Ocicat cat: description, photo, keeping at home

Origin story

The breed arose as an unexpected result of the work of breeder Virginia Daley. Initially, it was planned to breed a Siamese cat with a tabby color, for which in 1964 representatives of the Siamese and Abyssinian cats were crossed. However, one of the kittens in the litter was white with golden spots all over its body and looked very much like a wild cat. The baby was named Tongo, and since there were no plans to use a small domestic leopard for breeding, he was castrated and placed in a new home.

However, the breeders soon remembered the interesting kitten. It was decided to repeat the result, but this time the American Shorthair was added during the crossing. Cats from subsequent litters began to be used for breeding, and wild cats also took part in order to consolidate some of the qualities of the breed.

In 1966, the new breed was recognized by the CFA, and after this, in 1987, representatives of the breed took part in the US Championship. In the same year, the breed was officially recognized and registered.

The name Ocicat comes from the name of the wild cat Ocelot, as the appearance of these cats is very similar. But, unlike its wild relatives, the Ocicat is smaller in size and has a more peaceful and calm character.

Gradually, the Ocicat became popular in many countries. These cats came to Europe in the late 1980s. The breed has been registered by many felinological clubs, including ACF, FIFE, TICA WCF, CFA, ACFA. Several nurseries have now been opened where these cats are bred. They are mainly located in the USA and France.

Chocolate color option

Cost of an Ocicat kitten

The Ocicat breed is distributed throughout the world and is very popular. Buying an Ocicat kitten of the original color will not be difficult.

If Ocicat kittens have attracted your attention, the price for them will not scare you much.

The cost of a kitten ranges from 500 to 2600 US dollars, depending on its gender and breed characteristics.

If you come across an advertisement for the sale of a purebred Ocicat kitten for 15 thousand rubles, it is most likely a scam. Professional breeders cannot sell representatives of an exclusive breed so cheaply. At an extremely low price, they can only sell you an animal with defects or concomitant diseases. As they say, “don’t take a pig in a poke.”

Description of the breed

Some people, when they see an Ocicat, may confuse it with an ordinary yard cat. At first glance, there are indeed features in their appearance, like the American Shorthair cat, reminiscent of the familiar tabby, spotted cats.

However, the Ocicat has many qualities that are unusual for such pets. These are features of color, physique, size and proportions, style of movement. Now let's look at all these parameters in more detail.

Characteristics of the cat

The Ocicat is a medium-sized cat with a strong, harmonious build. The limbs are long enough to allow deft jumping and running. The joints and ligaments are very flexible, this makes the representatives of the breed flexible and graceful. The movements of these cats are precise and confident. Representatives of the breed have expressive looks and facial expressions, they are emotional and perfectly demonstrate their feelings.

The body of these pets is powerful, but not heavy, which makes the Ocicat strong and elegant. Males are much larger than cats, the difference can be up to two to three kg. Males are more aggressive and dominant in behavior, while females are more docile and affectionate. However, in general the breed is very peaceful and social.

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A distinctive feature of the Ocicat is its spotted color, like that of wild cats. The color of the coat may vary, but must retain the following characteristics:

• ticking (dark areas on light hair, ring-shaped covering the hair; there may be several such darkened areas on one hair);
• a mark on the forehead in the form of the letter “M”, made up of stripes and spots;
• the tip of the tail gradually darkens and becomes black;
• On the back and sides, clear small spots are arranged in rows.

Unlike its wild ocelot counterparts, the Ocicat is a peaceful and completely social cat. They make wonderful pets for the whole family. The character combines will and independence, sociability and curiosity, affection for the owner, which is inherent in Siamese, Abyssinian and American shorthair cats, from which the Ocicat originated.

There are 12 officially recognized Ocicat colors: from red to gray shades, but there must be regular spots, markings all over the body and lightened areas on the lips, chin, and around the eyes.

Acceptable colors:

• red-brown;
• ginger;
• yellow-brown;
• chocolate;
• milk coffee;
• blue;
• lilac;
• variations of shades with the addition of a silver tint.

The spots are always dark compared to the main background; the color of the nose must match the color.

Exhibition standards

According to the TICA classification, representatives of the breed must meet the following standard requirements:

Head

Neat, wedge-shaped; proportional in size to the body; the muzzle is elongated in profile, but not pointed, quite wide in full face; the jaws are strong, the chin is powerful; the ears are large, with regular angles, located on the border between high and low, which creates the impression of alertness; Tassels on the tips of the ears are welcome.

Eyes

Almond-shaped, set wide apart, may be slightly slanted, expression attentive; Any color is allowed, regardless of coat color, but blue eyes are considered an anomaly.

Neck

Muscular, strong, but graceful and flexible, of medium length.

Blue color

Body

• semi-foreign type of constitution (an average variant between a light, thin physique and a heavy, loose one);
• cats have an athletic body, long, flexible and strong;
• the chest is deep (the elbow is above the level of the sternum), the ribs are rounded, the sides are straight;
• the rise of the back is noted towards the tail;
• the muscles are well developed, the tendons are strong, which ensures high mobility and endurance;
• The bones are strong, but not too heavy.

Limbs

Sufficiently long, proportional to the body, strong; the muscles of the thighs are well defined; paws are oval, compactly assembled, toes tightly clenched;

Tail

Long, tapering to the tip; The color darkens as it moves away from the body, and is black at the tip.

Wool

Short, thick, silky; soft and pleasant to the touch; Each hair should have several ticking zones; spots on the coat should be clear and contrasting.

Weight

An adult cat weighs about 6 - 7 kg, females - 4 - 5 kg.

And here you will find the schedule of WCF cat shows for 2021.

Flaws

Less serious defects include irregularly shaped spots (elongated, unclear) and blue eye color.

Disqualifying faults

1. White markings (except for lips, area around eyes, under chin on top of throat).
2. Long wool.
3. Inappropriate physique.
4. Polydactylism (the presence of extra fingers on the limbs. Correctly there should be five fingers on the front limbs and four fingers on the hind limbs).
5. Males have cryptorchidism.
6. Cowardice and unjustified aggression are also considered vices.

The Ocicat must move correctly (elastically, accurately, gracefully) and show balance of character.

Appearance

The Ocicat breed received official recognition in 1987. The developer of its first standard is the TICA association. The signs described by its specialists were subsequently repeatedly modified and supplemented. Today, whether a cat belongs to the Ocicat breed is determined by a set of external characteristics that even non-professionals can recognize from a photo.

The animal's head is softly rounded, wedge-shaped at the top and slightly blunt at the bottom. It is located on a long graceful neck. The transition between the nose and forehead is gradual and practically not pronounced. The cat's muzzle curves smoothly towards the cheekbones.

The lower jaw is well developed, the chin is strong and wide. The bite of real Ocicats is always correct. Adult males may have a double chin. It is also acceptable for them to have a dewlap. If you look at the cat straight on, the shape of its face looks almost square, but its profile is quite elongated.

The triangular ears are quite large. They are slightly inclined towards the forehead. They are set so that they seem to be an extension of the muzzle. Its outer upper corners seem to flow into the ears. Their tips can be decorated with “lynx” tassels. They create the illusion that the cat belongs to the wild places where the ocelot and similar animals live. Tassels help an animal make a show career, but their absence is not critical.

Ocicats have large eyes. They are slanted, extended from the bridge of the nose to the ears, and the almond shape gives them expressiveness. The animal's eyes are characterized by a wide and high set. Their color can be any (including shades that do not match the color), except blue. This pigment is a signal that there is a recessive Siamese color gene in the cat’s blood. Experts highly value the richness of the color of the iris.

The body of cats is long, dense and knitted. The skeleton is powerful and quite heavy. Rounded ribs form a broad chest. The sides of the animal are flat. Ocicats boast a muscular and athletic body. When animals take a show stance, their backs bend slightly, rising closer to the tail.

Due to their bone structure, Ocicats weigh more than other purebred cats. In adult males, body weight reaches 7 kg. They are much larger than females. Ocicat cats weigh on average 3.5-5 kg. Evaluation commissions at exhibitions do not take into account weight, but how proportionate and athletic the animal looks.

The height of an adult male is 30-32 cm, females - 26-28 cm. The Ocicat's paws match the body. They are of medium length, strong, proportionally built. The muscles on the paws are developed and well defined. The front limbs of a cat end with 5 fingers, the hind limbs - 4. If there are more of them, the animal is disqualified.

Beautiful photo

Dark brown color

Lighter color

Ginger cat

Beautiful model photo

Very similar to the wild cat Ocelot

Character

This is a wonderful companion, as the Ocicat is characterized by tenderness and playfulness. These cats become attached to their owner, which is somewhat reminiscent of dogs. Thanks to the high level of intelligence, the Ocicat is easy to teach some tricks; it is only important to choose the right training and find an individual approach to your four-legged friend.

Representatives of the breed have a hard time withstanding loneliness, they try to accompany their beloved owner everywhere, but at the same time they remain very modest and unobtrusive. They will not intrusively demand attention, but are always happy to receive a portion of affection.

The Ocicat will never miss an opportunity to learn something new and will happily take part in exciting games. These cats get along well with other pets and can make friends with rodents, provided that they grow up together so that the hunting instinct does not work.

Please note that the Ocicat is a very talkative pet, a trait borrowed from the Siamese cats that were used to breed the breed.

The Ocicat will happily loudly greet its owner when he comes home from work, and during games he will emotionally demonstrate his mood. Even when in a calm state, this cat loves to purr and meow, so people who value silence will have to come to terms with this feature of their pet.

Difference between Ocicat and Bengal cat

Differences from the Bengal cat

Outwardly, the Ocicat is very similar to a wild cat, just like representatives of the Bengal breed. It's not surprising that these different pets can be easily confused. However, there are important differences between these cats.

The Bengal arose as a result of crossing a wild Bengal cat with an ordinary domestic cat, while the ancestors of the Ocicat are domestic cat breeds. The physique of representatives of both breeds is also similar, but the features of the muzzle, the size and position of the ears, and the shape of the eyes are different. The Bengal cat's head is somewhat rounder than that of the Ocicat, and the nose is larger.

Perhaps the main distinguishing feature between the Ocicat and the Bengal is the shape and location of the spots. In the latter, large spots are clearly visible on the golden coat, often ring-shaped, and a marbled color is also acceptable. Such colors are unacceptable for the Ocicat.

Standard color

The Ocicat is characterized by a short and fairly dense coat, and in accordance with the breed characteristics, it should be smooth and silky to the touch, with a noticeable sheen. A complete absence of frizz is required . An obligatory breed characteristic of the Ocicat is ticking, which consists of a clear and contrasting pattern on the coat.

The main types of Ocicat colors:

• tawny coloring or "Tawny", represented by a warm brown or light bronze coat color with the presence of dark brown or black spots;
• chocolate coloring or “Chocolate”, represented by a light brown color, agouti or ivory color with chocolate spots;
• brown coloring or "Cinnamon", represented by light agouti or ivory color with the presence of tan spots;
• blue coloring or “Blue”, represented by a weak bluish background and rich blue spots;
• lilac coloring or “Lavender”, represented by a pale yellow or matte beige color with faint lavender spots;
• A yellowish-brown coloring or “Fawn”, represented by a basic agouti or ivory color with yellowish-brown, subtle spots.

In addition to the six main color options, there are combinations in silver, which are combined into six types and are represented by silver-white, gray or silver-black coloring with spots of chocolate, tan, dark brown or black, deep blue or lavender.

The “Any Other Variety” category includes the following Ocicat color types:

• ticked or without spots against the general background;
• solid color or “Solid” with spots in the form of light shadows on the general background;
• classic Aztec color or “Classic tabb” with marbled color.

Such standards are adopted by European felinological associations and are not taken into account in world championships.

Features of maintenance, care, feeding

Since the Ocicat's coat is short and soft, these cats need to be combed with fine combs or short-toothed combs. In general, care is simple and does not require any special wisdom. The Ocicat's coat is short and does not tend to form tangles, which means you don't need a tangle cutter.

Due to their tendency to form plaque, these pets need to have their teeth brushed regularly. The owner should get a special toothbrush, toothpaste or other hygiene products for cats.

Since representatives of the breed are very active cats, it is necessary to equip the house with a play area. This could be a post for sharpening claws, shelves, transitions, other climbing devices, and be sure to provide your pet with toys. Some dog toys are also quite suitable.

A person who spends a lot of time outside the home and cannot pay enough attention to the Ocicat should better think about purchasing a cat of another calmer and lazier breed.

Just like other cat breeds, you will need to trim your claws periodically. A regular nail clipper used in such cases will be quite sufficient.

You will also need to clean your ears no more often than representatives of other similar breeds. If you accustom your kitten to this hygiene procedure in advance, then there should be no problems in the future.

This breed does not require special eye care, but it is better to have everything that is needed at home in stock until your pet turns one year old. As a rule, an adult Ocicat does not have eye problems.

It is necessary to bathe your cat in warm water periodically. Since this breed has short hair, frequent bathing is not necessary, but even a domestic cat needs to be washed 2-3 times a year. Be sure to use a special shampoo, not necessarily expensive.

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Regarding feeding, there are no special rules for this breed. Kittens are perfectly suited to all the standard rules for feeding kittens according to age.

The cat's tray should always be cleanly washed, treated with a special cleaning agent and be in the same place familiar to the pet, otherwise he will arrange a toilet anywhere in the apartment. It is also advisable to use the same type of litter for the litter box to avoid unnecessary stress.

If you don't like the daily, routine work of washing a dirty litter box, try retraining your cat to go to the toilet on the toilet. How to do this, read the special article.

For adult cats, food can be either natural or ready-made branded food, suitable for the age and lifestyle of the cat. It is important to choose high-quality fresh products. Due to the high mobility of the breed, the portions should be voluminous, and the composition should be nutritious and sufficiently high in calories.

It is best to purchase an automatic cat feeder so that you can calmly go to work, knowing that your furry pet will be properly and promptly fed in your absence. We also recommend adding an automatic drinking bowl to the kit to provide him with clean, filtered water.

Caring for the Ocicat cat breed

This breed is not difficult to care for: ears, eyes and claws need to be cleaned as often as any other cat.

Short hair is easy to comb and does not settle in fluffy clumps on surfaces, as happens with long-haired breeds.

In general, the animal is more often kept in an apartment than on the street, since it does not stray far from a private house.

Health and life expectancy

In general, the breed is very strong and has a stable immune system. However, sometimes there are diseases adopted from Siamese, American Shorthair and Abyssinian cats. For example, hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, metabolic disorders, blood disorders. In particularly severe cases, circulatory disorders can cause death in young cats. But these cases are rare and are rather exceptional than regular.

It is useful to undergo regular scheduled examinations with a veterinarian to know the health status of your pet. It is also necessary to carry out annual vaccinations and regular treatments against external and internal parasites.

Thanks to good health and a strong body, the life expectancy of the Ocicat is on average 15 – 17 years, but with proper care, representatives of the breed often live longer.

Pedigree kittens from the nursery

Ocicat nurseries: where to find

The Ocicat cat breed, popular in the West, is not very widespread in Russia, and therefore, to find an Ocicat cattery, you will have to try. For example, since 2012, only one cattery, Alma Mater Cattery, has been opened in Moscow, breeding Ocicats and Toygers.

In Ukraine there is a nursery “Marchi”, located in Kyiv.

Nothing is known about the presence of nurseries in Belarus, but there is a Minsk nursery for the Abyssinian cat, the parent of the Ocicat. Its employees organize meetings for “cat lovers” buyers with sellers – professional Ocicat breeders.

Breeding Features

Ocicats produce offspring in the same way as other domestic cats. Pregnancy lasts typically 56–64 days. However, there is a peculiarity of the litter - usually only three kittens are born to a cat, and males are born much more often than females.

There may be a lack or deficiency of colostrum in the mother cat. In this case, a special cat milk substitute will come to the rescue.

Immediately provide the correct feeding regime and diet for your pregnant cat. In this case, you can be sure of healthy offspring.

Kittens develop very quickly and instantly absorb new information. Therefore, they need to undergo socialization as early as possible, and also begin to learn house rules at a young age.

Young Ocicats are hyperactive, follow the cat and the owner everywhere, and have a lively mind and imagination. Kittens are often found in unexpected places, for example, in a closet, in clothes, or in other various secluded places, but representatives of the breed have a special love for the tops. As soon as the Ocicat learns to control its body well, it immediately begins to master high shelves, doors and other similar high places.

Disqualifying faults

Non-show Ocicats may have one or more defects, which are represented by the following characteristics:

• white spots in places not defined by breed standards;
• the presence of visual or hidden tail defects;
• blue eye color;
• long or fluffy hair;
• incorrect number of fingers on the limbs.

Important! Also, animals that have a non-standard color or color that is not permitted by breed characteristics are not allowed to participate in the championships.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Ocicat is a very remarkable breed; many cat lovers want to have just such a cat. The advantages of Ocicat include:

• devotion to the owner;
• sharp, lively mind;
• playfulness;
• gentle and affectionate disposition;
• modesty;

There are some disadvantages:

• excessive noise;
• tendency to climb onto all sorts of high places;
• Dependence on the company, demanding attention.

This breed is suitable for keeping in a house with children or other animals, but older people, as well as those who work for a long time, should not have an Ocicat, as these cats get bored, worried and sad when left alone for a long time.

If you like this breed, you can visit the International Cat Show Spring 2021 in Perm.

Raising Ocicat kittens

Females bear their kittens well, and childbirth occurs without complications.

Ocicat mothers are caring and affectionate, they raise their cubs well. If kittens are raised indoors, they grow up to be friendly and affectionate.

Little kittens have a highly developed possessive instinct, and they are jealous of their toys. In order for babies to grow up balanced and calm, they need to be taught different sounds from an early age.

Also, Ocicat kittens need to get used to human proximity from birth, so owners are advised to pet them more often, pick them up and talk to their growing pets. In addition, you need to teach them the rules of behavior in the house, and if in the future you want to participate in exhibitions, then you need to accustom the kids to noise and foreign odors, introduce them to other cats and new people.

Little kittens have a highly developed possessive instinct, and they are very jealous of their toys. In order for them to grow up balanced and calm, they must be accustomed to various sounds from an early age.

Interesting Facts

• These cats love to walk on a leash and take a harness well. like another, similar Toyger breed;
• despite its exotic wild appearance, the Ocicat has a peaceful, domestic disposition;
• Ocicats are excellent hunters and also easily learn various commands;
• Whenever possible, representatives of the breed try to climb as high as possible, be it shelves, doors or curtains.

Selection of kittens in Russia and abroad

Having decided to get an Ocicat, first of all, it is better to pay attention to professional nurseries; it is extremely undesirable to take the baby “from your hands” or in the market. Ideally, you would invite a veterinarian or a qualified breeder with you, however, by following the following tips you can easily choose a healthy, high-quality kitten.

It is important to pay attention to the place of detention: it must be spacious enough, always clean and warm, well ventilated. Also collect information about the parents: age, whether there are congenital or acquired diseases, the presence of vaccinations and other planned preventive treatments, the number and characteristics of the resulting offspring, merits in competitions, if any.

If all criteria are met, you can proceed directly to examining the kittens. They should be well-fed, active, the coat should be smooth, shiny, and clean. Pay attention to the eyes, nose, ears, and also the area under the tail. In healthy cats, these areas are clean, without discharge, irritation or damage. Visible mucous membranes should be pink and moist, also without damage.

Healthy kittens are playful, active, do not show cowardice, and have a good appetite. It is important to evaluate the behavior of the kitten you like in the group - what position it occupies in society, whether it is a leader or not, whether it shows aggression or, on the contrary, is docile. Having obtained a general idea of ​​the behavior and health of young Ocicats, you can choose one of them and take your new friend home.

Price

Now a few words about how much a purebred kitten costs. The main places for purchasing these are the USA, France, and other Western countries, but in Russia there are also several professional nurseries of this breed. Prices for kittens vary: from 15,000 rubles to 60,000 rubles.

Catering

Active Ocicats do not suffer from lack of appetite and are not prone to obesity. But this does not mean that you can feed them anything and put huge portions in bowls “in reserve.” The basic rules are:

• Food for the Ocicat should be coarse enough to remove plaque from the teeth and massage the gums.
• Animal protein – at least 70%.
• For castrated and sterilized animals, the amount of carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum.
• Water is the only thing you can give an Ocicat. It must be clean (bottled, settled, or passed through a special filter), at a comfortable temperature, and odorless. Wash the bowl and change the water 2 times a day: morning and evening, and when it gets dirty.
• Do not mix natural and prepared food: this creates additional stress on the digestive system. Choose one thing.

Natural products

You need to be able to choose the right products, prepare them properly, know in what quantities and to whom to give them.

You cannot feed cats food from your table: fatty, sweet, salty foods, it is forbidden to give smoked meats, many vegetables (eggplants, pure potatoes, tomatoes), legumes, juices, citrus fruits, baked goods, canned food, seasonings, sugar, salt, sauces, alcohol, products with preservatives and additives. And chocolate and eggplants are deadly for cats, as are tubular bones!

List of permitted products:

• Fish (salmon, trout, chum salmon, cod, tuna, pink salmon, flounder, halibut, sardine). Scales, fins and heads are removed from the fish, frozen for 2-3 days before consumption, then cut into pieces and boiled or served raw. You can’t give it more than once a week: excess iodine leads to hyperthyroidism, histamine – to allergies, fatty acids – to inflammation and panniculitis.
• Lean meat and offal (beef tenderloin, veal, chicken necks and breasts, rabbit, turkey, kidneys, liver, hearts, horse meat, soft cartilage). Meat, like fish, is frozen and then doused with boiling water or boiled.
• Low-fat dairy products (cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, cream, kefir, yogurt, sour cream, natural yogurt).
• Porridge (buckwheat, oatmeal, pearl barley, millet, rice). Boil in water, do not add sugar, salt or seasonings. You can add milk, but not much (solely for taste).
• Boiled chicken eggs (yolk), quail eggs (whole).
• Vegetables (pumpkin, carrots, zucchini, asparagus, broccoli, green peas, cauliflower, spinach, beets, squash, parsley, green salad, dill, cucumbers).

Recommended food

Industrial ready-made food is often chosen by owners who, due to their busy lives, cannot devote much time to cooking and counting nutrients. But there are so many bright packages on store shelves that it is sometimes difficult to make a choice.

But don't believe the advertising! If you have the financial opportunity, buy holistic food for your pet. They are the most expensive, but the quality is an order of magnitude higher than all the others. For their production, high-quality products, natural preservatives, high-quality vitamin and mineral supplements are used, and there are no dangerous chemical compounds, flavor enhancers or dyes. Examples: Power of Nature, Wellness CORE, Now Fresh.

Super-premium food is a little cheaper. The composition is somewhat different from holistic food: pea or potato protein and rosemary are often added to super-premium food as a preservative. Examples: Mealfeel, Natyka, Pronature Life, Summit.

Below are the recommended holistic and super-premium foods. Links with the names of the food are clickable, on them you can, within our website, get acquainted with the descriptions of the food and read reviews from owners of Ocicat cats.