Characteristics and History of Tonkinese Cats.
According to the history notes, there were brown Siamese cats in the 1800′s which was assumed as Tonkinese Cats. However the first officially recorded Tonkinese was named Wong Mau, a cat who was brought from Burma to the U.S. in the 1930′s.
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In the 1950s, a cat owner in New York named Milan Greer, started to develop a cat breed that he called the “Golden Siamese”. Golden was gotten from mating Siamese cat and Burmese cat. At first, this breeding program aims to produce a cat with Mahogany color and dark color points.
Greer bred cats with “genetically pure” for 5 generations. His cats were very popular around the year 1950-1960. Greer produced brown cat with dark brown color point or seal. After 5 generations, the Greer lost her interest to continue breeding his cats.
By coincidence, around the early of 1960, a fan of cats in Canada, named Margaret Conroy, decided to cross Siamese sealpoint color with colored Burmese Sable (dark brown). At that time, Siamese cat did not have the genetic pure and stable characteristics.
With the help of some friends, Conroy wrote a few standard cat breeds and brought them to the Canadian Cat Association. In 1960, the breed has been recognized in Canada.
Tonkinese cats got the status to join contest of the Canadian Cat Association in 1971. Then in 1979, CFA and Tica approved them to be participated in the contest.
In the late 1960s Margaret Conroy was no longer breed Tonkinese cats, but the results of her cat breeds have spread to the United States. In 1965, an American breeder named Jane Barletta began to develop these Tonkinese cats.
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Tonkinese (cat)
Tonkinese are a medium-sized cat breed distinguished by points as with Siamese and Burmese breeds. They are lively, friendly, often talkative cats, with gregarious personalities. But they are happy apartment cats if they have some exercise opportunity. They are commonly referred to as 'Tonks'. As with many cat breeds, the exact history of the Tonkinese varies to some degree depending on the historian.
Tonkinese cats are the result of a recent crossbreeding between the Siamese and Burmese cat breeds, although some assert that Tonkinese-like cats have existed since at least the early 19th century, and the founding cat of the Burmese breed was probably a mink hybrid-colored cat named "Wong Mau," a small walnut colored cat imported to California by Dr. Joseph Cheesman Thompson in 1930.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, or to the incident in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War. When the breed was first established in Canada, the breed name was actually spelled "Tonkanese," which was a reference to the island in the musical South Pacific where "half-breeds" suffered no discrimination. The mistaken idea that the name was a geographical reference paralleling the Siamese and Burmese breed names resulted in a gradual switch to the current spelling, under which the breed was recognized by the US registering associations.
Personality
The Tonkinese has a winsome personality, not surprising since the Burmese and Siamese are prized for their temperaments. Faithful followers say the Tonkinese has the best of both breeds. Its voice is milder in tone than the Siamese. Its distinctive meow is often likened to a duck's quack. The Tonkinese craves, and returns, affection and companionship. It has an unflagging enthusiasm for life and life's pleasures, and loves interactive toys such as human fingers and the tails of its cat companions. It makes every close encounter a game.
Physical characteristics
Tonkinese are commonly trim and muscular cats. They are typically heavier than they appear to be, due to their very muscular bodies.They have a distinctive oval-shaped paw, and a modified wedge-shaped head, with large ears set towards the outside of their head. They are unusually intelligent, curious, affectionate with people, and interested in them. Tonkinese cats are playful cats, but not hyperactive, although they can be mischievous if they become lonesome or bored. Some interesting toys and a cat tree, or, better yet, another Asian cat such as a Tonkinese, Oriental, Burmese, Siamese, or Snowshoe can keep them busy when they're lonely. Unlike most breeds of cat, they are reported to sometimes engage in fetching, and they can often be found perched on the highest object in the house as they love jumping heights.
Tonkinese cats weigh 10-20 lbs or even more.
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 do like a good chat. Most observers feel they combine the more attractive features of both ancestor breeds.
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Tonkinese come in four colors and exhibit a wide variety of patterns.The three main patterns are mink, solid and pointed. Solid is essentially a Burmese coat pattern; pointed a Siamese pattern. Mink is a unique Tonkinese pattern, with shaded "points" like the Siamese, with the body coloured in a shade harmonising with the point colour. Mink is intermediate between Burmese and Siamese, with less abrupt contrast between body and legs than Siamese . The mink variety is considered most desirable for the show ring in cat fancier associations. The most commonly accepted colors are: platinum, champagne, blue, and natural, although European associations also accept red, cream, caramel, apricot and tortoiseshell. Typically, solid Tonkinese cats have gold or blue- green eyes, cats with the pointed 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 body color darkens with age to some degree in all patterns. Cats kept in colder climates will typically be darker in their mink or point shading, like their Siamese cousins.
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Breeding two mink Tonkinese cats does not usually yield a full litter of mink pattern Tonkinese kittens, as the mink pattern is the result of having one gene for the Burmese solid pattern and one for the Siamese pointed pattern. The most likely frequency pattern will be in such a mating one solid kitten, one pointed kitten, and two mink kittens. All three coat patterns will continue to exist and none can be bred out.
Those kittens not fitting the breed standards perfectly are termed 'pet quality' and are usually sold as companion pets, and for less money, since they can not be exhibited. They still have the same Tonkinese 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 Tonk fans.
Tonkinese registered in associations with closed breed books may produce smaller litters of three or four kittens on average as a result of increasing inbreeding, but those registered where new blood can still be added to the breed tend to the larger litters that come with hybrid vigor, usually having five, six, or more kittens. Kittens from closed breed book litters tend to be smaller in size. Colors and patterns in any litter depend both on statistical chance and the color genetics and patterns of the parents. Breeding between two mink-patterned cats will, on average, produce half mink kittens and one quarter each pointed and solid kittens. A pointed and a solid bred together will always produce all mink patterned kittens. A pointed bred to a mink will produce half pointed and half mink kittens, and a solid bred to a mink will produce half solid and half mink kittens.
In 2001, the Tonkinese were moved from hybrid classification to an established breed.
Appearence Characteristics of Tonkinese Cats
Tonkinese cats are of moderate size. They are weighing approximately 7 lbs for females and 9 lbs for males, as adults.
Tonkinese are cats with short hair, medium body size and muscular with a long and bushy tail. Their snout are slightly rounded.
Their heads is between the triangular and round shape (or wedge-shaped). Their eyes are slanted and almond-shaped eyes with the color varies depending on the color pot..
In ACFA and at least one other association, there are four colours accepted : Natural which is also called Seal or Sable (dark brown), Champagne which is also called Chocolate, Platinum which is often called the Lilac or Frost and Blue (gray).
These colors can be found in three color patterns, namely: pointed (like most Siamese), mink (the halfway variety) and solid (like most Burmese).
Point: the color pattern like the Siamese cat has, the contrast coat color of the body with the points (ears, tail, legs) looks very clear.
Mink: tonkinese cats’ hallmark. Contrast is between Siamese and Burmese. Tonkinese cats with a mink patterned coat are especially known for their aquamarine coloured eyes, this exotic colour is one that few other breeds share.
Solid: color pattern like the Burmese cat has, not a real solid.
My Summary
- Breed: Tonkinese
- Temperament: affectionate and curious
- Lifespan: up to 15 years
- Maintenance: low
- Recommended for: families or anyone who likes friendly felines.
- History
Once called the Golden Siamese, the Tonkinese is in fact a hybrid of Burmese and Siamese breeds. Initially developed in the United States in the 1930s, the blend of these two breeds resulted in a type which displayed obvious, but more refined characteristics of each. No deliberate breeding program followed and official record of the type was lost. It was not until the 1950s that Tonkinese were revived in Canada through controlled breeding programs, where it was also first recognised as a breed.
Today the Tonkinese is recognised by many major breed clubs throughout the world. Australia is home to a small but dedicated group of breeders, where the Tonkinese was first recognised by cat councils in 1997.
Appearance
The Tonkinese is an obvious blend of its parent breeds. Less angular in conformation than the Siamese and lighter in colour than the Burmese, the Tonkinese however remains a distinctive oriental. The eyes, an attractive aqua colour, are the result of a combination of the Siamese blue and Burmese gold. Tonkinese have a wider head than Siamese but less so than the Burmese and the body is medium and muscular. The coat, a distinguishing feature of the breed, is classified as mink. It is soft, medium-short in length and close lying. The coat contrast is more subtle than the Siamese, with solid colour paling around the belly and chest.
In Australia there are five predominant coat varieties;
Natural mink: a warm brown coat with dark chocolate points.
Blue mink: a bluish grey coat with slate blue markings.
Honey mink: ruddy brown coat with chocolate markings.
Champagne mink: a warm beige coat and pale brown markings.
Platinum mink: soft silver and pewter grey.
Spots, tortoise shell and red minks are other variations in the coat however they are not recognised by some state cat councils.
Temperament
True to the oriental breed, the Tonkinese is elegant, affectionate, curious and intelligent whilst displaying what breeders call a 'cheeky' attitude. Full of life and happy to receive attention, the Tonkinese loves companionship and is not nearly as aloof as some breeds. Like most orientals, the Tonkinese is a talkative animal, mewing for attention if it feels it is being ignored.
Feeding and health
As with all felines, a balanced diet is important. There are no specific health concerns for this breed, however gingivitis - a problem common to cats, may develop. Incorporating chewy foodstuffs (such as raw chicken necks) will help keep teeth and gums clean. A yearly visit to the veterinarian is also recommended.
As the Tonkinese is a product of two separate breeds, they show improved hybrid vigour. Tonkinese are less likely to suffer any genetically related conditions which may be associated with their parent breeds. Influence of this hybrid vigour will become less apparent as pure Tonkinese continue to be bred.
Breeding and lifespan
Second cross Tonkinese litters (the progeny of first generation Tonkinese) may yield only 50 per cent Tonkinese types with a possible 25 per cent each of Burmese and Siamese looking kittens. Commonly known as 'throw backs', these irregularities are the result of the strong influence exhibited by the genetically similar foundation breeds. It is argued by some breed societies that this is good reason for the Tonkinese not to be recognised as a breed in its own right, as a true type may not be relied upon in more than 50 per cent of offspring. Regardless of its appearance, the Tonkinese is still a robust cat, and could remain a member of the family for up to 15 years.
Maintenance and cost
Tonkinese are easy to care for. Brush their coat once a week to remove loose fur and keep an eye on tartar build-up on their teeth. Active cats such as these are also best provided stimulation from toys and scratch poles, otherwise they may become destructive if bored.
Kittens start from $400.00 fully vaccinated, vet checked and microchipped. Show quality kittens will fetch $600.00.
Recommended for
An ideal family cat. Your Tonkinese should settle well into home life and will regard itself as one of the family. Easy going, great with children and not overly demanding, the Tonkinese makes a great companion for both large and small households.
Behavioral Characteristics of Tonkinese Cats
The Tonkinese cats are very playful nature, fun to be around, fun to be watched and fun to snuggle with.
Tonkinese cats are very energetic, they loves to jump to high places. They like to play hide and seek or even launch an unannounced leap on you suddenly.
They can sometimes be quite mischievous with little bites and nips, especially when they are still kittens.
Tonkinese cats are first and foremost ‘people cats’, because they are affectionate, very friendly and love to be with people.
Tonkinese cats shouldn’t be left alone for long periods because they are full of mischief when feeling bored or ignored
If you think that Siamese cats are too noisy and the Burmeses are too reticent, the Tonkinese cat is perhaps the right choice for your companion.
Tonkinese cats can be easily trained. You can train them to come to you when called, go for a walk on a leash and fetch. These cats are with intelligence.
They seldom use their claws since they are generally very gentle cats by nature. If new
people or situations do not overly stress them out, they are excellent pet and show cats.
Tonkinese Cats should be kept in an enclosed garden or indoors for its own safety.
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