 In today's video, we are going to talk about some interesting facts and myths about the Tonkinese cat. It is often said that the Tonkinese is the only breed to originate from Canada, that is misleading. As a recognized breed of cat, the Tonkinese actually originated in England, where they were known as chocolates. In 1902 the Siamese club wrote one great object of the Siamese club is to encourage the distinct breeding of the royal cat of Siam, and the chocolate cat of Siam, both beautiful in their own way, but recognized as distinct breeds. The earliest known chocolate breeders were Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Young of Harrogate in Yorkshire. Records show that Young's chocolate queen, Lady Siam, was successfully shown at the 1888 Crystal Palace cat show. The more well-known English breeders of chocolates, in the late 1800s, were Mrs. and Miss Sutherland whose famous chocolate stud was Prince of Siam. In the 1960s collaboration, between Canadian and American breeders revived the breed, and in 1967 the newly formed Canadian cat association became the first registry to accept the breed, under the name Tonkinese, later changed to Tonkinese. Here are some interesting facts about the Tonkinese cats. 1. Tonkinese's kittens On 7th of August 1970, Tarawood Antigone, a four-year-old Tonkinese, owned by Valerie Gain of Oxfordshire, gave birth to 19 kittens. Unfortunately four were stillborn, and 15 surviving kittens, consisted of one female and 14 males. A normal litter size for Tonkinese is between four and eight kittens. 2. Tonkinese cat's lifespan Bill Mines of Rockville Centre obtained his male Tonkinese, named Dickens, from the Bickel Cattery in Manorville. Dickens was born on 24th of December 1991. Sadly Bill had to say farewell to Dickens on 9th of December 2013, just two weeks before his 22nd birthday. Brenda and Eddie Cadman also had their Tonkinese cat but their brown Tonkinese, Hugo passed away in May 2018, less than three months from his 23rd birthday. Tonkinese generally live between 13 and 18 years, whereas the average life expectancy of an indoor cat is between 9 to 15 years. Sadly some breeds now have a shorter life expectancy than they used to, possibly due to excessive breeding for type or inbreeding. 3. Tonkinese cat's behavior They are normally active and very curious. They tend to be very vocal. Owners might be concerned for excessive and undesirable crying or meowing, especially at night. 4. Tonkinese cat's attention needs Cats in general tend to require a lot of attention. Owners who are home often or are able to participate in activities with this cat breed will be delighted. Try to spend 10 to 15 minutes actively involved with this breed several times a day. Daily exercise will help maintain its body weight and keep its muscles toned and strong. Toys are important to allow the cat to stay active and engaged. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high-quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out BeemixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife to get 20% off. 5. Tonkinese cat's grooming Although cats groom themselves, regular grooming is advised to keep its coat in good shape. It stimulates circulation, massages the skin, and removes debris and loose hair. Grooming also strengthens the bond between the owner and the cat. 6. Bathing As cats clean themselves, bathing can be introduced into the cat's routine when it's a kitten, and should be done every two to three weeks. During times of shedding, bathing will help to remove dead hair. Try and teach your cat to get used to bathing when it's a kitten. Fill a wash basin or sink with lukewarm water, and ensure that you use veterinary-approved shampoo. Work the shampoo in thoroughly, and ensure that it completely washed out, as any residue shampoo can hurt your kitty when it dries. A good rub with a towel will help to get your cat dry, but they do tend to groom themselves for a while after bathing to dry them off properly. 7. Brushing They shed moderately, so regular brushing is a must. Brushing must be introduced when your cat is still a kitten, as it helps to form good habits. Don't forget to brush the stomach and under the neck area. Most cats actually love this. Your cat can be brushed every two to three weeks to remove dead hair. Do not brush too much, as cats produce oil through their hair to cover the coat and keep it healthy. Too much brushing can stimulate these oils in excess. Clipping. Cats' nails tend to keep on getting sharper as they grow. Most cats prefer to keep the nails from getting too sharp by scratching on things. When there are not enough things in the house to scratch, you might need to think of buying scratch poles or pads. Even with all the scratching, nails do need to be clipped every few months, but it is best to let your veterinarian do this as it can get really dangerous for your cat. There is a tiny vein that runs into each nail, normally causing a faint pink shadow in the nail. This is called the quick. When the nail is cut too short, and in the quick, your cat will bleed, which is painful and unpleasant. 6. Are they hypoallergenic? Some cats may be less likely to produce allergic reactions in people than others. For some people the tonkinese is such a breed because its fur is close lying and soft, this tends to slightly reduce the amount of dander that generally causes people to have an allergic reaction to cats. 7. Tonkinese cats' health. They are generally a very healthy cat, as they do and should remain indoors often. 8. Their diet. Cats need to have a good balance in protein, carbohydrates, minerals and nutrients. There are wet and dry cat foods on the market, and portions of both are necessary. Wet food is good for the protein and dry food keeps their teeth healthy. But if you stick with only one kind, your cat can get sick more often. Just serving wet food could mean that their teeth will be more prone to gum disease, and feeding them just dry food could cause problems with their kidneys. 9. Water. Cats generally need clean water daily, and more so when they eat dry cat food. Always keep water in a clean bowl close enough to the food. Ensure that the bowl is cleaned at least once a day to ensure that it does not collect germs, which could make your cat ill. 10. Litter box. Cats are extremely hygenic and hate dirty sand. Very few people think of the litter box as part of a cat's health issues. Always ensure that the litter box remains clean, with new sand every day. Cats tend to use other parts of the house as a potty if their litter box is too dirty. Some cat's feces can be dangerous to humans and can contain many diseases. Always wash your hands after handling the litter box. Also make sure that the litter box is kept in a separator away from the food and water bowls. Environment. Most cats are active, especially as kittens. To ensure that they get enough exercise it is best to spend time with them and allow them to roam throughout the home. Cats love the outdoors, but can get lost and pick up diseases. This is something you need to decide on, but keep in mind that cats that are only allowed to stay indoors need a lot of human attention. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. Also don't forget to subscribe with notifications on, so that you don't miss out on videos like this. Thank you for watching.