A graceful beautiful cat with short hair, a color and an article resembling one of its direct ancestors, a cat of the Abyssinian breed, a real hunter and a wonderful companion for many years, all this, and much, much more - than very Ocicat, an ocelot cat, and our today's story about her.
Features of the breed
Ocicats are independent, freedom-loving creatures, like other cats, and it does not matter which ones, wild or domestic, but they do not mind a harness at all if it serves as the key to walking in the fresh air. And they love to walk, and how, and even more - to travel by the owner by car. But, as they say, there is a nuance - it is necessary to accustom the Ocicat to the harness since childhood so that in the future such a shameless restriction of the kitty's personal freedom does not cause violent protests from her.
Visually, a small Ocicat cat can in fact turn out to be quite "weighty" - under a smooth and shiny coat it has solid muscles. But it is unlikely that it will be possible to take this proud and very independent beauty in your arms: due to my independence, they say, “I walk on my own”, in most cases she will not tolerate such familiarity, because “when I want, then I will come. " But by herself, all by herself.
At the same time, these cats are considered very sociable, they never shy away from new acquaintances with bipeds and do not hide if new people come to the house. Despite the partial external similarity with the ocelot, a predatory cat, Ocicats are very peaceful, non-conflict.
And also ocelot cats are inveterate "high altitudes", do not feed them with bread (in this case, of course, meat!) "I sit high, I look far away." Therefore, it is ideal if the house or apartment will be equipped with various devices for climbing these cats to the very top - thus, the pet can always remain in good physical shape.
Description of the breed of an Ocicat cat
No, of course, there is some external resemblance to the ocelot among the Ocicats, we repeat, there is still - for example, the noses of the Ocicats are very reminiscent of the dark pink noses of the ocelots, the flexible athletic folded body, again, and also the spotted tabby color, the latter, however, into a much lesser extent: as if the ocelot was taken and very skillfully painted in watercolors, with a soft brush, a little blurry, without any clear outlines ... And this is where all their similarities, in general, end.
Breed standard
- The official international standards for the Ocicat breed are provided (in particular, the CFA standard), among others, the following external data of these cats:
- the head resembles a somewhat elongated wedge in outlines on an elegant striped neck with an unfinished "collar", without abrupt transitions, for example, from a high forehead to the so-called foot - the line between the nose and the forehead itself; the ears of these cats, sometimes crowned with tassels like those of a lynx, are inclined at an angle of 45 degrees;
- the muzzle is not wide, more elongated, with a wedge-shaped bite and this is, perhaps, another external feature of ocelot cats, reminiscent of their predatory "cousins"; as one of the external signs of an established breed, an M-shaped spot is clearly visible on the forehead of these cats;
- the eyes are almond-shaped, widely spaced, greenish or any other shade other than blue, with a clearly visible double rim, dark and light;
- the body is muscular, slightly elongated, with a massive thoracic region, which does not spoil the cat at all and does not make it overweight or clumsy, on the contrary - the Ocicats are real athletes; a cross between the Eastern Shorthair and American Shorthair cat breeds;
- the limbs with dark markings are powerful, also muscular, easily springy - well developed, very proportional to the body; powerful paws are oval;
- the tail is no less proportional than the limbs and paws of the animal, slightly narrowed at the end;
- As with many other cats, Ocicats are characterized by dimorphism: adult males can reach a weight of up to 7 kg (9 - 15 lb) and a height of 32 cm at the withers, while females usually do not go beyond 3 - 4 km (6 - 9 pounds) with a height of 28 cm at the most.
Character and behavior
Ocicats are social animals, intellectuals with a gentle disposition, in dire need of constant communication with their own kind and, to a greater extent, with people. The Ocicat is a kind of "cat-dog": being trained, such a cat is able to bring a favorite ball, immediately recognizes its name, and comes to be cuddled. By the way, due to their high intelligence, these cats give in to training quite easily, but you need to be careful with them, you cannot try to teach them what they obviously do not want to learn.
But loneliness is categorically contraindicated for the Ocicat. These cats are not an exception from the general feline series - they fall in love with only one person, as a rule, this is the owner, whom they then perceive as a leader for the rest of their lives, and remain faithful to him until their death ... It is much worse when the first of this life, the owner himself leaves.
At the same time, the Ocicat will always be somewhat distant from children, especially from very little ones, to try to maintain a distance and will not allow anyone to make a toy out of him - this cat is always full of self-esteem and knows his own worth. In general, her attitude towards children is rather neutral.
And from their Siamese ancestors, the Ocicats inherited the need to "chat", albeit to a somewhat lesser extent than the Siamese themselves. By meowing, ocelot cats usually express their requests or simply attract the attention of a person, expressing displeasure.
Ocicats are playful, funny, and very active cats, and their games are the most important part of their daily life, these cats simply cannot live without their games both at a young age and in the most advanced years, they generally cannot stand boredom. Therefore, there should be a lot of toys. At worst, a turtle, for example, can be a toy for the role of a toy, and even a dog can become a companion of the Ocicat in games.
By the way. A couple of Ocicats left at home for a long time, playing out of boredom in earnest, can smash it to smithereens, quite in the spirit of “Seryozha just came, we played a little”.

Color
Most international registries, including the standard of the aforementioned The Cat's Fanciers' Association, for ocelot cats, have approved several color options such as tabby, in direct translation from English:
- yellowish-brown
- chocolate and cinnamon, regardless of their intensity in both directions - more or less,
- blue,
- lavender and fawn,
- black silver (or ebony),
- chocolate silver
- silver with cinnamon,
- blue silver,
- lavender silver
- and fawn silver.
Appearance
Medium to large size rather "weighty" cat with short hair of one of the just mentioned tabby colors, "athletic build", very flexible and muscular.
The coat of such cats is thin, glossy, and spotty all over the body and on the tail; spots of an elongated shape, at the edges their tone is usually more saturated. Each hair of the spots is painted in several colors - such a combination of several colors at once in the color of the pile is called agouti. “Broken rings” of stripes are present on the neck of the animal and its oval-shaped paws, and this is also one of the signs of belonging to this amazing breed.
How to raise and train a cat
Ocicats are certainly smart and capable of training, but in no case should they be pressured if they do not want to do what they are taught or even compelled for the sake of some of their own momentary ambitions. First of all, you should pay attention to what the pet likes to do, and only then gradually, having gained truly universal patience, develop these abilities and skills.
Caring for a cat and cats of the Ocicat breed
Like any other cat, Ocicats require elementary care, they need regular hygiene procedures, careful care of their ears, mouth cavity, eyes, they should periodically comb their fur coat, they need to be bathed from time to time, finally.
Nutrition
Here it is already the choice and responsibility of the owner of the animal - either natural food or immediately dry and wet premium food from well-known manufacturers of ready-made pet food.
Amount and composition of feed
You can start feeding a baby with meat as early as the fourth or fifth week of his life, however, it is unlikely that it should be raw frozen meat, as they say in some sources - so the baby can easily plant his already tender kidneys. In the future, meat should be no less than 80% of the daily diet of any cat: boiled beef, poultry, also boiled, it is better to abstain from pork. The rest - if we are still talking about natural nutrition, should be boiled fish (sometimes), vegetables, milk.
Moreover, in this latter case, we are not talking about milk, but more about fermented milk products. Since milk is pure, so to speak, form is more suitable for kittens, and not for adults.
Yes, and offal, according to the mind, if it is also better to exclude from the pet's menu.
Only in this way, with such a ratio of parts of the diet, meat and dairy products and vegetables, the pet will be reliably provided with everything it needs - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, for example.
How many times a day to feed
Kittens are fed four times a day, older, adolescent, and mature kittens, twice a day. But as experience shows, few of the owners adhere to such a regime of feeding their pets - and everything "from love, sir, sir," is not at all for the benefit of the tailed ward.
Meanwhile, such a regime is strictly obligatory, for example, for castrated cats, who do not know the measure of food and therefore are prone to obesity.
Haircare
A separate article in the care of the Ocicat should highlight the comprehensive care of its coat, first of all, bathing the pet and brushing it.
How to bathe
Like any other cat, the Ocicat should be bathed three to four times a year, and these simple procedures should be started from the very young age of the pet. Exhibition specimens are bathed a little more often, as necessary, before an industry exhibition or competition, on the eve.
Bathing is carried out with the use of special zoo shampoos, slowly, with the water tap turned off, so as not to frighten the animal once again - the applied soap foam is gently washed off with a light shower, so that the water does not get into the ears, and after the pet's water procedures, it is necessary very thoroughly dry it with a personal towel.
Yes, the water level in the bathroom or basin should not be higher than the pet's knee joints, better even lower, up to 10 cm.
How to comb out
Cats are combed once every one and a half to two weeks, and once a week during molting. Brushing a pet is also a direct message that, among other things, improves blood flow, and therefore it should be done gently, using a massage mitten or a special massage brush with natural bristles. If desired, the pet can be wiped, from time to time, with a suede napkin - so to speak, to "heighten the shine of the Evoon".
Claw cutting
Claws are trimmed on average once every two weeks, however, and the cat should be accustomed to this procedure from a very early age.
Teeth cleaning
Cleaning the teeth and caring for the pet's gums is carried out with the use of special toothbrushes and toothpaste; like the first, a children's toothbrush is quite suitable. First of all, for the sake of preventing the formation of tartar and gingivitis.
Hygiene of eyes and ears
Hygiene of the eyes and ears of a pet serves, first of all, for the purposes of preventing various inflammatory processes, therefore, examination and proper hygiene procedures should be carried out regularly, at least once a week, and, if necessary, more often. For details, please contact a specialist felinologist and veterinarian.
To walk or not to walk with the cat
The question of walking or not walking should not be in front of the owner of the pet and his family members, in principle. The answer is unequivocal - yes, to walk.
As already mentioned above, cat Ocicats are smart, free-loving, they do not limit themselves in their desire to learn something new every day, never before seen by them, and therefore walking on a harness is more likely even vital - but only after the procedures of vaccination and treatment, which are strictly obligatory in this case. from parasites.
It goes without saying that walking the Ocicat is best in dry, clear weather, on a short leash, keeping distance from other animals. And not in winter. And at some distance from busy highways. By the way, in winter, the Ocicat can be quite content with a short walk on a glassed-in balcony or loggia.
It should also be borne in mind that ocelot cats love to travel by car, and it is clear that carrying, in this case, is useless at all, since the cat will reliably occupy the process of contemplating landscapes sweeping past the window for the entire trip.
Frequent diseases and defects of cats
In general, Ocicats or Ocelot cats are distinguished by excellent health, but they also inherited several diseases from the ancestors of the Siamese and Abyssinians from the American shorthair cat, which can "shoot" at any moment, especially if the animal has crossed the line of the first decades of life. And among these, experts call, in particular, diseases of the oral cavity -
- paracentesis,
- gingivitis, in other words, acute inflammation of the gums - as a result of the formation of tartar, especially on the back teeth,
and yet
- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which manifests itself also in young individuals and leads to sudden death, before the age of five,
- renal failure, in the seventh to the eighth year of life,
- retinal atrophy and, as a result, complete blindness, and so on.
How many years do they live
Ocicats are the most real long-livers and, as experts of this breed say, live on average 18 - 20 years.
Breeding of kittens of breed Ocicat
Breeding Ocicats is quite a profitable business, although very, very troublesome due to the relative novelty of this breed.
As already mentioned, the mating of adults is permissible only within the framework of one breed; international standards of mestizo are not allowed to mate.
Features of knitting
Before mating, one of the partners must already be "untied" - in order to avoid all sorts of misunderstandings during the mating game, and both two weeks before mating must undergo an anthelmintic course; the cat should not be washed before mating - this circumstance will preserve its natural smell; it is better to cut the claws of both participants in the future love game - in order to avoid possible injuries.
The colors of the partners must match.
And last but not least, the cat is always brought home to the cat, and not vice versa - on the second or third day of estrus and then left with the cat for up to five days.
How often a year can you give birth to a cat?
After the first year of life, the cat can be knitted at any age. Physically, every healthy cat can bear offspring three to four times a year, but such frequent childbirth and the subsequent feeding of kittens greatly exhaust the cat, depleting her body to such an extent that one day she simply cannot bear healthy offspring. Therefore, experienced breeders of purebred cats cherish their expensive pets, allowing them to mate no more than once, maximum, twice a year, or even no more than three times in two years.
Age for castration or sterilization
Optimal for this kind of surgery is the age of 6 months for cats, and from 12 months of age for cats.
Postoperative care
Operations for castration and sterilization of animals are carried out permanently, in a veterinary clinic. Further caring for a pet involves, among other things, a special diet, a certain diet, for one or two subsequent weeks. Naturally, you must first consult with your veterinarian about the details and diet.
How to choose and buy kittens of the Ocicat breed
the number of catteries specializing in breeding ocelot cats can be counted on one hand; it is much safer to order such a pet from abroad, for example, from France or even from the USA in general, but then, taking into account the costs of logistics and so on, such kittens will come out in the literal sense of the word at the price of one cast-iron bridge. Each.
The criteria for choosing a future pet are generally simple: a 10 - 12 week old baby should be healthy and well-groomed, without any extraneous discharge from the nose and ears, the eyes are clean, and the short coat is smooth and silky. His activity, irrepressible energy, curiosity, a clear desire to learn new, unknown things will tell about his health best of all.
A real Ocicat has four toes on its hind legs and five toes on its front legs, so it makes sense to count them before making the final decision on purchasing a pet.
In general, the choice of pedigree kittens, not only kittens of an ocelot cat, is a rather complicated matter, here a lot of nuances of all kinds immediately arise, starting from the execution of a whole heap of papers, such as a purchase and sale agreement, certificates of vaccination and vaccinations, pedigree, and so on. , and ending, again, with a thorough examination of the child to identify possible defects in the exterior, for example.
So, in any case, you should choose and buy such expensive kittens with the participation of a third party - an independent expert-felinologist, whose professional objective opinion should be decided a priori.
Cost of Ocicat cats, price
Judging by the information on the cost of Ocicat cats, available on specialized sites on the Internet, prices for kittens of this breed start at 30,000 rubles and rise much higher, often reaching 50,000 rubles for one pedigree cat.
Pros and cons of the Ocicat breed, table
History of the origin of the Ocicat breed
Like a number of now known domestic cat breeds, the heroine of this essay, the ocelot cat, was bred artificially - probably in order to get "at the exit" something like a wild ocelot, but "white and fluffy", in a word, one that is in a fit uncontrollable tenderness would not accidentally break the owner "into a thousand little bears."
But “what has grown, has grown” - the ocelot never happened in the ancestors of the Ocicat, and the Ocelot itself was bred in the 1960s by the diligence of a certain Virginia Daily (and not Dale, as they write about her on Runet), a felinologist from the city of Berkeley in the state of Michigan in the United States, which was previously engaged in breeding Siamese and Abyssinian breeds. Legend has it that it was bred by chance, as a result of the not very successful crossing of the breeds just mentioned.
The firstborn in 1964 "Ocicat" named Tongo was thus considered a spotted marriage and was nearly castrated.
However, its new owner, don't be a fool, in 1965 demonstrated this "miracle of modern genetic engineering" to the general American public, which instantly attracted the closest attention to Tongo, which, in turn, inevitably entailed the desire of his former mistress with even greater zeal starts breeding a "new breed". It is clear that in quotation marks because then there could be no question of a separate breed since the young Tongo was 100% only a hybrid.
And then it went and went, omitting the details, let's say that over the years Virginia Daley and her like-minded people day and night looked for new approaches to the breed, its improvement by crossing with the American Shorthair breed and, as recognition of the merits of this team of enthusiastic cat lovers, in In 1987, the new breed of Ocicat was appreciated and recognized at the highest international level - in the CFA, The Cat's Fanciers' Association, therefore, in the Cat Fanciers Association, which is in charge of breeding and breeding new cat breeds, which is also one of the nine members of the WCC - that is, the World Felinological Congress.
Currently, the Ocicat cat breed has already been officially recognized in a number of international teleological organizations on both sides of the Atlantic, described in detail and standardized.
Currently, these cats are bred mainly in their homeland in the United States and in France, allowing mating of individuals exclusively within the same species.
Owner reviews
It is clear that every owner will only praise his pet, hence the rave reviews on the Runet with the use of various adjectives exclusively in the superlative degree.