The most conspicuous characteristic of the Korat is its coat – blue-grey in color, with a silver sheen due to the transparent tip of each hair. The hair is medium length, soft, fine and silky; very thick, one coat only, lying close to the body. In a mature cat the coat over the spine line may break as the cat moves.
The biggest asset of the Korat is the eyes – huge, wide open and luminescent; blue in kittens, amber in a young cat, yellow in a young adult and green in a mature one, although yellow is also acceptable. At daylight they look – to use the words of an ancient poet – like dewdrops on a lotus leaf; in the evening they turn a more emerald shade.
Over the eyes there is a bone forming a line of what seems to be eyebrows. Proceeding down to the cheek bones, this line gives the Korat its unique heart shaped face. The strong, round head is topped with large, alert ears – wide at the base, softly rounded at the top. The nose has an indentation at its base and a slight bend at its tip, similar to a lion’s nose; the strong well-shaped muzzle emphasizes the heart shape of the face.
The body of the Korat – a medium-sized cat – is compact, muscular and springy – as if made for acrobatics. Legs are well-proportioned to the body, with oval paws. The Korat can jump high off the ground, without taking a run-up – certainly not typical of other breeds. Heavier than it may appear, the Korat has no fat stores in its body. The tail is heavier at the base and rounded at its tip. All the lines of the Korat’s body are soft and round.
Korats become more striking in appearance as they mature. Many of their features need time to fully develop – most of all, the color of the eyes, then the clear shape of the heart in the face, and body musculature as well. They reach their prime when they are between three and five, and will gladden the eye of their owner for many more years to come.
