Korat

The beautiful silver-blue Korat is an ancient breed not seen outside its native Thailand until the late 19th century. The Korat is considered a good luck cat. It has long been cherished by the Thai people and originally could only be given as a gift to someone who was deemed worthy of such a valued present. A pair of Korats were often given to a bride on her wedding day. Legend has it that the silver-tipped coat signifies wealth to the tradesman and merchant, rain clouds to the farm dweller and a happy marriage and home to the bride. Of added meaning to the farmer are the green-gold eyes which represent young rice plants.

Appearance

The Korat falls into the Foreign Shorthair group. The breed is small sized with a smoothly curved and muscular body. Their huge, prominent, luminous green or green-gold eyes are alert and expressive.

The true Korat is always silver-blue from birth. The coat lies sleek and close to the body because of the virtual absence of an undercoat. This can, however, make them susceptible to the cold.

Temperament

The Korat is an active cat with strong likes and dislikes. They are very intelligent and can be easily trained to fetch a toy or walk on a lead. The Korat bonds very closely with their owner and makes an outstanding companion.

Grooming

Although there is normal seasonal shedding, the hairs on the Korat do not float off as do those of other cats when stroked. Regular brushing about 3 times a week will keep the coat shiny and free of dirt.