Breed Profile: Tonkinese

Dr David Richardson August 2005

History of the Tonkinese

 This breed was a designer breed being a cross between a Siamese and a Burmese. Originally developed in New York in the 1950s, or some say in both Canada and Northern USA in the 1930s, did not become popular until the 1970s. The Tonkinese breed was recognised both by TICA and CFA in 1979 in the USA and by Waratah National Cat Alliance on its inception in 1996 in Australia.

Description of the Tonkinese

The Tonkinese is a well-balanced cat of moderate type, it has no extremes.  It is a true blend of the Burmese and the old-fashioned Siamese.  Tonkinese are of semi foreign body type, lithe and muscular and have fine soft and silky coats with a lustrous sheen, texture is close lying and short. The head of the Tonkinese is characterised by a medium short modified wedge with high, gently planed cheekbones, the forehead has a slight convex curve with a slight stop at or just below eye level.  The muzzle is longer than it is wide but not either long or short; there is a mild but definite whisker pinch.  The nose should have a slight nose break at or just below eye level. 

The ears are medium in size slightly pitched forward with a broad base and oval tips.  They are set as much on the side as on the top of the head, and the outer lines of the ears are a continuation of the wedge.

The eyes of the Tonkinese are almond shaped, and slightly rounded along the bottom edge.  The eyes are medium in size and slightly slanted.  Eye colour must match coat pattern.  The pointed coat pattern has blue eyes which may be light to deep sapphire.  The mink coat pattern has aqua or greenish blue, to blue green eyes.  The sepia coat pattern has green to golden coloured eyes.

The body of the Tonkinese is medium to long and should be well-balanced firm and muscular. The chest should be slightly rounded, flanks level and the back rising slightly as the hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs.  The legs are moderately slim well muscled and in proportion leading to meet oval paws.  The tail of the Tonkinese is neither thick nor whippy and tapers to a gently rounded tip it should come to the length of the shoulder.

Tonkinese coming three coat patterns; these are pointed, sepia and mink.  The pointed pattern shows the most contrast between the body and the point colours, the sepia shows the least contrast and mink is in between.

Tonkinese can come in all six traditional coat colours and the dilute variants of these.  These colours are brown, also described as natural; chocolate also described as champagne, blue, lilac also described as platinum, red, cream, cinnamon and its dilute variant of fawn, and tortie in both red and cream.  When you add the three coat patterns of sepia and mink and pointed you can see that there is an enormous variety of coat colours and patterns of Tonkinese cats possible.

What I am Looking for when Judging a Tonkinese

 I'm looking for a medium cat of semi foreign body type of with a soft silky fine coat, lying close to the body with a lustrous sheen.  I'm looking for medium-sized almond shaped eyes, the colour of which matches the body colour.  I’m looking for a slight break in the nose at or near eye level.  I'm looking for a medium modified wedge with high cheek bones.  I'm looking at the degree of contrast between the points and body.  I'm looking for elegance, firm muscles, balance and proportion.

Scoring the Tonkinese

 Head and ears are worth 25 points, with 15 points for eye shape and colour, making a total of 40 points for the head.  The coat with colour and pattern is worth 30 points, body legs, paws and tail 25 points.

Allowable outcrosses

The Tonkinese may be out crossed to the Burmese and Siamese breeds.