Snowshoes: kittens for life!

The alluring looks…

The Snowshoe’s coat is very silky, with a bounce that’s close lying and short. All Snowshoes have beautiful blue eyes and white feet, except the colour points who do not have any white on them at all. The colour point pattern Snowshoes resemble the old style Siamese in looks. The most preferred pattern is white mitts and inverted ‘V’ on the face with coloured ears and tail, giving the distinctive snowshoe look. You can get Snowshoes in all varieties of Siamese colours, including tortie and tabby Snowshoes.

Their expected lifespan is 12-15 years. Males can be quite a bit bigger than the females and weigh around 5 kg.

Lovely personality…

Snowshoe cats are naturally assertive and confident cats and are true people pleasers. When bred in the right circumstances and socialised well, they are very adaptable cats who love change. Snowshoes are very intelligent cats and like to make eye contact. They use a wide variety of different sounds to communicate and will happily talk to you, although some are quieter than others. They have softer voices than Siamese with a gentle melodic voice.

Living with them…

Snowshoes require very little grooming and love water, so enjoy a good bath every now and then. Health of the Snowshoe cat is considered very good, with little or no problems. What’s more? They thrive in busy homes and love families, other cats and children. They can be clicker trained and need quite a lot of exercise, so access to a secure garden or walk out on a harness is recommended. Snowshoe cats feel secure with set boundaries and will try to get their way especially during the growing up phase. They love lots of interaction and play and are pretty much kittens for life. Snowshoes have a laid back attitude and will happily flop in your arms for a cuddle.

To live with a Snowshoe Cat, expect to be accompanied everywhere you go and any changes will be fully investigated. Snowshoes have a ‘need to be touched attitude’ and love interactions with people and animals alike. If left on their own, they can get mischievous, but another Snowshoe or lots of games usually keep the Snowshoe occupied. They are very social and make wonderful companion cats.

(Kelly Cruse of Destrier Snowshoe Cats Cattery is based in the UK and Secretary for Snowshoe Cat Club.)