Tonkatykes Cattery . Michigan Tonkinese Cats Breeder Tonkinese History History has never been my strong suit, but I will try my best to give you an idea where some of my ancestors came from. I'll throw in a few pictures along the way, just to keep things interesting. Originally, many moons ago, Tonkinese were a naturally occurring breed. Siamese were from Siam, and Burmese were from Burma (now Thailand). Since the two were neighboring countries, and my ancestors didn't have passports, or honor international boundaries, there was some mixing of the Siamese and Burmese. Of course we weren't called Tonkinese back then, and no one knew what a wonderful breed was possible. Over time, humans (who unfortunately do make mistakes) strived to keep the two breeds separate and distinct. In the 1960's, a human named Margaret Conroy, who lived in Canada, finally wised up and decided to cross a Siamese and a Burmese. The resulting kittens were the original of what we know as the modern day Tonkinese. She soon realized what a prize had been created, and continued down the road to making history. We Tonks inherited the best of the two breeds. We have the good looks of the Siamese, but we have more of the laid back personality of the Burmese. What more could you ask for? Good looks, and a great personality. No wonder CFA decided to accept Tonkinese as a breed in 1984. Tonkinese bring a great deal of positive energy and happiness to any home. They are very active and playful, but not high-strung. Their colorful personalities make them ideal companions. In fact, Tonkinese cats are often referred to as: "The Golden Retrievers of the cat world" because they are the best choice for family's with children. They are warm and loving, highly intelligent, naturals at inventing and playing games, with an incredible memory, and keen senses. Their affectionate ways are impossible to ignore, and they quickly endear themselves to family and visitors. A friend, who seems to understand what Tonkinese are all about, once said: "The Tonk, as it is commonly referred, is an extremely beautiful cat, with a rich medium short luxurious coat, distinctive eyes, and a very outgoing personality. They are highly intelligent, active and playful cats, that thrive on attention. They genuinely adore their people, wanting to follow them, and be with them most of the time. Tonks are known for being shoulder riders, are able to fetch, and make great travelers. The Tonkinese breed is very popular among cat lovers desiring a less extreme version of the Siamese and/or Burmese, and are looking for engaging personalities that will never cease to delight and entertain them. Two Tonks are often recommended, because half the fun is watching them interact and play together. Having the unique ability of being able to wrap and twist owners around their paws, this loving breed will simply steal your heart away." Tonkinese Colors Tonkinese, a cross between the point colored Siamese, and the solid colored Burmese, come in three different body patterns. 1) Point Body Pattern: The point body pattern shows a resemblance to the Siamese, having lighter body colors and displaying a high contrast to the point colors (ears, face, tail and paws). The point body pattern also has the blue eye color of the Siamese. 2) Mink Body Pattern: Considered halfway between the pointed Siamese, and the solid Burmese. Minks have a little more color in the body, but still show a lot of contrast with the point colors. Minks have an aqua eye color. 3) Solid Body Pattern: Resembles the Burmese. They have a deeper body color that displays a subtle contrast with the point colors. Solids have a green to yellow-green eye color. In the above picture are three kittens of the same color, but with three different patterns. From left to right: point, mink and solid. Between the three body patterns, and the four colors, there are twelve possible combinations. Blue Point Blue Mink Blue Solid Champagne Point Champagne Mink Champagne Solid Natural Point Natural Mink Natural Solid Platinum Point Platinum Mink Platinum Solid Home | About Us | Our Show Cats | Tonkinese History | Tonkinese Colors | How To Pick