Meow-Cats

Lykoi: The Moon-Mad Meower

Origin and History of the Lykoi Cat Breed

The Lykoi’s origins are as a mutation within domestic cats that was initially discovered amongst two unrelated pairs of domestic shorthairs:

One pair, adopted by one Patti Thomas from a rescue after being found within the state of Virginia in 2010.
The second pair, was found within neighboring Tennessee a year later by veterinarian Johnny Gobble.

After initial and rigorous testing proved that these cats were truly unique, they were named Lykoi after Thomas’s remarks upon it being the Greek word for wolf-an apt description of their appearance.

In 2012, the Lykoi was submitted to The International Cat Association (TICA) and was unanimously passed on to “Registration Only” status. The breed was recognized as a “Championship breed” several years later and started competition against other similar breeds within TICA as early as May of 2017. The Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) has regarded Lykoi, regardless of coloration, as a Provisional breed since 2022.

Types and Varieties of Lykoi Cats

The Lykoi is too young a breed to have many varieties like the Rex enjoys. Currently, any variation in Lykoi appearances are strictly limited to individual Lykoi.

Physical Appearance of the Lykoi

This werewolf-like cat is a medium-sized breed with a slender but fit body and wedged head that displays a trademark “mask” of bare skin around the face and rear of its ears. Standards are measured against a roan coat, meaning any color, though black is the most prominent. Furthermore, the coat should be fine, short and soft, with no undercoat.

Although named for a wolfish appearance, some Lykoi are overall hairless, rather than just devoid of hair around the face they bring the Canadian Sphinx to mind. Their coat has been compared to an opossum.

Personality and Major Habits of the Lykoi

This is a relatively friendly breed that is easy to get along with; Dr. Gobble likened them to well-behaved dogs. While they can initially be quite aloof around strangers, they soon turn affectionate and sweet.

Longevity of the Lykoi

The Lykoi is such a relatively young breed that their true longevity remains to be seen, leaving owners to regard them as just as healthy and long-lived as most other cat breeds. While kidney disease is a notable concern, that particular malady is common among all cat breeds.

Interesting Facts About Lykoi

This breed sheds often with age but can regrow hair based on the seasons.
Dermatologists at the University of Tennessee analyzed the initial Lykoi and they discovered that the Lykoi’s natural mutation means that not all of its hair follicles are equipped to create hair. Furthermore, follicles that could produce hair lacked a balance in the necessary components for maintaining hair; hence why they molt and can become temporarily hairless.
The CFA considers Lykoi to be exclusively indoor cats due to their coat’s impaired resistance to heat and cold.

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Korats, The Good Luck Cats From Thailand

A Rare and Friendly Breed of Cat

The Korat Cat breed, which is also referred to in their native Thailand as the Si-Sawat (or Si Sawat), are frequently called the “good luck cats” owning to their historic name and limited gene pool. They are rare even in Thailand. Alternative names of the breed are Khorat, Malet, Maleht.

A very stable oriental cat, they are primarily identified immediately by their beautiful, blue-grey with silver-tipped fur that appears to shimmer which, according to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, gives them the appearance of having a halo-looking appearance which is quite distinctive. The color of Si-Sawats’ hair is compared to grey nickernuts, or sawat seeds, i.e. beans of Gray Nicker, hence the name is Si-Sawat (meaning “the color of sawat seed”). Thai people also describe it as the color of a rain cloud, dark blue/grey. Korats shine like silver and have heart-shaped head and nose and even their chest forms as a shape of a heart.

Origin and History of the Si-Sawat Cat Breed

Also known as Siam cats, Korats are referred to in an ancient Thai book called “Cat-Book Poems” (Tamra Maew), which dates back to the Ayutthaya period of 1350 to 1767 in Thailand, so the breed has been in existence for some time.

Korat cat breeds were often given as gifts to brides upon their wedding as a symbol of good luck and good fortune for their future household with their husband and presumably children, so Korats spread rapidly in Thailand.

However, it wasn’t until 1959, that a pair of Korats were first imported to the USA. In the early 1970s, Korats began to come to the UK, and now the breed, although fairly rare, is found in many different countries.

Types of Breeds

Korats are a pure feline breed, but the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy does list experimental Korats, delineated by their color. In place of the traditional solid blue, recognizing Korat sub-breeds that are Thai Lilac and Thai Blue Point, having slightly different coloring shades than the traditional pure-bred Korat.

The Appearance of a Korat

These Thai cats are medium-sized cats weighing 6 to 10 pounds and around 15 to 18 inches in length. They have green or amber eyes and large forward-facing ears.

Their heads often look heart-shaped when viewed from the front, and combined with their striking hair, they are quite beautiful.

A Korat’s Personality

Korats simply love people and bond with them quite easily. They love to be held and cuddled and are content living in large families which is ideal for the typical Thai family.

They easily accommodate living with other cats and are just as comfortable cuddling as they are exploring and participating in cat games.

Providing the children in the family are socialized to treat your cat lovingly, they love children and adults equally.

The Lifespan of Korats

Korats tend to live a long life, with 18 or 19 years an expected lifespan. They also tend to be quite healthy, acquiring few of the diseases that affect other cat breeds.

Korats, with their warm temperament, are a fantastic cat breed to consider owning, and owners may or may not be brought good luck by owning the species, but they certainly will be rewarded with a loving cat that brings plenty of love to your household.

Differences Between Korat Cat Breed and Russian Blue

These cat breeds are visually similar but have differences. Many often find it difficult to distinguish them. Here are some differences and similarities that you can notice:

– They both have similar color of fur and eyes;

– The heart-shaped head of Korat and wedge-shaped head of Russian Blue;

– Korat doesn’t have a downy undercoat, but the Russian Blue has it and looks more fluffy than Korat because of it;

– Korat is a cat from a tropical country (Thailand), Russian Blue is from a cold Siberian city (Russia).

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The Origin, History and Physical Traits of the LaPerm – American Rex Breed

LaPerm is a hybrid cat breed with a “rex” gene. They stand out from other cat breeds by virtue of their curly, or wavy, fur. They were developed from a spontaneous mutation of domestic barn cats in Oregon and were officially named and recognized in 1995 by The International Cat Association (TICA).

How the LaPerm Cat Breed Was Born

The story of Curly, the first LaPerm cat, began over decades ago. Oregon became the center of the cat world when a barn cat named Speedy gave birth to an oddball kitten in 1982. The breeder, Linda Koehl, discovered the rare cat breed when this kitten was born with distinct physical features unlike any other cat in his litter.

The newborn kitten was almost bald and later developed small hairs. After the kitten started to develop a full coat that curled at the tips when they grow long, Linda’s husband (Richard Koehl) named this first wavy-haired kitten “Curly.”

Linda named the cat breed “LaPerm.” The breed’s name came from a single curl in a LaPerm mother’s coat due to the spontaneous genetic mutation. The gene was dominant, so they could quickly breed more generations with a little help from a breeding program. Breeders and enthusiasts refer to the aesthetic trait of its distinctive fur as “LaPerm” to this day.

Physical Appearance

LaPerm cats can be both long-haired and short-haired, with a curly, springy coat. With a height of 6 to 10 inches and weight between 8 to 10 pounds, the LaPerm is certainly a medium-sized cat. The LaPerm cat breed is a friendly and affectionate cat of high intelligence that gets along well with children, seniors, all family members and other pets in the home.

They have well-defined body shapes and come in many colors, including cream, red, gray, chocolate, lavender, silver, fawn, etc. Despite their long hair, their fur-lock extensions and distinctive wave coat do not require much grooming. The LaPerm cat breed possesses unique coat patterns, such as bi-color, solid, tabby, calico, or color point.

The body structure of the LaPerm is similar to Persian cats, but with thicker skin and a shorter muzzle. LaPerms have long legs, large ears, and a quite long tail.

Personality, Major Habits and Comparison With Other Cats

LaPerm is an affectionate, intelligent, and playful cat breed. It loves to be close to its owners and follows them around the house. The breed will bond with one or more of its family members, staying by their sides throughout the day. Although it’s affectionate, don’t mistake its friendliness for demandingness – LaPerms are content with receiving attention rather than giving it.

Because LaPerm has minimal shedding, owners only need to brush their cat’s coat twice or thrice a week to remove dead hairs. As for bathing, LaPerms are fairly clean cats that do not like water, so they only require bathing one time per month or less.

Playfulness and Vocalness

While not an energetic running buddy, it has loads of playfulness and loves to interact with you throughout your day. With a quiet demeanor, LaPerm isn’t prone to vocal theatrics and makes for a great companion when you’re in the mood to just hang out.

LaPerms are cats with an aura of mystery about them. This breed is an excellent hunter with a high prey drive, able to catch prey in the dark. Many owners find that LaPerm cats don’t mind it when people pick them up, and they will sit in their owner’s laps for hours at a time.

How Long Do They Live?

LaPerm is a healthy cat breed that lives from 10 to 15 years on average, a bit longer than other breeds. Thanks to their low-maintenance coats and genetic diversity, which means that they’re also less prone to diseases common in other cat breeds, such as arthritis or kidney disease.

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Calico Cat – Tricolor Happiness and Good Luck ^_^

Overview

Calico Cats generally refers to cats that come with a particular combination of colors, which are basically black, orange and white. Most people tend to make assumptions about the Calico being a breed, but that is not really the case. The term calico only refers to the tri-color coats. Apart from the aforementioned range of colors for this type of cats, there are others that may manifest themselves in different shades of beige, gray and white instead. These are still calico nonetheless. Herein, we shall delve deeper to get to understand different things about the Calico Cat Breed.

Origins and History of the Calico Cat

The Calico Cat is a mutation of genetics that has been traced back to Egypt. This particular mutation was found in some port cities along some parts of the Mediterranean Sea, in the cities of Spain, France and Italy. There are trade routes in Europe and Northern Africa then helped in the spreading of the goods that were getting transported. This way, the calico was spread out to other new places, including the US. The discovery and study of the calico cats however started way back in the year 1948.

Types of Breeds

The coat color that comes from calico cats is often a combination of two chromosomes of X. The fur that has three colors therefore needs to have a pair of X chromosomes in order for them to appear. Since the female cats are the ones that bear these X chromosomes, most of the calicos often end up being female, for this reason. On the other hand, the ones that get to have chromosomes that are X-XXY often end up being male. The male calico cats are however often male, and therefore end up not being able to produce any offspring.

Physical Appearance of Calico Cat Breed

The calico cats have coats that have a range of three or more colors, with the main ones typically being white, black, and orange. There may however be different shades of the aforementioned colors. The majority of the body is covered in white, with the other two colors of their shades, being found in some patches in different parts of the body. Because of the fact that they belong to different varying breeds, the other physical characteristics such as the shape of the nose and face, may vary from one cat to the other.

Personality and Major Habits

Bearing in mind that the term Calico refers mostly to the coloration of these cats and not the color exactly, the personality of these cats are mostly influenced by their breed and other factors. For example, the environment and experience that a particular Calico Cat Breed encounters will go a long way in playing a major role in the personality it ends up acquiring.
However, there are quite a number of studies and proves that have worked to show that these cats are very warm-hearted, loyal and sweet as well. On the flip side also, they can get to be very spunky, notorious at times, depending, and also quite smart.

Calico Cats’ Longevity of Lifespan

It should be noted that being calico does not exactly work to prolong the lifespan of the Calico Cats. Because of this, they tend to live to the general span of most cats, that is about 15 years or slightly more. However, this is different, based on each and every individual cat.

Interesting Facts

In Japan, Calico Cats are believed to bring good luck with them. In the years gone by, there are quite a number of Japanese sailors who would travel with calicos in their ships for what they believed was protection measures. Also in the U.K and U.S, they are thought to carry good luck, mostly because they are quite rare to come across.

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Cymric Cat Breed, a Semi-long-haired Variety of the Manx

The first cat was domesticated before 7500BC in Near East present-day Egypt and Turkey. From ancient times, animals’ domestication was more than a financial or status issue; people formed close relationships with their respective pets until they were part of their families. A cat is a perfect example of one of the most lovable animals, and today we are going to focus our attention on the Cymric cat breed.

Origins and History of This Feline Breed

Before the end of 2020, there were more than 70 breeds of cats. It is difficult to trace each of them back to their origin, but as a matter of fact, most cats originated from Near East. Cymric cats fall under the category of tailless Manx cats, which originated from the Isle of Man.

According to records from the Isle of Man, Cymric cats began evolving as short-tailed felines with semi-long hair before the 1960s. At the same time, they were deemed as an unwanted breed of cats; hence most people shunned them from their homes. Cymric cats were dubbed as Manx Mutants and Longhaired Manx by Canadian breeders before exhibiting their current name.

Pioneer cat breeders Blair Wright and Leslie Falteisek officially named the controversial Longhaired Manx, Cymric cat breed in the mid-70s. This official name finally brought down the curtains of doubts which made folks hate this fantastic feline. 4 decades later, many championship organizations were formed to defend Cymric cats’ interests; a perfect example is The United Cymric Association, formed in 1976.

Cymric Cat Breed

Though their fur and eye color patterns may differ from one cat to another, all Cymric cats fall under the same gene pool. There are no recorded subdivisions of Cymric cat breeds unless scientists provide new results sometime in the future.

The Physical Appearance of Cymric Cats

A male Cymric weighs more than 12 lbs. while a female stands at less than 11 lbs. which is the average weight for most pet cats. Most Cymric cats have a fluffy coat taking on a multitude of colors. Common colors include white, blue, silver, red, and brown, which form patterns.
The tailless dimple at the end of the spine is the most remarkable feature of this cat. It’s not only used to differentiate Cymric from other breeds but also it is the secret to its stunning body shape. Like the fur and taillessness, these cats have distinctive eye colors. Amber, copper, hazel, and green eye colors are not a rare sighting but, there are some in-betweens colors you might as well observe when you visit a cat breeder.

Cymric Cats’ Social Life

Cymric cats aren’t playful, but they keep their activities at a moderate level compared to other cat breeds. They are known for gentle disposition and loyalty. They are also extremely sociable with other pets, especially their canine counterparts, and they rarely get into trouble. Furthermore, they are easy to train and get along quickly with strangers. Just like dogs, Cymric cats don’t like to be left alone for long hours since they love attention.

There is no significant difference between Cymric and other cats as they share almost a similar decent social life. They are docile creatures and tend to avoid conflict while playing with dogs. But, each cat has unique personalities depending on training and environment.

Lifespan

A Cymric will clock a decade to 14 years if their social life is well taken care of and live in good conditions.

Note: Cymric cats have a gullible appetite, and if you don’t check their diet, they will easily become obese.

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The Complete Origins and History of the American Longhair Cat

The American longhair is often confused with its cousin the domestic long-haired, but they are different. An American longhair is a purebred while a domestic long-haired is a breed-less cat as they can be found in any breed as long as their fur is long. The American longhair was created by mixing some of the American shorthair ancestor cats and a Persian Cat Breed.

Their bloodline has to be traced back to American shorthairs and Persians to be a true American longhair, otherwise, it will be a domestic long-haired. They were trying to get the wide selection of colors that can be found in a Persian but with the hair and build of an American shorthair. Instead, they ended up with the American longhair that can be found in a wide range of colors that has as the name implies longhair.

What is the Appearance of an American Longhair Cat?

An American longhair cat has an average lifespan of between 12 and 16 years if they are healthy and kept taken care of properly. The average weight of an American longhair is around 12 pounds, and they tend to be about 11 inches in height. The head of an American longhair cat should be rather large in size, round, and broad.

The face should have a dished or concave look to it, and the muzzle should be more square in shape. The ears are not overly large and perfectly proportioned to the rest of the body. They are shaped with a broad base and has a rounded tip. The ears have a slight feathered look on the end that helps make them more desirable.

The eyes are large in size and rounded in shape. They should be bright and clear in color, and they can come in any color. It is rare to find them with odd colored eyes, but it is acceptable as long as the cat is not also deaf. This breed is a medium to large-sized breed that tends to be longer then it is tall. The body should have a well-formed chest and a broad shape overall.

It is common for there to be a pad of fat on the chest of an American longhair. The neck of the American longhair cat should be short, and the legs are medium to large in length. There should be 5 round toes in the front with 4 round roses in the back. The tail will be plume-like and medium in length.

This breed of cat can be found in a wide range of coloring, but the gray tabby coloring is the most found coloring. They can be white, blue, black, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, cream, red, different shades of tabby, different shades of torbie, different shades of tortoiseshell, different shades of chinchilla, different shades of smoke, and so many other coloring options.
The Independent Personality of the American Longhair

The personality of an American longhair is very mellow, and they tend to be very independent breed. They are the perfect pick for both a busy household and a quiet one. They do not require someone who can give them a lot of attention, but they do often require their fur to be brushed at least once to twice a week.

Interesting Facts on the American Longhair Cat

Great friend for dogs and horses

They are a great breed for someone who has other animals to contend with. An example of this is that they love to be around horses, cows, and goats, but they also perfectly find being around dogs. It is even common to find an American longhair cuddling with your dog if it is a smaller breed.

The Cat with Extra Toes

It will sound very odd, but an American longhair might be born with extra toes.

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Why the Aegean Cat Breed is a Greek Treasure

There are cat-lovers, and then there are Aegean cat-lovers. What’s the difference, might you ask? The Aegean cat is considered a gem in Europe, more specifically, Greece, and is welcomed and fed everywhere they go. There are many breeds of feline, but the Aegean cat breed is multifaceted and has become a staple both in Greece and Turkey. Even though this cat has been around for centuries, and is one of the oldest domesticated cat breeds in the world, it’s only about three decades ago that people began investigating them.

Their origination

Aegean cats are a locally adapted breed found in the Cycladic Islands area of Greece. This cat is unique because it is not genetically modified or has any physical interference from humans. Rookie breeders started the advancement of the Aegean cat as an accepted species in the Greek feline organization. However, the cat is still not recognized by any primary fancier or other large breeder groups despite its popularity and adaptability. The Aegean is said to be the only cat originating in Greece.

Natives named the well-loved felines after the Aegean Sea, which lies between Greece and Turkey. It is quite befitting as both countries cherish the cat, which is found naturally in both territories. It may have taken long to breed the domesticated cats, but now, the Aegean cat breed is to Greece what pigeons are to Paris. Fortunately, though, you can feed the cats, and they revel in it.

Aegean Attributes

Compared to most cats, enthusiasts could describe the Aegean breed as being a moderate size. They are quite robust and have tri-shade, partially long hair, which wide-ranging. The primary color, though, is always white. A unique feature is also varying patterns. No two Aegean cats ever seem the same. As for their paws, they have a round shape and are a standard size. A main identifying feature is their long hook-shaped tail while their ears are curved at the top but broad at the bottom. The cat’s ear is also concealed by hair. As for their eyes, The eyes come in three shades, yellow, green, and blue, and are wedge-shaped.

Passion for Water and Other Interesting Facts

The Aegean cat breed is known for their passion for water and enjoy fishing. This is contrary to what is usually known about cats despising water. Their love for water could be attributed to their natural development, instead of human intervention. Aegean cats are known not to be susceptible to diseases that most feline breeds are, making people want to warm up to them even more.

In The Wild

History has it that the Aegean cat breed is among the oldest tamed feline breeds in the world. They are popular as outdoor cats in Turkey and Greece, where they roam freely, especially near waterways. Visit any harbor, and they are guaranteed to be seen in abundance. They are usually waiting for food, and the fishermen, residents, and tourists alike; enjoy feeding the Aegean cat. It’s truly a beauty to behold, especially with all the colors and patterns on display.

How Are They As Pets?

It would have been shocking to hear that the Aegean cat breed is not a common household pet. People are so drawn to them on the outdoors. Therefore many would imagine that the Aegean cat would make excellent pets. The domesticated cat has adapted to human interaction both indoors and outdoors. They are great entertainers and will be comfortable in a single-family home setting or an apartment. It’s essential to create a high place for them or have a tree nearby because when it comes to sleep time, these climbers still like their independence. Overall, the Aegean cat breed is vibrant, intelligent, and makes the perfect pet.

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Ancient and Magnificent – The Somali Cat Breed

Ancient Origins of the Somali Breed

The Somali cat breed is the long-haired version of the Abyssinian cat, one of the world’s oldest cat breeds. The history of the Somali breed stems from several Abyssinian cats being shipped across the globe from Egypt and into the West. Somali’s were initially shipped to New Zealand, Australia, and more in the 1940s. By 1963, a Canadian woman by the name of Mary Mailing bred several Abyssinian cats, which produced a long-haired version. Judges at a local cat show liked this new cat breed and quickly bred their own cats with it. Thus, creating the new Somali cat breed.

Somali Cat Breed Variations

The Somali cat breed has up-to 28 different colors, which some would say count as variations. However, the cat community does generally agree there are at least seven variations. From the Ruddy Somali female who offers a long majestic coat to the Lilac Somali that resembles a fox, the Somali cat breed is quite expansive in its variations.

Physical Appearance

Most commonly described as a long-haired cat breed with African origins. The Somali breed comprises a recessive gene from the Abyssinian cat breed, which was prevalent throughout Egypt. The Somali breed, therefore, stems mainly from Somali.

Somali cats are also generally a medium build, quite firm in appearance and toned in muscle mass. Although some variations have longer hair than others, the Somali cat is a generally well-built cat capable of athleticism. This likely stems from the origins in which these cats needed to be well adapted for hunting game and surviving with little human intervention. Somali cats also generally have almond-shaped eyes with ears that are set wide apart. With long legs and toned muscles, the fur of this cat breed is very dense and soft. Interestingly, the Somali breed also generally has up to 6 shades of colors per strand of hair and appears as a brown or “sand-like” color.

Personality and Habits of Somali Cats

Somali cats are very active and fit cats who love to play all day long. Along with the high energy and desire to play, Somali cats are also very pro-social. This means the Somali breed loves to interact with other cats, humans, and potentially other species of house pets. Along with the agility and desire to be around others, Somali cats are also highly intelligent. This is likely why Somali cats seek out social interactions so often. That being said, if you get a Somali cat, you’ll likely need to get them a companion and numerous toys to play with throughout the day. Otherwise, your Somali cat could get bored and depressed.

Lifespan and Health

With a lifespan of between 12 and 15 years, the Somali cat is generally healthy breed all-around. In fact, the Somali breed has no known major health issues besides complications related to nearly every cat breed on earth. That mostly includes tooth issues.

Ancient and Magnificent

This breed originates from ancient loins and, therefore, has been found to be mummified along with ancient Egyptian remains. Interestingly Somali breed also has the ability to hold objects in their paws. Although most cats knock over things and open things, this breed can take this a step further. By literally holding objects, a Somali is capable of picking things up. So watch out, Somali cats can be quite sneaky!

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The Javanese Cat – Silky, Beautiful, and Rambunctious

Origins and History of the Javanese Breed

The Javanese, which is also sometimes known as the Colorpoint Longhair (or Colourpoint Longhair), is a domestic, Oriental cat breed that originated in North America. The Javanese cat breed was created by crossing Balinese cats with Siamese and colorpoint shorthair cats. Because of this, the Javanese cat is sometimes considered to be a variety of the Balinese cat instead of its own distinct breed.

The Javanese cat gets its name from the tradition of naming Oriental cat breeds after places in Asia. The term “Javanese cat” was first used in 1950 by a breeder named Helen Smith, but Javanese cats as we know them today weren’t called by that name until 1978 when the cat was accepted for registration by the Cat Fanciers’ Association. The Javanese gained full status in that organization in 1986, but in 2008, the breed was once again merged with the Balinese and is now considered to be a sub-breed.

A Striking, Elegant Appearance

The Javanese cat breed often looks very similar to Siamese cats, with a white coat and darker colourpoint markings at the ears, face, paws, and tail, but unlike Siamese cats, Javanese have long, silky fur. The Javanese can also often display colors or patterns that the Siamese breed does not. These cats are sometimes not white but tan, sandy, red, dark brown, or even tortoiseshell. They may display cream point, tortoiseshell point, or even lynx or tabby point markings, which are stripes. Unlike most cats, Javanese do not have an undercoat but only a single coat, which lies close to their slender bodies and gives the cats a very sleek appearance.

These cats generally weigh between five and ten pounds when they are fully grown.

Playful and Curious Personalities

Javanese cats are very similar to Siamese and Balinese cats in personality. They are vocal and will often call out or talk to their owners. These cats are also very intelligent and energetic and enjoy a great deal of space to roam and play. This also means that, when they are bored, Javanese cats can often get into trouble and may even be destructive.

Javanese are considered to be very friendly and are often a good choice for families with children. These cats enjoy a lot of attention and will enjoy having multiple people fawn over them. The Javanese cat also tends to get along well with dogs and may even learn to play fetch with them.

A Long Lifespan

How long the Javanese cat lives depends largely on any pre-existing genetic issues and the care the cat is given. Generally, owners of Javanese cats can expect to have them for between 10 and 15 years. However, when the cat is cared for properly, many of them live to be about 20 years old.

Close Cat Cousins

Javanese cats are closely related to Siamese cats and, because of that, have inherited some of their more interesting traits. Like Siamese cats, these cats are smart enough to be trained and will often perform tricks for treats. These cats have also inherited some of the Siamese and Balinese cats’ genetic traits. For example, like Siamese cats, all Javanese cats have blue eyes. In addition, some Javanese may have kinked or crooked tails. This kink is a small, painless bend or bump at the end of the tail.

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The Small Tiger Breed: Toy Tiger. Toyger

For cat lovers, they may wonder about the origins of their cat and what breed of cat they own. There are many breeds of cats. Some are well known like the Maine Coon, Tabby, Ragdoll, Siamese, and Persian. One of the not well-known breeds is the Toyger cat breed.

“Toyger” means a combination of two words: “toy” and “tiger”, it is a breed of domestic cats that look like small tigers. No, they are not real small tigers, these cats don’t even have an orange tiger coat, but they have beautiful tiger-like stripes on their coats.

The Origins of the Toyger cat

In 1980, a cat breeder named Judy Sugden had noticed one of her tabby cats had a tiger-like pattern upon its forehead instead of the striking “M”. She paired a tabby named Scrapmetal with a broad Bengal named Millwood Rumpled Spotskin. Later in 1993, Ms. Sugden happens upon and adopts a street cat from India named Jammie Blu. During that year, The International Cat Association recognized the Toyger cat breed in the register. Ms. Sugden created the Toyger Cat Society which helps finds the breeders of the Toyger cat which The International Cat Association (TICA) says there are only a few globally. In 2000, TICA advanced them to the new breed exhibition classes, finally granting them full recognition as a championship cat in 2007. The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) recognized Toygers in 2015 and they progressed to preliminary status in 2016.

Judy Sugden’s mother was Jean Mill. Jean Mill had made the Bengal cat a breed. She unexpectedly bred a leopard cat with a black cat which produced a female kitten named Kin-Kin in 1970. Usually, a mixed breed wouldn’t be able to kittens, but surprisingly she did. The wildness calmed down after breeding four generations of the mixed breed. The breeding was hindered a short while because the males were futile. In 1983, The International Cat Association (TICA) approved the Bengal breed and made the breed a championship status. In 1997 The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) recognized the Bengal breed. The Fédération Internationale Féline, The Cat Fanciers’ Association, and The Australian Cat Federation had recognized the Bengal cat as a breed in their registry in 1999.

The Appearance of the Toyger Cat

What does the Toyger Cat look like?

Besides the beautiful stripes, the Toyger cat has a long and broad body that not like other domesticated cats. Its head is a normal oval shape that looks a heart shape that is inverted. The ears of the Toyger cat are small and round. The length of the Toyger cat is about 18 inches from head to tail. Speaking of the tail, it is long, but not thick. The males of the Toyger cat breed tend to be more muscular than females. The coat of this breed is soft and short. The coloring of the coat can vary from black to tan. The stripes are like the mackerel tabby, but they have more of a sharper edge pattern. The weight of the Toyger cat breed ranges from seven to fifteen pounds. The eye color ranges from dark brown to hazel.

The Personality of the Toyger Cat

The Playful Toyger Cat

Before getting any pet, you should know the temperament of the pet breed. Through the temperament may vary from pet to pet, it’s good to know how much energy they have, and how kid-friendly they are. The Toyger cat is a medium kid-friendly cat and they can be around other pets. They have high energy and very playful which means this cat breed will need lots of exercise. The Toyger cat breed is very intelligent. They do speak their minds a lot and very affectionate.

The Longevity of the Toyger Cat Breed

How Long Does The Toyger Cat Live?

The longevity of this cat breed is 10 to 15 years. This does depend on if the cat is an indoor-only cat or an indoor/outdoor cat. It is said that indoor cats live longer than indoor/outdoor cats. It also depends on how healthy the cat is. Obesity does shorten longevity.

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