheen – it gives an almost halo-like effect, which is especially visible in the sunlight, and in the areas where the coat is shorter, like the legs and face.

The Thai say that the color of a Korat’s coat is like clouds before a thunder storm, and call the silver tipping “sea foam”. (How beautifully poetic!) And in the US this effect is referred to as the “silver dollar shine”.

Each Korat cat is born silver blue, and this color remains all though it s life. However, a Korat is a slow-developing breed and this silver tipping becomes more pronounced with age. So, like wine, the Korat gets even better when it gets older.

This picture of Maisa by Outi Niemi from POISON'S (FIFe) / THAIOUT (CFA) KORATS shows that silvery shine beautifully. A Korat cat should not have any tabby markings in its body. The kittens may have some “ghost tabby” markings, but these should vanish with age.

A Korat cat’s body resembles that of a Siamese – its bone structure is delicate, its head is wedge-shaped and its has very large ears.

One of the Korat’s distinctive features is the heart-shaped head and face – this feature becomes more pronounced when the cat ages. It is said the head has three hearts: first the heart you can trace from chin to ears and back. Then the heart that is formed by the muzzle and the crest around the eyes. And then also the nose – which is slightly heart-shaped. The fur on a Korat’s chest can also be seen to form a heart.

The forehead is flat and large. The profile is well defined and there should be a slight, but clearly visible stop between the nose and forehead. The nose itself has a slight downward curve just above the leather, almost giving a lion-like effect. The nose should not be too short or long, or else the double-heart head does not look right.

The chin and jaw are well developed and give a strong impression.

The ears are very large and on top of head, with a large flare at the base and very little hair on the inside. The ears give the Korat cat an alert expression. The ears should not be too upright

Thank you Outi Niemi from POISON'S (FIFe) / THAIOUT (CFA) KORATS for the permission to use this photo of Dewdrop's Naan Bplaai Chaai "Kustaa".

The eyes are round when fully opened and slanted when half closed or closed. They are rather oversized, but should never be bulging. They are definitely very, very beautiful – the look is very intelligent and the eyes bright. A Korat cat is born with blue eyes, and the eyes become fully green at maturity, which is about two years of age. The color is a luminous, translucent green, almost like the eyes were lit from within. The green color is that of peridot green, but an amber hue is accepted. (In comparison the Russian Blue has emerald green eyes)

A Korat’s body is firm and muscular, but smooth and curved in conformation – the overall effect is a graceful one.

Male Korats weigh between 8 to 11 pounds / 3,6 to 5 kg. Female Korats are smaller, but should not be undersized – their weight vary between 5 and 8 pounds / 2,5 to 3,6 kg. So, you would expect the cat to be very light when you lift it, but you are surprised to find that a Korat cat is actually surprisingly heavy to lift. This is because it has a very low fat percentage and the cat is very muscular. You feel the cat is full of energy, like it could spring into action any second. It has a certain feeling of hidden power – just like a cat in the jungle would.

Thank you Outi Niemi from POISON'S (FIFe) / THAIOUT (CFA) KORATS for the permission to use this photo of CH Pimai Pra Kwan Jai "Pingu".

Still – like any cat a Korat can become overweight, and in this condition may develop fat pads on the underside. So do not overfeed!

Its chest is broad, with good muscles. Its back is in a slight curve and the distance from the nape of the neck to the tail is about the same as the Korat’s height from the base of its tail down to ground.

The tail is thick at the base and has a rounded tip – it should be in proportion to the rest of the body and should never be whip-like.

The Thais consider a kink in the tail to be a sign of good luck, and so it is no surprise this feature sometimes surfaces in Korat cats. A non-visible kink is allowed – it is caused by a recessive gene and it just keeps on surfacing. Obviously it is impossible to breed out - but strictly speaking it is considered a defect.

Korat’s rear legs are slightly longer than its front legs, the feet are oval in shape.

The nose leather and lips of a Korat can be dark blue or lavender in color. The paw pads are also dark blue or lavender (with a pinkish tinge).

No outcrossing is permitted to Korat cats, but sometimes lilac or blue point kittens are born. A dilute gene has to be carried by both parents, as it is recessive. These cats are not called Korat, because the definition of Korat is that the cat is blue. Instead the lilac is called Thai Lilac and the blue point is - the Blue Point. The wonderful character is still true Korat, even if the name isn’t.

It is thought that Korats gave the blue point to the Siamese cats, and it may be the Burmese cats got their blue coats from Korats as well.

The Korat can reach maturity early, sometimes even as early as 6 months of age, and might even breed at that young age, but this is strongly adviced against. A cat is too young to raise kittens that early.

The Korat's looks develop at a slower pace. Especially the males can go through a rather “ugly” stage, where their coat is fluffy, their eyes not green but amber and the face hasn’t achieved its heart-shape yet. So if you are considering showing your Korat, choosing a kitten for this purpose is difficult. Only time will show if you have a show cat or not. But either way you will have a beauty for sure.

You'll find Korat breeders here.

Korats in Show from Outi Niemi on Vimeo.

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SBI!