Compare
Oriental Shorthair vs Ragdoll
A slender, talkative, athletic short-coat against a large, silent, placid semi-longhair; both love their people but want different homes.
Verdict
Both are intensely attached to their people, but they live at different speeds. The Oriental Shorthair is slender and short-coated, scores 5 for voice and playfulness, and needs a lot of play and company. The Ragdoll is large, placid and nearly silent, needs a comb twice a week and is more tolerant of children and other pets. Choose the Oriental Shorthair if you want a chatty, athletic cat and will play daily. Choose the Ragdoll for a quiet, soft lap companion in a family home.
Choose the Oriental Shorthair if
- You want a short coat needing almost no grooming.
- You want a playful, clever cat, scoring 5 for playfulness and intelligence.
- You enjoy a talker, with a voice score of 5 against 1.
- You want a medium-sized cat, with males about 8-12 lb.
Choose the Ragdoll if
- You want a quiet, low-energy cat; it scores 2 for energy against 4.
- You have young children or other pets; it scores 5 for both against 4.
- You want a large cat of 8-20 lb that goes limp in your arms.
- You live in a smaller home; it scores 4 for apartments against 3.
Where they are alike
Both score 5 for affection and 2 or lower for independence, so each wants someone home for most of the day. Each has a short watch-list your vet can explain, and the Ragdoll lists hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Side by side
| Oriental Shorthair | Ragdoll | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Shorthair | Longhair and semi-longhair |
| Origin | United States and Europe, from Siamese stock | Riverside, California, United States |
| Size | Medium | Large |
| Typical weight | Males about 8-12 lb (3.6-5.4 kg); females under about 8 lb (3.6 kg) | Females 8-15 lb (3.6-6.8 kg); males 12-20 lb (5.4-9.1 kg) or more |
| Lifespan | Often reported as 12-15 years; few studies | Recent UK data put the median near 12 to 13 years |
| Coat length | Short | Long |
| Coat | Short, fine, close-lying coat on a long, tubular body | Soft, silky, semi-long coat made mostly of guard hairs, with little undercoat |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 1977 | Championship breed since 2000 |
| How common | Uncommon | Very common |
| Affection | 5 | 5 |
| Energy | 4 | 2 |
| Playfulness | 5 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 5 | 1 |
| Grooming needed | 1 | 3 |
| Shedding | 2 | 3 |
| Good with children | 4 | 5 |
| Good with other pets | 4 | 5 |
| Happy alone | 1 | 2 |
| Trainability | 5 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 3 | 4 |
| Allergies | — | No breed is hypoallergenic. The Ragdoll's coat has little undercoat and sheds moderately, but people who react to cats usually react to this breed too. |
| Suits | A person who is home much of the day and wants a talkative, athletic, affectionate cat and will play with it daily. | A family or a household with other pets that wants a large, placid, affectionate indoor cat and will comb the coat twice a week. |
| Less suited to | A quiet home, or anyone who is away for long hours, since this cat dislikes being alone. | Anyone who wants an active, climbing cat, a cat that copes with long hours alone, or a breed with no known heart risk. |
| Registries that recognise it |
|
|
| Health conditions to watch |
|
|
Facts come from each breed's profile. Scores run from 1 (low) to 5 (high) and describe a breed in general. Every cat is an individual, so meet the cat before you decide.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026