The Korat developed in Thailand, and was considered a good luck cat by the Thai people for generations. It is considered one of the oldest domestic cat breeds in the world.
American Korats can be traced back to a pair named Nara and Darra, gifted by the Thai government to an American breeder named Jean Johnson in 1959. Johnson crossed the Korats with Siamese to increase the gene pool, and then bred out the Siamese traits. More Korats came to the U.S. in the 1960s from the Orient, and in 1966, the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) recognized the breed.
Today, the Korat is also recognized by The International Cat Association (TICA) and the American Cat Fanciers Association (AFCA).