Family-friendly: | 3/5 |
Playfulness: | 5/5 |
Intelligence: | 4/5 |
Tendency to Vocalise: | 3/5 |
Likes Other Pets: | 4/5 |
Grooming needs: | 2/5 |
Shedding: | 2/5 |
- Benefits from an experienced owner
- Needs high-level of enrichment including simulated hunting games and interactive play
- Highly active and inquisitive cat
- Sociable and dependent cat
- Slightly talkative cat
- Average build cat breed
- Requires grooming once a week
- Needs extensive outdoor space
- Great family cat
- Can be left alone all day
- Needs a calm environment
The Tonkinese breed can be prone to:
- Burmese head defect which is a condition where the face and skull do not form correctly.
- Progressive retinal atrophy which is an inherited disorder where part of the eye degenerates and wastes away which can result in blindness.
- Pyruvate kinase deficiency which is a disease that causes anaemia (death or red blood cells).
Testing available:
- DNA testing for progressive retinal atrophy and pyruvate kinase deficiency which tests whether or not a cat has the potential to be affected by these conditions.
Personality
The Tonkinese has a lot of personality, and while they are not as high-drama and cat-chaos as the Siamese, this is still a forthright, demanding and intelligent cat who will not stand for being ignored. They are inclined to have chatty conversations with their people and while this is not as demanding as the Siamese can be, if you like your cats silent, the Tonkinese will be a bit of a shock to the system! Often described as more dog-like than cat-like, the Tonk wants to be involved in everything you are doing, loves to climb and jump, likes a lap-cuddle but equally likes to observe you from the top of the wardrobe or curtain rail and isn’t above ambushing unsuspecting visitors with a flying leap.
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