Breed History
Named the national cat of Australia because it is the first cat to originate from that country, the Australian Mist is difficult to find in other parts of the world, though some breeders have tried to introduce the breed to the United Kingdom. There are very few registered Australian Mists in the United States, and there aren’t any breeders there either.
This breed was produced by Dr. Truda Straede in 1977 in order to create a cat that would be happy to live a life completely indoors. The goal was to produce a new feline breed that would be quite mellow as well, especially since there were so many feral cats attacking native wildlife in Australia.
The Australian Mist was born from an original set of 30 cats that primarily consisted of Burmese, Abyssinian, and Domestic Shorthair breeds. At first, the Australian Mist was called the Spotted Mist, but the name was later changed in 1998 in order to accommodate the variety of coat patterns that this breed could exhibit.
The Australian Mist is a breed with a really great personality that any cat owner will love.
Breed Traits
The Australian Mist is a breed with a really great personality that any cat owner will love. These felines are a mix of the affectionate dispositions of Burmese cats, the intelligence of Abyssinians, and the energy of the Domestic Shorthair. They are also even-tempered, love a life indoors, and enjoy being around people because they thrive on human attention. It has also been noted that this breed takes interest in a variety of human activities, including music.
It should be noted that these cats do enjoy snacking and eating quite a bit, so they are prone to obesity. Pet parents should take care to feed the appropriate foods in the right amounts to prevent these cats from gaining too much weight.
Australian Mists are lively as kittens but will calm down quite a bit once they reach maturity. They are great for families with children, including young children, because they are patient, tolerate being handled, enjoy the attention, and are typically not inclined to scratch. And because they enjoy interacting with people, they do well with children who can play with them, as well as adults who can snuggle with them.
Overall Description
The Australian Mist features an average sized body. They are medium boned and have a round head, large ears, and large round eyes that are usually a shade of green. The tail is plump with fur, and their coat pattern is either marbled or spotted against what is referred to as a misty background. The legs and the tail are also barred and ringed, and the face is lined as well. These cats also have a great facial expression because they have a broad chin, broad whisker pads, and a broad nose.
Colors
The Australian Mist comes in a variety of colors and can feature a spotted or marbled pattern throughout its coat. It can be found in seven colors, in particular, which include peach, gold, lilac, chocolate, caramel, blue, and brown.
Grooming Requirements
Another great feature of the Australian Mist is the fact that it sports a short-haired, glossy coat that is easy to maintain and sheds only moderately. A weekly brushing should be sufficient to keep the skin and coat shiny, soft, and healthy.
Photo credit: Angus.L/Flickr; Rodrigo/Flickr
