Ocicat

Its wild-cat look is pure chance: it has not a drop of wild blood. In 1964 the breeder Virginia Daly, from Michigan, was crossing an Abyssinian with a Siamese in search of a Siamese with Abyssinian-type points, and in the second litter an ivory kitten with golden spots appeared. Her daughter called it an Ocicat because it looked like an ocelot. The American Shorthair was later added to gain size and the silver colour. It is a muscular, athletic cat, very sociable and with an almost dog-like character: it comes when called, learns to fetch toys and wants to be part of everything that happens at home.

Minimal coat care: a rubber mitt or cloth once a week. It needs company and activity: it does not cope well with being alone all day and really enjoys another cat or a calm dog. It loves fetch games, clicker training and the harness. Regular dental cleaning, because its founding breeds are prone to gingivitis.

A fairly healthy breed. From its Abyssinian and Siamese ancestors it can inherit progressive retinal atrophy (rdAc, DNA test available), pyruvate kinase deficiency (testable) and, more rarely, renal amyloidosis. Dental problems are common. Ask the breeder for the PK-def and rdAc tests.