MyCatBreeds
Tonkinese is originated from Canada but Somali is originated from United States. Both Tonkinese and Somali are of same weight. Tonkinese may live 3 years more than Somali. Both Tonkinese and Somali has same litter size. Both Tonkinese and Somali requires Moderate maintenance.
It was about in 1960 that a breeding program was established for these cats. The Tonkinese is a cat that hails from Canada and it was a certain Jane Batlett who was responsible for breeding this cat.
Also, Margaret Conroy, another breeder, set up her breeding program between a Burmese female with a Siamese. Both Conroy and Bartlett worked together on the breed and the Tonkinese came about. The Cat Fanciers Association recognized this cat breed in 1984.
The Somali is a medium- to longhaired Abyssinian. It was in Britain that the original introduction of the longhaired gene took place.
The first Somali cats came about in 1940 and it was British breeder Janet Robertson who exported some of her Abyssinian kittens to New Zealand, Australia and North America, Australia. Most of the kittens had long hair and breeders started showing an interest.
An American Abyssinian breeder Evelyn Mague decided to call her cats Somalis and the breed was recognized internationally by 1991.
As a medium-sized cat, with a firm, muscular body, your Tonkinese will weigh between 2.5 – 6kg.The head is slightly rounded with fairly broad ears that are set wide apart.
The eyes are bigger than the classic Oriental shape and can range from green to light blue in color.
The coat of the Tonkinese is short and close-lying and is soft and silky to touch. The mask, the ears, legs and tail are all darker than the body.
The Tonkinese cat breed is recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association in 4 base colors - medium brown, champagne, blue and and platinum.
The Tonkinese cat, with one of its parents being the Siamese cat, just loves giving and receiving attention.
Active and social, he is an excellent choice for families with children and even other pets. They love just seeking out their human companions and lying down where they are.
They’re intelligent felines these, and you can even teach them some simple commands. Because of them being so very social, they don’t like to be left on their own – certainly not for the whole day while you go off to work.
The beautiful Somali is a medium-sized cat which means he weighs in the region of 3 to 6kg. He is muscular and lean with the ears being set wide apart.
The ears are also tufted. The eyes of the Somali are almond-shaped and are usually a brown shade or green in color. The legs are long and the paws are also somewhat tufted. The tail is well plumed.
The Somali's coat is lovely and soft, while being thick and lustrous. The adult cats have a ruff. The Somali's coat comes in a range of colors but the most regular color is a beautiful brownish color with black ticking.
The Somali is an intelligent cat that relies heavily on its human owners for company as well as love and care.
They’re fun-loving cats that get on well with children in the home and from other pets. They are active cats and will need exercise. They should have some high perches and cat trees available so they can jump and climb.
Tonkinese cats can be active and highly entertaining with their antics. When you laugh at them, they are encouraged to perform more.
They are affectionate and intelligent cats and you will need to have toys for him. When he isn't playing, he likes nothing more than to be petted and pampered by his human family.
Your Tonkinese will get on well with children and other pets, and he generally makes a splendid pet for those who care well for him.
Tonkinese are generally healthy cats but they can be prone to eye problems such as gingvitis.
Because they are part of the Siamese family, they can succumb to some of the diseases that the Siamese battles with. These are asthma/bronchial disease, heart defects, lymphoma, and crossed eyes.
Lymphoma is linked with feline leukemia, a viral infection, and thankfully, more cats are being vaccinated for feline leukemia, so fortunately it is becoming less common.
Intestinal lymphoma affects the gastrointestinal tract and is the most common type of lymphoma in cats, being more common in older cats. Affected cats can suffer with weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea. Get your cat to the vet as diagnosing this lymphoma will require the vet finding cancerous cells on microscopic examination.
Although the Somali cat breed is healthy, as with many other cat breeds, there are a few hereditary diseases found in the Abyssinian that may be linked to this breed too. Look out for eye problems with the cat as well as anaemia.
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a degenerative disorder of the retina. This eye disease can either be inherited or acquired.
When a cat gets sick there are some antibiotics that have been associated with progressive retinal atrophy in cats. Cats can also develop vision loss if their diet is deficient.
You have to be very aware of your cat’s diet and ensure that he is getting all the right ingredients, one of which is amino acid taurine. If you can see that your cat is battling to see, you should get him immediately to the vet.even though there is no treatment for PRA. . The vet will explain to you how to make life more comfortable for your pet.
Anemia isn’t a specific disease with your cat but rather the result of some other disease or condition. The most common sign that your cat has anemia is that you won’t find that normal pink color of the gums. Your cat will be listless and there may also be signs of blood loss such as blood in the feces or urine. Your vet will do several tests to diagnose the anemia.
The Tonkinese has a short coat so a brush once a week will be sufficient for this cat as it just helps to brush away dust and loose hairs.
He will need a litter box and this will need to be kept spotlessly clean. Use a small rake, available from your vet or local pet shop, to rake up the cat’s feces.
When you first bring your Tonkinese cat home, you will at least need some of the basics to ensure his wellbeing. These are -
sleeping equipment – baskets or cushions in a nice warm, dry place for your cat.
A cat tree for climbing and a scratching post. Cats are natural scratchers so you can’t get angry with your cat for scratching. Instead, invest in a scratching post so that he doesn’t use your furniture to scratch on.
Food is such an important part of caring for a cat. The best type of cat food can ensure your cat has a strong immune system that allows him to not succumb to every cat sickness there is.
Cats are carnivores so ensure he has food high in meat. Sometimes it can be costly, but try to provide your cat with the best, most high-quality cat foods there are to ensure his good health and happiness.
A cat needs a constant supply of fresh, cool water night and day. The water should be changed regularly.
Cats can sometimes be finicky eaters and even the most delectable morsels might be ignored.
Every cat is unique but every cat is a carnivore – a meat eater – and requires a host of nutrients in their food to be healthy. Commercial cat foods aren’t all one and the same. You get different food for kittens, different foods for young adults, for pregnant cats, for energetic cats, and so on.
There is cat food for every season of a cat’s life. Other important considerations are feeding the right quantity of food to your cat.
The Somali is such a loving and affectionate cat, just loving to spend time with her human family.