Cheetoh vs Ocicat

Verdict

Choose the Ocicat if you want a spotted, sociable cat you can realistically find. It is medium sized, recognised by the CFA and rated top marks with other pets. Choose the Cheetoh if you want a larger, more athletic wild look and have the room, the time to play and the patience to search for a breeder. The Cheetoh needs more space and more activity, and its health record is less established.

Choose the Cheetoh if

• You have plenty of space, because the profile rates it a poor fit for small homes.
• You want top-level energy and play from a Large cat.
• You accept a very rare breed that the CFA does not recognise.
• You can wait for a kitten and ask hard questions of the breeder.

Choose the Ocicat if

• You want a medium-sized cat of roughly 6 to 14 lb in an ordinary home.
• You already have a cat or a dog, since the Ocicat rates top marks with other pets.
• You value a CFA championship standard (since 1987) and a named health watch-list: urate stones, heart disease, amyloidosis and eye disease.
• You enjoy training a clever cat.

Where they are alike

Both have short, glossy coats that need little grooming and shed lightly, and both are spotted American breeds that look wild. Both rate well with children and need daily play and company.