How to Identify a Toyger

The Toyger is a species resulting from the careful cross breeding of domestic tabby cats with Bengal tigers. This project was begun in the 1980s and is still in progress today; though the most recent generation of the Toyger is the closest breeders have so far been able to get in making a cat which looks like a miniature tiger. Breeders believe the breed will be perfected sometime after the year 2010, though toygers are available for sale right now if a person wishes. The species was only officially recognized as a unique breed with the right to compete in cat shows in 2007. Because of this there are only nine breeders in the world and only one is recommended by the Cat Fancier's Association. Because of the animal's rarity most people don't know what a toyger looks like; here is a guide on how to correctly identify a toyger cat.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cat
• Your Eyes

How To Identify A Toyger

1. Begin by looking at the cat’s form. The toyger should be slightly larger and heavier than the average housecat, though similar in shape. It should have a deep chest, wide shoulders, and muscular limbs, but not be stocky. The cat’s strength is belied by its rounded contours and joints. The haunches are rounded, as are the shoulders, and joints of the limbs, giving an overall impression of good health but nothing particularly amazing. The tail should be very long, with very little tapering until it meets the blunt tip of the tail.

2. Look at the cat’s head. It should be of average size and shaped like an oval. A deep cylindrical muzzle should dominate its features. The nose should be blunt, wide, and almost flat. Below this the jaw should be wide and very powerful. The ears should be set far back and to the outside edges of the skull, with the tips of the ears in line with the cat’s widely set, almond shaped eyes.

3. Examine the creature’s fur. It should be thicker and more robust than the average housecat, somewhere between a shorthaired cat with long fur and a longhaired cat with short fur. The fur will shorten slightly along the tail and lengthen around the jowls and throat, though not enough to create a noticeable ruff. The cat should be a tabby with sharp edged vertical stripes of dark brown or black, against a base color of dark orange like a pumpkin, or white. The stripes encircle the legs, neck, and tail completely. This is the most telling characteristic of the toyger, if the cat has these markings and fits the overall description then you’re looking at a toyger.

Tips & Warnings

• The toyger echoes its larger predecessor's playful but alert personality. Like full size tigers the toyger loves to play and swim around in water, and enjoys playing with children and other animals. Often they are just happy to spend time relaxing with a friend, as large cats are wont to do. This species also does not like heights and prefers to keep its paws firmly on the ground, so you won't need to worry about them climbing.
• This species has large paws and very long claws thanks to its Bengal tiger ancestry. These claws have veins that go almost all the way to their very tips; this means the claws cannot be trimmed without doing great harm to the cat. Though they are not aggressive, they will sometimes forget themselves when playing and accidentally take a swing with their claws out. It is not intentional and typically no more than a scratch, but it's important to be aware of this possibility if one interacts with a toyger.

Resources

• The Only Certified Toyger Breeder In The World