the Tonkinese

HISTORY:     The Tonkinese breed, although bred in California and New York state, was first accredited by CCA in southern Ontario and as such is generally considered a Canadian breed. The breed was first recognized in Canada in the late 1960's and later also by other registries throughout North America. It has been accepted in championship in ACFA since ???

CHARACTERISTICS and TEMPERAMENT:
Tonks are first and foremost "people cats". That is to say, they are very friendly and affectionate and love to be with their people. They are shoulder riders, often climbing or leaping up on people, so as to be in the thick of things. They seldom use their claws when performing this feat however, since they are generally very gentle cats by nature. In this respect they are excellent pet and show cats, since they do not get overly stressed out by new people or situations. This is not to say that the Tonk is a lackadaisical cat, however. Indeed, they are very playful and in a word, fun - fun to watch, fun to be around and fun to snuggle with. Tonks can sometimes be quite mischievous, with little nips and bites, especially as kittens. (A word to the wise - keep your sock drawer locked!!)