Your guide to finding and caring for a Snowshoe in New Castle
A Snowshoe suits a New Castle rowhouse well, as long as someone's home a good part of the day. These cats love company and a good view, so a window perch on East 2nd or 3rd Street gives them plenty to watch: neighbors, birds, even the Separation Day parade along Delaware Street. They're playful without being wild and talk in a soft voice. Plan on daily wand-toy play, a tall cat tree and a cat that picks a favorite person.
Adopt a Snowshoe today
While we don't have enough cats near New Castle, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
M, 6 mo.-2 y., 2355 miles
Snowshoe, Siamese
M, 0-6 mo., 2356 miles
Siamese, Snowshoe
F, 3 y., 2357 miles
Siamese, Snowshoe
F, 3-7 y., 2360 miles
Snowshoe
F, 4 y., 2362 miles
Siamese, Snowshoe
F, 1 y., 2366 miles
Siamese, Snowshoe
F, 1 y., 2366 miles
Snowshoe
F, 1 y., 2366 miles
Snowshoe
M, 6 mo., 2366 miles
Snowshoe
F, 6 y., 2366 miles
Snowshoe
The Snowshoe began in 1960s Philadelphia, when Siamese kittens were born with pure white feet. The look was kept by crossing Siamese with bicolor American Shorthairs, and it produced a medium-sized, athletic cat of 7 to 12 pounds with a short, smooth coat, Siamese-style points, blue eyes and white mittens. The pattern is hard to reproduce, so true Snowshoes are rare.
Many are affectionate, intelligent and gentle, often bonding with one person and learning tricks or how to open doors. In New Castle, most cats called Snowshoes are pointed domestic cats with white feet. They can share the same sociable charm, though temperament varies from cat to cat, so spend time with a cat before deciding.
Having a Snowshoe in New Castle
Snowshoes pair Siamese-style smarts with a mellow, people-loving nature. Their need for company, playful curiosity, easy coat care and generally sturdy health are the traits that matter most when deciding whether one fits your home.
Snowshoes tend to be sweet and devoted, often choosing a favorite person and following them from room to room. Many are reserved with visitors but relaxed at home, and they chat in a soft, melodic voice. That quiet voice suits shared-wall living, though personalities vary, especially in Snowshoe-pattern mixes.
Plan on daily play with wand toys, balls and puzzle feeders; smart Snowshoes often enjoy learning tricks or fetch. In a New Castle rowhouse, a tall cat tree and a window perch overlooking the street give them places to climb and watch. Bored cats can turn demanding, so set aside regular interactive sessions.
Snowshoes are generally healthy and often live into their teens. They may be overrepresented in urate bladder stones, and some have cosmetic Siamese traits like crossed eyes or a kinked tail. Dental disease and heart conditions are worth watching. Yearly checkups, dental care and flea prevention help, since Delaware has ticks and mosquitoes.
A Snowshoe adapts to rowhouses, apartments and detached houses alike, since it values company more than square footage. Shelves and cat trees add vertical territory to narrow historic-district homes. Many dislike long stretches alone, so homes where someone is around often, or with another friendly pet, usually suit them best.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $450 to $1,150 per year | $450 to $1,150 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,200 to $2,700 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, flea and tick prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and bedding, and occasional brushing for a short coat.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below currently have Snowshoes available.
Brandywine Valley SPCA, the state's shelter partner, runs a New Castle area shelter, and other regional rescues list cats here. Here are the rescues & shelters in the New Castle area where you can find Snowshoes and other cats available for adoption.
Yes. No known New Castle or Delaware rules restrict owning a Snowshoe or any particular cat breed. Most cats listed as Snowshoes are pointed cats with white feet rather than purebreds, so personality matters more than the pattern. If you rent, get your landlord's pet permission in writing before you adopt.
Often, yes, especially for people who are home a fair amount. New Castle's quiet historic streets and mix of rowhouses and detached homes suit an indoor, people-loving cat that wants a window to watch. A Snowshoe may struggle if everyone is away all day, so a second friendly pet or a flexible schedule helps.
Yes. Snowshoes are medium-sized, mostly indoor cats that care more about company than floor space. Their soft voices rarely bother neighbors through shared walls. Add a tall cat tree, a window perch and daily wand-toy play to burn energy, and plan for time at home, since many Snowshoes dislike long hours alone.
Yes, for an indoor cat. Winters are cold and summers humid, but a Snowshoe's short coat has little undercoat, so it needs a warm bed in winter and cool, shaded rooms in summer. Keep your cat inside year-round, keep up flea and tick prevention, and never leave it in a parked car.
Brush a Snowshoe about once a week; its short, smooth coat needs little more. Shedding is low to moderate and picks up a little in spring as New Castle warms, when a few extra sessions help. Professional grooming is rarely necessary, and occasional brushing is already counted in the yearly Other costs on this page.
Not on DART First State buses, which ask riders to leave pets at home, with guide dogs the exception. Plan vet visits and other trips by car, using a sturdy carrier secured in the back seat. Snowshoes can be shy with strangers, so a quiet ride in a familiar carrier is easier on them.
A Snowshoe cat is a rare American breed developed in the 1960s from Siamese and bicolor American Shorthair cats. It has a short coat, Siamese-style color points, blue eyes and distinctive white paws that look like snowshoes, often with a white inverted V on the face. Many are affectionate, intelligent and soft-voiced companions.
We have 1 rescue with Snowshoes available: Faithful Friends Animal Society. You can see every rescue with Snowshoes available in the list above these questions, or scroll to the top to see the Snowshoes near New Castle.
Expect roughly $1,200 to $2,700 a year for a Snowshoe in New Castle. Food runs $25 to $50 a month and pet insurance $25 to $50 a month. Routine vet care adds $150 to $350 a year, and other costs, including litter, flea prevention and dental care, add $450 to $1,150 a year.
Expand your search to find Snowshoes available for adoption near New Castle.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in New Castle.
