The Foreign White is a breed created by crossing Siamese and solid white domestic cats. That’s why these cats are also called white Siamese or white Oriental Shorthairs. But unlike many all-white cats, the Foreign White isn’t an albino, and deafness is rare thanks to careful breeding.
History of the Breed
The Foreign White comes from England. There, in the early 1960s, Patricia Turner, a well-known cat geneticist, looked at an overexposed photo of a lilac-point Siamese cat and got the idea to create a pure white Oriental-type cat with blue eyes and no hereditary deafness.
On November 5, 1962, English breeders launched the breeding program, crossing a white British Shorthair with a seal-point Siamese. The result was the first Foreign White kittens.
Foreign White Breed Description
Foreign White cats are medium-sized and weigh about 6.5–11 lb. TICA uses one standard for the whole Siamese group of breeds: the Siamese itself, the Balinese, the Oriental Shorthair and the Oriental Longhair. The Foreign White belongs to this group too.
A detailed description of the breed:
- Head: long but in proportion, on a slender, long neck, tapering to a neat muzzle, with a straight profile, a strong chin and a flat forehead;
- Ears: large, wide at the base, set so they continue the wedge of the head, forming a triangle;
- Eyes: Oriental, almond-shaped, set at a slant;
- Body: long and slender, with the hips slightly higher than the shoulders and a muscular build;
- Legs: long and slender, with hind legs longer than front legs and oval paws;
- Tail: long, tapering, whip-like, without kinks;
- Coat: short and close-lying.
Personality
Like all Siamese-type cats, the Foreign White is very smart, social, playful and devoted to people. In temperament, it’s even more like a dog. The Foreign White loves chasing a ball, bringing you toys in its mouth and riding on its owner’s shoulders.
The Foreign White doesn’t like being alone, so if you’re often away, get a second cat, ideally one with a similar personality: a Siamese, Balinese or Oriental. During the day, your pet will follow you around the house, and at night it will sleep in your bed. These cats see people as members of their own little lion pride.
Like all Siamese cats, the Foreign White loves to talk. Its voice sounds a lot like a baby’s soft cry. This cat will never stay quiet if it’s not getting enough of your love and attention.
Care and Health
Unlike many other white, blue-eyed cats, the Foreign White rarely suffers from deafness. Overall, these are healthy cats when bred correctly. The key is that Foreign Whites should be bred only within the breed or with Siamese cats in lilac, blue, seal or chocolate. When bred with Siamese carrying red pigment (red, tortie, cream, apricot), kittens have a high risk of Waardenburg syndrome. When bred with tabby-point Siamese, kittens may have freckles on the nose and lips.
The Foreign White lives 15–20 years. Care is simple: weekly brushing, very occasional baths and regular cleaning of those big ears.
Feeding
You can feed a Foreign White a balanced commercial food or a homemade diet with vitamins. These cats have a good appetite, but they’re so active that they aren’t prone to obesity. Their diet should be high in protein, with moderate carbohydrates and minimal fat. For more on proper feeding, read this article.
Color
The Foreign White’s main hallmarks are its pure white coat and deep blue eyes. The nose leather and paw pads are pink.
The white coat isn’t albinism. It’s caused by the dominant “white gene,” which masks the cat’s underlying color. So even if only one parent is white, kittens can be white too. If both parents are white, most kittens will be white, but some may turn out to be ordinary colorpoint Siamese.
The traditional colorpoint Siamese pattern is actually a form of partial albinism. All Siamese kittens are born white. The standard colorpoint is the result of the Himalayan gene, a temperature-sensitive form of albinism: the warmer parts of the body stay pale, and only the areas that cool down most often and fastest darken: the face, ears, legs and tail. If a Siamese cat is overweight, the fat layer acts as insulation and its coat can even darken all over.
How Much Does a Foreign White Kitten Cost?
How much will a Foreign White kitten cost you? The price depends on the kitten’s sex, looks and quality (pet, breeding or show).
In the US, the CFA and TICA register these cats as white Oriental Shorthairs. A pet-quality Oriental Shorthair kitten from a reputable US breeder typically costs about $600–1,500, and show-quality kittens about $1,500–3,000. Blue-eyed whites are much rarer than other colors, so expect to wait and possibly pay more.
Where to Buy a Foreign White Kitten
Foreign Whites are usually bred by Oriental and Siamese breeders. Ask Oriental Shorthair catteries directly whether they have, or plan, blue-eyed white kittens:
- CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) Find a Breeder – https://find-a-breeder.cfa.org/;
- TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/;
If you’re buying a Foreign White through classified ads, be sure to check reviews of the seller. In particular, ask about the kitten’s parents and whether the kitten’s hearing has been checked, so you know about any possible hereditary problems.
