Toyger Cat Breed Profile

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  • At a glance

    • Lifespan: 12-14 years
    • Eyes: Hazel, green
    • Energy: Medium to high
    • Temperament: Playful, outgoing, curious, loving, intelligent
    • Weight: Males 5-6 kg (11 – 13.2 lbs), females 4.5 – 5 kg (9.9 – 11 lbs)
    • Colours: Brown Mackerel tabby
    • Grooming: Requires weekly grooming
    • Prevalence: Rare

    About

    The Toyger is a rare man-made breed of domestic cat which was created by crossing the Bengal with domestic mackerel tabby cats to create a cat that resembles a miniature tiger.

    History

    The name Toyger is a combination of toy and tiger, which aptly describes this cat to a tee. The Toyger is a man-made breed developed by Bengal breeder Judy Sugden of EEYAAS Cattery (daughter of Jean Mill, the founder of the Bengal breed). A striped domestic shorthair was mated to Bengal to produce a stunning cat with a striped appearance. This idea of a striped domestic cat came about when Judy Sudgen noticed two small spots of tabby markings on the temple of one of her cats, named “Millwood Sharp Shooter”. 

    Two cats were to become the founders of the breed. A mackerel tabby by the name of Scrapmetal who had uniform stripes and a black dorsal stripe down his back and a Bengal by the name of Millwood Rumpled Spotskin. A street cat by the name of Jammu Blu was imported from India in 1993. This cat had spots between his ears. Judy wanted to use this as a foundation and turn the spots into stripe by carefully selecting suitably marked cats

    Other breeders came on board and in early 1993 TICA accepted the breed for registration only and gave them new breed status in 2000. The breed received full recognition in 2007.

    The breed is still in development and breeders are still working to create a breed that resembles a miniature tiger. Computer imaging is used to help breeders determine exactly the type the Toyger should be.

    Appearance

    Toyger cat

    The Toyger is a medium to large cat with large bones and a well-muscled body. The head is medium-sized, with a heart-shaped face, small, rounded ears that are set wide apart. Round, small eyes, with gentle hooding on the upper inside. The muzzle is strong and broad, nose long and broad, widening towards the end.

    The Toyger’s coat is short, sleek glittered (gold-tipped hairs) pelt, like their Bengal cousins. Darker stripes are more desirable on a pumpkin orange background.

    Temperament

    The Toyger is one of the most intelligent cat breeds who are easy to leash train and love to play fetch.

    They are an extremely energetic breed of cat, that love to be up high. Like their Bengal cousins, many Toygers are love water and are easy to bathe.

    Toygers love to be around people and get along with other animals and children and make a fantastic family pet.

    Related breeds

    Bengal

    Domestic shorthair

    Author

    • Julia Wilson, 'Cat World' Founder

      Julia Wilson is the founder of Cat-World, and has researched and written over 1,000 articles about cats. She is a cat expert with over 20 years of experience writing about a wide range of cat topics, with a special interest in cat health, welfare and preventative care. Julia lives in Sydney with her family, four cats and two dogs. Full author bio