The Snowshoe is a beautiful and rare cat breed. What makes it special is that even experienced breeders can’t predict what a kitten will look like. Add strict breed standards, and breeding Snowshoes becomes a real game of chance.
The breed’s name speaks for itself: these cats were singled out as a separate breed precisely because of their white “snowshoes.” The ideal Snowshoe “recipe”: a Siamese coat pattern, the white socks of an American Shorthair, blue eyes, long legs and a one-of-a-kind personality.
Fun fact: internet star Grumpy Cat is often said to have had Snowshoe ancestry, possibly through one of her parents. But don’t judge these cats by that famous frown.
History
The Snowshoe comes from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the 1960s, Siamese breeder Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty noticed kittens born with white spots and white socks. She decided to develop the look and bred a Siamese cat to a bicolor American Shorthair. The kittens still lacked the Siamese coloring, so they were bred back to a Siamese, and the desired result was achieved.
Hinds-Daugherty named the breed Snowshoe and took the cats to a show. They weren’t accepted right away, though, and she gave up on breeding them. Another breeder, Vikki Olander, picked up the baton. She wrote the first Snowshoe breed standard and got the breed accepted as experimental by the Cat Fanciers’ Federation (CFF) and the American Cat Association (ACA) in 1974.
By 1977, however, Olander was the only Snowshoe breeder left in the US. She reached out to other cat fanciers, and together they won CFF championship status for the breed in 1983.
Snowshoe Breed Description
The Snowshoe is a medium-sized cat; males can be a bit larger. An adult can weigh up to about 13 lb, but the average is around 9 lb.
The Snowshoe according to the TICA standard:
- Head: wedge-shaped, closer to an equilateral triangle, with high cheekbones and gentle contours;
- Ears: medium-broad at the base, continuing the wedge of the head, with slightly rounded tips, in proportion to the head;
- Nose: medium width, may have a slight bump, with a gentle curve at the bridge;
- Eyes: oval, slightly rounded and elongated, slanting toward the base of the ears, not bulging. Color: any shade of blue;
- Body: well balanced, powerful and agile;
- Legs: long and athletic, but in proportion to the body;
- Tail: medium length, tapering gradually to the tip;
- Coat: short to medium-short, smooth.
Also read about unusual names for your kitten.
Colors
Most Snowshoes come in classic Siamese colors: blue point, seal point and tortie point. Other colors are hard to produce.
Some people even call Snowshoes “panda cats.” Like a panda, they have dark pigment on the head, shoulders and hips. An inverted “V” stands out on the face. And of course, the white socks on the paws are the breed’s main trademark. The final coat color can take up to 2 years to develop, and kittens are born white.
The nose leather and paw pads can match the coat color, be pink or even mottled. Faults include long hair, missing white socks, eyes that aren’t blue and an unbalanced build.
Snowshoe cat photos
Personality
Snowshoe cats are as unique in personality as they are in color. Life with them is never boring. They’re curious and active. Despite being close relatives of the loud Siamese, Snowshoes have a soft, melodic voice. Some are almost silent.
Most Snowshoes are very social. They often pick one favorite person and follow them everywhere, but they also enjoy other people and animals. These are extrovert cats. They’ll happily learn tricks alongside the family dog.
How do you know whether a Snowshoe is right for you? If you can give this cat plenty of attention, you aren’t away from home for long stretches and you enjoy feline company, this breed is for you. And if you have kids, the Snowshoe is a great choice; children’s delighted reactions prove it. If you’re short on time, consider getting two Snowshoe kittens so they never get bored.
An interesting trait: many Snowshoes love playing in water.
Care, Living Conditions and Health
Brush your Snowshoe a couple of times a week to keep the coat clean. To prevent periodontal disease, it’s best to brush your cat’s teeth. If you can’t do it yourself or worry about hurting your cat, have your vet handle dental care on a regular schedule.
To keep teeth healthy, feed your cat a balanced, complete diet and give vitamins only as your vet recommends.
Overall, Snowshoes are healthy cats, even though mixed-origin breeds often have genetic problems. From the Siamese side they can inherit a kinked tail or crossed eyes, but neither is a serious health threat. The breed’s life expectancy is long: 14–19 years.
Snowshoe Owner Reviews
Margarita: “Maybe I just got lucky, but my Plato is a gorgeous little devil. I’m not exaggerating: for as long as Plato has lived with us, my hands have been scratched up. He’s even hard to feed because he lunges at my hands and bites, so I end up tossing him pieces of food. He holds grudges and punishes us by ruining shoes, which then smell awful. Of course, we’re responsible for the pets we take in, and I’m not giving him away, but I’ll probably get another cat just so I have a pet I can actually pet.”
Oksana: “I chose my cat from an official Snowshoe cattery based on a photo. The little guy came to us at three and a half months old and charmed everyone right away. He has an extraordinary personality: he’s our cat, dog and parakeet all in one. Tishka is always chirping about something; he’s very tame and affectionate, never wants to get off your lap and makes it clear he wants to be petted everywhere! He won’t take a bath for anything, but he loves lying in the sink while a thin stream of water runs from the faucet. He eats commercial cat food because the breeder got him used to it, and we decided not to change his habits.”
Alexey: “The Snowshoe is a peacekeeper cat. You can’t raise your voice in our house: the cat shows up right away and paws whoever broke the silence. She always takes the spot next to the computer and likes to watch me work. I’ve never met a friendlier animal. She calmly comes out to greet guests, lets other people’s kids squeeze her and seems to have found her zen.”
How Much Does a Snowshoe Kitten Cost?
The Snowshoe is a very rare breed. The whole problem is how hard it is to breed cats with a perfect show-standard look. Their coloring depends on recessive genes, and the inverted-“V” facial marking depends on an incompletely dominant gene. So when a Snowshoe kitten does come out with the right markings, it doesn’t come cheap.
In the US, a pet-quality Snowshoe kitten from a registered breeder typically costs $1,500–3,000. Show and breeding prospects can run up to about $4,000. The price usually includes TICA registration papers, vaccinations, deworming and often spay/neuter.
Where to Buy a Snowshoe Kitten in the US
Grumpy Cat’s fame boosted demand for Snowshoe-type kittens and drew more breeders’ interest. Still, Snowshoe catteries remain rare, and there are only a handful of active breeders nationwide, so expect a waiting list. Note that the CFA does not recognize the Snowshoe; look for breeders registered with TICA or ACFA.
- TICA breeder listings: choose “Snowshoe” to see registered catteries;
- American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA): another US registry that recognizes the breed.
Ask the breeder for TICA registration papers and a pedigree, meet the parents (in person or on a video call) and get a written health guarantee. Be wary of ads with unusually low prices: many “Snowshoe” kittens online are simply Siamese mixes with white paws.
