Forbearers
The Tonkinese are acknowledged to be a hybrid, and often referred to as a 'man-made
breed.' However, one might argue that unlike many hybrids (e.g. Ocicats, Bombays)
the Tonks were developed from a naturally occurring hybrid. Wong Mall, matriarch
of the Burmese breed, was a Tonkinese (Graf-Webster 1991). In her day, Siamese
breeders viewed Wong Mau as a 'poor quality Siamese. ' Rosemonde Peltz (1968) in
describing the Tonkanese commented that 'It is interesting to see the circle come
round again when one remembers that the first Burmese imported to this country
was a Siamese-Burmese hybrid. ' Tonkinese breeders, like the Burmese, trace
their cats back to Wong Mall, a small walnut colored cat brought to California
by Dr. Joseph Thompson in 1930.
The earliest standard for the Burmese, reported in a National Geographics article
(Eddy 1938) and later described in a 1943 Journal of Heredity article, indicated
that the 'official standards for Burmese call for a Siamese conformation, a
chocolate brown body color with seal points and topaz eyes. The kinky tail common
to so many malay cats has not been bred out of Burmese stock and is generally
present. ' The National Geographics article was more specific in stating that...
'the ideal is medium in size, with body long and svelte, legs proportionately
slim, .. eyes are round, ranging from a golden turquoise to yellow...
Wong Mau and the Burmese of the 1930's were not the first cats answering to this
description. The Chocolate Siamese of the 1880's, the Qolden Siamese of the 1950'
s as well as the Si-Burms , Zibelines and the Golden Chechongs mentioned during
the intervening years were all characterized by a body coat that was tan to brown
with seal brown or near black mask, ears, legs and tail (Barletta 1995; Bernstein
1978; Daugherty 1991). The first Siamese appeared in England between 1875-1877,
arriving from unknown origins. In 1880 two cats entered England from Bangkok
(Eustace 1975). In the 1880's, two types Siamese were described. The first and
most well-known, the 'Royal Siamese' were the Seal points. A second type of
Siamese was the 'Chocolate Siamese. ' Accounts of latter can be found in the
early English books on cats (see Simpson 1902; Weir 1889).
The Chocolate Siamese were described very much the same as Wong Mau, but with some
difference of opinion on eye color. Frances Simpson (1902) quotes one source
describing the cats, ' ...the imported chocolate is often dark chocolate with
blue eyes, stumpy tail with marked kink ' Harrison Weir (1889) quotes another
description which says, 'The eyes small, of rich amber color. ' The Royal Siamese,
with their sharp color contrast were favored in the show ring, and few breeders
sought to perpetuate the Chocolates. Thus, by selective breeding, the
chocolates were gradually eliminated.
In his Journal of Heredity article, Dr. Joseph Thompson, et al. (1943) makes
reference to a Hawaiian breeder, Lelia Volk, who in the early 1940's, produced a
Siamese with a darker color variation. The color was reported to be lighter than
the Burmese of the time. According to Dr. Thompson, the coat was close enough to
the Siamese body color that it would not likely be perpetuated.
In the 1950's, Milan Greer in New York City began breeding 'Golden Siamese,' a
Siamese/Burmese hybrid, but discontinued his program by 1960 Greer, an owner of
both a Siamese and a Burmese, had seen several unusual cats which, in appearance
were somewhere between the two breeds, with a rich mahogany body and dark points.
Having learned that these were normally destroyed as they were thought to be
'defective' and would not breed true, Greer launched a breeding program to
determine whether, in fact, these cats would breed true. Following experiments
on mice, he began crossing Seal point Siamese to Sable Burmese to produce the
mahogany cat. By cross/breeding the offspring of the foundation cross, Greer
(1961), by his own account, claims to have bred 'pure' for five generations,
producing only chocolate brown cats with seal or dark brown points. Not being
interested in showing cats, Greer abandoned the project once he felt he had
proven himself. Greer's cats were enormously popular with pet buyers in New
York City during the 1950's and early 1960's.
Launching The Tonkinese
When Jane Barletta of Trenton, New Jersey switched from breeding Siamese to
Tonkinese in the mid 1960's, the Siamese had not yet become the empirically slim,
art deco composition of today. Jane, an avowed believer in moderation, was quoted
as saying--'I don't like to fool with Mother Nature, it bothers me. ' Hence, she
launched a breeding program to produce a beautifully balanced cat--a Tonkinese.
At about the same time, Margaret Conroy in Canada bred her female Burmese to a
Seal point Siamese. Conroy's motivation was quite different. She owned a rather
shy English Burmese female whom she was hesitant to ship to New York city for
breeding, where a suitable male had been located. Lacking an appropriate Burmese
male, and at the suggestion of a CCA judge, she bred her cat, Khosoom, to a
Seal point Siamese. The resultant kittens were described as having tan coats
and turquoise eyes (Conroy 1986). The breed was dubbed, the Tonkanese. Her
line reportedly bred true for five generations. In all her breedings, only
one kitten was recessive to the Siamese.
By 1970 several west coast breeders were developing lines of 'natural mink' [
colored] Tonkinese and new colors were being introduced. Jane Barletta was producing
blues by introducing Blue point Siamese into her breeding program. Margaret Conroy
produced a line of blues by crossing a color bred Blue Burmese with a Blue point
Siamese and experimented with a Red point to a Sable Burmese. On the west coast,
Mary Swanson (Chataigne Cattery) who acquired her first Tonkinese in 1967,
attempted her first Seal point Siamese-Burmese breeding in that year.[3] Early
Chataigne pedigrees evidence Champagne Burmese, Chocolate point, Red point and
Tortie point Siamese, in foundation breedings.
Organizing The Breed
Jane Barletta, perhaps more than any of the early breeders, deserves credit for
championing the breed. Jane facilitated communication amongst breeders across the
country, first by placing an advertisement in Cat Fancy (June 1970) and second,
through her appearance on national television. [4] The Cat Fancy advertisement
brought her in contact with Mary Swanson on the west coast, and the television
appearance introduced a number of east coast breeders to Jane. This led to an
organizational meeting of the Tonkinese Breed Club and marks the beginning of the
Tonkinese Community, a coast-to-coast effort to advance the breed, and to
achieve show status in all associations (Roy 1994).
The small group of fewer than twenty breeders, began showing Tonkinese in Household
Pet Classes or 'For Exhibit Only' in 1971. Members of the Tonkinese Breed Club
(TBC) worked on a standard for the breed and approached the CFA Board in October
1978 requesting acceptance for Tonkinese. In 1979 CF A approved the registration
of Natural Mink, Blue, Champagne, Honey and AOV Tonkinese. In 1979, at least 22
cats appear at CF A shows across the country in the 'Miscellaneous Class. '
During the same year, Joan Bernstein organized The Tonkinese Breed Association
(TBA) as a CFA affiliate. TBA members were a tenacious group, active in 35
different clubs; and, most unusual for a non- championship breed, began
sponsoring its own shows.
Three additional presentations before the CF A Board of Directors were required
before the Tonkinese were granted championship status. In 1980 breeders requested
the addition of the Platinum Mink color and use of malayans in first generation
crosses. In October 1981, breeders approached the board to request Provisional
Status, and a subsequent request for advancement to championship in February
1983 was denied. One year later, in February 1984, seventeen Tonkinese breeders
from across the country approached the board a second time, requesting
championship status. Finally the long sought goal had been attained. By the
time the breed was accepted for championship, Tonkinese had appeared in more
than 200 CF A shows and the TBA was sponsoring its forth annual show. Registration
had grown to more than 800 cats, surpassing many other breeds in numbers (
Rokaw 1984). The stud books were closed at that time, and all future breedings
would be Tonkinese to Tonkinese.
Conclusion
Other articles and histories document the difficulties encountered by the breed
along the road to championship recognition (see Beane 1982; Bernstein 1980; Rokaw
1984; Roy 1994). The Tonkinese have often been viewed as a 'poor Siamese,' being
distant from the ultra-slim confirmation described by the present breed standard.
Burmese breeders, who worked to i hard to achieve the 'short cobby body' on the
dark sable varieties, wince at the natural mink's points, reminiscent of the
Burmese of the 1930's and 1940's.
The Tonkinese represents neither the Siamese nor the Burmese in its body
conformation. In the early years, the first and second generation Tonkinese
were more likely to resemble either of the parent breeds. In the fifteen years
since the breed was accepted for registration, the type has been stabilized.
Seventh and eighth generation Tonkinese could not be mistaken for either Burmese
or Siamese. The intermediate, muscular body conformation is unique to the bred as
are the gentle planes of the face, The breed is, however, by definition
intermediate. Its only CFA championship varieties are the intermediate body
color/point contrast, with the points being a darker shade of the body color.
Its most distinctive characteristic has been the 'aqua eyes.' --also intermediate
between the yellow/gold and sapphire blue of the two parent breeds. The Tonkinese
breeders have attempted to do something never before accomplished in the
development of anew breed. Other hybrids have typically sought to take the
characteristics from one breed, such as the Oriental Shorthair acquired
the body conformation of its Siamese parent. The development of the Tonkinese
has been a more difficult undertaking. to strike a perfect balance.
