Who doesn’t love a spotted cat? Random spots in tawny, chocolate, cinnamon, blue, lavender or fawn dot the Ocicat’s coat, which has a silver or nonsilver background. The wild look is just a façade, though. The Ocicat is a playful, sociable pet.
A cat lover’s favorite daydream is to have a wild cat as a companion. Their grace, power, size and beauty are almost irresistible, even though sensible people know they would be impossible to live with. The Ocicat was created to be an answer to that desire. He isn’t wild at all — he’s the result of crosses of Abyssinians, Siamese and American Shorthairs — but his spots lend him an exotic air that is difficult to resist.
Like the cats who came together to create him, the Ocicat is self-confident, talkative and highly active. He enjoys greeting visitors and can get along well with children, dogs and other cats. It’s not unusual for him to learn to walk on a leash or to play active games such as fetch, but he also has a reputation as a lap cat. The Ocicat loves attention, so do not get one if you don’t have the time or desire to interact with him frequently. He will want to be involved in everything you do.
Brush the Ocicat weekly to keep his thick coat shiny and healthy. The only other grooming he needs is regular nail trimming, ear cleaning, and teeth brushing.
The Ocicat is well suited to any home with people who will love him and care for him. Keep him indoors to protect him from cars, diseases spread by other cats and attacks from other animals.
Other Quick Facts
- This is a large, active cat whose body screams “Athlete.” He is solid and muscular, and his short, tight, spotted coat fits like Lycra. It comes in brown, chocolate, cinnamon, blue, lilac and fawn as well as a shimmering silver version of those colors. Sometimes a kitten with a classic tabby pattern shows up in a litter, but is not eligible for show competition.
- The Ocicat’s body is covered with large, thumb-shaped spots arranged in a classic bullseye pattern.
Ocicat Temperament and Personality
If you know someone who thinks that cats are unfriendly and independent, just introduce him to the Ocicat. This is a confident, outgoing cat who loves his family and likes meeting other people, too. He walks right up to guests in hopes of finding a good lap to sit in or someone to play with him.
A busy family with lots of activity — activity that involves him whenever possible — is right up the Ocicat’s alley. He has an adaptable nature that makes him a good travel companion for people who like to travel in an RV or take their pets on vacation with them. The Ocicat is so sociable, in fact, that he’s not best suited to a home where he will be left alone all day. If this will be the case, he should have other pets — cat-friendly dogs are fine with him — to keep him company.
The Ocicat is highly intelligent. Challenge his brain and keep him interested in life by teaching him tricks and providing him with puzzle toys that will reward him with kibble or treats when he learns how to manipulate them. He likes to play fetch, will come when called and perform other behaviors, and may willingly learn to walk on a leash. If you show him what you want—for instance, that you don’t want him jumping on the kitchen counter—he’s likely to comply, especially if you give him an alternative, such as a stool to sit on where he can supervise food prep.
Not surprisingly, he’s capable of reaching the highest points in your home, and that is often where you will find him, keeping watch over his family. When he’s not perched on high, he’s busy playing with his toys. Don’t be surprised if he becomes possessive of them and tries to play keep-away when you want to put them up.
All information is from VetStreet.
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