Snowshoe Cat Breed Information

The Snowshoe is a rare domestic cat breed recognized by the American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA), American Association of Cat Enthusiasts (AACE), The International Cat Association (TICA) and the Cat Fanciers Federation (CFF). A cross between an American Shorthair and a Siamese, the Snowshoe is a relatively new type of medium-sized cat weighing in between 10 and 12 pounds.

  1. History

    • Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty is widely credited as developing the Snowshoe in the late 1960s. A resident of Philadelphia, Ms. Hinds-Daugherty had a litter of Siamese with a pointed pattern and stark white boots and mittens. She continued her work with this litter by crossing them with American Shorthairs. Over time, the Snowshoe standard was developed.

    Personality

    • Snowshoe cats are known for being affectionate, lively, playful and intelligent. Many individuals seem fascinated with water and reportedly take a voluntarily dunk in the bathtub from time to time. They enjoy being petted and returning physical affection. Snowshoes are not as loud as Siamese, but can be quite talkative. Their voices, however, are softer and more melodic.

    Breed Standards

    • Snowshoes that meet breed standards have an inverted "V" pattern on their faces that extend from the mouth to the whisker tufts above the eyes. They have white boots (giving the breed its name), ideally extending from the bend of the ankle in front to below the hock joint on the back feet. They also have the typical Siamese pointed pattern and shading, though the only colors accepted by most cat associations are blue and seal. Snowshoes have a wedge-shaped head, bright blue eyes (ref 1) and bodies that display the length of the Siamese while carrying the heftiness of the American Shorthair without being clumsy.

    Difficult to Breed

    • Snowshoes are notoriously difficult to breed, contributing to their rarity. Many of the genes that control their breed standard traits are recessive and difficult to control. For instance, the inverted "V" pattern may be governed by the piebald spotting gene, but it is incompletely dominant. That means 2 copies of the gene will produce larger areas of white than 1 copy, but this is inconsistent. Other genes may also affect the patterning of this "V" shape. The boot color may also be controlled by the piebald spotting gene, but then again, it might be governed by the 'gloving' recessive gene. No one is sure. Either way, the whites often extend too high or not high enough, or there is inadequate, if any, white.

    Family Pets

    • According to Catster, Snowshoes are suitable for families with children, houses with multiple pets, first time cat owners and those who enjoy a lap cat. They cohabitate well with other cats if properly socialized at a young age.