Felis catus
Oriental Bicolor
Featured photooriental-bicolor.jpgThe Oriental Bicolor is a TICA-recognized breed combining the long-bodied Oriental Shorthair type with a bicolor or parti-color coat pattern. Developed in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s by introducing the piebald spotting gene into Oriental lines, the breed received TICA championship status in 2010. The Oriental Bicolor displays the full range of Oriental colors in combination with white, in patterns ranging from tuxedo to harlequin.
Quick facts
- Origin country
- United States
- Origin period
- Developed 1970s-1980s; TICA championship 2010
- Coat type
- Short
- Coat colors
- Any Oriental color with white, Tuxedo, Bicolor, Harlequin, Van pattern
- Size category
- Medium
- Average lifespan
- 12-15 years
- Recognition
- TICA 2010
Origin
The Oriental Bicolor emerged from American breeding programs in the 1970s aimed at producing a bicolor-coated cat with the full Oriental Shorthair type. Breeders crossed Oriental Shorthairs with bicolor American Shorthairs and other shorthaired cats to introduce the piebald spotting gene (S locus) while maintaining the elongated, wedge-headed Oriental conformation. TICA's new breed development program tracked the breed through the 1990s and 2000s. Full championship status was granted by TICA in 2010.
Recognition
TICA is the primary international registry recognizing the Oriental Bicolor as a distinct breed, having awarded championship status in 2010. CFA does not maintain a separate Oriental Bicolor classification; bicolor-and-white Oriental-type cats bred under CFA standards are entered as Oriental Shorthairs or Siamese in the appropriate color class. GCCF and FIFe similarly do not maintain separate Oriental Bicolor breed registrations.
Standard
The TICA standard for the Oriental Bicolor is identical to the Oriental Shorthair in type: a long, lithe, muscular body; a long wedge head with a flat skull and fine muzzle; large, wide, flaring ears; and almond-shaped eyes that may be green, blue, or odd-eyed. The coat is short, fine, and lies close. The defining characteristic is the presence of white in combination with any Oriental color, in a range from a minimal tuxedo pattern (mostly colored with white locket and feet) to a van pattern (mostly white with color restricted to head and tail). Symmetry of the bicolor pattern is favored in the show standard.
Sources & further reading (2)
- registry-breed-profile — accessed 2026-05-07
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-07
Frequently asked questions
What coat patterns does the Oriental Bicolor come in?
The Oriental Bicolor is recognized in any Oriental color combined with white, ranging from tuxedo (predominantly colored with white on chest and feet) through bicolor (roughly equal color and white) to harlequin (mostly white with colored patches) and van (white body with color only on head and tail). TICA accepts the full range of white-distribution patterns.
When did TICA recognize the Oriental Bicolor?
TICA granted the Oriental Bicolor full championship status in 2010, after the breed passed through the new breed and advanced new breed stages. The program developed in the United States from the 1970s, with formal TICA tracking beginning in the 1990s. CFA does not recognize Oriental Bicolors as a separate breed.
Is the Oriental Bicolor related to the Siamese?
Yes. The Oriental Bicolor belongs to the Oriental/Siamese breed family. It shares the same physical type as the Oriental Shorthair and Siamese. Like other Oriental cats, it is derived from selective breeding programs that use Siamese as a founding type. The key distinction is the presence of the piebald spotting gene, which adds white to the coat in varying quantities.
