The Ocicat is a medium-sized, well-spotted agouti cat with a moderate build. This breed has the appearance of an athletic animal: well-muscled and solid, agile and nimble, but with body and chest fullness. This muscular, agile, yet graceful spotted cat is known for its “wild” appearance.
Personality
Ocicats may appear to be wild, but they are friendly, adaptable, curious, and playful, with a great loyalty to their human friends. Ocicats are very clever, active, and social creatures that quickly learn to respond to their names and can be taught a number of tasks, including the ability to come on command. Begging for food is another skill that Ocicats have mastered with little effort.
Ocicat personalities are lively, affectionate, gregarious, and flexible. Although they are sociable and affectionate to everyone in the household, occats tend to bond with only one person and favor that person’s companionship over all others. They get along well with other animals and people, and they appreciate having an animal buddy to keep them company if they are left alone for an extended period of time.
Ocicats, like their Abyssinian predecessors, enjoy doing daring tap dances on top of your bookcases for your entertainment. They are an active breed that need plenty of room as well as toys and diversions to keep them entertained. This mistake turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Ocicat; they want to tell you about their day when you get home at night, but they won’t bore you with every detail. Furthermore, their voices are free of the irritating Siamese rasp. However, because they are a vocal breed, they are extremely sensitive to tone of voice, and strong verbal reprimands can hurt their sensitive feelings or even break the confidence they’ve placed in their preferred people.
History
Dalai Dotson, an Abyssinian-Siamese hybrid, is regarded as the first Ocicat. The name Ocicat was given to this cat because it resembles the spotted wild cat known as the ocelot. Dalai Dotson was registered with CFA when CFA accepted the Ocicat for registration status in 1966. The breed was incorrectly stated as a cross between the Abyssinian and the American Shorthair in the minutes of the CFA annual conference that approved the Ocicat for registration.
When the mistake was discovered, Siamese was added to the phrasing without eliminating American Shorthair from the list. Ocicats, like their Siamese relatives, are talkative, but not unbearably so. The American Shorthair influence also contributed heft and muscle to a breed that resembled the lithe Abyssinian and the sleek Siamese at first.
In the 1980s, word spread about the breed’s beauty and personality, and many more people joined the Ocicat fan group. The Ocicat was granted CFA preliminary status in May 1986 and championship standing a year later. TICA also awarded the championship in 1987. All North American cat organisations now accept the Ocicat as a championship cat. The breed has grown in popularity and has a large fan base.
Physical Attributes
BODY
Solid, firm, with depth and fullness but never coarse. The Ocicat is a medium to large cat with significant bone and muscle development, but an athletic appearance, and should weigh a surprising amount for its size. There is usually some chest depth with somewhat sprung ribs, the back is level to slightly higher in the back, and the flank is reasonably level. Many Ocicats are athletic, strong, and lean. It is worth noting that females are often smaller than men.
HEAD
The skull is a modified wedge with a modest curvature from muzzle to cheek and a perceptible but mild rise from nasal bridge to brow. The muzzle is broad and highly defined, with a hint of squareness and good length in profile. The chin is powerful, and the jaw is robust with a good bite. The moderate whisker squeeze is not painful. The head is beautifully borne on an arching neck. Jowls on adult men will be accommodated.
EARS
Alert, medium-sized, and positioned to corner the upper, outside dimensions of the head. If an imagined horizontal line is drawn over the brow, the ears should be set at a 45-degree angle, that is, neither too high nor too low. Ear tufts that protrude vertically from the tips of the ears are not uncommon.
EYES
Large, almond-shaped, and angled slightly upwards toward the ears, with more than an eye’s length between them. Ocicats are available in every hue except blue. There is no correlation between eye and coat color.
PAWS & LEGS
Legs should be substantial and well-muscled, medium-length, robust, and proportionate to the body. Feet are round and compact, with five toes in front and four in behind, and are proportionate to the size of the legs.
TAIL
Long and fairly slender, with only a small taper and a dark tip.
COAT
Short, smooth, satiny texture with a brilliant luster. Tight, close-fitting, and elegant, but long enough to accommodate the essential color bands. There is no hint of woolliness. Except for the tip of the tail, all hairs are banded. Hairs within the markings are often tipped with a darker color, whilst hairs in the ground color are tipped with a lighter hue.
COLOR
Tawny spotted, cinnamon spotted, chocolate spotted, blue spotted, fawn spotted, lavender spotted, ebony silver spotted, cinnamon silver spotted, chocolate silver spotted, blue silver spotted, fawn silver spotted, lavender silver spotted, ebony silver spotted, cinnamon silver spotted, chocolate silver spotted, blue silver spotted, fawn silver spotted, lavender silver spotted Color is usually bright and appealing.
The lightest hue is frequently found around the eyes, as well as on the chin and lower jaw. The darkest color is located at the tail’s tip. Distinctive marks appear to be visible from every angle. The skin on the face, legs, and tail may darken more than the skin on the chest. The saddle may be darker in color than the underside, chin, and lower jaw. The color of the tail tip will be the deciding element in addressing any and all questions about the correct color of an Ocicat.
Disclaimer
While the qualities listed below are common for this breed, cats are individuals with unique personalities and appearances. For more information about a specific pet, please contact the adoption group.
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