Fun Tonkinese Facts For Kids

Tonkinese cats were produced by cross-breeding the Burmese and Siamese cats. Like their parents, they are playful, attentive, and loving.

They have a pointed coat in a variety of patterns and colors. They also have a patterned mink coat, which is like a watercolor diluted pointed coat.

They are mostly short-haired, but there is a medium-haired variety that is more popular in Europe-especially in Belgium, Germany, and France. They have been bred by breeders in western countries since the 19th century. An American Burmese named Wong Mau was the first imported Tonkinese cat to the United States in 1930.

This cat was genetically cross-bred. The recent Tonkinese population was cross-bred by Margret Conroy in Canada and Jane Barletta in the USA independently.

The Burmese and Siamese were crossbred to create an ideal cat with both the parents’ happy personalities and distinctive appearance. The Tonkinese breed became an established breed by 2001.

The name Tonkinese comes from the region called Tonkin in the Indo-china region. However, the cat has no connection to that region. They have their origin in Thailand and the USA mostly.

After reading these interesting facts on the Tonkinese cat breed, do check our other articles on the Japanese bobtail and Maine coon as well.

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Tonkinese Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Tonkinese?

The Tonkinese is a type of cat that is cross-bred for the purpose of domestication. It was also originally produced by crossbreeding. The Tonkinese breed is a medium-sized cat with a muscular body.

What class of animal does a Tonkinese belong to?

The Tonkinese cat belongs to the class of mammals as it gives birth to offsprings like all mammals. It is a domestic cat bred for the purpose of company from two species that are known to be playful. Active, agile cats are loved by many.

How many Tonkineses are there in the world?

The exact number of Tonkinese cats is difficult to find as it has been bred as a pet in the USA or Canada mostly. Also, in Europe, there is a medium-haired species of the same cat, which is sometimes referred to as Tibetan cats.

Where does a Tonkinese live?

The Tonkinese can live in an urban setup like an apartment or in a rural setup. It would be advisable to keep Tonkinese cats inside at all times and not let them out alone as they may get injured on their own or get attacked by stray animals.

If you have a house with a yard, make sure it is fenced properly for the cat to roam freely in the yard.

What is a Tonkinese's habitat?

They are house cats that are active and happy. They have an extroverted personality which means they require your time and attention.

They are comfortable in a small apartment or a small home too. They are friendly with other pets and therefore can be kept in a house with pets and kids. Tonkinese cats are intelligent animals and need to be trained and stimulated with games, puzzles, good grooming, and enough physical exercise.

Who do Tonkineses live with?

The Tonkinese are bred for companionship and love their masters very much. They are active, happy intelligent animals who love to hold a conversation with their humans. They are child and pet-friendly too.

How long does a Tonkinese live?

The Tonkinese cat lives for anywhere between 10-16 years. With a good quality healthy diet and regular exercise, this cat breed can live a long and healthy life. You must avoid overfeeding them, as obesity is a serious issue for this breed.

How do they reproduce?

Mating two Tonkinese cats won't give us a mink kitten as this can be only possible if the breeder chooses Siamese and Burmese cat breeds. As both the parents have distinct personalities and features, we will be able to get a complete mink kitten when we let them mate.

Otherwise, we will get a half or a one-fourth mink coat. For the reproduction to take place, both the male and female cat should be of adequate size.

The female cat must be going through her heat cycle. The cats ovulate when they are bred and are known as reflex ovulators. The male will mount the female from behind, and the mating process will take 5-15 minutes.

After which, there will be a gestation period of 60-70 days, and the female will give birth to kittens. The litter size could vary between four and eight kittens.

What is their conservation status?

The Tonkinese breed is a house cat breed that was produced for companionship. Therefore the conservation status has not been listed by IUCN. It is safe to assume that this breed enjoys a stable population.

Tonkinese Fun Facts

What do Tonkineses look like?

Tonkinese cats are medium-sized compact cats with well-developed muscular bodies. They will seem heavier in weight when picked up.

They have a proportionate body overall. They are considered to be somewhere in the middle of long svelte body types and cobby compact ones. Their head is rounded with a slight wedge with gentle planed cheekbones and a blunt muzzle.

They have almond-shaped ears which are medium in size with an oval tip and broad base. The eyes are also almost almond-shaped, with a slant along the cheekbones—proportionate slim legs with oval paws.

Their eyes depend on their color and pattern; they generally have blue eyes or aqua-hued ones for the mink cat breeds while the solid Tonkinese cat breeds are blessed with green eyes. The tail is tapering and in line with the body shape proportionately.

The coat is fine, silky, close-lying with a lustrous sheen. They come in a wide range of coat colors like champagne, natural, platinum, and blue in a solid, point, or mink pattern. These social cats will darken with age.

How cute are they?

They are extremely cute, social, and loving creatures who like holding conversations with their masters. They are not your typical lap Tonkinese cats but are active, agile, and love to follow their masters around the house.

They are susceptible to getting bored or lonely if kept alone for a long period. The Tonkinese is one of the most affectionate cat breeds.

How do they communicate?

The Tonkinese cat is known as a talkative cat. They do not have a loud or raspy voice like one of their parent breeds, the Siamese. They may get loud or aggressively vocal if they are left alone for a long time.

How big is a Tonkinese?

Tonkinese cats are considered to be somewhere in the middle of long svelte body types and cobby compact ones. They are medium-sized compact pets with a well proportionate muscular body. Their length ranges between 12-15 in (30.4-38.1 cm) while their height is in the range of 7-10 in (17.7-25.4 cm).

How fast can a Tonkinese run?

Tonkinese cats can run at a speed of 20 mph (32.2 kph) on average. Their top speed is around 30 mph (48.3 kph). They are active, agile animals who also love to climb and prop themselves up at a height.

How much does a Tonkinese weigh?

Tonkinese cats weigh around 6-12 lb (2.7-5.4 kg). A fat-free good quality diet of meat and veggies given as per their age will ensure they do not put on extra weight. They must be fed one measured bowl of food twice a day instead of larger quantities once only.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male Tonkinese cats are called bobcats, and the female Tonkinese cats are called queens like all breeds of cats.

What would you call a baby Tonkinese?

The baby Tonkinese cats are called kittens or kitties. Tonkinese kittens are absolutely adorable.

What do they eat?

Tonkinese cats are omnivores and can eat good quality fat-free meat and certain veggies. They are smart, agile animals who need to be fed good dry or wet food in measured quantities.

Water must be kept ready at all times for them. They must be fed as per their requirement and not extra, as they tend to get obese.

Feeding them quality cat food would be a better idea as it has all the required nutrients for the cat’s good health and growth. Cats should be fed as per their age too.

Would they make a good pet?

They are excellent pets. The Tonkinese cat personality was developed by breeders for companionship from two of the best cat species, which are Siamese and Burmese. Both the parents are known for their beautiful features and loving personality.

The Tonkinese temperament is affectionate, active, and people-oriented. They are intelligent beings who love to play games with and without toys, solve puzzles, and are highly trainable. They can be trained to walk on a leash if that's what you want.

Did you know...

The Tonkinese cat or kitten will love to cuddle and sit in your lap once in a while. They require affection for the affection they give you. Let them rest on your lap for as long as they want after a fun day.

They are also called tonk and chocolate siamese. The edges of their feet, ears, and tails are often chocolate in color.

They also have a mischievous streak if left alone for a long time which can last well after their kitten years.

One Tonkinese cat had the largest litter ever heard of, comprising 19 kittens.

The temperature can affect the color of the coat for a Tonkinese cat.

They require minimum grooming like weekly brushing, cleaning their teeth regularly, and clipping their nails. Do keep them entertained with toys.

In terms of Tonkinese vs Siamese, the Siamese is one of the parents of Tonkinese cats. The Tonkinese is a crossbreed of Siamese and Burmese cats. They both are pretty cats with happy temperaments and active life. They are known for their intelligence and smartness.

The only difference is the Siamese have a louder, raspier voice and the Tonkinese have a low mellow voice. Both are elegant, classy pets, but affectionate, loving, and active beings. The Siamese may be more talkative than Tonkinese cats.

Characteristics and health issues

They are cats bred by healthy parents. They are generally healthy but there could be some genetic issues with a mixed breed cat as it may carry some diseases from its parents. Special care must be taken of their teeth as they may suffer from gingivitis.

Tonkinese cats are known to be sensitive to anesthesia. As an extra caution, make sure their toys are not too hard in texture and are always clean. Powder them up after their weekly brushing after consulting with a good veterinarian.

The Siamese cats, which are one of the parents of the Tonkinese, suffer from a protein disease called amyloid deposit disease, or amyloidosis. This protein gets deposited in their organs, especially the liver. Check for rapid changes in color or texture of the coat.

This generally healthy breed may suffer from common health disorders like congenital heart disease aortic stenosis, asthma or bronchial disease, gastrointestinal disease like megaesophagus, crossed eyes, lymphoma, hyperesthesia syndrome (which is a neurological issue where the cat may groom themselves excessively to lose hair or act irritated when touched or petted), progressive retinal atrophy and nystagmus (which is a neurological disorder which caused rapid eye movement).

Speak to the concerned breeder when adopting.

Getting your own Tonkinese

Tonkinese cats are an excellent breed of family cats as they are children and pet-friendly. The Tonkinese cat may cost around $500-$1200. Always buy from licensed breeders or a vet.

It is always a better idea to either buy or adopt a Tonkinese. Your pet Tonkinese needs regular basic grooming, a social atmosphere, and an excellent diet. Making sure their needs are met will protect them from common health disorders and ensure that they spend a long time with you.

Report any breeder that fails to provide animals with care or is neglectful.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our Abyssinian cat facts and American shorthair fun facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Tonkinese cat coloring pages.