Ocicat

History

Spotted like a wild cat but with the temperament of a family pet, the Ocicat (named for its resemblance to the ocelot) is a show stopper. He may resemble a wild cat, but this is a truly domesticated feline, developed in the 1960’s by the interbreeding of Abyssinian, Siamese, and American Shorthair cats.

Appearance

The Ocicat is a large, athletic, and muscular breed that comes in a variety of colours. They have short coat that is covered in unique spots, resembling that of a wild cat. This breed has large ears and large eyes that are slightly upturned and any colour but blue. Their short coat is easy to groom, so owners should brush their Ocicat about once a week. For the most part, Ocicats are generally healthy. However, several potential health problems include progressive retinal atrophy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, renal or liver amyloidosis, and early periodontal disease.

Characteristics

Ocicats are a very outgoing and active breed of cat. They are quite intelligent and will learn to respond to their name as well as perform various tricks and commands. The Ocicat enjoys primarily spending time with their owners, but do enjoy the company of other humans or pets. For this reason, they do not like to be left home alone for extended periods of time. Due to the fact that the Ocicat is an active breed, they do benefit from having several different types of toys to play with around the house. Being that they are a vocal breed, the Ocicat is adept to voice tone, so always speak to your Ocicat in a friendly voice!

Deigo submitted by Sanna Helstén