History of the Ocicat

The history of the Ocicat began with an American lady, Virginia Daly.

Mrs Daly accidentality created the Ocicat.

She was intending to develop a Siamese with the same colour points as an Abyssinian.

First, Mrs Daly mated an Abyssinian to a seal point Siamese female.

The result were kittens that looked like Abyssinians.

She kept a female from this litter and named her ‘Dalai She’.

Next, Mrs Daly mated ‘Dalai She’ with a chocolate point Siamese.

Kittens from this mating included Siamese and Abyssinian points.

She decided to mate the same cats again and to her surprise,

the litter included a male kitten coloured ivory with golden spots.

This male kitten was named Tonga.

Mrs Daly’s daughter thought that Tonga looked like an Ocelot.
And decided to call the spotted cat, Ocicat. The breed was named.

Tonga was neutered and sold as a pet.   

Very First Ocicat- Dalai Tonga 

Dr Keeler, a well known geneticist heard about the spotted cat Tonga.

He became very interested because he wished to create a cat that was similar in

looks to the extinct Egyptian Spotted Fishing Cat.

Since Tonga  was neutered Mrs Daly decided to mate his parents again.
Hoping for a new spotted cat could be born.
The litter was born and there was a spotted male, she named him ‘Dalai Dotson’.

Throughout the 1960s Mrs Daly worked on her new breed.

The progress slowed during the 1980s

Other breeders became fascinated by the spotted cats. And continued Mrs Daly’s work. 

The breed American Shorthairs were used to bring in the silver colour.
The American Shorthair also increased the muscularity of Ocicats.