Tonkinese cat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tonkinese
Male Tonkinese Cat
Common nicknames	Tonk
Origin	Thailand
Breed standards
CFA	standard
TICA	standard
AACE	standard
ACF	standard
ACFA/CAA	standard
CCA-AFC	standard
Domestic cat (Felis catus)

The Tonkinese is a special kind of house cat. It's a mix between the Siamese and Burmese breeds. Tonkinese cats are known for being lively and playful, just like their parent breeds. They also have a unique coat pattern called 'pointed' that comes in many colors.

You'll find them with a special 'mink' coat pattern, which is a softer version of the pointed look. They can also have colors like the Siamese (pointed with white) or the Burmese (solid colors). Most Tonkinese cats have short fur. However, there's also a medium-haired type, sometimes called a Tibetan. This longer-haired version is more popular in Europe, especially in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and France.

History of the Tonkinese Cat

People believe that cats similar to the Tonkinese have been around for a long time. They might have existed in Western countries since the early 1800s. A famous cat named Wong Mau, who started the American Burmese cat type, was brought to the United States in 1930. Many think Wong Mau was actually a Tonkinese cat, even though the breed wasn't officially recognized back then. Some Tonkinese cats today can trace their family tree back to Wong Mau.

Modern Tonkinese cats came about because of two breeders working separately. Margaret Conroy from Canada and Jane Barletta from the United States both crossed Siamese and Burmese cats. They wanted to create a cat that had the best looks and lively personalities of both parent breeds.

These new cats were first seen as just mixed breeds. But in 2001, they became an official cat breed. The name "Tonkinese" comes from the Tonkin region in Indochina. However, the cats don't actually have any connection to that area.

What Does a Tonkinese Cat Look Like?

Size and Build

Young blue mink adult

Tonkinese cats are medium-sized. They are somewhere between the slim, long-bodied Siamese and the more solid, stocky Burmese. Like their Burmese ancestors, they are surprisingly muscular. They often feel much heavier than they look when you pick them up.

Their tail and legs are slender but fit well with their body. They have unique oval-shaped paws. Their head is gently rounded and slightly wedge-shaped, with a soft muzzle. Their eyes are moderately almond-shaped, and their ears are set a bit wider apart on their head.

Coat Colors and Patterns

Counter-clockwise from top: blue point, platinum mink and champagne mink

Natural mink, showing signature aquamarine eyes.

Lilac mink kittens

The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) officially recognizes Tonkinese cats in four main colors. These are natural (a medium brown), champagne (a lighter beige), blue, and platinum. Some groups in Europe also accept colors like red, cream, caramel, apricot, tortoiseshell, cinnamon, and fawn. The International Cat Association (TICA) accepts all these colors and patterns.

Each of these colors comes in three different coat patterns:

• Point: This is like the classic Siamese look. The face, ears, legs, and tail are dark, while the rest of the body is a contrasting white or cream. These cats have blue eyes.
• Solid: This pattern is similar to the Burmese. The color is mostly the same all over the body. The points are only faintly visible. These cats have gold or green eyes.
• Mink: This is a special pattern unique to the Tonkinese. It's a mix between the point and solid patterns. The body color is lighter but still matches the point color. Their eyes are a light blue-green, called aquamarine. These eyes can be anywhere from blue-green to green-blue.

Tonkinese Cat Personality

Tonkinese cats are very smart, active, and like to "talk." They usually love being around people. They are playful and interested in everything happening around them. Because they are so social, they can get lonely or bored if left alone too much.

Their voice is softer and sweeter than a Siamese cat's, but still persistent. Some people say it sounds like a gentle duck quacking. Like Burmese cats, Tonkinese are known to do dog-like things, such as fetching toys. They also enjoy jumping to high places.

How Tonkinese Cat Colors are Inherited

The coat color and pattern of a Tonkinese cat depend on the genes they get from their parents. These genes come from either the Siamese or Burmese side of their family.

If you breed two mink Tonkinese cats, you usually won't get a whole litter of only mink kittens. This is because the mink pattern happens when a cat gets one gene for the Burmese solid pattern and one gene for the Siamese pointed pattern.

The colors and patterns in a litter of kittens depend on chance and the genes of the parents.

• If you breed two mink-patterned cats, about half the kittens will be mink. About one quarter will be pointed, and one quarter will be solid.
• If you breed a pointed cat with a solid cat, all the kittens will be mink-patterned.
• If you breed a pointed cat with a mink cat, half the kittens will be pointed and half will be mink.
• If you breed a solid cat with a mink cat, half the kittens will be solid and half will be mink.

See also

In Spanish: Gato tonkinés para niños