Ocicat vs German Rex - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

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.

The cat originates from Germany and was developed in about the 1950s. Dr. Rose Scheuer-Karpin found a frizzy-haired black and white cat and chose to breed her.

So as to fix the frizzy hair gene, it was decided to mate the cat further and this was the start of the German Rex.

It was later crossed with the Cornish Rex. The cats were recognized by the International Feline Foundation, but the Cat Fanciers' Association still associates the breed with the Cornish Rex.

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.

Temperament:

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.

This is a medium-sized, muscular domestic cat with a well-developed chest. The cat can weigh between 3 and 6kg.

The legs are fairly long and slender but strong and the tail is thick and furry with a rounded tip. The head is round and the ears are large. The eye colors are always related to the coat color. The coat is short and silky and in many colors and it has a tendency to curl.

Temperament:

These are friendly cats that form a strong bond with their human owners, although they are friendly towards strangers too.

They’re intelligent, lively, and playful too and will fit in well to homes with children.

Because of their playful nature, you want to ensure you provide them with lots of entertaining, stimulating toys.

They’ve got balanced personalities and are known for being sociable, adapting to the lifestyles they find themselves in. They will also get on well with other pets in the home, and enjoy being both indoors and outside.

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.

Your German Rex is everything you want in a pet. He is a cat that loves his human family and is prepared to offer loyalty and love in exchange for the same.

He is adaptable and undemanding. Before you invest in such a cat, understand that interaction from you is highly important, so if you don’t have time for an adult pet, it would be kinder not to get this particular cat breed as they crave lots of attention,

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.

With excellent care and lots of love and attention, your German Rex can reach up to 17 years of age. They aren’t prone to any particular diseases, but diet plays a massive role in their health.

Remember that obesity is a major disease and it in itself can contribute to a host of other illnesses in cats and shorten its life. Excess weight contributes towards arthritis and diabetes and just losing a bit of weight can contribute towards increased mobility.

Dental disease is a common, chronic problem and you need to ensure your pet’s diet promotes dental health. It can be extremely stressful for your cat to have his teeth brushed, but in the case of chronic dental infection, get your pet to 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.

The German Rex is a shorthaired breed so a gentle brush once a week will be quite adequate.

As you groom your German Rex, feel for any unusual lumps and make sure there are no signs of sores or rashes on your cat.

Check inside his ears for wax and dirt buildup and signs of redness for infection. If you don’t like to clean the inside of your cat’s ears, there are professional cat groomers and your local vet who will do this for you.

Make sure you feed your Rex the best cat food there is. When you look at the commercially cat manufactured foods there are, you’ll notice that there is dry kibble for cats as well as wet-type foods.

Through trial and error, you’ll learn what your cat likes, but your vet can offer valuable information on what is essential in a cat’s diet. Cats are carnivores so that means their diets have to be high in meat – protein – and low in carbohydrates.

Check out the best cat foods there are – the ones that have all the vitamins and minerals your cat requires to remain healthy.

Provide fresh, cool water for your cat around the clock.

Provide your cat with a litter box and keep it meticulously clean, scooping out the cat droppings every day and changing the actual sand or grit regularly.

Provide your cat with a warm bed, food and water bowls, toys, collar, and tag, climbing tree and scratching post.

Have your pet neutered or spayed to avoid unwanted kittens.

Your kitten must start their first vaccines between 8 and 12 weeks of age. Your kitten will also be dewormed.

Take your cat to the vet when he is sick.