OcicatCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

The breed came about almost by accident. In 1964, breeder Virginia Daly of Berkley, Michigan, tried to produce a Siamese cat with tabby “points” like the Abyssinian's coat. She mated an Abyssinian male with a Siamese female, then one of their daughters with a Siamese male.

In one litter a kitten appeared with cinnamon spots on an ivory background. The breeder's daughter said it looked like an ocelot and suggested the name “ocicat”. The kitten, Tonga, was sold for 10 dollars to a medical student, but Daly continued breeding, guided by geneticist Clyde Keeler.

CFA accepted the breed for registration in 1966 and only gave it championship status in 1987. TICA recognised it in 1986, FIFe in 1992 and the GCCF in 2006.

How the breed developed

• 1964 – Virginia Daly begins the Abyssinian–Siamese crosses.
• 1966 – CFA accepts the breed for registration.
• 1986 – recognised by TICA.
• 1987 – championship status at CFA.
• 1992 – recognised by FIFe.

• Lively families with children. FIFe says it loves children and fits perfectly into busy families.
• People who spend a lot of time at home. It cannot bear being alone.
• People who want a cat to train. It learns tricks, comes when called and walks on a lead.
• Secure doors and drawers. It learns to open them by itself.

The FIFe profile describes it as an athletic animal: muscular and solid, graceful and supple, but with a full body and chest. Adults weigh 2.5–6.5 kg. The legs are medium to long and muscular.

General appearance

The muzzle is broad and well defined. The eyes are large and almond-shaped, with more than the width of an eye between them; all colours except blue are accepted. The ears are set at an angle of about 45 degrees. The tail is long and slender, with a dark tip.

Only the spotted tabby pattern is accepted. The most striking feature is the large, contrasting, thumbprint-shaped spots. On its forehead it has the tabby “M”, and around its eyes mascara-like lines. 12 colours are recognised: black (tawny), blue, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon and fawn, each also in silver.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

The Egyptian Mau is also a spotted cat; English breeders who tried to recreate it ended up with Ocicats. The Bengal looks similar, but comes from crosses with a wild cat. The Ocicat descends from the Abyssinian and the Siamese.

The FIFe profile says that behind its wild look it has an exceptionally gentle, affectionate and loyal nature. It becomes deeply attached to its family, cannot bear being alone and follows its people everywhere, loudly demanding attention. It is very intelligent: it quickly learns tricks, answers to its name, fetches and walks on a lead. It stays lively and playful into old age.

It is very communicative and likes to “chat”, but its voice is much softer than the Siamese's.

Socialisation

It has a robust, fearless nature, loves children and is tolerant. French Wikipedia describes it as sociable with other animals too.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

It is very active and needs daily play and challenges for its mind.

Tips for a balanced life

• Do not leave it alone for many hours; a second cat helps.
• Secure doors and drawers.
• Teach it tricks; it gets bored quickly.

Coat care

The short coat is easy to look after: brushing once a week is enough. German Wikipedia says a dull coat can be a sign of illness, while a healthy one shines.

Common health problems

German Wikipedia says it usually has a robust immune system. Wikipedia shows, however, that urate bladder stones are much more common than in other breeds and that, in a Swedish study, pyometra (infection of the womb) occurred six times more often than in cats overall.

Recommended genetic tests

There is no genetic test required for the breed. For females not used for breeding, spaying removes the risk of pyometra.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

Other care

• A check-up at the vet once a year.
• Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
• Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
• Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

Because the breed forms bladder stones more easily, water matters even more; wet food helps.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

• Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
• Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
• Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

• Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
• Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
• Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
• Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in cats lasts 64–67 days, 65 on average. A first litter usually has fewer kittens than later ones. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

• Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, a FIFe member).
• The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
• Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
• Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

• Sold for 10 dollars. The first Ocicat, Tonga, was sold for 10 dollars to a medical student.
• Named by a child. The breeder's daughter said the kitten looked like an ocelot.
• Thumbprint spots. The large spots are shaped like thumbprints.
• No wild blood. Although it looks wild, it is fully domestic.

Does it have wild cat blood?

No. It was created only from domestic cats: Abyssinians, Siamese and American Shorthairs.

Can it be trained?

Yes. It learns tricks, comes when called, fetches toys and walks on a lead.

Can it be left alone?

It does not like it at all; it needs company.

How much does it weigh?

Adults weigh 2.5–6.5 kg.