The Tonkinese breed is widely considered a 'newer' breed, a cross between a Burmese and a Siamese, though some dispute this saying the breed existed in the 1800s. The first known Tonkinese was Wong Mau, a descendant of ancient Burmese. Wong Mau was bred with a Siamese and over time, the Tonkinese was bred into its own separate breed but it was not recognized as a distinct breed until 1984. This cat is a medium sized breed with males weighing eight to twelve pounds and females six to eight pounds.
Tonkinese (affectionately referred to as 'Tonks') have a short, thick coat that requires no more maintenance than once weekly brushing and come in three colors: pointed, mink and solid. The pointed coat is much like a Siamese and the solid is much like a Burmese. However, the mink is unique to the Tonkinese. It is a combination of a Siamese coat and a Burmese coat but not a blend. Usually, one half (legs only or the body) is one coat and suddenly, it becomes the other.
The Tonkinese personality is described as 'the best of both worlds'. From their Siamese side, they take curiosity and intelligence. From their Burmese side, they take their easy-going personality. They are active and stubborn but not particularly high strung or stressed out. Tonkinese is social creatures. They enjoy their humans and get along well with other pets and children.
Tonkinese does not like being left alone and it is recommended that if they are going to be left alone for long periods of time, there should be two Tonkinese in the home. It is also useful to have a cat condo around for exercise and play and to keep them out of trouble stemming from boredom. Tonkinese tends to have almost no genetic medical concerns though they are more prone to gingivitis than other breeds.
A shorthair feline breed, Tonkinese is believed by some to have been imported alongside Siamese from the Orient in the nineteenth century. Others maintain that it is an artificially created breed. In either case, the modern origin of Tonkinese was in the twentieth century when it was produced through the crossing of Siamese with Burmese cats. Since then the cat has gone through various stages of development and is now recognized by most cat fancies around the world. To many, it is still very much a Siamese that resembles the traditional Meezer cat of a few decades back. Tonkinese is the only feline breed whose modern roots can be traced to Canada.
A combination of Siamese elegance and Burmese muscularity, the Tonkinese is a medium sized cat. It is sleek and strong and weighs in the range of eight to ten pounds for healthy adults. Body shape is that of the classical Siamese of old with a modified triangular head and almond-shaped eyes that range in colour from blue to green and golden. They are the only purebreds to have aqua coloured eyes. Fur is short and dense and occurs in mink, solid or pointed patterns. Coat colours include blue, silver, grey, platinum and chocolate. The overall appearance of the Tonkinese is that of a slightly rounded, charming cat.
Less vocal than their Siamese ancestors, Tonkinese are still quite talkative. They are not hesitant to expressive themselves and often carry out prolonged 'conversations' with their humans. Since they have also inherited the somewhat laid-back nature of the Burmese, they are not overly demanding.
Temperamentally Tonkinese is near perfect. They have got the best personality attributes from their oriental ancestors. They are both cuddling lap cats and are also very active and intelligent individuals who love to play and have fun with all family members.
'The words cat and cute are not only similar to hear but are quite similar literally as well,' said a former TV presenter. Like dogs, cats also have a special place in the drama called life. Cats, like happiness, come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. One such colorful breed is the Tonkinese cat.
Tonkinese Where the little fur rainbow across the forehead came from is unknown (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Like the Canadian hairless cat, the Tonkinese cats have originated from the lands of Canada. This is a medium sized cat breed, a cross between 2 beautiful cat breeds - the Siamese cat breed and the Burmese cat breed.
History of Tonkinese Cats
'History is a half right- half wrong fable agreed upon.' Same way, there are some instances which connect this recent breed to historical era of the 19th century. Some people believe that these cats often trace their roots back to the 'Wong Mau' miracle cat (a small sized walnut colored cat, courtesy - Dr. Joseph Cheesman Thompson, 1930). Most other journals and experts put the start of breeding as late 19th century, which is widely accepted. All in all, the exact history is debated but these cats aren't as old as some other species.
Name Game
This pet breed was earlier called as - Tonkinese which got later modified to Tonkinese. Origin of its name is the namesake island in the musical South Pacific. This fictitious island was special because there was no discrimination done to half-breeds and hybrids. These are commonly known as Tonks while promoting, and also during cat shows.
These beautiful Tonkinese animals breeds often find mentions in English novels, movies, documentaries and magazines. Known for their friendly nature, these pets are often classified as the perfect apartment cats. In general, these animals are lively with gregarious personalities and form one of the bubbliest pets. With an appealing individuality, the Tonkinese pets breed is often considered to have taken good qualities of both, Siamese and Burmese cat breeds. Even its meow is slightly different than other breeds, and its voice is often an epitome of affection. The Tonkinese pet carves and returns affection very openly.
The trim and the muscular cat appears lighter than what they actually are. They have the following physical features:
- Distinctive oval-shaped paw
- An adapted wedge shaped head
- Large ears which are almost set to the outside of their heads
- Muscular appearance
There are 3 main patterns in Tonkinese cats, solid, pointed and mink. They come in 4 attractive colors and their color pattern darkens with age. The solid pattern is the most common type of Tonkinese pet pattern around.
One of the major reasons why these cats appear affectionate is their curiosity; these Tonkinese puppies are unusually curious, even to the simplest of things like a human finger. These folks are playful and mischievous and like humans or other Asian cat species around.
These cats from great pets and many owners claim, there is a sense of pleasure when these are around. Cats, in general, emit happiness and Tonkinese ones are no different.
