Snowshoe Breeder Directory

More Breed Information

The Snowshoe is a rare breed of cat originating in the United States of America in the 1960s. Snowshoes were first produced in Philadelphia when a Siamese breeder's cat gave birth to three kittens with white feet. The breeder, Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty, then began a breeding program to produce what were originally called "Silver Laces", crossing the strangely marked Siamese cats with bi-color American Shorthair cats and other breeds. When Hinds-Daugherty left the program, Vikki Olander began working with the cats and recruited new breeders, as well as worked towards full recognition within cat associations. Despite having existed for 45 years, Snowshoes are rare due to the difficulty of reproducing the correct coat markings.

Temperament

The Snowshoe personality is as unique as their appearance and is never boring, it's a complicated mix of mystical aloofness along with a slight dash of 'normal' cat. Like snowflakes and coloring, no two cats have the same personality. Some are shy, some are bossy (but nice), and some are caregivers, taking the role of worrying about their adopted person as though it were their lifelong ambition. Generally a 'talker', with a soft, melodic voice the Snowshoe normally habitats well in a multiple cat family but some are loners and prefer your total attention. Almost all are inquisitive and active, offering many hours of delightful entertainment and a cat's lifetime of affectionate companionship.

Health

The Snowshoe male is a medium sized cat weighing approximately 9 to 12 pounds, with a heftiness that makes it seem heavier when lifted. The Snowshoe female is usually much smaller in size, weighing approximately 7 to 10 pounds, but some females match the male in size but not always in heftiness. There are no major health problems known with this breed, a source of praise from many snowshoe breeders.