Tonkinese
Temperament:
*Sociable
*Cuddly
*Very Affectionate and Loving
"Tonkinese are delightful pranksters."
This popular cat is beloved by the public, who see it as a cat that looks somewhat
old-fashioned, intermediate between the Burmese and the sleekly elegant Siamese, with a
powerful purrsonality: playful, willful, and inventive. Few can resist the spell of those
sparkling aqua-green eyes. |
| Head: Modified wedge; high cheekbones; slight dip between the eyes. |
| Eyes: Open almond shaped; slanted along cheekbone; aqua-green |
| Ears: Medium size; broad base; oval tips; wide set |
| Body: Medium size; muscular, solid, lithe |
| Coat: Medium short; close to body; soft, silky, glossy |
| Tail: Medium length in proportion to body; tapering |
| Patterns: Darker point colors merge gently into body color; colors are blue
mink, champagne mink, natural mink, platinum mink, honey mink |
Breed History: Affectionately called "Tonks", these cats are a beautiful
blend of the best features of their Burmese and Siamese ancestors. The Tonkinese are
elegant cats, with distinctive, sparkling aqua-green eyes and rich "mink" fur.
"Mink" actually refers not to the feel of the fur, but to the pattern of the
Tonkinese coat, which shades to a lighter hue on the cat's underparts and to a darker hue
at the extremities. Today, Tonkinese cats can be brown, beige, blue, or platinum- with
some cat fancier groups recognizing honey mink, a ruddy brown color. The key to a
beautiful Tonkinese is the shading, an almost imperceptibly changing color scheme that
makes this cat quite distinct from its Burmese side of the family.
There originally was quite a controversy over whether the Tonkinese was a true breed, or
just a Burmese variant. In fact, if a Tonkinese is mated with another Tonkinese, one
quarter will be Siamese, one quarter Burmese, and only one half of the litter will be
Tonkinese. It is still, however, considered a true breed. |
| Additional Notes: |
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