MyCatBreeds
Ocicat is originated from United States but Aegean is originated from Greece. Both Ocicat and Aegean are having almost same weight. Ocicat may live 4 years more than Aegean. Both Ocicat and Aegean has same litter size. Ocicat requires Low maintenance. But Aegean requires Moderate maintenance
Virginia Daly was the first breeder of Ocicats, hailing from Michigan. She wanted to breed an Abyssinian-pointed Siamese in 1964 and the first kittens looked to be Abyssinian.
With the next litter, the Abyssinian-pointed Siamese and a spotted kitten, nicknamed an Ocicat. Further breedings produced more spotted kittens and became the basis of the Ocicat.
A breeding program was started for Siamese to Abyssinian, and the kittens bred to Siamese. Later the American Shorthair was introduced to the Ocicat and this brought in bigger boning as well as adding silver to the 6 colors of the Ocicat.
It was during the 1980s that the cat was accepted for registration in The Cat Fanciers' Association.
Thought to be the only native Greek variety of cat, the attractive Aegean cats hails from Greece – more specifically the Cycladic Islands of Greece.
Formal breeding of the cat started in the 1990s but the cat isn’t recognized by any of the top cat breeding organizations. These cats are believed to be one of the oldest domesticated cat breeds, and in Greece are considered a national treasure.
Ocicats, with their wedge-shaped heads, are strong, large cats with muscular legs that have striped markings. The cat can weight between 4 and 7kg. The ears are large and pointed.
The cat has almond-shaped eyes. The fur has dark spots and there are many color variants that are approved by the major cat registries. The standard colors for the cat are chocolate, cinnamon and tawny.
These large cats have got personality traits from both cats – the Siamese and the Abyssinian. They are friendly, playful, and sociable cats, making excellent family pets, getting on well with children and other pets. Those who have owned them say owning such a cat is similar to owning a dog as they can be taught basic commands and tricks and even walk on a leash.
They are even known to swim with you. They’re cats that crave the attention of their human owners, but bond specifically with one person. It won’t do at all well in a household where it is left alone for long periods of time.
It's an intelligent cat and will most certainly need toys and a lifestyle that is stimulating.
Aegean cats are a nice athletic, medium-sized cat with fairly longish hair and weighing in the region of 4.5 – 5 kg and standing in height at between 21 and 25,4cm.
The cat sheds during the spring and summer, but if they are essentially indoor cats they will shed all year.
The coat can be made up of two or three colors with white always as one of the main colors and taking up more space on the coat than other colors. Other colors in all their different patterns can be grey, orange or black.
The tail of the cat is long and bushy the ears are quite large and wide at the base and are then gently rounded at the top. The head is broad, the eyes are almond-shaped and can be anything from green to blue or yellow.
These cats are strange in that they quite enjoy being around water, fascinated by the movements below the water’s surface. They’re also social cats, love being around their human family and also around children in the home.
If you have a hobby such as fishing you can take this breed of cat with. In fact, they love the outdoors and if you go out hiking or fishing, they’ll be there, climbing and exploring with you. These attractive cats are known to make awesome family pets, having been domesticated for centuries. Full of energy, they are also quite vocal.
The Ocicat is a friendly, non-aggressive cat that is devoted to his human family. It’s a cat that thrives on being around people and won’t relish being left alone for long periods of time.
The largish cat is intelligent and easily trainable. He loves toys and it will be good to buy him some toys that require him thinking a little bit.
Highly energetic, he’ll love nothing more than for you to become involved in his games. Give him the attention he craves and he’ll become your best friend.
The Aegean is friendly, loving and social and he will get on well with children and animals in the home.
He is intelligent and will try to talk to you, even if it's to invite you to go swimming with him, as he is an unusual cat with his love of water.
Bringing such a cat into your home and heart will promise to bring you years of wonderful companionship.
Diet is a crucial part of being a healthy cat, There are many excellent commercially manufactured cat foods on the market and your cat might prefer the wet- or dry type of cat food.
The idea is to choose the highest quality cat food that is packed with meat and protein as your cat is a carnivore. One good way to choose a good cat food is to read the ingredients and make sure that the first ingredients are meat.
He wants chicken, tuna, liver and pheasant in his diet. Make sure that the food also contains taurine as this is an essential amino acid that every cat must have.
If in any doubt, speak to your vet as cats require certain vitamins and minerals to remain healthy. Always ensure a fresh supply of cool drinking water.
Your cat requires being vaccinated and dewormed.
Get to know a good vet in your area so that if your cat is sick, you don't have to waste precious time searching for a vet.
Provide your Ocicat with companionship as these are cats that can’t be left for hours on their own.
Provide your Ocicat with a litterbox that is kept clean. Your ocicat’s dropping must be regularly raked up out of the litter box sand and removed. A cat won’t use a dirty litterbox.
Treat your Ocicat for parasites. In fact, treating parasites isn’t a once-off treatment but ongoing. You can consult with your veterinarian for advice on the best and safest way to treat your pet for worms, ticks, fleas, and mites.
Brush your Ocicat’s fur once a week. They have short fur so they are fairly low maintenance. You can use a rubber hand brush and you can even wipe the fur down with a damp cloth to remove dust. He will have to have his claws trimmed.
Nobody should buy a pet and then do as little as possible for it. Your Ocicat’s going to need daily exercise as well as mental stimulation and he will require this through interaction with his human family. Buy him stimulating toys to keep him busy, play games with him and buy a cat leash so you can take him on walks outdoors for a bit of sunlight.
Once you bring a kitten into your home, or any pet for that matter, get to know where your closest vet is. This is so you know where to go if your pet becomes ill, he requires his first vaccines or there is a medical emergency where he needs to see someone immediately.
When you buy food for your cat, try and buy high-quality food. Speak to your vet if you aren’t sure how to feed your cat. Cats require taurine, which is an essential amino acid needed for healthy hearts. Always make sure your cat has fresh, cool water at all times.
Every cat, whether short- or long-haired will require some combing and brushing to get rid of those loose hairs. The Aegean cat is a moderate shedder. Not only that, if you start with this grooming when your cat is a kitten, he will look forward to it and it will strengthen the bond between you.
Both fleas and ticks can be found on cats, and controlling these kinds of parasites requires speaking to your vet for something that can get rid of them. The vet will recommend products, and a flea and tick collar can also be useful but they will need to be renewed quite frequently.
Your Aegean kitten will need vaccinations to protect him from life-threatening diseases such as Feline Leukaemia Virus, Feline Infectious Enteritis and Cat flu. The first vaccines will be required at 8 weeks of age.
Sometimes it may be necessary to also have your pet vaccinated against rabies, depending on where you live. Throughout your cat’s life, to maintain his immunity, regular booster shots will be required.
Because this cat hasn’t had selective breeding, they are free from most feline genetic diseases. It is therefore considered a fairly healthy cat with few genetic health issues.