Blue-gray Korat with silver tipping Photo: John Daniels/Bruce Coleman, Inc.
Weight: 8-10 lbs.
OverviewKorats are sweet, gentle, and quiet. They like to be around people--or, if possible, on them--especially a chosen favorite, though they can be shy around strangers. They are stubborn cats and will give up toys reluctantly; they may also try to dominate other cats in the household. Korats do not like to be left alone and require lots of attention.
AppearanceThe Korat is a muscular, medium-size cat with a relatively compact body. The face is heart-shaped; the luminous green to amber eyes are large and round; and the ears, which are large and round-tipped, sit high on the head. Korats are shorthaired cats with a sparse undercoat. They come in only one color: blue-gray with a silver tipping that lends a shine to the close-lying fur.
OriginsThe Korat has been highly valued in its native Thailand for centuries. To Thai farmers, the Korat's blue-gray coat resembled a rain cloud; to Thai merchants, the silver tipping prophesied good luck in business; to a young bride, a wedding gift of a pair of Korats ensured a prosperous future. The breed was first exhibited in 1896 at a London cat show, where it was entered in the Siamese class. Although truly from Siam, the blue-gray cat did not look like a Siamese and was disqualified. In 1959, a pair of Korats was given to the American ambassador to Thailand and ultimately ended up in Oregon. A breeding program began, and more cats were imported from Thailand in the early 1960s.