Updated: 24 April, 2011

We are now entering a new phase at Emmel Tonkinese, with our new generation of up-and-coming studs coming of age. We eagerly look forward to the next generation of Emmel kittens.

We are very excited about a new Tonkinese bloodline we have created by mating Stormberg New Beginnings of Emmel, a Siamese of Canadian bloodlines, with one of the best Burmese bloodlines in Chattan The Grey Douglas. Rhani (the Siamese) is not as extreme as some of the modern Siamese and we are hoping she will produce some stunning kittens. These should be here soon.

For many years, along with Ellaben Tonkinese, we have tried to increase the genetic diversity of a very small genepool of Tonkinese in Australia. Along with imports from NZ, UK and Canada, we have tried to access bloodlines from across Australia, as well as spreading our genes to other breed programs around Australia.

Here at Emmel Tonkinese, we strive to breed what we consider to be true Australian Tonkinese. We have done this by using old Australian bloodlines, mixed with imported lines from the US, UK and NZ.

No breeder will ever breed the perfect cat, simply by breeding a Siamese to a Burmese (the 2 parental breeds that were used to recreate the Tonkinese). If it was this easy, then every breeder who bred a Siamese to a Burmese would have identical Tonkinese kittens. As such, we have combined the US Tonkinese with old Australian bloodlines. Also, UK and NZ cats we have outcrossed to Burmese in order to improve type, so that they are Australian Tonkinese – not US, UK or NZ.

Some wonder why we have outcrossed to Burmese – which was an allowable outcross by the Australian Cat Federation. The reason they allowed it as an outcross is that the Burmese was developed from an original Tonkinese crossed with a Siamese. It is thought that the Siamese, Tonkinese and Burmese were in fact the 3 coat patterns of the ONE breed (See History of Tonkinese for more information). Therefore, by using Burmese, we are simply adding more desirable attributes to improve type, rather than it being more one breed than the other.

Some breeders, either through ignorance or some other reason, have feared that the introduction of our US lines means that we have the terrible Lethal Cranial gene in our lines. This is NOT CORRECT.

The Lethal Cranial gene is apparent in the US Contemporary Burmese. Very few Tonkinese lines in the US have used the Contemporary Burmese, and those lines are carefully monitored in the US. We are in regular contact with US Tonkinese experts who monitor these lines and they have assured us that the imported US lines we use are CLEAR of any Contemporary Burmese and therefore, CLEAR of the LETHAL CRANIAL gene.

We are part of a small but very dedicated, and very experienced, band of breeders who strive to breed TRUE AUSTRALIAN TONKINESE.

Leia (Emmel Princess Leia) and Hermione (Emmel Lady H) have retired to Melbourne. They are pictured below a couple of hours after their flight down.

We are very grateful to Priscilla for giving them a loving, forever pet-home.

Click here to go to our Kittens For Sale page.

The Future

We are now going through a period of redevelopment with our breed program. Some of the older females, as well as the males, are being replaced with the new up and coming generations.

We are starting to rehome some of our older girls and continuing with the new generation of Emmel Tonkinese. If you are interested in giving one of our ex queens or studs a loving home, please email us.

Reserve the purrrfect cat for you NOW by emailing me to avoid disappointment.