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The Sweet, Petite Singapura • Make This Holiday Safe and Fun!
23 Best New Products of 2012 • How Many Words Can Your Cat Learn?
Besides its beautiful coat of solid and white patterns, it is the balanced Snowshoe Siamese personality that has added to the popularity of this cat.
By Stacy HackettPhotos by Helmi Flick
Paws
Fans of the Snowshoe credit this gently,
loving behavior to the cat’s tendency to
form a close relationship with its chosen
person. “Most Snowshoes will bond with
a person, and that person becomes the
‘responsibility’ of the Snowshoe for the
rest of the cat’s life,” says Hellen Pounds,
a breeder from Louisiana. “Snowshoes
provide love and comfort for their person
at all times, especially when it’s needed.”
The Snowshoe also provides plenty of
entertainment for its family. Words used
to describe the breed include “hilarious,”
“intuitive,” “interactive,” “playful” and,
quite frequently, “water baby.” This one
cat that is not afraid of water! “Many
Snowshoes prefer drinking from a water
fountain rather than a water dish but
some take this even further and prefer
drinking from the water faucet,” Pounds
explains. “These ‘water babies’ have
learned to find a person to turn on the
water faucet for them when they need a
drink for a personal hydration.”
The intelligent breed also seeks out its
favorite people when it wants to watch
television, play with its toys or have
a feline companion removed from a
favorite snuggle spot—even if the urge
to do so strikes in the wee hours of the
morning. “My Snowshoe used to wake
me up in the middle of the night,” Pounds
says. “Not to play, but to remove a cat
that was sleeping on his private pillow.”
In the 1960s, a cat, owned by Siamese
cat breeder Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty,
produced a litter of Siamese kittens in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Three of the
kittens had unique markings, consisting
of white points and feet. The offspring
of those cats lacked the Siamese points,
but by breeding the offspring to Siamese
cats, the desired look was accomplished.
Hinds-Daugherty named this new breed
“Snowshoe” because of their white feet.
Hinds-Daughtery eventually abandoned
the Snowshoe breeding program, and it
was taken up by Vikki Olander.
30 Breed Profile
hite paws of a Snowshoe add to the breed’s striking and original appearance, but Vicki McCarroll, an avid Snowshoe lover for 18 years, appreciates those mitted feet for an
additional reason. “My Kirkland knew when I was getting a migraine,” explains the breeder.
Breed Profile 31
PawsWhite feet are the
hallmark of the Snowshoe. Those
white paws—enhanced by a careful breeding program—add to the Snowshoe’s unique
appearance.
MarkingsOther highlights include the cat’s popular white V
on its face and the distinctive tuxedo
markings.
PatternsThe Snowshoe comes in bi-color and mitted patterns, combined
with a variety of point colors, including tortie
and tabby point.
EyesBlue eyes, ranging from pale blue gray to sparkling blue, complement the
Snowshoe’s distinctive coat.
Breed Info
“ was ahealer.He
GroomingThe Snowshoe requires minimal grooming. Still, the breed will not turn
down the attention from its favorite
people.
HealthThe Snowshoe enjoys general overall good health, and breeders reported no known
particular health concerns.
BuildThe Snowshoe is a
well-balanced cat. It is firm and muscular, without being bulky,
and deceptively powerful and agile.
BalanceThe TICA standard limits white to the breed’s paws, back legs, chest, and chin