About The Tonkinese Cat
"A CAT OF COMPROMISE"
Profile of the Tonkinese Cat
© Chrissy Russell
- Ayshazen Cats - 2002
Whichever way you look at it, the Tonkinese cat is not only a creature of great beauty and elegance, but it also has compromise imprinted upon its very soul. He takes the best qualities of two breeds and merges them into an exceptionally intelligent, sociable and beautiful feline.
Breed history
Three breeds, the Burmese, Siamese and Tonkinese have been living alongside
each other in the East for hundreds of years and are genetically related.
The founder of the modern Burmese as we know it today has since been genetically
proven to be a Tonkinese! The relationship between these three breeds is documented
in ancient Thai manuscripts, notably the Cat Book Poems now on display in
the Bangkok Museum.
The first recorded breeding programme for Tonkinese was initiated in the US. This line was discontinued, and in the 1960s in Canada Margaret Conroy restarted the programme. The breed was named after the Gulf of Tonkin, which runs between Burma and Siam (now Thailand).
In the UK the Tonkinese was granted preliminary recognition by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in 1991, and in June 2002 the breed was finally granted full championship status.
Temperament
Take the gentle, dedicated, and somewhat aloof intelligence of the Siamese;
unite it with the vivacious, gregarious persona of the Burmese and Shazam!
You will experience the dog-like allegiance, the confident, outgoing and communicative
joie-de-vivre that is Tonkinese.
Do not ever imagine you own your Tonk; he will wrap you around his finger with his charm and hold conversations with you. He will tell you just want he wants from you. He will approach you and gently touch your face, climb up behind you and eat your hair, sit beside you (or on you), and follow you like a dog. They are never far away, adoring human company. The compromising Tonkinese, loves everyone like the Burmese, but often has one special person whom he loves above all others.
With their fun-loving, loving and loyal natures, Tonks make wonderful companions for pet-educated children. However, as with any intelligent breed of cat, do not allow him to become bored or lonely. Not only is this thoughtless and unkind to the gregarious Tonk, but his behaviour is very likely to become destructive. If you are away for long periods at work, please get him a companion… an intelligent, outgoing breed like him is best.
Coat Patterns
and Colours
The Tonkinese is a medium built, foreign cat, whose body is firm, well balanced,
and surprisingly heavy for its appearance.
They breed true to three different coat patterns, namely the pointed (Siamese), solid (Burmese) and the Tonkinese (or Mink) pattern. Once again, the Tonk compromises between the two extremes. Take the Himalayan pointed pattern of the Siamese; combine it with the solid rich colour of the Burmese, and Lo! You will see the gentle shaded pattern of the Tonkinese. The lighter solid colour on the body gently merges with the points to create a subtle shading effect. The illustration below clearly demonstrates the three patterns.
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Pointed (Siamese) Pattern (blue eyes) |
| Tonkinese (Mink) Pattern (aqua eyes) | |
| Solid (Burmese) Pattern (yellow eyes) |
Illustration by Linda Vousden from her book 'Tonkinese Cats' (Kingdom Books)
Colours recognised in the UK include Brown, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Red, Cream,
Apricot and Caramel, these colours are also bred in tabby. Tortie and Tabby-Torties
are bred in all of these colours except Red, Cream and Apricot.
Aqua Eyes
Another unique feature of the Tonkinese pattern is their aqua eye colour.
Take the bright chartreuse of Burmese eyes; mingle it with the deep electric
blue of Siamese eyes, and Behold! You will soak up the unique aqua pools that
is Tonkinese eye colour.
Grooming
The Tonkinese coat is naturally soft, close lying and lustrous, and so requires
very little in the way of maintenance. Provided that basic care protocol is
followed, i.e. a healthy balanced diet, correct flea and worm control, and
regular veterinary checks, the Tonk needs little more than a weekly gentle
brush and follow through with a flea comb. A final wipe with a chamois will
add that perfect sheen.
Diet
A healthy balanced diet is essential; Premium dry cat food such as James Wellbeloved,
Hills Science Diet, Iams, Royal Canin, Proplan, etc are ideal. I give a little
wet food as an extra treat, but I only feed a little as it can have a long-term
effect on their teeth and gums. A real treat for my Tonks is cooked chicken.
Many foreign cats like the Tonkinese cannot tolerate cow's milk, and I would
recommend it be never given. Water is far preferable. If you really want to
give milk, use a cat-specific one available from pet shops and vets.
If you are looking
for a loyal, loving, active and intelligent cat of great beauty, and possessing
immense individuality, you need a Tonk. Don't be without one!
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Every Tonk Owner Needs this Book! CLICK TO BUY THIS BOOK ONLINE AT AMAZON.CO.UK
Even
if you only ever buy one cat book you'll find that The only comprehensive book on this beautiful breed of cat. Printed in full colour with 272 pages packed with illustrations and photos including many superb studies by Paddy Cutts and Alan Robinson. Thinking of Tonkinese lovers, both today and in the future, the author has named the featured cats wherever possible. Foreward by Roger Tabor (professional biologist, author and presenter of several BBC programmes on the lives and habits of cats). For breeders the author has included detailed, but straightforward chapters on genetics, breeding, health issues, etc. plus a full mating colour-table. For owners there are chapters on care, health, safety, photographing your Tonkinese, feline bereavement, catteries, cats and the law etc, etc. Linda Vousden breeds and shows Tonkinese under her prefix "Mymystic" "There's so much here it could be sub-titled - Everything you wanted to know about Tonkinese but never dared to ask - You could buy this book and progress from complete beginner without a Tonkinese to a successful breeder with show trophies to prove." Your Cat Magazine "Well illustrated with colour photographs and information charts." Cat World |
