The Tonkinese is a breed that came from crossing Siamese and Burmese cats. Tonkinese cats were the first purebred cats with aquamarine eyes. On top of that, they combine the very best qualities of their parent breeds.
Breed History
The first mentions of these cats appear in Siamese literature from the 14th–18th centuries. They were brought to England in the early 1800s and called “chocolate Siamese.” In the US, the breed’s foundation cat was Wong Mau, brought over by Dr. Joseph Thompson in 1930.
Officially, though, the Tonkinese comes from Canada, where the main crossbreeding program between Siamese and Burmese cats took place. It all started when Canadian breeder Margaret Conroy had a very shy Burmese female. She turned down every male and only gave in to a Siamese. The result was kittens with a toned coat and sea-green eyes. Later they began to be bred with descendants of America’s Wong Mau.
Tonkinese Breed Overview
The Tonkinese is a medium-sized cat. Females weigh about 6–9 lb, and males usually weigh about 9–13 lb.
Here’s a detailed description of the breed according to the TICA standard:
- Head: moderately short, slightly longer than it is wide, a modified wedge with clean, neat contours. From the front, the head and ears form an isosceles triangle. High, neat cheekbones;
- Ears: medium-sized, wide at the base, slightly long, with oval tips, tilted slightly forward;
- Eyes: shaped like a peach pit, medium-sized, set wide apart, angled toward the outer edge of the ear;
- Nose: slightly rounded, neither straight nor humped;
- Body: a medium-length, medium-sized rectangle. The chest is medium-wide and neatly rounded. The back rises slightly from the shoulders to the hips. A tucked-up belly and well-developed muscles;
- Legs: fairly slim and in proportion, with the hind legs slightly longer than the front legs. Oval paws;
- Tail: wide at the base but not thick, tapering slightly to a blunt tip. It’s about as long as the distance from the hips to the shoulder blades;
- Coat: medium-short, thick, lying close to the body, silky, soft, and glossy.
Personality
According to owners, Tonkinese cats love warmth and affection. They’ll always be by their owner’s side, and at the first chance they’ll climb into your arms. They’re very smart pets with a good memory and a strong will. So your persistence in training them will definitely pay off.
The Tonkinese is very playful and friendly. She’ll be the first to greet guests and will happily have fun with children or other animals. Her extreme friendliness makes her easy prey for strangers, so it’s best not to let her outside unsupervised.
Tonkinese cats aren’t as loud as Siamese, but they still love to talk and get your attention.
Care and Health
Caring for a Tonkinese is standard: weekly brushing, weekly cleaning of the teeth and ears, and occasional baths.
These cats live 10–16 years. As a rule, Tonkinese cats are healthy, since this is a hybrid breed rather than the result of long crossbreeding. Still, they inherited from the Siamese a tendency toward gingivitis, amyloidosis, asthma, heart disease, and crossed eyes. These cats can also be very sensitive to anesthesia. All of this is only a tendency, not inherited disease.
Feed a Tonkinese like any other cat: a balanced dry food or a natural diet with vitamins, with no sweet, salty, or fried “human” food.
Color
A mink coat and aqua eyes are the Tonkinese’s main distinguishing features. The breed standards of different cat associations include many color variations: seal (natural), chocolate (champagne), cinnamon, red, blue, lilac (platinum), fawn, cream, and tortie. The pattern is something between the Siamese colorpoint and the Burmese solid sepia. So Tonkinese cats can be:
- Pointed: with sharp contrast, as close as possible to the Siamese coloring;
- Mink: with slightly blurred contrast, the most typical Tonkinese color;
- Solid: with low contrast and a color close to the Burmese sepia.
A Tonkinese only gets her final coloring at about 18 months. What’s more, these cats get darker with age.
A Tonkinese’s eyes aren’t always aquamarine either. Cats with pointed, more Siamese-like coloring have blue eyes, sometimes even with a hint of violet. Solid cats have yellow-green eyes, like a Burmese. Aqua is typical only of the mink color.
How Much Does a Tonkinese Cost?
How much will a Tonkinese kitten cost you? In the US, a pet-quality Tonkinese kitten usually costs about $600–$1,500. Breeding and show kittens cost more. The pedigree, sex, and looks of the kitten also play a role.
Tonkinese Catteries in the US
The Tonkinese is recognized by both CFA and TICA, and you can find breeders across the US. Start with the directories:
- CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) Find a Breeder – https://find-a-breeder.cfa.org/;
- TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/;
- ACFA Tonkinese breeder list – https://acfacat.com/tonkinese.htm.
Some US catteries:
- Allese (Bowling Green, Ohio);
- Payfurpurrs (Eagle Lake, Minnesota).
