The Ocicat is an athletic, muscled cat with a spotted coat. It was bred to look like an Ocelot, but despite this wild appearance, it is as tame as a cat breed can be. In fact, the Ocicat has no wild ancestry whatsoever. It is a talkative cat that requires a lot of attention from its owners, but it repays this attention with love and affection.
Its athletic nature also means that it is a good pet for those who want a playful and energetic cat. They tend to do better when given lots of time outdoors. As well as the Ocicat, which has the spotted coat, there is also the Ocicat Classic, which has the more traditional-looking tabby markings and is recognized as a separate breed from the Ocicat.
There are a dozen recognized colors of Ocicat, as detailed below. While they share the same characteristics and traits, as well as similar markings, the different colors do give each a unique look.
The 12 Ocicat Cat Colors
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1. Blue
The blue Ocicat has a dilution gene which causes the colors of the coat to lighten. Typically, this means that the blue Ocicat will have a pale brown coat with blue spots. It will also have blueish tints to the nose, paws, and the tip of the tail.
2. Blue Silver
While the blue spots of the blue Ocicat can be difficult to really see, the blue silver Ocicat is a lot more obvious. It has a silver, almost white, coat with blue spots across the body. Similar to the blue, the blue silver will also have blue-tinted leather on the nose, paw pads, and the very tip of the tail.
3. Chocolate
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The chocolate Ocicat has a light brown or beige-colored coat with dark brown, chocolate-colored spots. In some chocolate Ocicats, the browns can look very similar so the cat has the appearance of being one color, but in some lights, the differences will show up clearly.
4. Chocolate Silver
Chocolate silver Ocicats have a silver base coat that comes from the diluted gene, combined with the dark chocolate spots of the chocolate Ocicat. The contrast of the two colors means that the spots are very prominent. The colors also combine on the nose, which is pink with a brown frame. The paws and the tail tip are also chocolate brown.
5. Cinnamon
The cinnamon Ocicat is a warm-colored cat with a slightly lighter cinnamon coat covered with dark cinnamon spots. You should be able to clearly tell the two colors apart, even though they are both shades of the same cinnamon hue. Pink paws, pink noses, and a dark cinnamon tip of the tail finish off the look of this beautiful color.
6. Cinnamon Silver
The cinnamon silver Ocicat combines the silver coat, which is nearly white, and dark cinnamon spots. The two colors are distinctly different and contrast one another so that you can clearly see the spots. The tip of the tail should be cinnamon, and the noses and pads of the paws will be pink. The cinnamon silver Ocicat also has golden eyes.
7. Ebony Silver
The ebony silver Ocicat has similar markings to that of the blue silver Ocicat, but the spots are much darker and closer to black in color. The dark red nose has a black frame, and the paws and tips of the nails are also black.
8. Fawn
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The fawn coat color comes from a diluted cinnamon coat. It has a light beige coat with fawn, or diluted cinnamon, spots. You should be able to tell the difference between the two colors, although they are very similar, and the lack of contrast can make it tricky to make out the spots from a distance.
9. Fawn Silver
The fawn silver Ocicat has a light, silver-colored coat but with diluted cinnamon spots. The colors have a good contrast which makes the spots easy to differentiate from the rest of the coat. Expect pink noses and paw pads as well as a fawn tip at the end of the tail.
10. Lavender
Dilute chocolate coloring gives us a lavender Ocicat. This dilution gives the cat light purple spots on a creamy-colored coat. It has a pink nose, lavender paw pads, and a lavender tip at the end of the tail.
11. Lavender Silver
The lavender silver Ocicat has a similar coat to the lavender, except it has a silver base coat rather than a cream one. It has the same lavender tail tip, lavender paws, and pink nose with a lavender frame.
12. Tawny
The tawny Ocicat is the traditional color of this breed. It has the same brown coat and black markings as a tabby cat, but rather than stripes, the markings are the distinctive spots of the Ocicat. The nose is dark red, the tip of the tail and paw pads are black.
Are Ocicats Rare?
The Ocicat is a very rare breed, although it does have a following in the US where it was first developed. It is recognized by most cat fancier associations, though, and it may be possible to find specialist breeders in most locations.
Do Ocicats Make Good Pets?
Ocicats can make excellent pets for the right owners. They don’t like to be left alone, benefit from being allowed outdoors, and are very athletic and energetic so they do need plenty of exercise. They can also be quite vocal, but they are also fun, develop strong bonds with their humans, and they do have a unique appearance that makes them stand out.
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Are Ocicats Good for First-Time Owners?
While they look like wild cats, Ocicats are very tame and don’t have any wild DNA in them. They get on well with other cats and usually benefit from being kept in a household with other animals. They do require plenty of exercise, which can come from being allowed outside or through regular indoor exercise. Although they may be suitable for some first-time owners, their need for company can make them a challenge.
Conclusion
The Ocicat is a unique-looking cat that has similar markings to the wild Ocelot. However, the breed is domesticated, friendly, and fun. There are 12 recognized colors of Ocicat, and there is also an Ocicat Classic which has the more traditional tabby markings, so it has stripes rather than spots.
The breed is officially recognized and is accepted in all of the 12 colors listed above but its rarity means that potential owners can find it difficult to locate breeders that offer a good variety of different colors and markings.
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