Welcome to another road test at Buzz Pet.  This post was kindly submitted by Buzz Pet’s first guest writer, Linda Robertson.  Linda is a cat lover and proud owner of Millie (pictured), a female Himalayan.

The breed

Also called the colourpoint Persian, the Himalayan breed was established in the 1950’s and eventuated from breeding Persian and Siamese breeds.  

Appearance

Himalayans have large round blue eyes,  a short nose and a rather heavy build. Their coat is thick Persian hair with the colour points of the Siamese. Popular colours include chocolate, seal or blue points, whilst other colours such as red point, cream point, tortie point, blue-cream point, chocolate-tortie point, lilac-cream point, seal-lynx point, blue-lynx point, chocolate-lynx point and lilac-lynx point.  

Temperament

Lovable and placid cats, the Himalayan are a home-loving and sociable breed.  Known for being great companions, the breed exhibits characteristics of both the Persian and Siamese breeds.  

Other things to consider

With such thick hair Himalayan’s require regular daily brushing and are more prone to hair balls than other breeds. Similarly, if the coat is infected with fleas it can be a real effort to rid the cat of the pest.  

Last thoughts

The Himalayan is a lovable cat that enjoys indoor life. Reports of the breed being destructive indoors are rare; the breed is more inclined to laze around the house.  Overall, a beautiful companion.

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Welcome to the very first breed road test for Buzz Pet. So what are road tests I hear you ask? Put simply, road tests are intended to provide an insight into a particular breed including both the good and the bad. Think of it as being similar to road testing a car - a test drive before you buy. This road test is for the very popular cat breed, the Tonkinese. Once called the Golden Siamese, the Tonkinese breed has gained in popularity as a fun-loving and affectionate cat that has the best characteristics of both Siamese and Burmese to offer its’ owners.

The breed

Tonkinese are affectionately known as ‘Tonks’ by many of their owners. They are a relatively new breed (having only being recognised as an official breed in 2001) and are a cross between the Siamese and Burmese cat breeds. Originally bred as a hybrid in the USA during the 1930s, the Tonkinese has grown in popularity as a breed around the world with most developed countries having a good selection of dedicated Tonkinese breeders.

Appearance

Tonks are medium-sized cats and can be distinguished by points similar to that of the Siamese breed. They are typically trim and muscular in appearance, with a triangular head and large ears. Tonks come in twelve colours and have three main patterns - mink, solid and pointed.

Temperament

Often referred to being rather cheeky, Tonkinese can be talkative and lively cats (although not hyperactive). They are known particularly for their affection and the interest that they show in humans, often forming very strong bonds with their owners. An unusually intelligent cat, Tonks enjoy playing and being busy, so keeping Tonks amused when away from home is often a challenge. Leaving plenty of cat toys and a cat tree is a good start however the best solution is often to have another Tonk for them to play with. It is worth noting that many Tonkinese breeders will only sell a pair of cats for this reason.

In summary

The Tonkinese are a great cat suited to both house and apartment living. Often thought to be the ‘dog-lovers’ breed, they have a fun-loving personality that is contagious. From personal experience (aka living with Charlie), life with a Tonkinese is certainly never dull!

Popularity: 65% [?]

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