The history of the Tonkinese cat breed is very young. It goes back to the 1970’s, when in both Canada and the United States, two breeders tried to cross a Siamese cat with a Burmese. The kittens from these two litters were then put together and mated. A new breed was born, which was initially called “Golden Siamese” and then Tonkinese.
It was not a very easy selection because the intention of the two breeders was to have a cat that had the characteristics of both breeds, whereas it was easier to have kittens that had the characteristics of either the Siamese or the Burmese. However, they managed to achieve a perfect balance between the two and this beautiful new breed was born: the Tonkinese.
This breed has been very successful in the United States, unfortunately it is not very common in Europe and is very rare in Italy.
Character of the Tonkinese cat
The character of the Tonkinese cat is very balanced, intelligent and lively. It is a good mix between the petulant and crazy Siamese and the balanced and serene Burmese. It is a cat that loves attention and requires it often, especially from the human that it chooses and follows everywhere like a little dog, trying in every way to receive caresses and cuddles, because it is very affectionate.
This cat adapts very well to living in a flat because it does not disdain long sleeps on the sofa or on the lap of its human, who also follows it to bed, but the ideal would be a safe garden where every now and then it could do some running or climbing up trees. It is a very active and agile breed and needs movement.
It suffers from being alone for a long time, so it would be good to have a playmate, cat or even dog, with whom it tends to get along well. With children, being very lively, he likes to play. It is not very suitable for people who want a quiet life, as this cat needs frequent stimulation and play.
It is very intelligent, so much so that it can very quickly open doors and windows, so you have to be very careful because its curiosity could take it very far from home. Sometimes he can be a little stubborn, but being very playful he knows how to make up for it.
Appearance of the Tonkinese Cat
The Tonkinese cat has the most beautiful features of its ancestors. From the Siamese it has taken its elegance and perfect proportions, from the Burmese the unmistakable colourpoint coat and the robustness of its bearing. Generally the puppies are born light coloured and the coat darkens gradually as they grow up.
Their musculature masks their weight very well, they are much heavier than their appearance might suggest. In fact, the male can weigh up to 6 kilograms, the female a little less.
The legs are slender but muscular, with the hind legs slightly longer than the fore ones, which allows them to be particularly agile. The tail is thin but proportionate to the length of the body and tapers towards the end.
The head is wedge-shaped with large ears with a slightly rounded tip, almond-shaped eyes with a colour varying from aquamarine to blue, to very intense golden green.
The coat is short and medium thick, silky and soft to the touch. It has no undercoat. The background colour is lighter, while the extremities are darker. There are four most common variations of coat colour: mink brown on the body and dark brown on the tips, light brown with medium brown tips, blue-grey body with darker tips and ice-grey body with light grey tips. . Compared to the Siamese, in the Tonkinese there is much less contrast between the dark tips and the rest of the coat.
Health and care of the Tonkinese cat
The Tonkinese cat has a life expectancy of around 15 years, but specimens have been known to live as long as 20 years. It is generally in good health, although it can develop the typical problems of the Siamese cat. Genetic diseases are very rare.
With regard to the care of its coat, it is sufficient to brush it once a week to keep it shiny and soft. It does not need any special care and loses very little hair.
As it does not have an undercoat, it fears sudden changes in temperature and does not like the cold at all. As it is a very active cat, its diet does not present any particular risk of gaining weight.
