The Way of Cats helps you understand, train, and love your pet cat

Meet the Tonkinese

Mar 12th, 2010

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The Tonkinese came about as a result of deliberate inter-breeding in the 1960’s, the goal being a “best of both worlds” between Siamese and Burmese. Simultaneous efforts in the US and Canada, and a mid-80’s move to breed only within this new breed classification, resulted in recognition in 2001, moving them from “hybrid” to an established breed.

As exhibition rules changed, the Tonkinese met opposition; this breed highlighted the very traits bred out of the modern forms of Siamese and Burmese. Their bodies are midway between the stocky cobby types and the elongated Oriental types. They offer twelve different color patterns. They have adaptable Beta personalities instead of the driven Alpha temperament.

“Tonk” fans (who have steadily grown in numbers) don’t see this as a controversy. They see this as the point.

Pictured: Best of Breed GC, BW, NW PURRTEK’S MOSCATO, Platinum Point Tonkinese Male
Photo: © Chanan

While Tonks are gorgeous cats with a short, sleek, thick coat that is lovely to view and touch, it’s the unique Tonk personality which continues to win hearts and minds.

These are social creatures, who must have interaction with others.

A neglected Tonk will read us chapter and verse of the unfairness and indignity we are showing over the last five minutes. Then they will instantly forgive us when we suspend our other activities for the more important task of playing with them… and hugging them.

Because it’s not just play they crave. Tonks generally make wonderful lap and cuddle cats. This makes them benign rulers with willing subjects. Most Tonk fans have at least two, in addition to other cats, dogs, and children. Tonks are interactive marvels, happy to make suggestions to anyone. And usually getting their way.

Tonk fans feel the “best of both worlds” scenario is played out in their home every day. Sometimes this is a highly active, explosively athletic, cat, who races through the house at warp speed. Other times, this is a teddy bear cat, pulling us back for one more hug.

They are a good strategic choice for the cat fan needing to win over a cat skeptic. Tonk fans have many tales of how their Tonks won over a reluctant romantic partner, who then becomes the first one to suggest… another Tonk! It’s not in a Tonk’s nature to take rejection philosophically.

In fact, Tonks don’t accept rejection at all. It’s second nature for them to mount a charm campaign to win over even the most reluctant of souls. Then they graciously accept the new fan’s humble acknowledgment of their greatness, and bear no grudges.

This “friend I haven’t met yet” aspect of the Tonk personality also makes them a good choice for greeter cats, store cats, and other cats who like meeting the public. Most people feel they “look like a breed, but what kind?” which intrigues the Newbies and moves Tonk fans to share their passion.

When we do all the right things for our Tonks, we will have one of the easiest cats to keep happy. Their recently hybrid nature means a sturdy genotype along with the purebred predictability. Their ready assessment and acceptance of other creatures means few conflicts in the home. And they have been known to win over even the Scroogeiest of hearts.

Tonks need a cat tree or other sturdy piece of cat furniture, access to the couch and beds, lots of friends and lots of toys. So don’t subject a Tonk to being the only cat alone in a home all day.

Due to their popularity, a Tonkinese mix might appear in a shelter near you. Because of their beautifully balanced qualities, the Tonkinese influence is probably strong, and their distinctive appearance makes them reliably recognizable.

Want a Tonkinese? Find an ethical breeder who cares about their cats, or check out the cats needing homes at Purebred Tonkinese Rescue. Check North America at Petfinder.com to see if there’s a mix nearby, just waiting for a home.

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Posted in: breeds.
Tagged: Beta cat type · medium type

Marketing to Cats

Mar 11th, 2010

by WereBear.

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Sometimes, we just want to sell the cat something.

If we can get the cat to try things in some new way, or adapt to some changes we have to make, both of us will be happier.

But the cat is skeptical.

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This kind of cat skill came up as a consequence of our car being in the shop for a long while. I am able to take the bus for some things. But certain out-of-the-way errands are trickier to manage. Like the stop at the feed store for their special dry food.

Well, it’s an emergency, and we’re all suffering. As the dry food dwindled, I bought a bag of grocery kind to mix in as a stretcher. The cats picked out a lot of the new food, acting like a kindergarten class with free Pixy Stix, and lay around in satisfied shapes. I knew that would happen; like humans with their own junk food, cats love the “sugar rush” they get from the high levels of carbohydrates.

In this case, the manufacturer has fooled cats into eating food they wouldn’t find appealing by spraying it with meat juice. And it works.

But we can’t bribe our cats with junk. At least, not all the time.

As their dry food threatens to run out entirely, I manage a trip to the health food store. I know they have several types of cat food there, and I have not checked it out since I bought a trial can, and the cats went on hunger strike. Mr. Bond did his famous, Excuse me, this is not food. I don’t know what they told you at the store, but just look at it. I mean really.

So I explain we have to “sell” this new food, which has wholesome ingredients. Thus, I expect the cats will be disappointed. Dear Husband rises to the occasion magnificently. He got out the container we keep the dry food in, gaining the cat’s attention, and poured in the new food. Then he exclaimed, “Look at this. It has bits!”

Sure enough, there are three different colors and shapes in the new food. Thank goodness. I immediately express my own enthusiasm, saying how wonderful it looks. The cats actually like it.

Maybe we just lucked out. But at least I now have another kind of food I feel good about giving them. We had some fun, and got the cats to approach a new food without disappointment.

If we are apprehensive, or uncertain, or otherwise feel the cats won’t like something, we will project what we expect, and our cats will pick up on it.

If we offer them things with happiness and confidence, these will be the emotions our cats will reflect.

Remember; to sell it, we have to believe in it.

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Posted in: persuasion.
Tagged: modeling · shaping the response · training with drama

Circle of Attachment

Mar 9th, 2010

by WereBear.

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The more connections we have in any circle of attachment, the better grounded each of those links are.

So we can best help a shy cat, calm an angry cat, or draw out a scared cat, when we get more beings into this effort.

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One of the problems of the shy, angry, or scared cat is that they are not sure how to interpret what we are saying, and how to tell if we are sincere. Other people or cats may have a way of reaching this cat.

If the troubled cat finds two sources telling them the same thing, then our message is more believable. This creates new training possibilities.

Dogs getting treats always draws the cats, too, because the central “getting a treat” concept is easy for them to pick up, even if they don’t want the treats in question. It’s the principle of the thing.

This makes the cats and dogs look more kindly at each other. This makes them less prone to chase each other and be annoying. In other degrees, this applies to children, teenagers, parakeets, and other brainy creatures if we have them.

When the troubled cat sees other beings having a good time with us, it’s easier for them to see themselves having a good time with us.

We don’t need a troubled cat to see the advantages of having more attachments. Cat companions keep our pets from getting lonely. Cats who enjoy our frequent visitors make their visits more fun. Any steps we take to encourage respect, and enforce it, creates benefits for us, now and in the future.

People often try the reduction method when it comes to personality clashes in the home. This is when we try to take things away to solve the problem. We keep certain pets in certain rooms, or we order certain parties to leave each other alone.

But if this is not working, or not working as well as we’d like it to, we can try the addition method, which provides the missing personality element. We can do this ourselves, or by getting another pet.

The addition method is particularly useful if we are faced with a need on the part of the cat. We can’t ask a thirsty cat to go without water. We can’t ask a lonely cat to adjust to loneliness.

As a social creature ourselves, we prefer the company of other social creatures. So we all need each other.

No matter who we are.

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There’s more ways to get our cat to be affectionate in The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my CAT AFFECTION posts.

Posted in: communication.
Tagged: get the cat to love you · getting along

Law of Reciprocity

Mar 7th, 2010

by WereBear.

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What is the Law of Reciprocity? It is the fundamental cat understanding move. It should shape and inform our every interaction with any cat.

What we give is what we get.

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Of course we want to make our cat happy. That’s what having a pet is all about. Because when we show we want to make the cat happy, the cat will want to make us happy.

But it’s not just love. Respect, love of learning, and a sense of humor are all attributes we do share, and should share.

The more we share traits we like, the more we discover our cat has these traits too.

We won’t know how much and what kind of interaction a cat might like until we try to engage them more often, and more interestingly. The more care and effort we put in, the far more we get back.

I regard cats as sentient beings. They have intelligence, learning ability, self-awareness, a wide emotional range, and a brain that is more like a human’s than a dog’s is.

While the great apes have much in common with us such as bipedal walking ability and opposable thumbs, the cat has a very different body shape and some instincts that we do not have.

Yet the cat has an almost identical physical structure in their brain that will interpret emotions into thoughts and actions in a way that is very close to our own.

We may take different paths to achieve independence, satisfaction, fun, and comfort.

But we wind up in the same place.

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There’s more to The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my cat affection moves.

Posted in: socialization.
Tagged: cat poker · cat vs dog · Law of Reciprocity