Welcome to our Toyger Cats page! Here you will find everything you could ever want to know about Toyger cats and a complete list of all the Toyger catteries we have located in the USA.

The Toyger is a new breed of a domestic cat. It resembles the tiger of the wild in a package that is perfect for today’s modern and urban lifestyle.

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Toyger Cat Breed Information

It is pretty clear where the Toyger gets its name. As the name suggests, they are like toy tigers! Toygers are unique in many ways. They have vivid striped patterns and rolling gait of a tiger without a single drop of a real tiger’s blood. These miniature tigers are very social and affectionate.

This designer cat is bred with the demands of the modern life. Their easily trainable personalities are warm, making these cats a pure joy to live with. Toygers are very social, outgoing, and intelligent, so they do great with strangers and pets.

The lion might be the king, but the tiger is the most majestic animal that lives in the wild. Unfortunately, tigers have become highly endangered, and little can be done to stop their journey on the path towards extinction. However, Judy Sugden and other breeders have decided to bring recognition to the plight of the tiger, so they have created the Toyger. This cat is the result of a cross between a standard Bengal Tabby and a striped domestic shorthair. The crossing resulted in a striped cat that took years of hard work to resemble a miniature tiger.

The breed is still being developed. The progress is slow and steady and it might take several years for the Toyger to reach its fullest potential in resembling the wild tiger. Breeders are sure that in a few years, Toygers will have small eyes, shorter ears, a wider nose tip and a bigger chin, giving them a look more similar to the tiger’s.

General Information:

Height/Length: medium

Weight: 7-15 pounds

Lifespan: 10 -15 years

Coloring: virtually black to brown to tan markings

Area of Origin: United States

Similar Breeds: Bengal, Korat

Breed History and Origins:

The development of this breed began in the 1980s when an American breeder set up an experimental breeding program in order to produce kittens with more prominent and clear mackerel tabby markings.

Judy Sugden noticed weird markings in one of her kittens. The cat had tiny spots occurring on the temples, which proved that domestic cats can have a circular tiger face pattern (the temples of domestic tabbies do not have such markings). A striped domestic shorthair and a Bengal cat were actually the two cats that helped in forming the cornerstone for the Toyger breed. In 1993, Judy imported another cat from India that had spots between the ears.

Some people say that Judy handpicked about forty cats in the next several years to get the results she wanted. With these cats, she worked hard to create a tiger suitable for a living room. Alice McKee and Anthony Hutcherson were other breeders who contributed to the Toyger breeding program.

After a hard work, they have come up with a domestic cat with a long, large body, tabby patterns, and circular head markings. They named the breed “Toyger” as a combination of “toy” and “tiger”.

In 1993, the International Cat Association began to register this breed, and in 2000, the breed was advanced to a new breed status, granting full championship recognition in 2007.

The Toyger breed is still in development. The goals are long-term, while the prospect is more exciting as the characteristics of this breed are slowly incorporated into this wonderful miniature model.

Size and Physical Characteristics:

The first thing people notice about this breed is the distinctive tiger-like coat. As it was already mentioned, the breed was developed to look like miniature tigers, and that is why these cats have a reddish-orange coat, short in length, with black tiger stripes.

With their powerful body and beautiful, bold stripes, Toygers look like jungle tigers. This cat is of a medium size with a robust, strong torso. The stripes pattern is banded or broken. Their bones are big, and their shoulders are high.

These cats’ coats have a velvety silk feeling, so it is no wonder why fanciers admire their coat for its combination of dark yellow, black, and pumpkin shades that made this breed stand out among others.

Their coat is not the only feature that makes them look like tigers. They also have a tiger-like physique that goes along with their furry aesthetics. Even their face is tiger-like. The goal of the markings on their face is to be in a circular pattern. Their dramatic patterns are beautiful and unique to each Toyger. Just like the tiger, these cats are muscular and have a long inverted heart-shaped face.

Personality and Temperament:

Toygers are friendly and outgoing cats that enjoy being with their humans. They are very interactive and highly intelligent, and get on well with strangers and other pets in the house. They especially love mixing and mingling with humans, and their friendliness helps them easily adapt to new surroundings. They live by the motto that a stranger is a friend they have not met yet. That is why Toygers can often be seen hanging out near the front door acting as butlers, greeting visitors and making friends with everyone that shows up at the door.

They are always open to new friends. Apart from being tolerant and patient with kids, a Toyger is a great participant in all kinds of games.

Due to their high level of intelligence, they are easily trainable and can be taught to play fetch and go for walks. They have an easygoing personality which makes them suited to all families and households. Owners are advised to keep an eye on their cat when going out for a walk because their eye-catching coat makes them attractive to thieves.

Many Toygers love playing with water just like real tigers, who enjoy bathing in lakes, rivers, and waterholes, and are great swimmers.

Every Toyger loves heights, which should not come as a surprise. They can often be found in the highest spots in the house, like windowsills, bookshelves, and cabinets.

And last but not least, Toygers are vocal cats, but they communicate in a soft voice and purring that is more melodic than annoying. They believe their opinion is needed and appreciated, so they will always tell their humans what is on their mind.

Nutritional and Exercise Needs:

Toygers and Nutrition

Good nutrition is of a big importance to the cat’s overall health. The best diet plan for a Toyger is the one that replicates what the cat would eat in the wild – meat-filed, moisture-rich diet. Toygers require more quality source protein, so vets suggest that Toygers’ owners feed their cat a diet consisting of quality canned foods.

Toygers, like most cats, do not drink as much water as they need, so they rely on their food for moisture. Canned foods are rich in moisture, unlike dry foods. Moreover, canned foods are lower in carbohydrates, and thus this type of food is beneficial when it comes to diabetes, urinary issues, and other conditions.

Toygers are not prone to obesity, but vets still recommend meal feeding rather than free feeding. Instead of leaving out quite a large amount of food for a Toyger to graze on all day, owners should feed their cat a specified amount.

Every cat is different and they all have their own preferences, so owners might need to do a little testing regarding several brands and flavors in order to discover what brand the cat prefers.

Many people argue that raw food is the best and nutritionally richest feeding regimen for Toygers, if prepared properly. Those who are interested in this feeding option should consult their vet in order to ensure the diet plan is healthy for their cat. Toygers cannot live only on meat; they need nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and specific amino acids.

Toygers and working out

A workout for cats? Yes, the concept might sound silly, but vets say that regular exercising will help cats stay in shape. Exercising dogs is a no-brainer since it is common practice, but a lot of people do not realize that exercise is of great importance for the cat’s well-being.

Physical importance is of a huge importance for every cat, especially for an active cat like the Toyger. They are born to be free-roaming, so a lack of exercise might lead to boredom which the feline usually controls with sleeping and eating.

Toygers are crazy for heights. They are true explorers and climbers, so they love it when they have a designated spot, like a cat tree or furniture scratching post. Trapezes for cats are also great toys, especially for active cats like Toygers, as they can climb or play on the toy instead of on furniture and curtains. Trapezes usually come with cushions, perfect for the cat to take a nap after playing.

Toygers do not require any luxurious toys, but they do require some quality playing sessions. Sticking to a daily play routine is the best way for the owners to ensure that their cat will get the needed activity.

One thing every indoor cat does every day is moving between the litter tray and the food. Therefore, experts advise cat owners to put the litter tray downstairs and the food bowl upstairs or vice versa. This way, the Toyger will be active using the stairs. Steps are much higher from a cat’s perspective.

Grooming and Upkeep:

Grooming a Toyger does more than just keep him looking his best. The grooming procedure is a great opportunity for owners to bond with their cat.

The frequency for brushing is determined by the thickness and length of the coat. Toygers are shorthaired, so they do not require heavy grooming. Bathing should be done as needed, while brushing should be done at least once a week. Regular brushing, irrespective of the type of the coat, has many benefits for the cat. First of all, it improves the muscle tone and stimulates the skin to produce oil, which gives the coat a healthy shine. As it was mentioned, the brushing and grooming process in general can be therapeutic for both the owner and the Toyger as it reinforces their bond. Toygers do not require special equipment when it comes to brushing. All they need is a fine-toothed comb, a soft bristle brush and a rubber grooming pad.

Toygers are exceptional hunters and excellent climbers. Although they use their claws pretty often, it is easy to manage their scratching habits with scratching posts. However, some people trim their cat’s nails in order to prevent and resolve a scratching problem. Teaching a Toyger to accept having his claws trimmed is simple.

Many cats do a great job when it comes to keeping their ears clean, but Toygers require a little help from their human. Ear cleaning is an important part of the grooming procedure. If the ears appear clean, there is no need for cleaning them, but if they exhibit brown discharge, dirt, or yellow or green pus, the owner should take the Toyger to the vet because any out of the ordinary ear discharge might indicate fungal or bacterial infection.

Characteristics Unique to the Breed:

The coat is not the only attribute that resembles a tiger. Their deep rectangular and long body shows a powerful look of a tiger as well, while the high shoulders and big bones give the Toyger the rolling gait. Just like the tigers, Toygers are muscular with a unique pattern.

Health and Wellness: 

Toygers are generally healthy cats, but there are a few health issues seen within this breed:

• Heart murmur – a condition caused by turbulent blood flow within the large vessels of the heart. The noise caused is abnormal and can be heard by a vet listening with a stethoscope. The first symptoms of a heart murmur are lethargy, pale gums, and abnormal breathing pattern. The vet performs several tests, including an X-ray or a cardiac ultrasound examination.
• Flat-chested kitten syndrome – disorder in which a cat develops a thorax compression. The treatment is difficult to define because there are unknown causes for this disorder. Vets usually recommend use of drugs: steroids coupled with an antibiotic.
• Feline infectious peritonitis – a disease caused by strains of the feline coronavirus. Cats infected with this disease do not show any visible symptoms. Some cats might show mild upper respiratory symptoms like sneezing, nasal discharge, and watery eyes. Unfortunately, there is no treatment option for this disease at this time.