Introduction

Eventually more spotted kittens eventuated, and these were the start of the Ocicat breed. American Shorthair added to the mix to create a larger cat and this also produced silver colouration.

Appearance and Personality

They are a medium sized cat, weighing between 4-7kgs. They have a beautiful spotted coat with several colour variations including, black, chocolate, cinnamon, blue, and silver. Their life expectancy is around 12 to 17 years.

Ocicats are usually outgoing and sociable. They are said to get along well with people and other pets if introduced early.  They love to play and climb so be sure to provide them with plenty of toys and cat trees for them to climb on and scratch. Because they tend to enjoy companionship, they can become lonely if left for long periods of time. They may therefore be better suited to a household where someone is home to keep them company, or perhaps adopting two could be a way to ensure they have suitable company if you are out a lot. They are well suited to apartment living if they are given plenty of toys to keep them occupied. Keeping your Ocicat cat indoors or in a cat friendly enclosure helps keep them safe from roads, other cats and snakes as well as helps to keep wildlife safe from your cat.

Ocicats have a short coat that sheds. Grooming with a grooming mitt once or twice a week will help you bond with your cat as well as help to remove loose hair. It is wise to gently brush kittens from an early age, so they become accustomed to it. Make sure your Ocicat cat is on year-long flea control and tick control if you live in a tick prone area.

Common Health Concerns

The five most common reasons for a Ocicat to visit the vet (excluding routine care visits) according to PetSure data from 2016 to 2020 included gastrointestinal problems like vomiting and diarrhoea, as well as seizures, allergic skin disease and urinary tract disease.   

Traumatic accidents including cat fight abscesses and claw injuries were also noted in the top five reasons for an Ocicat to visit the vet from 2016 to 2020. It may be possible to lower the risk of your cat from having a traumatic accident by keeping them indoors or in a cat safe enclosure.

Table:  The five most common reasons for an Ocicat cat to visit the vet (excluding for routine visits like vaccinations), PetSure claims data from 2016-2020

RankConditionAverage cost for single treatment
(average pet insurance claim amount)		Highest cost for single treatment (highest pet insurance claim seen for this condition)
1Gastrointestinal conditions$435$1,845
2Traumatic accidents$330$1,399
3Seizures$190$476
4Skin conditions, including allergic skin disease$205$694
5Urinary tract disease including Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease$235$376

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider.

For the same five-year period (2016-2020), the top five highest single vet treatments (or highest pet insurance claims) for Ocicats  from PetSure data were:

RankConditionHighest Cost of treatment for condition 
(average pet insurance claim amount)
1Mass lesion $2,881
2Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)$2,414
3Vomiting$1,845
4Nasopharyngeal Polyp$1,583
5Gastritis$1,408

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider.

Most popular Ocicat names, PetSure data 2010-2020.

Most popular names:

  1. Bella
  2. Enzo
  3. Felix
  4. Leo
  5. Akira
  6. Arthur
  7. Bundy
  8. Cadbury
  9. Cat
  10. Charlie

Most popular female names:

  1. Bella
  2. Enzo
  3. Felix
  4. Leo
  5. Akira
  6. Arthur
  7. Bundy
  8. Cadbury
  9. Cat
  10. Charlie

Most popular male names:

  1. Enzo
  2. Felix
  3. Leo
  4. Arthur
  5. Bundy
  6. Cadbury
  7. Cat
  8. Charlie
  9. Cino
  10. Dexter

Did you know?

Although they look similar, the Ocicat is distinctly different from the Bengal cat, who’s ancestry includes Asian Leopard Cat. The Ocicat has no wild cat ancestry, despite their wild appearance!

References

  1. Cat Fanciers Association, The Ocicat, accessed on 18/03/2021, available at: https://cfa.org/ocicat/
  2. Wikipedia, Ocicat, accessed on 18/01/2021 available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ocicat
  3. Vet Street, Ocicat, accessed on 18/03/2021 available at: http://www.vetstreet.com/cats/ocicat

Pet insurance can help by covering a portion of the eligible vet bill if the unexpected happens. Because it is difficult to predict the costs of veterinary care, it can help to have measures in place to help prepare for the unexpected. Check out our partner network and explore our policy tools to find a pet insurance policy.

Not all conditions or items are covered by Pet Insurance. Refer to the applicable Product Disclosure Statement for information about coverage and exclusions.

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