东奇尼猫是英美两地用暹罗猫和缅甸猫杂交所培育出的纯种短毛猫。如同暹罗猫一样，这种猫也有重点色，不过远不如暹罗猫明显。体型介于暹罗猫和巴厘猫之间，不胖也不瘦，它身强体健，肌肉发达。头部和暹罗猫一样，呈稍圆的楔子形。有一对呈杏仁形的绿宝石色的大眼，双耳长在头部的两侧，前端较圆。它的皮质很好，有点像貂皮。体毛浓密，极为柔软。

中文学名：东奇尼猫

拉丁学名：TONKINESE

别称：越南猫

界：动物界

族：猫族

属：猫属

种：猫种

分布区域：北美洲

基本信息

体部描述

猫种

标准

英文介绍

基本信息

中文名：东奇尼猫

俗名别名：越南猫

英文名：TONKINESE

品种：短毛猫 。

原产地：北美洲

习性：非常喜欢人，但它对人亲近的天性，常给它招来危险

繁殖方式：胎生

体部描述

头　部 呈楔形，口鼻部为方形

耳　朵 耳大，尖呈圆弧形

眼　睛 杏仁形，为略带蓝色的绿色

鼻　子 鼻长

四　肢 细长

足　掌 脚爪小，为椭圆形

尾　巴

披　毛 毛短而柔软，有天然的光泽

毛　色 有五种颜色：1、身上的被毛为暖褐色，有深巧克力色重点色；2、身上的被毛为略带蓝灰色，有浅蓝或深蓝色重点色；3、身上的被毛为红褐色，有巧克力色重点色；4、身上的被毛为米黄色，有浅褐色重点色；5、身上的被毛为浅灰色，有深灰色重点色。

猫种

东奇尼猫是卓越地密集和肌肉的中型猫最佳的特点。 出现于它缅甸的前辈的外套样式，与闪耀的金子绿色眼睛，它的暹罗祖先的针对性的样式，当闪烁的蓝眼睛或者“貂皮”外套样式看在展示圆环，与它独特的水色是否注视， 东奇尼猫是一只聪明，群居猫以幽默感。 这些猫牢固地被说服人在地球上把放爱它们; 它们知道这些是属于它们的。

东奇尼猫通过七年和四个介绍在对冠军状态的他们的追求中发出了愉快的声音他们的方式对理事空想家的’协会。

1984年达到他们的目标。 虽然新的对现代竞争，这是同一养殖描述在“泰国的猫书诗”在Ayudha期间(1358-1767)和在18世纪初被进口到英国作为“巧克力暹罗语”。 在美国， 东奇尼猫和缅甸人可能追踪他们的起点回到Wong Mau，一只小核桃色的猫被进口到加利福尼亚由博士。 1930年约瑟夫·汤普森。

东奇尼猫是有趣的个性做他们理想的伴侣。 它们将占有您的膝部和肩膀，并且它们将监督您的活动。 它们是温暖和爱恋，高度聪明的，以难以置信的记忆和感觉是如同到雷达。 它们是意志坚强的，并且它们的人是明智使用坚持说服在训练它们。 它们是自然在发明和演奏比赛，使用喜爱的玩具演奏取指令和高兴在标记比赛互相的。

当然寻求是喜爱的，它们演奏与人并且其他Tonks。 他们成为您的“门greeter”和愉快地招待您的客人。它们是由热心所有者描述了的当部分小狗(跟随他们的所有者在房子附近)，部分猴子(他们的“杂技”是传奇!)当他们选择时，和可能听起来大象跑通过您的房子。 简而言之：它们迅速接收并且跑您的房子和您的生活! 它们富感情的方式无法忽略，并且它们迅速心爱自己对家庭和访客。

标准

头（25分）

外形 8分

嘴和下巴 6分

耳朵 6分

眼睛形状 5分

身体（30分）

躯干 15分

腿和脚 5分

尾巴 5分

肌肉感 5分

背毛（10分）

颜色（35分）

不透明色 25分

眼睛颜色 10分

英文介绍

Breed Profile: Tonkinese

The Tonkinese blends the best features of its ancestors into one beautiful, medium-sized cat that is remarkably dense and muscular. Whether appearing in the coat pattern of its Burmese predecessor, with sparkling gold-green eyes, the pointed pattern of its Siamese ancestor, with glittering blue eyes, or the “mink” coat pattern seen in the show ring, with its unique aqua eyes, the Tonkinese is an intelligent, gregarious cat with a sense of humor. These cats are firmly convinced that humans were put on earth to love them; these are the cats that know they belong. They purred their way through seven years and four presentations to the board of directors of The Cat Fanciers’ Association in their pursuit of championship status, achieving their goal in 1984. Although new to modern competition, this is the same breed depicted in "The Cat-Book Poems of Siam" during the Ayudha Period (1358-1767), and imported to England in the early 1800s as “Chocolate Siamese.” In the United States, Tonkinese and Burmese can trace their beginnings back to Wong Mau, a small walnut colored cat imported to California by Dr. Joseph Thompson in 1930. The colorful personality of the Tonkinese make them ideal companions. They will take possession of your lap and shoulder, and they will supervise your activities. They are warm and loving, highly intelligent, with an incredible memory and senses that are akin to radar. They are strong willed, and their humans are wise to use persistent persuasion in training them. They are naturals at inventing and playing games, using favorite toys to play fetch, and delighting in games of tag with each other. Of course hide ‘n seek is a favorite game, which they play with humans as well as other Tonks. They become your “door greeter” and will happily entertain your guests. They have been described by enthusiastic owners as part puppy (following their owner around the house), part monkey (their “acrobatics” are legend!), and can sound like an elephant running through your house when they choose. In short: they quickly take over and run your house and your life! Their affectionate ways are impossible to ignore, and they quickly endear themselves to family and visitors.

Caring for Tonkinese is as easy as feeding a well-balanced feline diet, clipping their nails weekly (providing a scratching post and insisting they use it is also imperative), using a rubber brush to groom them, and of course the all important visit to the vet for check-ups and inoculations. These are indoor only cats, and a thorough inspection of your home prior to your Tonks’ arrival, to make certain screens and doors are secured, will help insure they remain indoors. “Cat proofing” your home, much as you would for a two-year old human on the loose, is bound to save you frustration. Toys and an interesting cat tree will help keep them occupied when you have other things to do besides playing with your Tonk. Working humans find two Tonks will keep each other company as well as lessen the mischief one bored Tonk can get into.

Tonks wear a rainbow of colors, and no matter which color in whatever coat pattern you may choose, be assured you are joining an enthusiastic fan club of admirers of this breed. You are about to embark on the most joyful experience of your life — enjoy!

Pricing on Tonkinese usually depends on type, applicable markings and bloodlines distinguished by Grand Champion (GC), National or Regional winning parentage (NW or RW) or of Distinguished Merit parentage (DM). The DM title is achieved by the dam (mother) having produced five CFA grand champion/premier (alter) or DM offspring, or sire (father) having produced fifteen CFA grand champion/premier or DM offspring. Usually breeders make kittens available between twelve and sixteen weeks of age. After twelve weeks, kittens have had their basic inoculations and developed the physical and social stability needed for a new environment, showing, or being transported by air. Keeping such a rare treasure indoors, neutering or spaying and providing acceptable surfaces (e.g. scratching posts) for the natural behavior of scratching (CFA disapproves of declawing or tendonectomy surgery) are essential elements for maintaining a healthy, long and joyful life.

Breed Standard: Tonkinese

POINT SCORE

HEAD (25)

8 .. Profile

6 .. Muzzle and chin

6 .. Ears

5 .. Eye shape and set

BODY (30)

15 .. Torso

5 .. Legs and feet

5 .. Tail

5 .. Muscle tone

COAT .. 10

COLOR (35)

25 .. Body color (including point color in mink and pointed colors)

10 .. Eye color

GENERAL: the ideal Tonkinese is intermediate in type, neither cobby nor svelte. The Tonkinese should give the overall impression of an alert, active cat with good muscular development. The cat should be surprisingly heavy. While the breed is considered medium in size, balance and proportion are of greater importance.

HEAD AND MUZZLE: the head is a modified slightly rounded wedge somewhat longer than it is wide, with high gently planed cheekbones. The muzzle is blunt, as long as it is wide. There is a slight whisker break, gently curved, following the lines of the wedge. There is a slight stop at eye level. In profile the tip of the chin lines with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane. There is a gentle rise from the tip of the nose to the stop. There is a gentle contour with a slight rise from the nose stop to the forehead. There is a slight convex curve to the forehead.

EARS: alert, medium in size. Oval tips, broad at the base. Ears set as much on the sides of the head as on the top. Hair on the ears very short and close-lying. Leather may show through.

EYES: open almond shape. Slanted along the cheekbones toward the outer edge of the ear. Eyes are proportionate in size to the face.

EYE COLOR: depth, clarity, and brilliance of color preferred. Best seen in natural light.

BODY: torso medium in length, demonstrating well-developed muscular strength without coarseness. The Tonkinese conformation strikes a midpoint between the extremes of long, svelte body types and cobby, compact body types. Balance and proportion are more important than size alone. The abdomen should be taut, well-muscled, and firm.

LEGS and FEET: fairly slim, proportionate in length and bone to the body. Hind legs slightly longer than front. Paws more oval than round. Trim. Toes: five in front and four behind.

TAIL: proportionate in length to body. Tapering.

COAT: medium short in length, close-lying, fine, soft and silky, with a lustrous sheen.

BODY COLOR: allowance to be made for lighter body color in young cats, and for less contrast in older cats. With the dilute colors in particular, development of full body color may take up to 16 months. Cats do darken with age.

POINT COLOR: mask, ears, feet, and tail all densely marked, but merging gently into body color. Except in kittens, mask and ears should be connected by tracings. Nose leather color should correspond to the intensity of the point color.

PENALIZE: extreme ranginess or cobbiness. Definite nose break. Round eyes.

DISQUALIFY: yellow eyes in mink colors. White locket or button. Crossed eyes. Tail faults.

TONKINESE COLORS

General Description - Mink colors: body color in the mink colors should be a rich, even, unmarked color, shading almost imperceptibly to a slightly lighter hue on the underparts. There must be a distinct contrast between body color and points. Eye color: aqua, a definitive characteristic of the mink color pattern.

NATURAL MINK: Body: medium brown. Ruddy highlights acceptable. Points: dark brown. Nose leather: dark brown. Paw pads: medium to dark brown (may have a rosy undertone).

CHAMPAGNE MINK: Body: buff-cream to beige. Reddish highlights acceptable. Points: medium brown. Nose leather: cinnamon-brown. Paw pads: cinnamon-pink to cinnamon-brown.

BLUE MINK: Body: soft, blue-gray with warm overtones. Points: slate blue. Nose leather: blue-gray. Paw pads: blue-gray (may have a rosy undertone).

PLATINUM MINK: Body: pale, silvery gray with warm overtones. Not white or cream. Points: frosty gray. Nose leather: lavender-pink to lavender-gray. Paw pads: lavender-pink.

General description - Solid colors: body color in the solid colors may be a slightly lighter shade of the point color, with very little contrast with points. There will be more contrast between points and body color for the champagne solid and platinum solid than for the natural solid and blue solid. Eye color: green to yellow/green.

NATURAL SOLID: Body: sable brown. Points: dark brown. Nose leather: dark brown. Paw pads: medium to dark brown (may have a rosy undertone).

CHAMPAGNE SOLID: Body: golden tan to light coffeebrown. Points: medium brown. Nose leather: cinnamon brown. Paw pads: cinnamon-pink to cinnamon-brown.

BLUE SOLID: Body: slate blue with warm overtones. Points: slate blue. Nose leather: blue-gray. Paw pads: blue-gray (may have a rosy undertone).

PLATINUM SOLID: Body: dove gray. Points: frosty gray. Nose leather: lavender-pink to lavender-gray. Paw pads: lavender-pink.

General Description - Pointed Colors: body color in the pointed colors should be off-white, any shading relative to the point color; overall body color should be in marked contrast to the points. Eye color: blue.

NATURAL POINT: Body: fawn to cream. Points: dark brown. Nose leather: dark brown. Paw pads: medium to dark brown (may have a rosy undertone).

CHAMPAGNE POINT: Body: ivory with buff-tan shading. Points: medium brown. Nose leather: cinnamon-brown. Paw pads: cinnamon-pink to cinnamon-brown.

BLUE POINT: Body: off-white with warm gray shading. Points: slate blue. Nose leather: blue-gray. Paw pads: blue-gray (may have a rosy undertone).

PLATINUM POINT: Body: pearly white. Points: frosty-gray. Nose leather: lavender-pink to lavender-gray. Paw pads: lavender-pink.

The following information is for reference purposes only and not an official part of the CFA Show Standard.

Tonkinese Color Class Numbers

Blue Mink 2600 2601

Champagne Mink 2602 2603

Natural Mink 2606 2607

Platinmum Mink 2608 2609

Pointed Class 2636 2637

(Natural, Blue, Champagne, Platinum)

Solid Class 2626 2627

(Natural, Blue, Champagne, Platinum)

AOV 2698 2699

Tonkinese allowable outcross breeds: none.

Grooming Tips: Tonkinese

Tonkinese are known as the "wash and wear cat". Their short coat is usually at it's best after a bath that first removes dirt and oil and then a wash with a high quality cat shampoo followed by a good conditioner. Rinsing is vitally important after each step of the bath and never should be hurried.

The coat has a tendency to become too fluffy when blow dried but in cool weather a hair dryer aimed into a carrier, with just enough air to warm the interior, will prevent a chill and encourage your Tonk to lick his wet coat. A rubber brush with a concave surface will remove the loose and dead hair. The brush needs to be applied vigorously with fast firm strokes to build up static electricity. You will find this draws the hair onto the brush where it is easily removed. This should be done for your Tonk several times a week but always before a bath and after he/she dries.

Several days after the bath if the coat looks like it is separating a very fine mist of anti-stat texturizer rubbed quickly into the coat followed by a light brushing can restore it to that smooth post bath finish.

Breed Article: Tonkinese

What fetches like a dog but doesn need to be walked? What cat feels surprisingly heavy? What feels like a mink coat? Why, a Tonkinese cat, of course!

History

It is believed that some of the chocolate Siamese of the 1800 were what we currently call Tonkinese. The foundation cat of the Burmese breed, Wong Mau, had a natural mink coat pattern. Cristy Bird, a Siamese breeder, photographed feral cats on the streets of Bangkok this year, with the mink coat pattern and aqua eyes associated with Tonkinese.

Over time, the Burmese breeders have selected for the dark, almost solid coat pattern and moved the Burmese conformation away from the Siamese. As the Siamese and Burmese conformations diverged, some breeders experimented with a Siamese-to-Burmese cross. Although the cats we call Tonkinese existed for many years, the mid-1960抯 saw the beginning of the movement for acceptance and registration. In the first Tonkinese breed article (CFA Almanac, May 1994), Sharon Roy wrote extensively about early breeders and their cats. Although this article touches on their early history in CFA, it focuses on the status of the breed today and answers some recurring questions.

In the mid-1960, Jane Barletta, a US Siamese breeder, decided she wanted to develop a more moderate, balanced breed of cat. She crossed Siamese with Burmese and called them 揟onkinese.?At about the same time in Canada, Margaret Conroy started crossing Siamese and Burmese to solve a more pragmatic problem. She had a shy English Burmese and no male Burmese to breed her to. Rather than ship the timid cat, a judge suggested that she breed her to a Siamese. The resultant kittens had tan coats with aqua eyes and she became very interested in the color. She called them 揟onkanese.?Other names where also used but eventually the name and spelling of 揟onkinese?was agreed upon.

Natural Mink

Jane and Margaret started to communicate and then worked together to develop this moderate cat breed. What they attempted to do was difficult. Most man-made breeds merge an existing conformation of one breed with a color or coat length from another breed. Then, work is done to eliminate the conformation of the breed that was used to add the new color or coat length. Jane and Margaret wanted to develop a conformation that looked like neither parent, but rather something in between. The concept of 搈oderate?was the easy part. The hard parts were in the execution, deciding the detail and then getting consistency. A condition for acceptance into championship was to close the breed to out-crosses. For almost 20 years in CFA, Tonkinese have only been bred to other Tonkinese. In 2001, they were moved from hybrid classification to an established breed. Over time, the standard has been refined and selective breeding has led to consistency. Today, the standard is quite stable and most changes refine the color description.

Of the early breeders, perhaps Jane Barletta was the person most responsible for promoting the breed. She advertised in Cat Fancy to attract new breeders and mentioned the breed on the TV show Jeopardy. She began working with Mary Swanson on the west coast. The first association to accept the Tonkinese was the Canadian Cat Association (CCA) in 1971, followed by other associations. Catherine Rokaw added detailed knowledge of genetics to the group of Tonkinese breeders. Joan Bernstein, another early breeder, was a driving force in gaining CFA acceptance of the Tonkinese. She started the Tonkinese Breed Association (TBA) in 1979. TBA members were, and still are, a tenacious group, active in more than 35 different clubs. While the breed was still in the Miscellaneous class, TBA began sponsoring its own shows. CFA accepted the Tonkinese for registration in October 1978, Provisional status came in May 1982 and full Championship status followed in May 1984. The first show season for championship competition was 1984-1985. By the time they reached full status, Tonkinese had appeared in more than 200 shows, TBA had sponsored four shows of their own and breeders had registered more than 800 cats. Joan Bernstein was the breed committee chair during Miscellaneous class followed by Norma Roy, Catherine Rokaw, Sharon Roy, Bonnie Smith and Scott Cowling as breed council secretaries.

Of course, dates and names do not tell the whole story. They do indicate it took a long time for Tonks to be advanced to Championship status. One reason was that the rules changed during the process. Many opposed recognition of the Tonkinese because they saw the breed as pet-quality Siamese or Burmese. Tonkinese exhibited the very traits that were bred out of Siamese and Burmese. Many saw what the breed was not, rather than what it was. Many of those opposed did not change their views simply because Tonkinese were finally accepted. Today, some still do not like the breed because they do not consider it to be pure. When Persians, Maine Coons and Turkish Angoras were all classified as onghairs,?they could be inter-bred. The separate conformations of today are a result of selective breeding, much like that of the conformation of Tonkinese compared to its parent breeds. When viewed in that light, ure?is a relative concept.

Champagne Mink

The same tenacity and love of the breed that prevailed in gaining acceptance has helped the breed to grow over time. Some breeds have swings in terms of popularity. Tonkinese have had sustained steady growth over time with no big dips or peaks. In the beginning, Tonkinese ranked 17th in registration; the breed is now the 7th largest in CFA in terms of litter registrations and 12th in terms of individual registrations. CFA total individual registrations are 42% lower than in 1990, yet Tonkinese registrations have increased 30% over the same period. The Tonkinese Breed Council is CFA 11th largest. While some catteries have contributed significantly by producing many award winners, there is a wide group of breeders and exhibitors involved in working with Tonkinese cats. In the last ten years, 238 individuals have granded a Tonkinese and in addition, there are others who have not yet achieved this award. Overall, there is a broad, vital group of Tonkinese participants.

Quantity does not imply quality. As consistency improved over time, it resulted in many Regional Winners (RW), Grands and DMs. It all started when Dick Koepp finaled the first Tonkinese in CFA: Shanfoo抯 Sybil of Bsa on May 5, 1984. During that first championship show season (1984-85), however, neither CFA Best nor 2nd Best Tonkinese in Championship granded. The only Tonkinese Grand in the first year was GP Solano抯 Marina Del Sol of Risu. After the first season though, Tonks began achieving awards and since 1987-1988, all the National Best, 2nd Best and 3rd Best of Breed winners in championship have been Regional Winners. In the last ten years, Tonkinese have won many Regional Awards: 51 in championship, 43 in premiership and 14 in kitten class. Distinguished Merit (DM), which is the most prestigious award in CFA, is a real indicator of quality. There have been 38 Tonkinese DMs which rank Tonkinese 12th by breed. GC Sonham Emily Jo of Torador, DM was a one litter DM. Pendragon Pandora, DM has 13 qualifying Grands, which place her high on the allbreed list of female DMs based on qualifying offspring. Unfortunately, Regional Winners and DMs have not resulted in a proportional number of National Winners (NW). Tonkinese frequently hit a glass ceiling there. The first Tonkinese National Winner was GC, GP, NW, RW Honeypointe Uptown Girl in 1990-1991, who was named 9th Best Cat in Premiership. The second Tonkinese National Winner and first in championship was GC, NW, RW Torador抯 Antigone of Seaflower in 1996-1997, who was named 14th Best Cat in Championship. Four Tonkinese have just missed top 25 honors, placing 26th highest scoring in championship, including the last three consecutive years.

Coat Colors

Tonkinese come in twelve colors. The extremities are painted in four base colors (the same as the parent Siamese and Burmese breeds), with the body tinted to three levels of body contrast or pattern. Although they are called oints,inks and olids,they are all pointed cats and none are truly solid. A better way to describe them is high, medium and low contrast between the points and body color. The word mink was not originally the name of the medium contrast coat pattern, but part of the darkest color name, natural mink. It also referred to the texture of the coat as well as color. Later, mink was added to the other three color names and came to be associated with the medium contrast coat pattern. When other CFA breeds added the same coat pattern with aqua eyes, they also referred to them as mink. The amount of contrast varies within each base color series of coat patterns. The champagnes have the most contrast and the blues the least, with the naturals and platinums in between.

When Tonkinese were accepted by CFA in 1984, only the mink colors were accepted; the pointed and solid colors became Any Other Variety (AOV). The standard is identical in conformation for all patterns, with the amount of coat-to-body contrast and eye color being the only differences. Coat pattern and color are genetically independent from conformation. Any variance seen in the show ring based on color or coat pattern is the result of breeder selection or bloodlines, or optical illusion (light objects appear heavier than dark objects). People have claimed that breeding points-to-points or solids-to-solids would revert them to the conformation of the parent breeds, but this is not correct. Tonkinese conformation is the result of years of selective breeding for characteristics created by many polygenes, and not the result of imple genes?that can revert back to some recessive value. If coat pattern and conformation where linked, Himalayans would be slinky cats.

Blue Mink

If only minks can be shown, why not just breed minks? Genetics dictate that mating two minks can produce all three coat patterns. Only mating a point to solid results in 100% minks, which is why many Tonkinese DMs are points or solids. Although points and solids are ineligible to be shown, they can produce a larger number of cats eligible for showing. Since points and solids are used for breeding but not for showing, fewer are individually registered. This causes the disparity of ranking 7th in litter registration versus 12th in individual registration. Tonk breeders originally recognized one other color ?honey mink. Early on there was some concern that a health issue was related to this color, and others were concerned because it is not a color recognized in Siamese or Burmese within CFA. Tonkinese breeders decided to move it to AOV status along with the fawn color. Currently, a few breeders get occasional honeys or fawns, all of which are healthy. However, they are still registered as AOVs.

Platinum minks have come to dominate the breed winners, but it did not start that way. In the first year of championship showing, a natural mink was Best and a blue mink Second Best of Breed. The second year, both were platinums, but the third year the winners were champagne and natural. In fact, in the first decade, the second highest scoring Tonk in championship was a champagne mink: GC, GP, RW Sonham Chat-O Nerf Brut, DM. The registration statistics for 1985, the second year of acceptance, were: naturals 52%, blues 25%, champagnes 20% and platinums 13%. Platinums gradually increased their position, but the ratios changed substantially in 1992: champagnes 35%, platinums 30%, naturals 21% and blues 14%. This was the year after the first Tonkinese National Winner, who was a platinum mink spay. The decline in the number of blues and naturals continued over the next three years when they stabilized at about the current level: platinums 41%, champagnes 38%, naturals 13% and blues 8%. Points and solids cannot be eliminated, but all colors except platinums or platinums and champagnes could be eliminated. Why not? While platinums have been more successful in the show ring, many breeders and the public prefer the other colors. In fact, many breeders find platinums boring. Breeders who continue to show naturals and blues clearly do so for love of the color, not for rosettes. Much of the public prefers champagnes and naturals, although platinums and blues also have their champions.

Eye Color

Champagne Solid

To some people, the defining characteristic of a Tonk is the aqua eye color that occurs in the mink coat pattern, but not all Tonks have aqua eyes. Neither points nor solids should have aqua eyes. Why? Tonkinese eye color is a complex feature because it is the result of two mechanisms. The first mechanism is the genes that create eye pigment, ranging from gold to green. The second mechanism is the heat sensitive albino gene that creates the Siamese coat pattern, which prevents color from being expressed in the eyes just as it does on the body. The blue seen in Siamese eyes is not blue pigment, but rather the absence of color, allowing for light reflection of small particles as seen in a blue sky. The minks have a delicate balance between pigment (gold to green) and light reflection (blue), resulting in a range of aqua eye color. Tonkinese breeders have chosen the range of green to yellow-green, not gold, for the solids, and blue but not navy blue for the points. These color ranges seem to create the best aqua in the minks. Points and solids sometimes have aqua eyes but these do not meet the standard. The mix of pigment and reflected light in the aqua eye is strongly affected by the color of the surrounding light. Hence, you may see judges walking to a nearby window to obtain natural light to best view the eye color. Even in natural light, the eye color varies a great deal depending on time of day and sunny versus overcast conditions, just as the color of the sky does.

Conformation

For many people, the defining characteristic of the Tonkinese is its moderate conformation. It is a medium sized cat but favors balance over size. Although the standard defines what a Tonk should look like, one of the best descriptions was by a judge, who described what it should not be. He said it should not be too long or too short, not too heavy or too slim, and he continued on in that vein. He concluded by saying there should be nothing extreme about the cat. Many judges have stated it is one of the most difficult breeds to judge because it is much easier to judge extremes. If something should be short, then shorter is better. The difficulty with Tonkinese is that there should be no extremes. When does a cat drift too far in one direction or the other? When you look at a Tonkinese, you should see neither a Siamese nor a Burmese, but a unique moderate breed with its own look.

Personality

For most Tonk owners, the real defining trait of the Tonkinese breed is not in the standard; it the Tonkinese personality. Their personality owes a debt to the parent breeds but has its own distinct mix. A Tonk is two types of cat in one body. One mode is active, but not hyper, with a muscular body. They play fetch, climb cat trees and fly through the house at warp speed. The second mode is cuddly and loving. They are not an aloof, independent cat; they are best for someone who wants a lap cat. They are dog-like in that they require and demand attention. They love riding on shoulders and may head-butt to get your attention. Kisses are also common, and no, they are not trained to kiss the judges ?they figured this out on their own. They are very gregarious, social and tolerant and they live well with other cats, dogs and children. If there are no other pets, most people choose to have two Tonks; many Tonks prefer at least one playmate.

Although not chatty, they talk in sentences and paragraphs when they want to express themselves. It is not wise to ignore a Tonk when he or she is talking to you. An ignored Tonk will find another method to gain your attention. Their intelligence helps them find a different way to make you listen, which may be less desirable than if you had just listened in the first place.

Ironically, while the Tonkinese struggled for acceptance in the show ring, the lay public had no such problem. The personality of the Tonkinese has won the hearts of many. Tonkinese were catapulted to the public attention in 1991, with the airing of a National Geographic special called 揅ats: Caressing the Tiger.?It featured the work of Joan Bernstein, a Pet Facilitated Therapist. She used her affectionate, out-going, tolerant Tonks in her work, ranging from autistic children to geriatric adults. The public loved what they saw. Today, the Tonkinese breed has become one of the most popular pets among people needing to add a little love to their life.

What Ahead?

Fortunately, Tonkinese cats are a healthy breed because they started as hybrids without a lot of inbreeding. Many of the founding breeders worked hard to communicate problems and were successful in eliminating lines that appeared to have genetic problems. Out-crossing to other breeds has not been allowed in CFA for almost twenty years. Like all closed breeds, Tonk breeders are concerned about reduction of the gene pool. Reduction of the gene pool alone could lead to a less healthy breed with shorter life spans and smaller litters, even in the absence of specific genetic issues. To help document this reduction in gene pool, Bruce Nickerson did a statistical evaluation of the existing lines compared to those in existence in 1984. Some lines have been lost, but breeders are now alerted to the need to share lines and make sure there is no further loss. Tonk breeders want to take a proactive stance before any problems occur.

Many Tonk breeders are now focusing more on the points and solids. Since they have not been shown in championship, breeders have not discussed and focused on consistency of eye color and body color, the only difference between the patterns. Lately, more attention is being given to this issue.

Naturally, Tonk breeders continue to strive for consistency, quality and adherence to the standard. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder, we will continue encouraging consistent judging that is breed and color neutral. Flashy platinums are beautiful, but should not have all the fun. Our sexy, sultry champagnes are a chocoholic delight. Look into the eyes of a mysterious natural and you will be lost in their depth. The luxurious, velvety blues make you want to bury your face in their rich fur. Tonkinese cats of all colors and coat patterns share one thing in common: give a Tonkinese a chance, and onto your lap he or she will climb. Sometimes they give you a kiss and sometimes a head-butt, but they refuse to be ignored. It is this loving, tolerant affection combined with an intelligent, entertaining and playful cat that generates such loyalty among Tonk owners.