Abouttonk.html

It was in the Far East that distinct breeds of cat were first recorded, most notably in Siam (Thailand) around 400 AD. A belief common in both Burma and Siam was that when a great personage died, such as a king or queen, his (or her) soul transferred itself to the body of a cat, where it remained until it died a natural death. Only then could the royal member's soul enter paradise. It was also customary for the royal member's favourite cat to be entombed alive with him. The tomb had a small opening for the cat, through which it escaped, carrying the soul of the recently deceased. The cat was then reverently escorted to the temple, where it lived the rest of its life in gracious ease, cared for by the local monks. The practice of giving a home to and caring for the welfare of temple cats continues to the present day.

The history and breeding of Tonkinese, Burmese and Siamese are inextricably interlinked, though the Burmese and Siamese are generally referred to as the Tonkinese's parent breeds. However, a painting by American artist William Morris Hunt (1824 - 1879) entitled Girl with a Cat suggests that the Tonkinese have been in the West for at least 100 years - and maybe even longer.

Not only does the Tonkinese have a very similar body type to the original Siamese breed, but it has played a crucial role in founding the Burmese breed both in the USA and the UK. In 1930, a Tonkinese named Wong Mau was taken to California, where the Burmese breed was developed.

While still considered a new breed, the Tonkinese is not a hybrid as some people mistakenly assume. Being of the same bloodlines as Siamese and Burmese breeds, today's Tonkinese are believed to be a reconstruction of the chocolate Siamese cat imported to England in the early 1900s.

The name ' Tonkinese' was chosen because of the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea, which runs between Burma and (Siam) Thailand.

A Tonkinese cat (or 'Tonk' as it's colloquially known) is commonly described as elegantly stylish, active and intelligent, with a lithe, expressive body. Its beautiful head is a medium wedge with large, shapely ears and limpid, almond-shaped eyes in sparkling aquamarine, topaz or sapphire. Its short fur is like shot-silk.

The Tonkinese appear in a sublime range of colours and patterns - brown, blue, chocolate and lilac (these equate with the USA's natural, blue, champagne and platinum) plus caramel, red, cream and apricot. In addition, there are tabbies and tortoiseshells. The tonkinese may be described as having 3 distinct coat patterns - solid ( which carries characteristics of the burmese, solid coat colour and green eyes), pointed ( which carry characteristics of the siamese, distinct points and blue eyes) and Tonkinese - beautiful aqua eyes and darker points gently shading to a base colour). Its average lifespan falls between 12 and 18 years - but even more in some exceptional cases.

The breed was first recognised in Canada in 1965 but It was not until 1991, however, that the UK's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) granted Preliminary recognition 2 and allocated the breed number 74. In 2002 the Tonkinese was awarded full championship status.

Temperment
Tonkinese are affectionate, intelligent, gregarious cats, with colourful, lively personalities which make them ideal companions. The are definate people pleasers and will be first at the door to greet your guests and love to play fetch with a favourite toy.

Links to Further Information on Tonkinese -