Tonkinese Cats

The Tonkinese cat breed is a muscular, medium-sized cat. The Tonkinese cat breed originated from crossbreeding between Burmese cats and Siamese cats. In the early nineteenth century, Tonkinese cats in England were known as “Chocolate Siamese.” Tonkinese cats in the United States originated from a walnut-colored cat that was imported to the United States in 1930.

True to its ancestors, the Tonkinese cat breed has features of both the Burmese cat breed and the Siamese cat breed. Tonkinese cats may have colorings of their coats and eyes that reflect either cat breed. Like the Siamese, some Tonkinese cats are vocal.

Tonkinese cats are typically energetic and playful. With their playful nature and intelligence, the Tonkinese cats enjoy inventing and playing games. They do not spend all their time in solitary play. Many Tonks, as Tonkinese cats are affectionately called, are people-oriented and will spend a considerable amount of time with their owners. A Tonkinese cat may spend time on their owner’s lap or follow their owner’s actions as if supervising.

Not much grooming is required for the medium short, silky coat of Tonkinese cats. Occasional brushing and keeping the cat’s nails trimmed are usually the only grooming necessary. The coat coloring of Tonkinese cats can be mink, solid, or point. Mink coloring is even, unmarked, rich color with a slightly lighter underside. The possible mink colors are medium brown, buff-cream, blue-gray, and light silvery gray. Tonks with mink colored coats have aqua eyes. Tonkinese cats can be solid sable brown, dove gray, golden tan, or slate blue. Tonkinese cats with solid colored coats have eyes that are green to yellow-green.

Point coloring has a shade of off-white color over the body with a darker coloring of the ears, tail, Natural point color includes fawn to cream body color with dark brown points. The champagne point color pattern has ivory with buff shading over the body with medium brown points. Tonkinese cats with a blue point color pattern have off-white bodies with gray shading and slate blue points. The platinum point color pattern has a pearly white body with frosty gray points. Tonks with point color patterns have blue eyes.