"The eyes of the Korat are like those of no other cat; expressive and oversized for the face with a depth and intense gaze that takes your breath away ... as sparkling as the 'dewdrops on a lotus leaf.' " Like all newborn kittens at first the eyes are blue, changing to amber with a green tinge around the pupil during adolescence. Then, when the cat reaches approximately two to four years of age, the eyes are luminous green.
Korats have extraordinary powers of hearing, sight and scent. They are gentle pets, moving softly and cautiously, disliking sudden, loud or harsh noises. Those destined to be shown must be trained from birth to accept noise and handling, possibly by keeping a radio on in the nursery, and by lifting and posing the kitten as judges do. Korats form an exceptionally strong bond of affection with their owners and respond warmly to cuddling, setting as close as possible. They mix well with other cats but tend to want to have the upper hand and will not let the others keep them from their rightful place at their owner's side. They have been cherished for centuries in their native Thailand and they naturally expect this tradition to be maintained wherever they go. Korats are active in their play, but are very gentle with children.
Their hair does not float off when they are being stroked and petted, so many people with an allergy to cat hair find their proximity tolerable. The roots of the hair are a light bluish color, darkening before the ends become silver-tipped. This silvering over the whole body should make a halo, or aura, effect and the close lying fur shines like a polished silver dollar.
They are considered a symbol of good fortune by the Thais. Many good luck traditions surround the Korat: they are the color of silver, signifying wealth; they are the color of rain clouds, with eyes the color of young rice, meaning good crops. The gift of a pair of Si-Sawat cats to the bride ensures a fortunate marriage.
The earliest known picture of a Korat, or Si-Sawat, cat is to be found in the ancient book of paintings and verses known as The Cat-Book Poems in Bangkok's National Library. It is believed by the Fine Arts Department, a division of Thailand's Ministry of Education, to have been produced some time during the Ayudhya Period of Siamese History (1350-1767).
A high-ranking monk, Somdej Phra Buddhacharn Buddhasarmahathera, was commissioned by King Rama V (1869-1910) to copy The Cat-Book Poems on special Khoi paper. Known as the Smud Khoi of Cats, it hangs in a high glass case in the Minor Arts Room of BangkokOs National Museum. Books were folded, not bound as is a more recent version, known as The Book of the Cat, also in the National Museum, which is apparently a twentieth century version of the cats and their accompanying verses. This shows seventeen cats, whose ownership brings good fortune and six with boding of the very reverse. Among the Good Luck cats is the Korat.
King Rama V is said to have named the breed when he remarked, "What a pretty cat - where is it from?" and was told "Korat". Presently in Thailand the Korats are generally referred to as the Si-Sawat cats (see-sah-waht) and are found in other provinces as well. There's no changing the color of the breed. Korats are silver-blue from their first day until their last; a cat of any other color is not a Korat. Their coats are soft and close-lying, with each blue hair tipped with silver.
In 1959, the first known pair of Korats (Nara and Darra), were imported into the United States. The Korats were accepted for competition in CFA in the championship category in 1966.
Pricing on Korats usually depends on each individual kitten's bloodlines and type. Many breeders allow pickup of new kittens between twelve and sixteen weeks of age. At the age of sixteen weeks, kittens have had basic inoculations and developed the physical and social stability to adjust to a new environment. Four months also conforms to the minimum age for showing and transport by air. If a breeder offers you an older kitten or adult cat, don't hesitate; they can be a welcome addition to a home where proper behavior and good manners are needed upon arrival! Keeping your cat indoors and neutering or spaying are essential elements for maintaining a healthy companion, and most importantly will extend the life expectancy of your cat.
by In part with permission from The Korat Story by Daphne Negus
Copyright 1995-2000 The Cat Fanciers' Association
CFA Breed Standard: Korat
Updated: May 26 1999
A black line denotes an updated section.
POINT SCORE
HEAD (25)
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Broad head ............... | 5
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| Profile .................. | 4
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| Breadth between eyes ..... | 4
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| Ear set and placement .... | 4
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| Heartshape ............... | 5
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| Chin and Jaw ............. | 3
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EYES (15)
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Size ..................... | 5
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| Shape .................... | 5
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| Placement ................ | 5
|
BODY (25)
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Body ..................... | 15
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| Legs and Feet ............ | 5
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| Tail ..................... | 5
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COAT (10)
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Short .................... | 4
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| Texture .................. | 3
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| Close lying .............. | 3
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COLOR (25)
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Body color ............... | 20
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| Eye color ................ | 5
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GENERAL: the Korat (Koh-raht) is a rare cat even in Thailand, its country of origin, and because of its unusually fine disposition, is greatly loved by the Thai people who regard it as a "good luck" cat. Its general appearance is of a silver blue cat with a heavy silver sheen, medium sized, hard-bodied, and muscular. All smooth curves with huge eyes, luminous, alert, and expressive. Perfect physical condition, alert appearance.
HEAD: when viewed from the front, or looking down from just back of the head, the head is heartshaped with breadth between and across the eyes. The eyebrow ridges form the upper curves of the heart, and the sides of the face gently curve down to the chin to complete the heartshape. Undesirable: any pinch or narrowness, especially between or across the eyes.
PROFILE: well-defined with a slight stop between forehead and nose which has a lion-like downward curve just above the leather. Undesirable: nose that appears either long or short in proportion.
CHIN and JAW: strong and well-developed, making a balancing line for the profile and properly completing the heartshape. Neither overly squared nor sharply pointed, nor a weak chin that gives the head a pointed look.
EARS: large, with a rounded tip and large flare at base, set high on head, giving an alert expression. Inside ears sparsely furnished. Hairs on outside of ears extremely short and close.
BODY: semi-cobby, neither compact nor svelte. The torso is distinctive. Broad chested with good space between forelegs. Muscular, supple, with a feeling of hard coiled spring power and unexpected weight. Back is carried in a curve. The males tend to be larger than females.
LEGS: well-proportioned to body. Distance along back from nape of neck to base of tail appears to be equal to distance from base of tail to floor. Front legs slightly shorter than back legs.
PAWS: oval. Toes: five in front and four behind.
TAIL: medium in length, heavier at the base, tapering to a rounded tip. Non-visible kink permitted.
EYES: large and luminous. Particularly prominent with an extraordinary depth and brilliance. Wide open and oversized for the face. Eye aperture, which shows as well-rounded when fully open, has an Asian slant when closed or partially closed. Undesirable: small or dull looking eyes.
COAT: single. Hair is short in length, glossy and fine, lying close to the body. The coat over the spine is inclined to break as the cat moves.
DISQUALIFY: visible kink. Incorrect number of toes. White spot or locket. Any color but silver-tipped blue.
KORAT COLOR
COLOR: silver-tipped blue all over, the silver should be sufficient to produce a silver halo effect. The hair is usually lighter at the roots with a gradient of blue which is deepest just before the tips which are silver. Adults should be without shading or tabby markings. Allow for ghost tabby markings in kittens. Where the coat is short, the sheen of the silver is intensified. Undesirable: coats with silver tipping on only the head, legs and feet. Nose leather and lips: dark blue or lavender. Paw pads: dark blue ranging to lavender with a pinkish tinge. Eye color: luminous green preferred, amber cast acceptable. Kittens and adolescents have yellow or amber to amber-green eyes. Color is not usually true until the cat is mature, usually two to four years of age.
The following information is for reference purposes only, and not an official part of the CFA Show Standard.
KORAT COLOR CLASS NUMBERS
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Silver-Tipped Blue ........... | 0504 | 0505
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| AOV .......................... | None | None
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* Korat allowable outcross breeds: none.