Karakter:

Daar dit ras nog nieuw is en het stamboek nog open staat om zowel Ocicat's als Bengalen te gebruiken in het fokprogramma, is er nog geen standaard karakter beschrijving van dit ras.
Alles is afhankelijk van het percentage Ocicat of Bengaal in de kat, en de karakters van de ouders.
Mijn doel is om zo sociaal mogelijke Cheetoh's te fokken, vandaar dat ik in het begin van mijn fokprogramma zoveel mogelijk percentage Ocicat gebruikt heb in combinatie met 2 Amerikaans geimporteerde Cheetoh's, welke beiden heel sociaal waren.

De kater welke ik meerdere keren gebruikt heb, heeft wat betreft karakter en uiterlijk een zeer grote stempel op mijn gefokte Cheetoh's gezet.
Daar ik een hoog percentage Ocicat had in het begin, ben ik daarna op zoek gegaan naar een Bengaal kater met een super sociaal karakter, en die heb ik gelukkig gevonden, waarbij ik de eigenaar dank voor het gebruik van hem in mijn Cheetoh cattery.
Deze kater heeft prachtige grote rozetten waardoor zijn nakomelingen met mijn Cheetoh poezen nu ook mooie rozetten hebben.

De Cheetoh's zoals ik ze bij mij thuis ken en wat ik van eigenaren van hun nakomelingen hoor, zijn heel sociale huiskatten, die graag onderdeel van het gezin willen zijn.
Ze vinden kinderen en anderen huisgenoten (honden bijv) erg leuk, mits zij sociaal met de kat omgaan.
Zijn actieven katten, die met regelmaat even hun 'race' kwartiertje hebben, waarbij ze met full-speed door het huis gaan, zich in bochten afzettend tegen muren of deuren.
Met een goede opvoeding kun je ze leren om enkel met hun eigen speelgoed te spelen, wat wel betekend dat je regelmatig hun speelgoed moet vernieuwen of omwisselen.
Kunnen het fijn vinden om op schoot te zitten en slapen mits ze dit van kitten af aan gewend zijn.
Daar ze actief en sociaal zijn, is het raadzaam om te zorgen dat de Cheetoh een speelkamaraad heeft.
Dit kan zijn de eigenaren of een hond waarmee hij goed overweg kan, of een soortgenoot met hetzelfde soort karakter.
Als men dus veel van huis is, is het beter om te zorgen dat hij een soortgenoot heeft waar hij mee kan spelen,
anders wordt de Cheetoh eenzaam en gaat hij misschien vertier zoeken in spullen waar de eigenaar niet blij mee is ;-)
Het is raadzaam om een degelijk klimtoestel in huis te hebben waar hij zich in kan vermaken.
Geen van mijn Cheehohs heeft in mijn huis ooit naar een kind of mens uitgehaald!
Ze zijn bij een dierenarts niet altijd even makkelijk te hanteren.
Nagels knippen kan prima als je van kitten af aan dit wekelijks op een positieve manier blijft doen.
De Cheetoh's zijn gezellige kletsers.
Zelf heb ik mijn katten uiteraard niet buiten lopen (ivm risico van ziekte oplopen), maar je kunt een Cheetoh wel buiten laten lopen.
Wees niet verbaasd als hij met regelmaat een 'kadootje' thuis komt brengen, welke soms nog in leven is.... ;-)
Uiteraard moet men er wel rekening mee houden dat een dergelijk mooie kat ook een risico loopt om gestolen te worden.
En uiteraard moet u er absoluut voor zorgen dat u de kat laat castreren/steriliseren voor hij buiten gaat lopen.
Want niet gecastreerde katers raken vaak zoek omdat ze op zoek gaan naar leuke poezen, en daar de Cheetoh een goede jager is kan hij buiten prima voor zichzelf zorgen en dus overleven zonder u.
Een Cheetoh is een erg nieuwsgierige kat die graag op onderzoek uitgaat, dus even de buitendeur op een kier en hij grijpt zijn kans.

Breed Standard:

NEW BREED – HYBRID OF OCICAT & BENGAL BREEDS: Gogees and Millwood bloodlines for the Bengals; Dalai, Auxarcs, Calocikats, and Wind Haven  bloodlines for the Ocicats.

                      
             Spotted                                                                     Rosetted

PROPOSED NAME:             Cheetoh - CT

BREED STANDARD -  CHEETOH

HEAD	30 points
Shape	5
Ears	6
Eyes	4
Muzzle	10
Nose	5

BODY	30 points
Torso	5
Size	10
Legs/Feet	5
Tail	5
Musculature	5

Coat/Color/Pattern	40 points
Texture	5
Pattern	20
Color	15

CATEGORIES:	Traditional
DIVISIONS:	Tabby, Silver, Smoke, Pointed, Marble
COLORS:	Brown/black spotted tabby – Sienna
	Carmel/Chocolate silver or ivory spotted tabby
	Brown/black spotted tabby –Gold
	Black spotted silver
	Black Marmalade (black/brown marble)
	Lynx pointed snow with gold - sable spots
	Smoke/blue spotted silver

         

HEAD:

Shape:	Broad modified wedge with curve from muzzle to cheek.  Allowance to be made for jowls in adult males.   Overall look is very similar to that of a of cougar head.
Profile:	Slight, smooth visible rise from bridge of nose to brow.  Slight dip or no dip.
Muzzle:	Full and broad, and somewhat long, but well defined.  Moderate degree of muzzle break at whisker pads.  Strong jaws with no over or under bite.
Chin:	Strong chin in proportion to muzzle.
Ears:	Moderate to large, with wide base.  Lynx tips are a bonus.  Light eyes or bars across back of ears are a bonus.
Eyes:	Large almond or slightly rounded shape, set wide apart.  All eye colors allowed with no relationship between coat and eye color except in the lynx point snow color where the eyes are a deep vivid blue.
Neck:	Arched and muscular. Proportionate to head and body.
Nose:	Large and wide.

BODY:

Torso:	Large and muscular, with depth to chest.  Back level to slightly higher in rear.  Allowance should be given for smaller size of females, in balanced proportion.
Boning:	Moderate to strong.
Musculature:	Very muscular with an athletic appearance, especially in the males. Allowance to be made for slighter musculature of the female.
Tail:	Medium length, thick with rounded end.  Some tapering allowable, but not desirable.
Legs:	Medium long, can be slightly longer in back than in front.  Well-muscled and athletic.
Feet:	Large and round with prominent knuckles. Allowance should be made for females with smaller size.

COAT:

Length:	Very short and sleek.
Texture:	Thick and close-lying; tight; and velvety to the touch.

COLOR:

  Distinctive spots covering the main part of the body, can be random or aligned.  Rosettes showing two distinct color shades of any shape are a bonus. Markings or spots allowed on legs, tail, and face and may be darker than on body. Patterns appearing on the shoulders and down the back are a bonus.  These patterns can appear as a cape on younger kittens. Clarity of contrast preferred. Ground color is lighter on the belly, and the underside of the chin and lower jaw. Bold facial markings are desired.  Belly must be spotted on all colors. Silver colors may have some bronze tarnishing on face and lower legs.

COLORS: 

Brown/black spotted tabby (gold/tan undercoat), brown/black spotted tabby (sienna undercoat), black spotted silver, lynx pointed snow, and brown/black marble tabby.  Other colors, i.e., chocolate spotted silver, cinnamon spotted silver, and cinnamon spotted ivory, black spots on black undercoat, chocolate spots on chocolate undercoat,  are allowed.  No dilutes are allowed and will not be registered as Cheetoh.

Brown/Black Spotted Tabby (sienna undercoat) –  Includes variations of sorrel, tawny, golden, hot rufus and mahogany.  Markings are shades of black, sable or tan.  A light ruddy ground color is preferred.  Light colored markings encircling the eyes and white ground color on the whisker pads, chin, chest, belly and inside legs is desirable. Black or sable colored markings and/or spots around eyes and on the face are a bonus. The nose should be dark brick red. Eye color may be bronze or gold, copper, green, brown or hazel.  Paw pads and tail tip are black.

Brown/Black Spotted Tabby (gold/tan undercoat):   The underlying coat color is very light golden tan or tan with silver highlights.  The coat can also be ticked very slightly with a mixture of black, white and shades of gray.  Spots and/or rosettes are sable brown or black in color and are and scattered over the shoulders, back, sides and haunches.  Large spots and rosettes are desirable. Black markings and/or spots on face and around eyes are a bonus.  Light colored “spectacles” around eyes are desirable. Eyes are bronze or gold, copper, green, brown or hazel.  The nose should be dark brick red.  Paw pads and tail tip are black.

Black Spotted Silver:  The overall color is a cool sparkling silver overlaid with intense black markings, spots and rosettes. Some ticking allowed, but the degree of contrast should be intense.  Black markings and/or spots on the face are desirable.  White bars across back of ears are desirable.  Gold frost or glitter can appear across the shoulders and back. Rust colored tarnishing on legs, face, head and nose is allowed.  The nose is red hued outlined with black. Eye colors are bronze or gold, copper, green, brown or hazel.  Paw pads and tail tip are black.

Lynx Pointed Snow:  The body is snow white or ivory with gray, black or sable shading on back and rump permitted. Extremities can be various shades of buff, light gray, sable, or black.  Gold, buff, sepia or mink colored spots and/or rosettes cover the entire body including the belly. Spots on legs are a bonus. The tail is black ringed with black tail tip. The face has sable or black colored markings and/or spots.  Ears are light gray or buff, with sable or black tip and lynx pointed.  White bars across back of ears are a bonus. Eyes are a deep, bright blue.  Nose is black with lighter reddish center.  Paw pads and tail tip are black. 

Black/Brown Marble Tabby:  This is a color that is both Bengal and Ocicat in origin.  Markings are definite patterns of swirls, circles, rosettes, spots, etc.  Colors include black, sable, or ivory underground, ivory or white belly that is spotted with above noted colors.  Markings that are very similar on each side, legs, and hips are highly desirable.  A definite pattern appears down the back in contrasting colors to the underground.  Tail and legs are similarly patterned as body.  White bars across back of ears are a bonus. Eye colors are bronze or gold, copper, green, brown or hazel. The nose is red hued outlined with black or sable. Paw pads are black with reddish overtone.

Chocolate or Carmel Spotted Silver or Ivory:  The underlying coat color is very light ivory or silver with overtones of sienna for the cinnamon spotted colors.  Spots and/or rosettes are sable brown or cinnamon in color and are and scattered over the shoulders, back, sides and haunches.  Large spots and rosettes are desirable. Darker markings and/or spots on face and around eyes are a bonus.  Light colored “spectacles” around eyes are desirable. Eyes are bronze or gold, copper, green, brown or hazel.  The nose should be dark brick red.  Paw pads and tail tip are brick or pink for the cinnamon spotted colors; chocolate for the chocolate spotted colors.

PATTERN:

There is an intricate “M” or “U” on the forehead with distinctive mascara markings and/or spots around the eyes and on the cheeks.  Spots and/or elongated spots and markings extend up over the head between the ears, flowing down the neck and onto the shoulders.  There can be random, but there can be distinct patterns flowing over the shoulders and onto the sides.  Large thumbprint sized spots and/or rosettes appear on the sides of the torso, with smaller markings flowing down the shoulders and hindquarters. All patterns of spots and/or rosettes allowed.  There are broken bracelets on the throat and neck and lower legs. Spots extending down legs to paws are a bonus.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The goal of the Cheetoh breeding program is to create a cat with an extraordinary wild look and an extremely docile and gentle nature.  The Cheetoh will incorporate the distinctive characteristics of both the Ocicat and the Bengal, but will have its own unique attributes which include extremely large size, unsurpassed gentleness of character, and a wild look that otherwise can be found only in the jungle.  The Cheetoh is a very muscular cat that is athletic, graceful and lithe.  This cat will have the stalking, low- shouldered walk that is common both in the Ocicat and the wild jungle cats, but is not typically exhibited in other domestic cats.  The spotted and/or rosetted appearance with the large almond eyes and ears, enhances this distinctive wild look.

The coat of the Cheetoh, sleek and shiny, is another of its distinguishing attributes.  The fur is very short and thick, yet soft and velvety and is quite similar in nature to the fur of the jungle cats.  The coat must be spotted and/or rosetted, with the exception of the black marmalade color, and may be glittered or not glittered, no preference to either.  Allowance is to be made for kittens with longer fur.

 

The Cheetoh, though demonstrating a very fierce appearance, is at all times an incredibly social and loving cat, never aloof or showing any tendencies towards aggressive or standoffish behavior.  The males exhibit definite maternal characteristics towards kittens and younger cats, never being hostile or antagonistic, a mannerism exclusive to the Ocicat and very rarely seen in other feline breeds.  The gentle and mild-mannered temperament is a dependable character trait of the Cheetoh.  This cat is also extremely intelligent and curious, often demonstrating an un-feline sense of humor.
                                                                                                                        

INTENT OF BREEDING PROGRAM:

It is the primary goal of the breeding program of the Cheetoh cat, a cross between the Bengal Cat and the Ocicat, to create a very large, muscular cat with the distinctive wild-looking spotted and rosetted appearance of the Bengal and the extraordinary docile and loving nature of the Ocicat.  This cat will be substantially different from both the Bengal and the Ocicat in that it will be significantly larger than the average Ocicat or Bengal, with weights ranging from 15-28 lbs for the males and up to 15 lbs for the females.   In appearance, the Cheetoh will have six distinct coat colors and all six, with the exception of the black marmalade, are spotted and/or rosetted.
 
In summation, the overall intent for breeding the Cheetoh is to create the wildest looking domestic cat in the feline kingdom without adding further wild blood;  to have an extremely large, sweet natured lap cat that looks like a true jungle cat, but has a completely dependable docile nature that can be trusted around anyone, especially children.