History
The story of the creation of the Ocicat is fascinating, born completely by accident on a challenge. Virginia Daly of Dalai Cattery breeding Abesynian and Siamese, living in Michigan (USA) decided to take up the challenge.
In 1964, she mated a Sealpoint Siamese female to a Ruddy Abyssinian. Their kittens looked like Abyssinians, but Daly reasoned that they ought to be carrying the Siamese point pattern. She took a female from this litter and bred her to a Chocolate Point Siamese. An unanticipated kitten surprised Daly; this tiny little kitten nestled among the rest had dazzling golden spots on an ivory-coloured background. This astonishing kitten is known today as Tonga the first born Ocicat. Daly's daughter was delighted with this tiny kitten and chose the name Ocicat because he so resembled the spotted jungle Ocelot. Tonga, the first Ocicat was sold to a medical student named Thomas Brown.
When the Detroit newspaper publicised the lovely spotted cat and when noted geneticist, Dr. Clyde Keeler, expressed his desire to see a domestic cat that would mimic some of the vanishing wild species like the long extinct Egyptian spotted fishing cat, the breeding was repeated to produce more Ocicats. Subsequent breedings of the sire, dam, and other Abyssinians and Siamese formed the foundation of the Ocicat breeding program. American Shorthairs were eventually added to introduce the silver colour, placement of spots, and enhance size and boning. Other breeders followed Mrs. Daly's recipe to develop other Ocicat lines with a broad genetic base. Tonga was never used for breeding purposes, although he did go on exhibition, listed as an 'Ocicat, said to be a reincarnation of the extinct Egyptian Spotted Fishing Cat'.
The Ocicat was recognised for CFA registration in 1966, but it took another twenty years to develop the breed and gain the support for provisional status. The Ocicat was advanced to championship status in May 1987. The loveable spotted Ocicat is getting more popular with every passing year and today the are the number one pet in the US.
Meanwhile the Ocicat lives all over the world: Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. You will understand that the Ocicat has nothing to do with the Egyptian fishing cat. The resemblance is a mere coincidence.
It is absolutely out of the question that there is any similarity of genetics between an Ocicat and an Ocelot. The Ocicat is created only with domestics cats and only his gorgous spotted coat he has in common with his ‘wild’ cat family.
