A
Breed Apart:
The
Tonkinese & Domestic Short Hair Mix
By
Stacy Mantle
Temperament:
The Tonkinese/Domestic Short Hair is one of the best cats you
own. Known as “people
cats”, they are very talkative, highly sensitive to any type of
discipline, and cannot stand for you to be angry with them. They will take quick
possession of your lap or shoulder, and you’ll find that one of
their paws must be touching you at all times. In this, they remind us of
little lap dogs.
Similar to lap dogs, they love conversation and will talk
with you constantly, holding what we consider to be rather
intelligent conversations. (Go ahead and try it out for
yourselves). They are
geniuses at creating their own games, from cat hockey to rock
climbing, and if you’re not around, they will entertain themselves
for hours. You’ll know you’ve angered them when they sulk in a
corner and refuse to speak to you.
The Best Families For Them: The best people match for
this type of mixed breed is someone who is home a lot. If you telecommute, or work
from home, this is the pet for you. If you’re retired and want a
loyal companion for life, this is the cat for you. They are some of the most
intelligent pets out there and will easily learn tricks, such as
“come”, “fetch”, and “let’s eat”. They are purr…fect for
someone who has a lot of time to spend with their pets. They require a lot of
“cuddle time,” and even more playtime. If you don’t happen to be
around to play their favorite game, don’t worry – they are perfectly
capable of inventing their own game!
Coloring:
Their colors vary. The
one shown in the picture above is heavily influenced on the
Tonkinese side, and is what is known as a “sealpoint”. He is gray with blue
eyes. They range
dramatically in coloring depending on their
heritage.
Size:
Medium to large cats, these unusually friendly felines range in
weight from 10 to 18 lbs on average. Small enough to fit into a
carrier, but big enough that you don’t want to carry them around as
adults for very long.
Read about other mixed breeds and why they make the
best pets: The
Tonkinese/Domestic Shorthair Cat, the Labrador/Australian Shepherd, the Wolf/Coyote
| 
