Toyger

• Bathing: Toygers rarely need baths, and breeders recommend bathing only occasionally, if at all. Grooming wipes like the HICC PET Deodorizing Glove Wipe can be an alternative to a full bath if their fur becomes oily, which can happen as cats age.
• Brushing: Brushing your cat about once a week will help remove loose fur, which means less hair around your home and fewer hairballs. A two-sided brush like the Frisco Cat & Dog Combo Brush has round-tipped pins to reach through a Toyger’s dense fur and soft bristles to smooth the coat and distribute natural oils.
• Nail trimming: Cats need nail trims every two to three weeks. Start the routine early and offer positive reinforcement, like Churu treats.
• Ear cleaning: Cleaning your cat’s ears isn’t typically necessary unless your vet recommends it, but it’s still a good idea to watch for signs of infection or parasites. Signs of ear infections in cats include head-shaking, pawing at the ears, or a foul smell from one or both ears, while signs of ear mites include dark debris that looks like coffee grounds.
• Dental care: Aim to brush your cat’s teeth daily with cat-safe toothpaste. As with your own dental care, this can help prevent tartar and plaque buildup, which can lead to gingivitis and dental disease.
  • You can also ask your vet about a dental diet, like Hill’s Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care, which helps remove buildup as your cat chews. For any feline dental product, look for a Seal of Acceptance from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC).

Your tiny tiger’s diet isn’t that different from a wild cat’s: It’s meat-based, as all cats are obligate carnivores.

Look for a nutritional adequacy statement on the label saying the food meets the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutritional recommendations for cats, and check that it’s appropriate for your cat’s life stage: kitten, adult, or all life stages, which can be fed from kittenhood into adulthood. 

As your Toyger kitten grows and eventually enters their senior years, you may consider switching to a senior diet. They’re often formulated with more omega fatty acids, contain fewer calories, or have more fiber. 

Your vet can help you choose the best cat food for your Toyger.

Wild cats tend to eat many small meals throughout the day, and domestic cats still prefer smaller meals, too. Your vet can help you determine how many calories your cat needs each day, which you can split into two or more meals.

Serve their meals in a bowl, a puzzle feeder, on a lick mat, or a combination of these to keep mealtimes fun and engaging.

Toygers don’t need quite as much exercise as their Bengal relatives, but they’re still more active than laid-back breeds like the British Shorthair. Cullen describes them as “fairly energetic, but flexible about how they use that energy.”

A favorite way to burn it off? Cruz and Cullen both recommend a cat exercise wheel, and Cruz suggests tall cat trees, ideally about 6 feet, for climbing.

Toygers are also incredibly bright. And because of their love of hanging out with their humans, they tend to be eager to learn new tricks. Some even figure things out on their own: Cullen says some of her Toygers have taught themselves fetch.

Some Toygers might even enjoy adventures outside the home, like exploring on a harness and leash or going for stroller rides.

When it comes to a Toyger’s environment, one of the most important fixtures is you. They can do well with families or people living on their own, as long as they get plenty of time with their humans. If you’re away for long stretches, a feline friend could help keep them company.

To protect your furniture, give your Toyger plenty of scratching posts and cat trees, and keep their nails trimmed.

A catio (an enclosed outdoor patio for cats) is a great way to safely give your Toyger access to fresh air and new sights and smells. Bonus points if there’s a chair in it for you! After all, to a Toyger, life is better when it’s shared with their favorite human.