All Cat Photographs courtesy of Helmi Flick
FEATURED BREED: TOYGER
Its tawny coat with bold black stripes makes you stop and say "is that a miniature Tiger?!" Well, yes, and no. It looks like a Tiger, but it's a domestic cat: it's the Toyger.
In the late 1980's Judy Sugden noticed a different pattern in one of her Bengals, and well, as they say, the rest is history. Later two cats became the cornerstone for the Toyger - a striped domestic shorthair named Scrapmetal and a big - boned Bengal named Millwood Rumpled Spotskin.
In 1993, Judy also imported Jammu Blu, a street cat from Kashmir, India, who had all spots between his ears rather than the regular tabby lines.
Recognized first by TICA, today the Toyger competes for Championship titles and Regional and International awards in TICA. The Toyger may look like its ferocious relative, but it's a loving breed who wants to be with people. To learn moreclick here.
Previous Breeds of the Month
JAPANESE BOBTAIL
Have you ever gone into a Japanese restaurant and been greeted by a statue of a cat holding its one paw up, and resting his other paw on a golden coin? That's the Good Luck Cat (also called Neko) who is fashioned after the Japanese Bobtail.
The Japanese Bobtail traces its history back to over 1,000 years ago and is depicted in famous paintings, murals, pottery and statues found in Asia and museums around the world. A natural breed originating in Japan, the Japanese Bobtail has a chiseled head structure and stylized angular lines, comes in both long- and short-haired coats, and is known for its vibrant, rich mi-ke or tri-colored and bi-colored patterns.
The one feature that gave the Japanese Bobtail its name is its bobbed tail that consists of a variety of kinks and curves creating a pom-pom effect-like. Its tail is like a fingerprint because no two tails are ever the same. Active, intelligent, and athletic, the Japanese Bobtail will entertain you with it s rambunctious antics.
To learn more about the Japanese Bobtail, click here.
