An Encyclopedia on Ocicat Cat: A Pet That Looks Wild But is Playful
What makes you fascinated? If you are a reader, then it’s a book, and if you are a traveler then, exploring new places. But, as a pet lover, what would fascinate you? There are many things, from having one to knowing about the one. So here I am again with information on a new pet breed, but guess which? Its feline, Ocicat cat.
After looking at the picture, my first expression was ‘wow, so cute’ and second was a question’ wait, what?’ (with shock and surprise). Why? It undoubtedly look cute with those even spots on its coat. But those spots only surprise me; they somehow resemble cheetahs or leopards.
We all know they are the ancestors of a cat. So, the question was a natural reaction. How can it be a domestic cat! Yes, it is a domestic cat (you didn’t focus on the word ‘pet breed’ in the first paragraph, did you?).
But before starting the blog, the thing that you should know about this feline is, it is playful and social. Now, this fact made your curiosity level reach its highest point, right?
So here in this blog, you will find detail information on the Ocicat cat from its history to its health problems.
Table of Contents
Breed Overview
Type of Breed: Crossbreed
Height: 16 inches to 18 inches
Weight: 6 pounds to 15 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10 to 15 years
Personality Traits: Playful, Energetic, Intelligent, Friendly
Moving towards the exact information, I will start with the
History
Do you remember the quote, ‘Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected?’ and the Ocicat is the unexpected result of crossbreeding the Siamese and Abyssinian. The first Oci kitten was Tonga bred by Virginia Daly. Her aim was to create a new breed, ‘Abypoint’ Siamese having color marking the same as Abyssinian.
This amazing thing happened in 1964.
It took a few experiments to get the ivory kitten with golden spots and was name Tonga after that, Daly wasn’t interest in creating a new breed, so she was neuter and given a new home. There was an article in a newspaper in Detroit, where Dr. Clyde show keen interest in this wild-looking cat.
Dr. Clyde, a geneticist, want to see how a domestic cat that look like some of the vanishing cats could behave. For the same, Daly again bred the same breed and tawny spot male, Dalai Dotson was born. The same way American Short Hair was bred with this mix for the new type in this breed.
This way, the different types or colors were introduce in Ocicat. It is also recognize by the CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association). The registration was done in 1966.
What a beautiful coincidence!
This was all about how this stunning breed came to existence. Now,
Appearance
You would have note something about the appearance of the Oci when you read the word ‘color markings’ in the above section. The aim was accomplish to get the color markings, but who knew it would result in the spots that resemble the small wild cat ‘ocelot.’
This is the reason it got the name ‘Ocicat.’
The appearance of this is exactly of some wild felines, like fishing cats and ocelot: a strong, tough, and athletic body with elegance in outlook. The head is wedge-shaped with beautiful eyes and broad muzzle. The ears are always at a 45-degree angle – in an alert position.
Beautiful eyes are of almond shape and pointed towards ears. It has a coat that can be described as short, smooth, shiny, and satiny.
#Fact: Ocicat Kitten can be found in four different patterns and 12 different colors. The color variations can be seen in brown, blue, silver, fawn, tawny, and lilac.
Unimaginably cute, right? Let’s move to its,
Personality Traits
I have prepared a table showing their temperaments. The temperaments are given points according to the breed’s performance for the particular character.
| Personality Traits | Score |
| Affection | 8 out of 10 |
| Friendliness | 8 out of 10 |
| Kid-Friendly | 8 out of 10 |
| Pet-Friendly | 8 out of 10 |
| Playfulness | 10 out of 10 |
| Exercise Needs | 8 out of 10 |
| Energy Level | 10 out of 10 |
| Intelligence | 8 out of 10 |
| Tendency to Vocalize | 8 out of 10 |
| Amount of Shedding | 4 out of 10 |
| Submissive | 2 out of 10 |
| Independent Streak | 4 out of 10 |
Next is,
Grooming
The grooming needs are the factor where many of us think twice about getting the pet, be it a dog or a cat. Reason? There are chances that someone in your family is allergic to their hair, or you don’t like much furr to be everywhere, on your bed, in your shoes, and sometimes on the dining table.
But don’t worry, here you can get this Oci without thinking much. The shedding is very low in this breed. So it is obvious that their grooming needs are low too.
You will need to use a rubber curry brush over its coat weekly once, to remove the dead hair and apply skin oils. Baths are rarely necessary, but when you decide to give it a bath use, cat shampoo to enhance the shine of its coat. The shiny coat is its proud feature, never let them look dull.
Apart from this, there are some basic grooming needs, such as trimming nails that are too weekly. And check the ears for the redness or bad smell to designate if it’s infected or not. Brushing teeth is frequently advised with the vet prescribed toothpaste. Why? You will read about it in the ‘common health problem’ section.
So easy!
Now moving towards the
Diet
As I said, it has an athletic body and has some of the characteristics of a wild cat; it does need a high-quality diet.
It will need specific species-designed food to maintain its health and sustain its energy. That is much needed as the charm of this cat is its playfulness and activeness.
Offer different food and it won’t act finicky. Feeding it one brand can also lead to energy deficiency. I am sure you won’t want this to happen to your cat!
The highest preference is to be given to a grain-free diet or raw proteins. Make sure to consult the vet for the nutritional needs of the Oci.
Last but not least,
Common Health Problems
Every pet is prone to some health problems. This is sad, but we can’t neglect the truth. If it were in our hands you would never let any disease even an inch of it, touch our baby boo. But that’s not possible.
Here I have mentioned a few common health problems that are found in this breed of cat. You can’t spell the magic of staying healthy always on the cat, but you can prevent the disease from harming it.
There are few diseases that oci’s are prone to, they are:
- Renal amyloidosis
- Dental Issues
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
- Arterial Thromboembolism
Your spotted cat does attract the parasites and worms on and in its body. They can be harmful. Worms and parasites can cause your cat pain and discomfort; it can sometimes result in death too. So keep it clean, as there is no cure for this. The only thing you can do is prevent it.
The best way to keep your oci kitten healthy is by spaying or neutering it. This will decrease the risk of certain types of cancer. Most of the breeders sell oci kitten after spaying or neutering it.
What is spaying or neutering? Spaying word is used for females where the ovaries and the uterus are removed, and Neutering is for males where its testicles are removed surgically.
Make sure to get your Oci kitten from the genuine breeder.
Get this Ocicat Cat to Complete the Family:
There are times when you feel your family is incomplete. You know why? Because there is a missing spark of enjoyment and entertainer at the place. You believe or not, but this feline is perfect for the family with kids too!
There are many pros and cons of this cat, you would have noted while reading the article, but if you have missed, here I have noted them down:
Pros:
(1.) It is a domesticate cat and is very playful and social.
(2.) It has wild and exotic looks.
(3.) It will love you to the moon and back.
(4.) It’s highly active and is quick-wit (all cats are!).
(5.) It is vocally active, not many are, so you can enjoy seeing it making noises.
(6.) Their grooming needs are very low.
Cons:
(1.) You can’t leave it alone; it will suffer from separation anxiety and depression.
(2.) As it has a strong and athletic body, it may need a specialize diet for gaining raw proteins.
(3.) It is prone to disease that affects the kidney, heart, gums, and liver.
Good things come with responsibilities! This incredible pet sure has cons that will make you think twice, but it also has the pros that will make you agree instantly for having it home.
Conclusion
But just as said, ‘Good things come with responsibilities!’ You will have to take responsibility for giving the best life possible, and it is all yours. Hurry up and get it home!
For additional insights:
