Tonkinese were developed as a moderate cat to escape from a world of
extremes. the original parent lines used were the cobby, round, muscular
Burmese, with little contrast between point and body color, and the slender,
elegant, Siamese with high contrast.
The result was a smooth, short coated, medium body type that is "suprisingly
heavy" when picked up. Adult weight ranges from 7 to 11 pounds, with
males typically larger than females.
The only thing extreme about a Tonk is its friendly, outgoing personality,
which has resulted in a well-deserved reputation as "people pleasers".
Cats and kittens alike are playful, curious and "into everything".
They play where their people are, getting underfoot, "helping"
with paper work and climbing to the highest heights. Many fetch, all chase,
and when playtime is over, the first place they head is to a warm lap,
ready to purr when picked up. You can't spoil a Tonk, they spoil you.
Tonkinese come in four colors and three patterns. The colors range from
dark to light brown ( natural or champagne ) or gray ( blue or platinum
), depending on the presence or absence of a dilution gene. The patterns
are similar to the original parents of the breed.
"Pointed" cats have high contrast between point and
body color and blue eyes, similar to the Siamese pattern.
"Minks", the only pattern that can be shown in CFA,
have moderate contrast with shaded body tones and blue to green eyes,
with aqua the desired shade.
"Solids" have low contrast and green to yellow eyes,
similar to the Burmese pattern.
Regardless of the pattern, all cats look like Tonkinese and have the
same wonderful temperament.
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