Ocicat Cat and Kitten Information - By: Mitch Endick

The Ocicat is a medium to large cat that was developed to look like a wild jungle cat. In fact, it was named after the ocelot. They are well muscled and balanced with large almond shaped eyes and a tight, short coat. The official breed standard recognizes four basic color points, tawny, chocolate, blue and cinnamon.

Every eye color is recognized with the exception of blue. Unofficially, the colors vary widely. The most distinctive characteristic of the Ocicat are the spots. Ocicats are often described as affectionate, people oriented, trustworthy, outgoing, dog like and athletic. Ocicats are known to take well to training, even learning simple commands.

History

The Ocicat was developed in 1964 by crossing the Abyssinian, American Shorthair and Siamese. Credit for developing the breed is given to Virginia Daly, a breeder from Berkley, Michigan. The Cat Fanciers Association accepted the breed for registration in 1966 and accepted the breed for championship status in 1987.

The ancestor of all domestic cats is the African Wildcat, the genus Felis Lybica. This genus is comprised of smaller cats. Cats are thought to have been domesticated with the advent of farming and the storage of grain. The grain attracted rats and other vermin which naturally attracted wild cats. As time evolved, certain of these cats were domesticated for the mutual benefit of both cat and man. The African Wildcat has certain features which is obvious in the housecat of today.

Health

Cats who reside in the house should generally visit the veterinarian yearly, unless health problems are evident. Cats who enjoy the outdoors may need to see the vet as many as four times a year. When you take your cat to the vet, be sure to bring along a fresh stool sample so the vet can do a fecal exam to check for internal parasites such as tapeworm, round worm, whip worms and hook worms. The vet will also check for external parasites such as fleas, ticks and ear mites.

Any vet check should include a dental examination and a cleaning if necessary. Cats who are eight years of age or older are considered geriatric and additional blood and urine tests may be necessary to screen for any health problems. At about six months of age, the kitten should also be examined for sexual maturity and decisions about birth control should be made.

Behavioral Traits

An affectionate, non aggressive cat
Can be trained
Can be taught dog like tricks
Some like water
Make great family pets

Ocicat Registries and Clubs

Ocicats of North America
Ocicats of Europe
Cat Fanciers Association CFA
International Cat Association TICA
The Traditional Cat Association, Inc TCA
Canadian Cat Association CCA
The Australian Cat Federation Inc
The American Association of Cat Enthusiasts AACE
American Cat Fanciers Association ACFA
United Feline Organization UFO
Cats United International

Kittens

Kittens are generally available and the price depends upon bloodlines color and markings. Unlike puppies, kittens should not be separated from their mother until twelve to sixteen weeks of age. Some very important developmental stages occur during this period including emotional, mental and health. Curtailing this development may lead to any number of medical and behavioral problems.

Kittens that are separated from their mother at too young an age often fail to gain weight fast enough, have immune system problems because they have not had enough mothers milk. The may also develop eating and eliminating problems, and can have problems socializing with other cats and with people.

Every cat and kitten is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your cat or kitten. This information is meant as a good faith guid

About the Author

Mitch Endick is a short article writer for the popular framed panorama site BostonSkyline.com . He provides informative advice on purchasing beautiful, high quality framed Boston panoramas and pictures. Shop Boston Skyline.com today.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Mitch-Endick/7958

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