Origin:
This hybrid of the Siamese and Burmese was first developed in Canada in the 1960s and the Canadian Cat Association was the first registering body in the world to accord it full recognition. The Tonkinese carries one Siamese and one Burmese gene and its physical traits reflect those two parent breeds.
Temperament:
Popular with the public, the Tonk's temperament makes him the perfect 'people cat' with his inquisitive, affectionate and outgoing personality.
Height/Weight:
This is a leggy cat with a lithe, slim body, long tail and large, round-tipped ears. The Tonkinese body shape is intermediate, the head being described as a moderate wedge with a square muzzle.
Colour:
While the short, soft Tonkinese coat carries dark points, these markings are not as well defined as in the Siamese pattern and they blend into the body colour. The 'natural mink' shade is the most frequently seen (a warm brown with dark chocolate markings), but the Tonkinese comes in a range of glamorously named 'mink' colours, from blue through champagne and platinum.
