Tonkinese Cat
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Cat Facts:
Breed Type: Man-made (re-creation)
Body Type: Semi short and sturdy, on low legs.
Coat Type: Shorthair
Size: Medium
Temperament: Loving, sweet, laid back, puppy like, friendly, loves everyone. They are lap cats that love to be held and they want to be with people all the time.
Colors: Platinum mink, platinum point, platinum solid, champagne mink, champagne point, champagne solid, blue mink, blue point, blue solid, natural mink, natural point and natural solid.
Origins:
The Tonkinese cat is a result of cross breeding between the Siamese and Burmese breeds in Canada during the 1960s. At first it was called the Golden Siamese, and was then renamed in 1971 after the Tonkin Lowland in Vietnam. It was thought that though it didn’t come from there, the name had a nice exotic ring to it.
The breed first came out with neither Burmese nor Siamese cat breeders wanting anything to do with it, but sure enough the Tonkinese breed steadily gained its own fan base. By 1984 the Tonkinese breed was accepted by the Canadian Cat Association (CCA) and the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) as a recognized cat breed.
Breed Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easygoing and laid-back
- Short thick coat does not require much maintenance
- Sociable, fun loving, involved cats
- They like people, other cats, children, and dogs
Cons
- Subject to genetic predisposition towards hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hip dysplasia and polycystic kidney disease in some genetic lines
- Generally not a lap cat
- Not a good choice if you spend a great deal of time away from home
May 16, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
JESS said,
CATS RULE AND WHO CAN’T SAY NO TO THE FACE OF A KITTIN
June 6, 2007 @ 11:43 am
rae said,
i have a tonk and let me tell you that they r the best!
July 12, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
Clark said,
My first Tonkinese, Blue, was given to me about 18 years ago. He passed away a couple years ago. My wife and I loved him so much we ended up buying a Chocolate from a breeder. When he ended up being her best buddy I demanded my own Tonk and we got another that was a Blue. We also ended up getting the Chocolates sister that is a Mink and her daughter that is a Point. We now have four and they are a big happy Tonk family. The Chocolate is an impressive jumper that can leap to the tops of doors. The Blue is a moose and weighs about 12 pounds, but is extremely athletic and playful. The two females are lap cats as is the Chocolate. Overall I highly recommend the breed. Everyone that has been around ours has fell in love with their personalities.
September 26, 2007 @ 9:01 am
Eleanor Barrucand said,
Mai-Li, our Tonkinese sweetheart, is now almost 13 years old (in cat years and about 70 in human years) and is the best buddy of both my husband and me. She has different behaviour patterns with each of us and we don’t whether we have learned to speak “cat” or she has learned to speak “human” but we are never under any mistaken ideas as to what she wants when she comes to us. She knows exacly what she wants, when she wants it and that we are her servants….remember the saying “dogs have owners but cats have servants”. It is true, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Everything is on Mai-Li’s terms but that’s O.K. because being elderly, we have the “empty nest” syndrome and our lovely cat fills the void of our family living across the other side of the world in Australia.
Mai-Li “inspects” everyone who comes to the house, then sits between them and us, esecially if it is a man who is visiting,until she feels comfortable about their presence.
I cannot imagine life without our “child” and I will bet that other “parents” of such cats will tell you the same.
Eleanor.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
January 3, 2008 @ 10:36 am
Natalie said,
In the ‘temperament’ subtitle, tonks are described as ‘lap cats’, however in the ‘cons’ subtitle, it clearly states that they are not lap cats. As somebody considering purchasing a tonk, are they or are they not lap cats?
January 24, 2008 @ 3:36 pm
Alley said,
I have 2 tonks and they’re wonderful. They ARE lap cats and love cuddling and sleeping. They are quite playful and sometimes I forget that they aren’t human!
February 21, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
bobwilson said,
We maul our little champagne tonk to death (with hugs, kisses, and love of course).
She enjoys every minute of it. We had many lemon cats (like the $500 Abyssinian), this was truly the first good cat, and was worth all $500 we spent.
I really like “eating her ears” by nibbling them off. She loves that too.
Even our grumpy old domestic shorthair loves to preen and lick her little friend, and they sleep together.
Highly recommended. Just be cautious, as the face is adorable, you will never want to discipline them.
April 10, 2008 @ 2:10 am
Liz said,
I have been saving for a tonkinese champagne mink cat ever since I heard they existed. I almost got enough! They are so expensive but it’s so worth it. It is like, the perfect cat for me!!!
May 3, 2008 @ 10:35 am
Em said,
I have a cat that looks like she is tonkinese but we don’t know. She is SOOOO cute playful and nice.
she like are other older cat but her favorite animal in our house is really our dog!!!
May 28, 2008 @ 8:53 am
Jan said,
Lap cats or not? Well they are in principle as affectionate as a hardcore lap cat - but not passive. They want to cuddle and hug, but they will come to you to let you know when they need a cuddle. Then they will put their paws on either side of your neck and press their head against your chin and sometimes make “I feel a bit lonely” sounds. The strong bond needs to develop though, naturally, although they do love everybody, in principle. It all depends on the chracter type you get though. One of my cats is more shy and more stand-offish than the other. You can perfectly see their character when they are still young kittens, and you will fall in love with the right one. However, you ought to take two, it’s better for them if they have a cat-companion to play and sleep with and lick all over. The bolder one likes to tease young children who who play a bit rough with him, by staying just so far away that they can’t touch him, whilst flicking his tail.
August 19, 2008 @ 8:05 pm
dja said,
The con “not a lap cat” is inconsistent with the Temperament section.. and perhaps the cat.
November 10, 2008 @ 7:04 am
Ronni said,
Our Tonkinese are close to 18 and have ALWAYS been lap cats. They are very affectionate and we think they are little people with tails. I love old fashioned Siamese like my first two cats and the Tonks come closest!
November 15, 2008 @ 8:24 pm
Beth Hiseler said,
They are so satiny soft and absolutely adorable, definitely lap cats when they choose and great to curl up with at night! Living with them is a joy!
December 13, 2008 @ 12:37 pm
bilal said,
i have a tonks he is nearly 2 and is super affectionate. he loves to play with toy mice with cat nip in them. my tonks is a lap cat ,in fact he meows at my mum until she sits down with him!loves to curl up at night and sleep with someonehe also loves sleeping on computer chairs ,and likes you to hold him like a baby sometimes. he loves childeren and would’nt hurt a fly. i recommend them for people that do not spend a lot of out of the house.
January 18, 2009 @ 8:54 am
Melissa said,
i hav a tonk and absolutely adore her. she is a champagne point and beautiful. she loves to play and demands attention. like others have said get 2 if you can b/c they really like to play.
and as for lap cat comment my cat for sure is a lap cat. if she sees you lay down with a blanket she is right there to snuggle in. she slepts w/ us every night.
February 9, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
Barbara said,
I was wondering if you need one or two if you are at work all day sometimes.
And how are they with children? I had one years ago and he was incredilble: funny, affectionate, lovely, intelligent and would love another one or two?
March 2, 2009 @ 10:56 pm
Thermos said,
I have a Tonk and she is the absolute best cat I have ever owned. She crawled into my mom’s garage one winter evening about 7 years ago, and she nearly died on a night that was -10 outside. I brought her in and nursed her back to health. In return, she is absolutely devoted to me. She won’t even let anyone else pet her, but as soon as her “daddy” walks in the room she is all over me, talking and rubbing her head on my chin, and “making biscuits” on my arm. There is no doubt whatsoever as to who she belongs to. And as far as Tonks not being “lap cats”, mine is a complete cuddle cat. If I sit down, she runs over and either sprawls herself across my lap or on my shoulder. She is the most loving animal I have ever owned, hands down. She is extremely talkative, often having conversations with me for hours. I honestly don’t think I would ever own any other type of cat.. she has won my heart forever. I would definitely recommend Tonks as a great pet.
August 20, 2009 @ 6:10 am
aaron said,
having an animals as domestic pet is a big responsibility.Taking good care of them like our own.Giving them the right food and shelter is one of the best care we can give.i give my dog a pet gate so that some places are safe from his running activities.:)
November 18, 2009 @ 10:15 am
Nikki said,
I have a 2 year old tonk,I have 3 other cats and 2 dogs,The tonk loves everything and everybody.His best freind is the dogs.This is a breed that needs to be around people and thats does very well around new animals.Very playful, Talks alot!!!The sweetest face ever.This breed of cat seems to love dogs , Mine lets my shepard lick him all overand crys when the dog goes out side.he also took on the daddy role to a new little kitten we found.It took my other cats 2 months to get use to the new kitten .TONKS by far are one of the best cats around !!!
December 16, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
Carolyn said,
I’ve read the comments from everyone and it sounds like the Tonk is a lovable cat. Our family has never had a cat. We have 2 kids & 2 dogs, all in all, a very busy, loud house. Would the Tonk survive in this type of household?
My daughter really wants a cat and wants to be able to carry the cat around and baby it. Would the Tonk let her carry it?
December 19, 2009 @ 2:05 am
MD said,
We’ve bought our first tonk last August (2009) and I SWEAR I’ve never had a cat with so much personality as this one. Our little Ozu is incredibly playful, sometimes mischievous and the most affectionate cat I’ve ever known. I wouldn’t exactly call him a lap cat, he LOVES lying down on our legs our between us in bed, but only when he so chooses, he will rarely stay if I ask him to stay. He absolutely loves to play fetch and I often tire of playing before he does. We don’t even need any fancy toys as a crumpled up piece of paper will have him running to you as soon as he hears it even if he’s at the other end of the apartment. He will even bring a piece of paper or receipt to let you know he wants to play.
When he wants to cuddle, there’s no avoiding it. If you’re sitting down, he’ll climb up on your chest and give you a kiss on the cheek with his wet nose and will want the same in return. He likes it when we pick him up to cuddle, but usually, he’ll make the first steps. When my girlfriend is in the bathroom, getting ready for work, without fail, Ozu will jump on her back the moment she bends down to look closer in the mirror and he’ll just sit there like a prince. I don’t know if all tonks are like this one, but it’s EXACTLY like having a small dog in the house. The day we brought him to the vet to have him fixed, the apartment felt incredibly empty all of a sudden. He truly is a ray of sunshine even though he can sometimes cause a bit of trouble (he plays a bit too rough with our older cat -he is VERY dominant- and likes to crawl up into places he’s not supposed to be).
Oh and be careful where you throw that ball of paper cuz anything in it’s path will be tackled during his many agile leaps and bounds. We absolutely love him and hope he will be with us for years to come…
February 12, 2010 @ 9:58 pm
Mariah said,
Hi,
I am very interested in getting a new cat, but i want one that will cuddle with me and sleep in my bed at night. Will Tonk cats do this?
February 12, 2010 @ 10:27 pm
SB said,
That’s funny that you asked that, because my two Tonk kittens are curled up between my husband and me as I write this. This is the best breed on earth!! We had a Tonk many years ago, and were willing to travel anywhere to find another one. We fell so in love with the litter, we got two instead. It took a couple weeks for them to bond with us because they love each other so much, but we are so happy now that we got two!! It’s hilarious when they play fetch like puppies, running across the room with a wadded up ball of paper hanging from their mouths
February 23, 2010 @ 1:33 am
meowking said,
isnt it strange how it labels the cat as a lap cat.
Although one of its cons is its generally not a lap cat haha
May 27, 2010 @ 5:14 am
windthiefNZ said,
I have just purchased two sisters, and can’t wait to have them home! Still have to wait two weeks till they are old enough to leave their Mum and the wait is killing me!!!!!! Have always loved cats and can’t wait to be blown away by the love of a pair of Tonks!
June 7, 2010 @ 7:31 pm
kittywhiskers said,
I have three Tonks and I can not even begin to tell you how much I love them! They are loving, playful, shoulder riding, lap snuggling wonders. My little girl, Siri, chose me by climbing up and snuggling under my chin, 3X!!! Our big guy, Tayo, we chose at the same time. He loves to ride astraddle my husbands bicep, with front paws over hubby’s shoulders, and purring and grooming the whole time (hubby is not so keen on having his hair done by a cat, but it is CUTE). I have never been sorry we got two. They are SOOOO social that many people do decide to get two, so that they may be company for each other when you are not around. I definitely see the wisdom in this, as when you are the sole object of their affection, it can be a bit overwhelming. But never fear, a Tonk has enough love for everybody! Our third, Rios, we got 2 years after the others and he is the SWEETEST boy. They all love each other, they love to travel with us, they love strangers, too. I looked for 15 years for cats with this temperment. They are definitely dog like, love toys, play fetch and love cuddling. You can not go wrong with a Tonk. WindthiefNZ, prepare to fall in LOVE!!!!!!
June 9, 2010 @ 7:25 am
shelly said,
have a 4yr old female tonk whos very sad about a new male tonk. things don’t work out the way u want or the way u guys say, it’s been 3 mths & yes have seen a vet. Really luv the breed tho.
July 31, 2010 @ 10:36 pm
Sue Crose said,
I have a solid platinum Tonk, and he is the sweetest living creature I have ever known. He is the most cuddly, loving cat! He jumps into my arms from the floor, and if I’m not paying enough attention to me he’ll jump up on my back from behind. I have to quickly react, or he’ll try to hang on. But after he jumps on my back, I will lean over, and he will put his paws around the sides of neck/head and nuzzle his head against mine. H
July 31, 2010 @ 11:01 pm
Sue Crose said,
Oops I sent my comment before I finished….anyway, my tonk follows me around the house like a dog, and loves for me to hold him like a baby and will grab on to me and hold on tighter if I try to put him down. Even if I am working on my laptop, he still tries to sit in my lap. He sleeps under the the covers on my tush, a comfie squishy pillow, for him.
) When he was a kitten, he would often play bite, but the breeder trained him to lick whenever he hears “ouch,” which he still does if I try to get him to bite me. But also just loves to “kiss”; I call him my kitty microdermabrasion.
But I do warn you, he needs LOTS of attention!! And when he doesn’t get it, he chews up nice leather purses, cell phones, cardborad boxes, computer wires, newspapers… He also like to jump on everything and has broken many fragile objects in our house, so everything is now glued down with museum gel. I also call hi my puppy-cat. He is amazing, and I can’t imagine my life without him.