BREED NAME

STATUS

DESCRIPTION

Tasman Manx

Experimental

A curly-coated Manx. Rex-coated Manxes appeared spontaneously in Australia and New Zealand. The coat is relatively dense and frizzled with visible guard hairs. All traced their ancestry to a single Persian stud that had European ancestry. They may be related to the Bohemia Rex.

 Teacup Persian (1)

Experimental

Teacup Persians appeared in Summer 1995 when a 14 lb stud Persian consistently sired miniature kittens. Toy Persians mature at approx 5 lbs and Teacup Persians are approx 3-4 lbs. The phenomenon has been studied and the cats appear to be completely healthy.

Teacup Persian/Himalayan (2)

Experimental

Separate from the Toy and Teacup Persians, a selective breeding program in New York in the mid 1980's used undersized cats to progressively downsize the Persian/Himalayan breed and bypassed the normal breed registration process by trade-marking the breed. Mature weights: females 2-4 lbs, males 3-6 lbs. See also Pixie- and Mini-Persians/Himalayans.

 Templecat

Current

Shorthaired equivalent of the Birman developed by outcrossing to a cinnamon spotted tabby Oriental. Early colours were Seal, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Cinnamon and Fawn. The cat is Birman in every respect apart from the slightly springy short hair. In development since 1995, originally called Birman Shorthair, renamed Templecat in 2001. It is now recognised in eight base colours of Seal, Blue, Chocolate Lilac, Red, Cream, Cinnamon & Fawn and with solid points, lynx points and tortie points in all of these.

 Tennessee Bobtail

Experimental

Derived from naturally occurring bobtails (Manx-type and Japanese Bobtail-type) in the Southern USA. Aim is a long, tall cat, 6 - 15 lb, with high angled hind legs, moderate conformation (neither oriental nor cobby), almond eyes and bobbed, kinked or curved tail. Fur type long, semi-long and short. All colours/patterns with preference given to tabby and spotted. Foundation cats being registered during 2007. See also: American Bobtail.

 Tennessee Rex

Current

In August 2004, 2 Rex-coated kittens were born to a feral cat in the Tennessee area. Due to a new recessive gene mutation that also causes satin fur. The original intention was a purely red/cream variety, but other colours have appeared due to outcrossing for a healthy gene pool. The fur is cutrled and has a pearlescent sheen. (This name had previously appeared on a 2002 survey of Rex cat breeds, but was presumed to be an error.)

 Texas Rex

Extinct?

A single kitten born in 1991/92. There were plans to breed from it but nothing morte was heard.

 Texas Roan

Extinct?

Listed as a vanishing breed and described as similar to Abyssinian, but self brown (not reddish or ticked tabby) and bi-colour. Had Abyssinian features and looked like Abyssinian cross-breds. .

 Thai Bobtail (Thaibob)

Experimental 

 A medium-sized Russian breed like traditional/Apple (Round) head Siamese in all non-mitted colorpoint varieties (without mitts). The tail is short (3-11 cm), bobbed and its outline is smoothed by the coat. It appears to now be called the Mekong Bobtail.

 Thai Bobtail (2)

Local Variety 

Naturally occurring bobtailed cats of Oriental/Burmese type (mostly, but not exclusively, colorpointed) in Thailand/Malaysia.

 Thai Copper

Experimental, Extinct?

A copper color shorthair of Burmese/Tonkinese type was apparently exhibited in US late 1990s to promote interest in the variety. The exhibited cat (apparently imported) was said to have had a poor temperament. No further information. See also Supalek (Supilak), Thong Daeng

 Thai Lilac

Variant 

 Naturally occurring lilac variants of Korat. When these first appeared in Indonesia, the breed was called the Jakarta Pink.

 Thai Pointed

Variant 

Naturally occurring colorpointed (Blue-point, Lilac-point) Korat variants. Being related to Siamese, it is not unexpected that the Korat produces variants.
See also: Apple (Round) head Siamese, Colourpoint Shorthair, Opal, traditional style Siamese, Thai Siamese.

 Thai Siamese

Variant 

Thai Siamese is a European term for the traditional round-headed style Siamese (resembling the older style of Siamese) derived purely from non-ultra-typed Siamese cats. According to other sources, the term is also used for colorpointed cats derived from naturally occurring colorpointed variants in Korat litters. See also: Apple (Round) headed Siamese, Colourpoint Shorthair, Old Style Siamese, Opal, traditional style Siamese, Thai Pointed.

 Thong Daeng

Extinct 

 Extinct, ancestral to Burmese. See also: Supalek, Copper

Tibetan

Variant 

 Birman without the classic markings - occurs in solids, tabbies etc.

Tibetan

Current

 (Aus/NZ) Mitted colourpoint polydactyl of Persian/Exotic type cat. Original names mooted were Nepalese and Nepalayan.

 Tibetane (Tibetaan)

Experimental

(Netherlands) semi-longhaired Tonkinese derived from Balinese x Burmese crossing in 1997, in Sepia/Mink/Pointed; colors being Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Red, Cream, Black-Tortie, Blue-Tortie, Chocolate-Tortie and Lilac-Tortie.
See also: Burmalayan, Himbur, Iranese, Layanese, Mink Longhair, Mink Persian, Silkanese, Tonkalayan

Tibetan Temple Cat

Archaic Name

A name once used to describe the Birman.

Tiffanie

Current

Burmese/Asian x Persian. Asian (Burmese) type with semi-longhair and Burmese range of colors. Not to be confused with US Tiffany (Tiffany/Chantilly) which is a distinct breed.
See also: Asian Longhair, Australian Tiffanie.

Tiffany/Chantilly

Current

The Chantilly/Tiffany superficially resembles a longhaired Sable or Lavender Burmese, but has never been crossed with Burmese and exhibits non-Burmese traits e.g. kittens born dark, pink paw-pads.
See Chantilly

Tigrette

Experimental

Combines high contrast tiger-like striping (similar to Toyger) plus back-curled ears (like American Curl) to give the ears a tiger-like rounded profile.

Tigri

Experimental

Tonkalayan

Crossbreed

Tonkinese x Persian or Tonkinese x Himalayan. A mink pattern Persian Longhair.

Tonkanese

Alternative Name

See Tonkinese.

Tonkaxotic

Crossbreed

Tonkinese x Exotic. A mink pattern Exotic

Tonkinese

Current

Siamese x Burmese cross, intermediate in form and color. Colors are "mink" range. Spotted, ticked, tabby, tortie and tabby-tortie Tonkinese are seen in Australia, as is the silver series of Tonkinese.
See also Copper, Golden Siamese, Tonkanese.

Tonkinese Longhair

Experimental

Topaz

Experimental

Toy Bobtail (Toybob)

Experimental

A Russian miniature breed, no larger than a normal 3-4 month kitten. They have short, solid bodies and excellent muscles, with short straight or curved tail-remnant (3-7 cm), straight or corkscrewed, covered with fur in a "pompon" or "brush" effect.

Toyger

 Current

Bred from Bengals and domestics to resemble tiger (Toy Tiger) in shape/pattern. Prominent muzzle, large nose leather, wide chin. Muscular, rounded facial contours. Ears small, rounded, furry inside and out; temples/jowls well-furred/ruffed. Eyes slightly slanting, almond shaped, wide set. Long, muscular body, fairly deep, robust-looking, broad-chested, rounded contours. High shoulders and hips. Long tail set and carried low, blunt, rounded, black tip. The heavily-boned fore- and hind legs are the same length; fore-paws proportionally large, black paw pads black. Fur short and plush with glitter (sheen). Stripes black to brown colour extends right to the roots. Markings intense on a rich rufoused background ("pumpkin" colour), background does not darken towards the spine. White background areas are belly, underside of base of tail, insides of legs and chest; these can extend onto the lower sides, backs of legs and sides of chest. Modified mackerel tabby pattern. No dorsal stripe. Distinct, high contrast between markings and background. Vertical body stripes, bands around the neck, legs and tail. Bold, braided (candle-flame), non-uniform stripes preferred, rosetted stripes acceptable. Various stripe forms: narrow striping/narrow spacing; narrow striping/wide spacing; wide striping/wide spacing; wide striping/narrow spacing. Belly and inside of legs must also be marked. Facial stripes and markings circularly aligned around face; forehead butterfly markings and encircling temple and jowl markings. No domestic-type radiating stripes. White facial areas are throat, chin, outer parts of jowls/cheeks, lower part of whisker pads, areas around and over eyes extending onto temples and forehead. Pale/white patches on backs of ears. Eyes black rimmed with white "spectacles", mouth black rimmed. Also known known as Californian Toyger.

Toy Persian

Experimental

Toy Persians appeared in Summer 1995 when a 14 lb stud Persian consistently sired miniature kittens. Toy Persians mature at approx 5 lbs, Teacup Persians are approx 3-4 lbs. The phenomenon has been studied and the cats appear to be completely healthy.

"Traditional"

Current

Breeds prefixed by "traditional" adhere to an older or variant conformation and are not ultra-typed or bred to extremes. These include versions of Abyssinian/Somali, Balinese, Burmese, Korat, Persian/Himalayan, Russian and Siamese.

traditional style Balinese

Current

Less foreign looking than modern Balinese, semi-longhair version of the older form Siamese.

traditional style Burmese

Current

See: American Burmese, Contemporary Burmese

traditional style Siamese

Current

Less foreign looking, closer in conformation to the original chunky Siamese cats. Similar cats are known as Thai Siamese in Europe and have been derived from Korat stock (the Korat produces colorpoint variants). See also: Apple (Round) head Siamese, Old Style Siamese, Opal, Thai Siamese

traditional style Persian

Current

See Doll (Open) Face Persian

Transylvanian

Experimental

A Romanian breed being developed from native cats with the karpati pattern. Formerly called Carpathian, but this was changed because Carpathia is a wide region and Transylvania is more closely linked to Romania.

Trimalayan

Current

1970s term for Persian cats with colorpoint pattern coat and white spotting. Also known as Bicolourpoint Persian, Bicolour Himalayan (and variations on these). Although bred, they are not accepted for show.

Tsjechian

Alternative name

Alternative name for the Bohemian Rex/Czech Curly Cat.

Tsuncat

Experimental

Suggested name for Birman Shorthairs bred in New Zealand (have been under development since 1995). Now called Templecat. See: Templecat.

Former name for the Impian developed in Illinois, USA by crossing American Curls with polydactyl cats.

Developed in Australia by crossing Manx cats (for the boning and short tail), Maine Coons (for size and conformation), Highland Lynx (for conformation, polydactyly and curled ears), Burmese (for colour), Abyssinian (for ticking pattern), and British Shorthairs (for soft coat and large head). Large, long head, but not disproportionate to body, with prominent muzzle, and whiskers. Square muzzle and prominent chin. Wide-set, slightly curled ears with tufted tips. Powerful muscular build, large in size (especially the males). Long, heavily boned legs. Long or bobbed tails. Polydactyl paws, large in proportion to the body, with either mitten-foot or snowshoe-foot permitted. Preferably all four paws should have extra toes. Coat can be long or shorthaired, preferably with a neck ruff in winter. Cats with white are not preferred. Preferred colours are all solid colours except white, spotted/marbled/ticked, torties and torbies; these can combine with silver, mink/sepia/colourpoint (snow pattern) all of these without white markings. Personality should be affectionate and dog-like.

Turkish

Current

Turkish Vans and Turkish Angoras are probably color-specific varieties of the general semi-longhaired Turkish Cat. Some Turkish cats are now bred under the name "Anatolian". This move would appear to be geographical-political rather than any real difference in the cats' type or color. Anatolians have been exported under the names Turkish, Turkish Van, Turkish Angora. The Turkish Angora should not be confused with the British Angora which is a Foreign Longhair.
See: Anatolian, Turkish Angora, Turkish Van

Turkish Angora

Current

Medium sized with intermediate conformation and very soft, silky coat. Semi-longhaired, but becomes virtually shorthaired in hot weather. Typical coat color is dominant white with blue, orange or odd-eyes. Turkish Angoras, Russian Angoras and Russian Longhairs were the original longhaired cats imported into Europe, Angoras were later bred into Persians. The Russian cats practically died out (the Nebelung recreates the longhaired Russian Blue, the Siberian Cat is a longhaired Russian breed, the Karellian is a Russian longhaired bobtail), but the Angora was protected in its native Turkey where it occurs in many colors and patterns (not colorpoint). Not to be confused with the "Angora", a British attempt to recreate the ancestral Persian cat; British Angoras (now called Oriental Longhairs) are of foreign conformation.

Turkish Van

Current

Akin to the Turkish Angora, exhibiting the Van pattern (markings on head and tail), preferably marked with red (auburn) or its dilute (cream), though other colors may occur in Turkey and are being recognized e.g. black/white van, brown/ebony-tabby/white van, black tortie agouti/white van, black tortie/white van. Eyes may be blue, light amber or odd eyed. Fascinated by water and frequently swims.

 Twisty Cat, Twisty Kat (Twisties)

Undesirable mutation

Extreme expression of Poly-Bob trait. Long bones of forelegs are distorted (twisted, joints bend wrong way) or foreshortened/vestigial (thalidomide effect); cats resemble kangaroos. Front paws may be polydactylous, elongated, deformed, vestigial (flippers) or absent. Small litter size suggests semi-lethal gene. Occurs in Poly-Bob variety (bobtail/tailless cats). Twisty cats locomote mainly on hind legs, forelegs may be almost useless. Some kittens required partial handrearing (cannot milktread), also taping of deformed forelegs to aid locomotion early in life. Widely condemned due to detrimental effects on cats. Gene for twisting may be recessive to gene for polydactyly or may be variable expression of a dominant gene affecting forelimbs; either way it will be hard to eradicate twistiness in breeding lines; continued breeding of Twisty Cats condemned as inhumane/irresponsible.
See also: Poly-Bob