Colorpoint Shorthair cat are a variety of domestic cats. Depending on the cat registry, they may be considered a separate breed of cat, or more often a variant of a pre-existing one, if accepted at all. These cats are distinguished by their conformance to wide range of sixteen different point colors, beyond the four standard Siamese colors. The variety was initially created by crossbreeding Siamese with the American Shorthair – the same mixture that created the Oriental Shorthair, but with different goals. The Colorpoint Shorthair shares the point-coloration pattern with the Siamese, but in the nontraditional colors of red, cream, tortoiseshell, and lynx (tabby) points, and minor variations thereof. In body style, head shape, and other features, it may be intermediate between the two foundation bred cats, which show cats leaning toward Siamese traits. Those who favour the Traditional Siamese look may also favour the more moderate-typed Colorpoint Shorthairs that take after their Shorthair ancestors in shape.
The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) and the World Cat Federation (WCF) are the only major registries that recognize them as a standalone breed. In other registries, they are part of the Siamese or Oriental Shorthair breeds (and may not be accepted as show and breeding quality, depending on what colors the registry permits in these breeds, and whether they permit any outbreeding in the lineage). Because these cats are a crossbreed, various registries are resistant to accepting either as breeds, or as valid Siamese.
