Crossbreeds – The Tonkinese

Crossbreeds are recognised breeds of cats that have been created through the breeding of two other types of cats and in the case of the Tonkinese, this is the Siamese and the Burmese.  The result is a breed that combines many of the personality traits and looks of its parents but is a completely unique breed also.

About the breed

The Tonkinese is thought to have been around in the West since the early 19^th century with the founder cat being a female named Wong Mau who was taken to the USA in 1930 and is believed to have been what we now call the Tonkinese.  However the modern cats are the result of a crossbreeding program in Canada that wanted to create the best of both the parent breeds. 

The Tonkinese moved from a crossbreed to an established breed in 2001 and the name given to it referred to the Tonkin region of Indochina as there are stories that the cats may have some ancestry there. 

Tonkinese are medium sized cats with a body size between the slender Siamese and the more cobby Burmese.  They have a deceptively strong musculature and are heavier than they look when picked up.  They have slim legs and tail with oval paws and their heads are a gentle wedge shape with a blunt muzzle.  Their eyes have an almond shaping to them while ears are towards the outside of the head.

Coat colour

The Cat Fanciers Association currently recognises four base colours of the Tonkinese breed – natural, a medium brown; champagne, a paler buff shade; blue and platinum.  Some European registries also accept red, caramel, cream, apricot and tortoiseshell patterns.

Each colour can them be classified as one of three types of coat pattern.  The point is the classic Siamese look with the dark face, legs, tail and ears with a contrasting light shade such as white or cream and blue eyes.  The solid is the Burmese coat style with a basically uniform colour with either green or gold eyes.  Lastly is the mink, somewhere between the two with the point colour and lighter blue green eyes often terms as aquamarine.

Personality

In terms of their personality, Tonkinese are intelligent and vocal cats that are very people orientated and playful.  They are active and take an interest in anything happening around the house but this also means they can become bored or lonely.  They have a quieter voice generally than the Siamese, more like the Burmese and can make strange noises as both breeds do.  They are also keen to perform tricks in a dog style such as fetching a toy as well as enjoying jumping and climbing.