A HISTORIC FELINOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT: WCA RECOGNIZES THE ORIENTAL SHORTHAIR CHARCOAL COLOUR

Effective from 1 January 2026, the Oriental Shorthair Charcoal colour is officially recognized within the World Cat Association — WCA system.

This important decision is the result of several years of carefully planned selective breeding, the successful development of several experimental generations, and international cooperation between professional breeders.

The Beginning of the Experimental Programme

The official experimental breeding programme for the development of the new Oriental Shorthair Charcoal colour was registered by the Kovcheg Angelov Feline Club on 5 May 2023.

The leading cattery participating in the programme was:

Orifelidae Cattery
WCF Certificate No. 17936–2018

Programme leader:

Aksinia Serebrovskaya — breeder, felinologist, instructor and geneticist, and a member of the Kovcheg Angelov Feline Club.

Her professional qualification is confirmed by:

WCF Diploma RU-0184 No. 0409/18

The main goal of the programme was to develop, stabilize and study the distinctive charcoal colour in the Oriental Shorthair breed.

Foundation Cats Used in the Programme

At the initial stage of the programme, two Bengal cats carrying the charcoal colour were used:

Snowgold Osman
Breed: Bengal
Colour: BEN n 24 charcoal
Sex: Male
Pedigree: RU-CF-SNG-085/0910/2021

Snowgold Fortuna
Breed: Bengal
Colour: BEN n 24 charcoal
Sex: Female
Pedigree: RU-CF-SNG-084/0810/2021

Through carefully planned breeding, the programme successfully produced the F1, F2 and F3 generations.

Colour Variations Obtained

The following Oriental Shorthair Charcoal colour variations were developed during the experimental programme:

OSH n 24 charcoal — black spotted tabby charcoal;

OSH n 25 charcoal — black ticked tabby charcoal;

OSH n 22 charcoal — black classic tabby charcoal;

OSH b 24 charcoal F3 — chocolate spotted tabby charcoal, third generation;

OSH c charcoal F3 — lilac charcoal, third generation.

During the experimental stage, all participating cats received pedigrees carrying the RIEX prefix, confirming their official status as animals registered within an experimental breeding programme.

The resulting cats demonstrated a striking contrast in their pattern, a pronounced dark facial mask, darker dorsal shading and the characteristic “charcoal” visual effect, while retaining the elegant structure and refined breed type of the Oriental Shorthair.

International Cooperation

The programme attracted the attention of breeders in several countries. International participants joined the work to expand the breeding base and contribute to the continued development of the new colour.

Germany

Elvira Buxbaum-Becker
Member of 1. DEKZV e.V.

Victoria Altergott
Member of 1. DEKZV e.V.

Jutta Kittel
Member of 1. DEKZV e.V.

Chile

Monica Ibar
San Pedro de la Paz, Concepción, Chile

This international cooperation supported the continued observation of inheritance patterns and increased professional interest in the Oriental Shorthair Charcoal programme worldwide.

Official WCA Recognition

Following the successful development of several generations, the evaluation of the resulting cats and confirmation of the stable transmission of the characteristic features, the World Cat Association — WCA recognizes the colour:

ORIENTAL SHORTHAIR CHARCOAL

Recognition effective from: 1 January 2026.

This recognition applies to breeding, registration and exhibition activities within the WCA system. Oriental Shorthair Charcoal cats may receive official WCA documentation and may be presented for judging at WCA exhibitions in accordance with the organization’s approved regulations.

This recognition represents an important achievement for the Orifelidae Cattery, programme leader Aksinia Serebrovskaya, the Kovcheg Angelov Feline Club, the international programme participants and all specialists who contributed to the development of this new colour.

We sincerely congratulate the programme creators, breeders, owners and all admirers of Oriental cats on this historic milestone!

President of the World Cat Association WCA
and Chairperson of the Kovcheg Angelov Feline Club
Mariam Narimanovna Shaipova

Official resources:

WCA: https://wca.name
Kovcheg Angelov Feline Club: https://kovchegangelov.com
E-mail: bestcatsclub@gmail.com
Club telephone: +7 915 322-28-82