Classicat

Nancy, a UK Champion.
Photo copyright Sue & Paul Threapleton

The Classicat is an Ocicat with the classic tabby cat coat rather than a spotted tabby coat. The New Zealand Cat Fancy describes the cat as a classic patterned Ocicat. The name probably derives from the classic nature of the tabby pattern. The classic tabby pattern is blotched pattern instead of the spotted pattern (e.g. as seen on the Bengal cat or the Ocicat above). I discuss cat coats tabby on a different page. An example of a classic tabby pattern is on the cat illustrated below:


Classic brown tabby pattern but as you guessed the cat is not a Classicat nor an Ocicat. The picture is simply to show the classic tabby pattern. - photo copyright Helmi Flick

I also discuss in some detail the Ocicat - Ocicat.

The Ocicat is a fine looking cat, which could be described as an exotic cat owing to the similarity with small wild cats but is not a wildcat hybrid. Neither is the Classicat, which has been fully developed from domestic cats. This is the breeding diagrammatically:-

Abyssinian X Siamese = offspring X Siamese (bred back to Siamese) = Ocicat X American Shorthair = Ocicat with preferred bone structure (medium to large breed) and silver color.

The classic tabby pattern (instead of the spotted pattern of the Ocicat) is, I presume, cultivated from mating with classic blotched tabby patterned American Shorthair cats. The classic tabby pattern is not the same as the marbled pattern on marbled Bengal cats (see Marbled Bengal cats) The markings should be clearly defined and dense. It is more important in competition to have good contrast between the pattern and the ground color than the color itself. The forehead will have the classic tabby marking. "M".

The Classicat colors are Tawny (brown tabby), Blue, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Lavender and Fawn.

The Classicat is a New Zealand breed; it seems that the breed is currently exclusively bred in New Zealand.

The Classicat will be athletic and a good size with a sleak coat. Another name for the Classicat is the Jungala (Sanskrit for the word "jungle"). The Classicat is a medium to large cat of moderate type, meaning nothing extreme in terms of conformation. The conformation (shape) and character are the same as the Ocicat and as stated the only difference is the coat pattern.

Classicat to Ocicat