Why choose an Australian Mist Cat?


Many people ask us what sort of temperament the Australian Mist Cat has and how they are different from other cats. One is often tempted to say: “they are just different!”

This is a way of summing up a cat which is complex in its nature, an extrovert in temperament and so loving and loyal, so interactive, so wanting just to be with you, that you might mistake it for a dog!

In fact it is just those qualities which found us choosing the Australian Mist as the breed of cat to spend our and time with. The background breeds of the Australian Mist (Burmese, Abyssinian and Australian Domestic Shorthair - also known as a “Tabby” cat) all provide their own unique behaviours and contribute to the temperament of the Australian Mist. The various behaviours one experiences with Mists are embedded in the breed, as we soon found out when kitten after kitten displayed the same antics, mischievous traits and abilities, at the same age as we had experienced those with our first Mists, our Queens, ‘Tilda and Ellie.

Mists do need a degree of activity – an indoor environment in which to live permanently is a necessity, but also appreciated is a safe outdoor area accessible from the house. Mists love to interact from a safe vantage point with the garden and birds, so developing a safe outdoor enclosure for your Australian Mist will enhance kitty’s life immeasurably. This not only also helps to occupy their time but we believe, to balance their souls as “cats”, without the difficulties which come with having an outside cat: wondering where your cat is, whether he will make it home tonight, or what danger he has become embroiled in, away from the safety of home.

So we often feel that a Mist makes a home complete! Whilst we had had domestic shorthaired cats before, we were always also devoted big dog people but then, life took a hand in forcing the issue and we found we needed to downsize our pets and change species. So we had in mind, when choosing Australian Mists cats, that we wanted a dog in a cat’s body - a “Cog” as we called them so transferring our primary interests and expectations from dogs to cats. We can happily say that the Australian Mist cat fits the criteria to a “C”.

We feel that the Australian Mist Cat is an ideal companion for those who are would-be dog owners - all this without needing to take the dog for a walk or spend time bathing, grooming and attending to the doggie needs of that species. In all, the Australian Mist cat – a wonderful animal which may well be a species all of its own??