Oriental Shorthair in Australia — the honest 2026 guide

Also known as: OSH

By Catstuff Editorial · Updated 2026-05-13

Size

Small

Energy

Very High

Lifespan

12–18 years

Height

20–26 cm

Weight

3–5 kg

Coat

Short, satin, near-zero shed

Price AU

$1,200 – $2,800

Food/month

$35 – $55

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we'd use with our own cats.

A Siamese in every colour but the Siamese colourpoint. Same loud, demanding, loyal temperament — just in solid, tabby, tortie, smoke, or bicolour. Australia's best-kept secret among pedigree cats.

Oriental Shorthair temperament

Same as Siamese — loud, intelligent, insistent on attention. One-person bonded typically.

History in Australia

Developed in the UK in the 1950s–60s by crossing Siamese with other shorthairs. Outcrossing to Russian Blue, British Shorthair, and Abyssinian in the early generations gave the colour range. Registered in Australia since the 1980s.

Who the Oriental Shorthair suits

Good for:

Owners who want a Siamese temperament in 300+ colours
Active households
Small apartments (they're vertical)

Watch out for:

Extremely vocal (louder than Siamese in some opinions)
Demands attention
Fine bones — careful handling

Caring for a Oriental Shorthair

Daily active play. Two cats is better than one if you're out all day. Rubber-mitt brush weekly. Dental home-care from kittenhood.

Owning a Oriental Shorthair in Australia — the essentials

Beyond the breed-specific notes above, every Australian cat owner needs to know:

Microchipping: Mandatory in every state and territory before sale or transfer (NSW: by 12 weeks; VIC: before sale; QLD: by 12 weeks). Around $60–80 at most vets.
Desexing: Required by 4 months in the ACT and parts of VIC; strongly encouraged everywhere else. Many councils discount registration for desexed cats.
Cat containment: 24/7 containment is now law in the ACT (territory-wide since 2022) and 40+ Victorian councils. Other states are following — assume your council requires it within a few years and build a catio.
Registration: Most AU councils require cat registration by 12 weeks. Annual fee typically $25–80, lower for desexed cats.
Vet costs: Budget $300–600/year for routine care (annual checkup, vaccinations, parasite prevention) plus an emergency fund of at least $2,000 — a single dental procedure or blocked-bladder treatment can hit $1,500–3,500.

Common Oriental Shorthair health issues

Dental disease
Progressive retinal atrophy (DNA test)
Amyloidosis
Asthma

Insurance note: Low-claim breed overall. Dental disease and progressive retinal atrophy (DNA test) are the top two claims.

Get a Oriental Shorthair quote from Knose Pet Insurance~2 min online

Best food for a Oriental Shorthair in Australia

Our top picks based on coat quality, digestion, and AU availability:

Hill's Science Diet Adult
Royal Canin Indoor Adult
Black Hawk Original Feline

Shop Oriental Shorthair food on Pet CircleFree shipping over $49 Compare on VetSupplyOften cheaper on parasite prevention

Essential gear for a Oriental Shorthair

Three things that genuinely matter for a Oriental Shorthair living in Australia:

PetSafe Drinkwell fountain

Water fountain · indoor cats

Moving water genuinely increases hydration — the single best preventative for the Oriental Shorthair's most common urinary issues.

Newentor automatic feeder

Timed feeder · portion control

Useful for households out 8+ hours a day, or for managing the obesity risk most adult Oriental Shorthairs face.

VetSupply parasite kit

Flea + worm + tick · monthly

Cheapest AU source for Bravecto Plus, Revolution Plus, and Advocate. Skip these and your insurer can deny claims.

5-year cost of owning a Oriental Shorthair in Australia

Sticker price is a fraction of the total. A Oriental Shorthair typically costs $12,080 over its first 5 years in Australia, including $2,000 acquisition, $2,600 first-year setup-and-care, and $1,870/year ongoing.

Item	Year 1	Each year after
Acquisition (breeder mid-range)	$2,000	—
Food	$540	$540
Litter & sundries	$320	$320
Vet (preventative)	$350	$200
Parasite prevention	$150	$150
Pet insurance	$540	$660
Desex + microchip + vacc series (one-off)	$220	—
Setup gear (litter tray, scratcher, carrier, bed)	$480	—
Total	$4,600	$1,870/yr

Run a personalised calculation with your own food choice and excess in our cat food cost calculator — or read the full Oriental Shorthair price guide.

Frequently asked questions

Oriental vs Siamese — what's the actual difference?

Only colour. Same body, same head, same temperament, same breeding pool. Orientals come in 300+ accepted colours and patterns; Siamese are only the pointed colours (seal, blue, chocolate, lilac point, etc).