Orlovia
The story of the graceful and at the same time athletic-looking Ocicat begins in 1964. The American Virginia Daily crossed cats of the Siamese and Abyssinian breeds. A very special kitten came out of the litter because it had a golden-spotted fur pattern. Based on this result, Virginia Daily repeated the attempt and received a second litter of Siamese-Abyssinian kittens.
Origin of the Ocicat
The kittens from the second litter are considered the progenitors of the cat breed Ocicat. The American Shorthair was later crossed in to stabilize the gene pool and increase color diversity. The Ocicat cat was recognized as a separate breed in the United States in 1987. Recognition by the Fédération Internationale Féline followed in 1992. Despite its great popularity, the cat breed with the wild, exotic look is still rarely found in Germany.
Essence and Character
While the appearance of the Ocicat cat is rather wild and exotic, the pedigree cats have a very lovable and friendly character. The Ocicat will inspire you with its open-minded and sociable nature. Cats of the breed are open even to strangers and are happy to be greeted and petted. In general, cats enjoy attracting the attention of their humans.
As an Ocicat owner, you can be sure that they will enjoy your attention and be very affectionate. Their loyalty is often compared to the loyalty of a dog because representatives of the breed quickly fixate on their loved ones and easily fit into the family construct. With its friendly and open nature, the Ocicat cat also harmonizes with small children, and dogs in the household are also no problem for the pedigree cat.
Again and again, owners of the easy-care cat also report that some representatives of the breed like to play with water and that no bathtub or paddling pool is safe. Basically, the Ocicat is an active pedigree cat that likes to be cuddled and likes to be the center of attention. When playing, she inspires with good reflexes, uses all her senses, and is very enthusiastic, because ultimately the pedigree cat is very playful.
The Appearance of the Ocicat
Visually, the Ocicat looks rather wildly exotic. Her athletic-looking physique will also inspire you. Powerful and elegant at the same time, cats of the breed weigh 4 to 5 kg, while males usually weigh between 5 and 7 kg. Despite the weight and the stately size, the animals are characterized by a slender physique. This is how the smooth and shiny coat comes into its own. The close-lying coat is of a fine texture and is usually well spotted. The large, almond-shaped eyes are permitted in all shades of color except blue. Coat colors include blue, black, cinnamon, chocolate, blue, lavender, and silver variations.
The breed gets its characteristic appearance from the deep chest, slightly arched back, and slightly rising back line. The almost straight flank and the powerful, medium-length legs, as well as the oval paws, round off the appearance. The slightly wedge-shaped head and the medium-sized ears are also characteristic, whereby Lux ears with tufts of hair on the ear tips are desirable and underline the special appearance of the breed.
Attitude and Care
Frugal in terms of keeping conditions, the Ocicat cat is considered the ideal house cat. The most important thing is the relationship with your people. Of course, you should pay the pedigree cats the necessary attention and give them the opportunity to work out. Easy to train and with its friendly nature, the Ocicat will not only get along well with its human roommates but also gets along with other cats and dogs after an acclimatization period and likes to use the opportunity to play and cuddle with its fellows.
Outdoor cat or indoor cat?
Ocicat cats do not necessarily need to be outdoors to feel completely at ease. However, it would be ideal if you could allow the animals to go out into nature from time to time. A secure garden or at least a secure patio is ideal. Basically, representatives of the breed always want to be close to their people and not be left alone for long, so that the cats do not go on long trips, but stay close by. Due to their attachment and easy trainability, it is also possible for you to get the Ocicat kittens used to the leash directly and thus take small excursions into nature together with them.
How much employment does the Ocicat need?
If you’re thinking about buying an Ocicat, you should realize that it only feels good if it gets enough attention. Joint play hours and cuddles are therefore a must. Since the pedigree cats with their athletic physique have quite a bit of energy, you should take your time for hunting games, but intelligence games are also very well received. In addition, representatives of the breed are always looking for contact with their humans and so it is particularly important that they, as family members, are always allowed to be where the center of events is. In addition, you should provide appropriate scratching and climbing opportunities so that the existing urge to move can also be lived out. So that being alone is not too difficult, you should always provide an Ocicat with a conspecific.