Ocicat vs Toyger

Verdict

Both cats look wild but are fully domestic, with short coats, light grooming and plenty of play. The thing that decides it is temperament. The Ocicat scores 5 for intelligence and for other pets, and it dislikes being alone, so it suits an active household with a companion pet. The Toyger is quieter, copes better with time alone and fits a smaller home, but it is rare and the CFA does not recognise it. Choose the Ocicat for a trainable, sociable cat. Choose the Toyger for a striped, adaptable one.

Choose the Ocicat if

• You want a spotted tabby coat in one of twelve colours.
• You want the cleverest cat, scoring 5 for intelligence against 4.
• You have another pet; it scores 5 for other pets against 4.
• You want a breed with CFA championship status since 1987.

Choose the Toyger if

• You want bold vertical stripes on a bright orange ground, like a small tiger.
• You want a quieter cat, with a voice score of 2 against 3.
• You are away more; it scores 3 for independence against 2.
• You live in a smaller home; it scores 4 for apartments against 3.

Where they are alike

Both are medium cats with energy scores of 4 and grooming scores of 1. Each scores 4 for children, so both fit a lively family that has time to play.