Did You Know?
- Toygers are a relative new cat breed.
- Toygers look a lot like miniature tigers.
- Toygers are domestic cats and can be held as household cats.
The Toyger is the result of a cross between a striped DSH (domestic short hair) and a SBT Bengal (‘stud book traditional Bengal’) This resulted in a striped Cat which after many years of hard work resembles a “Toy Tiger”.
Toyger’s are of medium/large size and have pelt and glitter like the Bengal. Today’s Toyger’s have very good temperaments and are quiet robust and healthy cats. Toyger’s are long muscular cats and male studs develop a ruff around the neck. Toyger’s are very energetic and love to romp around the house, they also love water and will play under a dripping tap or shower. The Toyger should have NO white lockets (patches/spots), kink in tail or body spots resembling a Bengal. Also the tummy must be marked not clear.
The ideal Toyger has small ears and eyes, long muscular body, tail carried low, whitened tummy, under eyes and chin, distinct dark stripes (braided preferable) on a orange/brown base body color. The coat should be pelt, smooth as silk and glittered. Good bone structure and over all balance.
Toyger kittens go through a stage called “fuzzies” from 6 weeks up to 20 weeks. During this time the kittens look ‘washed out’ or ‘unclear/ticked’. This is natures way of camouflage in the wild.
After the fuzzy stage has passed the kittens return to there former beauty.
Kittens / Adults are graded as pet, breeder or show quality. Price varies with each group.
Toyger Cat Introduction
Toyger cats have emerged recently in the cat breed. This feline breed is so fresh, that it has not yet been decided by the original breeder, that what will be the ideal features of Toyger cats. One of the factors that have made it difficult to make certain what will be the ideal features of Toyger cats is that these cats were just recently given out to public, leaving it very difficult to find a pure Toyger cats with ideal attributes out in the public at the moment.
Toyger Cat History and Origins
A feline breeder Judy Sigden, from California, was the one who initially bred Toyger cats, around the 1980s. Judy Sigden was actually a breeder of the Bengal cat, when she happened to notice tiger like marks on these kittens. This gave her an idea of breeding domestic cats that had tiger like marks on the body, and features much similar to the domestic shorter haired Bengal kittens.
These Toyger cats looked like toy tigers, and hence the markings and the appearance gave the name TOYGER. With time Judy Sigden kept on breeding this truly unique breed of cats all through the year 2000, and was eventually noticed by the TICA or Evaluation New Breed by The International Cat Association.
Following six years of this first breed, this feline breed moved up to the level of Advanced New Breed status, and is currently eligible to be at the competition at cat shows.
Toyger Cat Physical Appearance
Since the Toyger cats originated as a modification of the Bengal cats, it is very simple to understand why their appearance is similar to that of a tiger. The color is reddish orange or tan coat, with blackish tiger like stripes, that gives it a look of a miniature version of a tiger.
Toyger kittens have a nice long tail, with a very muscular body and a coat that is thick, silky and soft, which gives Toyger cats a very graceful and smart look. Even though still evolving, the features ideal to Toyger cats are particularly tiny round ears and a strong chin. Toyger cats have a large nose with small eyes.
Toyger Cat Behavior and Temperament
Toyger cats are very smart and interactive. They adore being the centre of attention and are extremely friendly. They get along well with people, and are particularly friendly with children and pets around them. Toyger cats are easy to train and the owners don’t really have a hard time teaching Toyger cats the way they want it to behave at home; and teaching it a few fascinating tricks.
Toyger cats have an extremely easy going personality, which by nature makes them great companions. Toyger cats have this special attribute of being particularly harmless at home, but destructive outdoors probably owing to the breeding. Toyger cats are especially great hunters, and if left in the wildlife, these cats will cause havoc to the other animals in the wildlife particularly the ones smaller.
