Where are Snowshoe cats from?

Snowshoe cats are a relatively recent breed from the United States, with origins dating back to the 1960s. The breed was developed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Dorothy Hinds-Daugherty, a Siamese cat breeder. She noticed that some of her Siamese cats had unique white markings on their feet, which she found appealing. These markings resembled snowshoes, hence the name of the breed.

The breed’s development was challenging due to the difficulty in consistently producing the desired traits, such as the inverted “V” facial marking and the white boots on all four feet. However, the Snowshoe cat gradually gained recognition with dedication and selective breeding.

In the 1970s, Vikki Olander, another breeder, continued Hinds-Daugherty’s work and succeeded in getting the breed officially recognized. The Snowshoe was accepted for championship status by The International Cat Association (TICA) in 1994.