Tonkinese Cats

Common Name(s)
  Tonkinese, Golden Siamese, Tonk (nickname)

Background
  The Tonkinese is essentially a hybrid between the Siamese and Burmese. This breed was first intentionally bred in the United States in the 1950's by Milan Greer, and American feline expert. He crossed a male Burmese with a female Chocolate-point Siamese and called the resulting breed the Golden Siamese. When he passed on the breeding project to Edith Lux, she changed the name to Tonkinese. The breed is named after the Gulf of Tonkin, which is close to Burmese and Siamese (Thai) territories, but does not belong to either, just like the Tonkinese breed. In the 1960's, Margaret Conroy, a Canadian breeder, registered the Tonkinese in its first cat club, the Canadian Cat Association. In 1978 it was recognized by the Cat Fancier's Association (CFA), and by the 1990's, it was recognized by all North American cat societies. By 1991 it was recognized by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) in Britain. However, it is still not recognized by all associations in Europe as a true breed.

Description
   The Tonkinese is a muscular, medium-sized cat. Its body is neither long, nor cobby, but of medium length. The head is wider than that of the Siamese, but narrower than the Burmese'. It is a slightly rounded wedge, which is longer than it is wide. The ears are medium-sized with rounded tips. The eyes are almond shaped and slanted along the cheekbones. The legs are muscular and the hind legs are slightly longer than the forelegs. The Tonkinese weighs approximately 6 to 12 pounds, and it has a long life expectancy of 15 or more years.
  The coat is short, silky and shiny. It has dark points, like the Siamese, but the base color is darker than the traditional Siamese. It is close to the original Burmese color. The color varieties are called "Mink" in the U.S., and correspond with the traditional Siamese colors. They are Natural Mink, Champagne Mink, Blue Mink, Platinum Mink, and Honey Mink. In Britain, traditional color names are given, such as Brown, Blue, Chocolate Tortie, and Lilac Tabby.

Care and Feeding
  The Tonkinese requires no special diet.

Housing Your Cat
  The Tonikinese is an active breed that needs room to run and play. It enjoys being outside, but is known for running away, so care should be taken when letting it out of the house.

Maintenance
  This breed needs minimal grooming. Weekly brushing is recommended.

Social Behaviors
  The Tonkinese is a sociable breed that enjoys being around people, other cats, and even dogs. It is gentle and affectionate, but not too docile, which makes it a good breed for families with children. It craves attention and affection, but is less demanding than the Siamese.

Activities
  This is an active cat that needs a place to exercise so provide ample room for it to romp around. It should be provided with a scratching post and toys inside to keep it occupied.

Breeding/Reproduction
  The average sized litter contains 6 kittens. A Burmese crossed with a Siamese will produce a full litter of first generation Tonkinese kittens. Though they exhibit a wide variety of coat colors and patterns there are three main patterns; mink, solid and pointed.with the mink pattern considered the most desireable for showing. When breeding two mink pattern Tonkinese together however, they will not usually produce only mink pattern kittens. Usually it will result in one solid pattern kitten, one pointed pattern kitten, and two mink pattern kittens. Conversely, mating a pointed pattern Tonkinese to a solid pattern Tonkinese will result in all mink pattern kittens. These facts are why some cat associations do not recognize the Tonkinese as a true breed.

Common Health Problems
  This is a generally hardy breed, but Tonkinese kittens are susceptible to respiratory disease.

Availability
  Tonkinese breeders are less prevalent than Siamese and Burmese breeders, but this breed is still readily accessible on the internet or from local breeders. Prices range from $400 to $700.

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Author: Ruth Bratcher