The Toyger is a domestic breed of cat developed for a unique purpose.
These small cats resemble a miniature tiger, which is exactly the purpose behind their development as a breed.
The Toyger was developed by breeding Shorthaired Tabbies during the 1980s.
This breed has strict standards, which were put forth by TICA in 2008.
Toyger History
The Toyger was initially bred by Judy Sugden, who wanted to develop a cat that resembled a toy tiger.
She wanted to do that to raise awareness in people regarding the rapid decrease in the Tiger population in the wild.
TICA officially recognized this breed in 2008 as a registration-only breed, and eventually, it was recognized as a full championship breed in 2012 by passing all the requirements.
The Initial idea for developing the Toyger came to Judy when she saw one of her Shorthaired Tabbies with a distinct pattern on its body.
These markings extended to the temple area of its face, which she had not seen before.
These markings on the face proved that it could breed a cat with tiger face patterns.
Toyger Key Facts
The Toyger is a highly active breed, and it is intelligent as well; this means that it requires some mental stimulation to stay engaged and not get bored.
You can get various interactive toys or spend time interacting with them by playing games such as fetch.
The Toyger is also quite chatty and likes to meow softly whenever it has something to say.
It might not seem like it, but the Toyger is a great family pet.
This is because they have friendly, calm, and loving personalities, making them easy to deal with and good around children and other pets.
Additionally, like its wild namesake, the Toyger moves in a distinct, graceful, and purposeful stride.
How Big Do Toyger get?
The Toyger is a medium-sized cat weighing between 7 – 15 pounds.
It has a long, slender, and thin build with an average length of around 18 inches.
One thing that you will notice upon seeing a Toyger is that they look a lot larger than their weight.
This phenomenon is also seen in the Bengal Cat.
You can help your Toyger maintain a healthy weight by ensuring that you are feeding them good quality cat food.
Toyger Lifespan
The Toyger is a healthy breed and is generally resistant to getting sick. This gives them a long life expectancy of 10 – 15 years.
Their overall health depends on various factors, including their weight, feed, and physical activity.
Another important factor that determines their life expectancy is whether they are indoor or outdoor cats.
How Much Does A Toyger Cost?
The Toyger is a fairly rare breed. So, breeders have to work hard to keep up with the supply of this wild-looking cat.
This gap in demand and supply makes the average price of this breed fall between $1,500 and $5,000.
You may also have to get accessories, which may cost you anywhere between $100 – $200.
Toyger Personality
Most people believe that the best part about owning a Toyger is their looks.
It is amazing to have a cat that looks almost exactly like a mini tiger, but the Toyger also has a great and pleasant personality; they are friendly, outgoing, and intelligent.
Their high intelligence means that they will learn tricks much faster than other cats and impress anyone that visits your home.
Their intelligence has also been a great aid in making them top-tier competition cats, as they can be taught various tricks to perform in shows.
The Toyger is an affectionate cat that values quality time with its owner; they form close bonds with them and like to spend a lot of time playing and interacting.
Caring For A Toyger
Caring for you, the Toyger is one of the easiest tasks; this is due to their short and sparse coat, which doesn’t require much cleaning or brushing.
You just have to take care of their diets and other small things like clipping their nails and brushing their teeth—more on that in the next section.
Toyger Nutrition
Like most other shorthaired domestic cats, the Toyger has pretty basic nutrition requirements.
The best way to determine the exact amount you need to feed them is through their weight.
This will prevent you from overfeeding your cat, which can cause obesity and lead to early death.
Feeding your cat high-quality cat food is another important thing to remember, as lower-quality cat foods don’t have all the required nutrients to keep your cat healthy.
Also, ensure that your cat has access to fresh water at all times.
How To Groom A Toyger?
Grooming the Touger is an easy task as their short coat doesn’t require brushing more than once a week.
You don’t have to bathe them, but you may use a high-quality shampoo and limit bathing to once a month if you think they are getting dirty.
Clipping their nails and brushing their teeth should be an integral part of their grooming routine.
Toyger Activity Levels
The Toyger is a highly active cat that likes to move around quite a bit.
These active cats love exploring, moving around the house, and jumping from place to place.
This helps maintain their body weight and keep diseases away. If you keep them as indoor cats, then ensure that they have space to roam around.
Toyger Health Concerns
The Toyger is a healthy breed, but they are new, and there isn’t much data to show what kinds of diseases they might develop.
The most common problem that your Toyger might develop is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Heart Murmurs.
Both of these health issues are prevalent in all breeds of cats.
Sources
Recommended Reading
- 10Best Cat Litters of 2022
- 10Best Cat Toys of 2022
- 10Best Cat Beds of 2022
- 10 Best Cat Accessoriesof 2022
- 10Best Automatic Litter Boxes of 2022
- 10Best Cat Anti Scratch Spray of 2022
- 10 Best Cat Backpacks of2022
- 10Best Cat Collars of 2022
- 10Best Cat Drinking Fountains of 2022
- 10 Best Cat Harnesses& Leashes of 2020
