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Tonkinese
Cat
Tonkinese
Cats are a medium-sized short-haired cat breed distinguished by points
as with Siamese and
Himalayans.
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Tonkinese
Apricot cat
Click
pic to enlarge
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They are commonly referred to as 'Tonks'. As with many cat breeds, the exact
history of the Tonkinese cat varies to some degree depending on the
historian.
Tonkinese cats are a recent cross between
the Siamese and Burmese
cat breeds, although some assert that Tonkinese-like cats have existed since
at least the early 1800s.
Some claim that the appearance of the breed is
closer to the original appearance of the Siamese, before Siamese breeders
developed today's triangular head and very leggy body.
The name is not
related to the Tonkin region of Indochina, being a 'back formation' from the
names of the ancestral breeds.
Tonkinese cats are commonly trim and
muscular cats.
They are usually intelligent, curious, affectionate with
people, and interested in them.
Tonkinese cats are playful cats, but not hyperactive.
Some interesting toys and a cat tree, or, better yet, another Tonkinese cat,
will keep them occupied when you're not around.
Unlike most varieties of
cat, they are reported to sometimes, or even often, engage in fetching.
They are more like Burmese in temperament
than Siamese, that is, less high-strung and demanding.
Their voices are also
less piercing (or raucous, depending on taste) in most cases than the
Siamese, but most Tonkinese cat do like a good chat.
Most observers feel they
combine the more attractive features of both ancestor breeds.
Tonkinese cat exhibit a wide variety of coat colors
and patterns.
The three main patterns are natural, mink, and point.
The mink
variety is most desirable for show. The most commonly accepted colors are:
lilac (platinum), champagne, blue, and natural (brown). Typically, natural
patterned cats have gold or green eyes, cats with the point pattern are
blue-eyed, and the mink cats have a shade of aquamarine. A great deal of
subtle variation exists in colors and patterns, and Tonkinese cat coat
colors change with age.
Breeding two Tonkinese cats does not
necessarily yield a full litter of show quality Tonkinese kittens - the
colorations do not breed true to type in about half of all otherwise
purebred kittens.
Those kittens that don't fit the standards perfectly are
usually sold as pets, and for less money, but they still have that same
Tonkinese cat charm and personality.
The genetics of the coat coloring and its
interaction with eye coloring is complex and fascinating, though perhaps not
the main attraction for Tonkinese cat fans.
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