Toyger Cat, A Miniature Tiger

Think of a cat with a tiger-like look and walk, but about the size of a domestic feline and with a playful and affectionate character. This is the Toyger cat, an animal that, as the name suggests, is similar to a Panthera Tigris, but in a “reduced” version.

It is a very interesting pet that combines, in addition to very positive character features, a unique appearance that will give your home a touch of adventure. If you want to know everything about the beautiful  Toyger cat , just keep reading.

A little tiger inside the house

When the great French writer Victor Hugo said that ” God created the cat to give man the pleasure of stroking a tiger “, he surely never thought that we would be able to create a domestic breed with just those characteristics.

This ambitious project was carried out by breeder Judy Sudgen. At the beginning of the 1980s, in California (USA), he began to “draw” a cat that could have a similar appearance to that of tigers, while maintaining the personality traits typical of the best pet.

Then he began to cross Bengali specimens with common shorthaired cats that featured a brindle coat with vertical lines (mackerel). The goal, evidently, was to recreate those stripes that are distributed throughout the body of the tigers and that run down the sides, from the spine to the abdomen.

But other details were also needed that would bring the Toyger even closer to the tigers. For this reason he used, among others, a stray variety endemic to India. Today, the breed continues to develop and breeders continue to refine the crosses to reproduce the Panthera Tigris pattern and colors with greater accuracy.

Work was also done to make the body larger, the nose wider, the eyes and ears smaller, the mustache pads more pronounced, and the jaw line more robust.

Physical characteristics of the Toyger cat

Black or brown, the Toyger cat stripes have a unique pattern for each specimen. They can be intermittent, very thick and even branched.

Other physical characteristics of this elegant cat are:

• Size: medium

• Body: long, muscular and strong.
• Neck: elongated and sturdy.
• Head: oval, of medium size.
• Eyes: medium, round, well separated and of an intense color.
• Ears: small and rounded.
• Muzzle: Long and with a good muscular outline. It has the shape of an upside-down heart.
• Nose: broad, long and muscular.
• Legs: of medium length but with long toes.
• Tail: long but not thick.
• Coat: bright, short and uniform. It is usually longer at the neck, as if forming a collar. The base color is orange, on the external and upper parts, while it appears whitish on the lower and internal parts.

A cat who loves cuddles and games

While active and playful, these affectionate felines are ideal for living in a house or apartment. They usually have fun inspecting every corner of the house, looking for new forms of entertainment or watching the world from their favorite window.

Curiosity and intelligence also define the Toyger cat. On the other hand, it is an outgoing and friendly animal, which loves contact with people. In addition, he gets along well with other pets.

Likewise, she is an easy cat to raise. So, for example, you can teach him to walk on a leash. As you can see, it seems to have only the look and cadence in walking of a tiger.

Care required by the Toyger breed

With a life expectancy between 10 and 15 years, the Toyger is a healthy and strong cat. No breed specific pathologies have been found so far.

In any case, as for any pet, it is necessary to guarantee an adequate and quality feed and periodically take it to the veterinarian for routine checks, vaccines, boosters and deworming.

Also, it is recommended that you brush it weekly to keep its beautiful fur in good condition. Nor should you ever forget the regular trimming of her nails.