Australian Mist cat breed profile. Photo: Regis2007 via Wikipedia creative commons
Australian Mist cat classification
The Australian Mist Cat is classed as Group 3 (AUM) by the Australian Cat Federation (ACF).
Australian Mist cat history
This breed was developed by Truda Straede in Australia beginning in 1975. The breed was developed by crossing the Burmese, Abyssinian, and miscellaneous domestic short-haired cats to create a short-haired cat with a spotted coat. The name was changed from “Spotted Mist” to “Australian Mist” in 1998, when cats with marbled coats, rather than spots, were accepted as part of the breed.
The Australian Mist is the only breed of cat which has originated entirely in Australia.
Australian Mist cat physical characteristics
The general shape of the Australian Mist is like that of a well-balanced domestic cat. The coat is short but dense and soft like that of a Burmese. The pattern is made up of darker spots on a lighter, ‘misted’ ground. The colour of the spots determines the colour of the cat as the background colour is always a creamy, mushroom shade and very subtle. The colours which have already been named are brown, blue, chocolate, and lilac, gold and peach.
Australian Mists normally weigh between 4kgs for females and up to 7kgs for males.
Australian Mist cat personality traits
A personality-plus breed with a penchant for fun, the Australian Mist thrives on human companionship. Tolerant of even the youngest of children, these friendly felines enjoy playing games and being part of the hustle and bustle of a busy household. They make entertaining companions for people of all ages.
They are extremely alert and attentive. Super athletes, they are possessed of limitless energy and a cheeky, inquisitive nature. With an independent, intelligent and self-assured attitude, these cats know exactly what they want out of life – and how to go about getting it!
Having an Australian mist as a pet is very safe. These cats are not ferocious and rarely run after birds or rats. Since they prefer staying home around humans, threats from other predators are not applicable.
Note: All cats are individuals. While there is a great difference between cat breeds there is also a difference in temperament within breeds. Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialisation.
Australian Mist cat care
Diet – No special diet is required, except you should provide your cat with a well-balanced diet and bearing in mind that Australian Mists do not tolerate carbohydrates. Today, you have a choice of what type of cat food to feed your cat – raw, dry or canned. And like all cats, it is important to keep the Australian Mist cat well hydrated by providing fresh water daily.
It should be noted that Australian Mist cats do enjoy snacking and eating quite a bit, so they are prone to obesity. Owners should take care to feed the appropriate foods in the right amounts to prevent these cats from gaining too much weight.
Grooming – In terms of grooming requirements, the Australian Mists’ short coats don’t need much maintenance. A quick brush once a week is usually enough.
Shedding – Australian Mists shed moderately.
Exercise and Games – There is a range of games that all cats should enjoy both inside and outside. Such games involve waving feather wand toys or other cat toys that require the cat to leap in the air and try to capture the flying object; hide and seek, pouncing, jumping and scrunching soft toys and paper are all worthwhile activities, remembering that cats have more energy to play at the beginning and end of each day.
Play with your cat twice a day for 15 minutes ideally around the same time each day. Here are some further ideas to entertain your cat and 10 tips to keep your cat happy.
Australian Mist cat health issues
Australian Mists are prone to gingivitis, it is, therefore, important to maintain their dental hygiene. This can include a good quality dry food or dental diet (along with soft food); dental chews or even brushing their teeth if they will let you! Regular veterinary dental checkups are a good idea as they may also require dental cleans (descale and polish under a general anaesthetic).
Experience to date is that Australian Mists live to an average of 12 years of age.
Talk to a veterinarian about the health issues for this cat breed.
Australian Mist cat suitability
Their tendency to crawl into the nearest lap with or without invitation and to constantly hang around to see what people are up to makes them excellent companions for home workers or the elderly.
Desexed cats and kittens fit in easily with all sorts of cats and dogs. These qualities create a truly companionable pet for any household and lifestyle, an Australian Mist will quickly become a member of the family.
The short close lying coat of the Australian Mist does not require much grooming although they do appreciate the attention that comes with it.
Always supervise interaction between a young child or other animals and your new kitten/adult cat! Find out more about creating smooth introductions in our Paw Perfect Introductions podcast with renowned animal behaviourist Dr Joanne Righetti.
More details on the Australian Mist cat breed
Australian Mist Cat Association (UK)
Cat adoption in Australia
Visit www.petrescue.com.au for a listing of cats and dogs available for adoption Australia wide.