Each cat organization has established a standard for each breed. The world’s largest cat organization is FiFE and therefore we have chosen to present their standard in the first place. We have also chosen to describe the standard developed by CFA. It is through reading and interpreting the standard that breeders can understand how the ideal for what an Ocicat should look like to be perfect.

FiFE breed standard

General

Appearance : The Ocicat is a medium to large, well-spotted agouti cat of moderate type. It displays the look of an athletic animal, well muscled and solid, graceful and lithe, yet with a fullness of body and chest. It is alert to its surroundings and shows great vitality.
This powerful athletic, yet graceful, spotted cat is particularly noted for its ”wild appearance”.
Size Medium to large.

Head: Shape The skull is a modified wedge showing a slight curve from the muzzle to the cheeks, with a visible, but gentle rise from the bridge of the nose to the brow.

Muzzle: Broad and well defined with a suggestion of squareness and in profile shows good length.

Chin/Jaw: Strong with a firm jaw with a proper bite.

Whisker pad :The moderate whisker pinch is not to severe.

Ears Shape: Alert, moderately large.
When present ear tufts extending vertically from the tips of the ears are a bonus.
Placement Set so as to corner the upper, outside dimensions of the head.
If an imaginary horizontal line is drawn across the brow the ears should be set at 45° angle, i.e. neither too high nor to low.

Eyes Shape: Large, almond in shape, and angled slightly upwards towards the ears, with more than the length of an eye between the eyes.

Color: All eye colors except blue are allowed.
There is no correspondence between the eye color and the coat color.
Intensive color is preferred.

Neck: The head is carried gracefully on an arched neck.

Body: Structure Rather long-bodied, solid, with depth and fullness but never coarse. Substantial bone and muscle development,                yet with an athletic appearance.
There should be some depth of chest with ribs slightly sprung.
The back is level to slightly higher on the rear, and the flanks are reasonably level.

Legs: Medium long, of good substance and well muscled, powerful and in good proportion to the body.

Paws: Oval and compact, with size proportion to the legs.

Tail: Fairy long, medium slim with only a slight taper and with a darker tip.

Coat: Structure Short, smooth and satiny in texture with a lustrous sheen; tight, close lying and sleek, yet long enough to                            accommodate the necessary bands of color.
There should be no suggestions of woolliness and length.

*Color : All colors should be clear and pleasing.
The lightest color is usually found on the face around the eyes, on the chin and lower jaw. The darkest color is found on the tip of the tail.
Contrast is scored separately.

*Ticking:
All hairs except the tip of the tail are banded. Within the markings hairs are tipped with a darker color, while hairs in the ground color are tipped with a lighter color.
Markings:
Distinctive markings should be clearly seen from any orientation. Those on the face, legs and tail may be darker than those on the torso. Ground color may be darker on the saddle and lighter on the underside, chin and lower jaw.
Penalties should be given if spotting is faint and blurred, though it must be remembered that pale colors will show less contrast than dark ones.
For darker varieties refer to following tables.

*Pattern:
The pattern is that of a spotted cat, for the general description of the spotted pattern refer to the General Part. Here only the features of the pattern which are characteristic of this breed are described.

The markings on the head are the same as for spotted cats.
There are broken necklaces on the throat and broken bracelets on the lower legs – the more broken the better.

Rows of round spots run along the spine from the shoulder blades to the tail.

Spots are scattered across the shoulders and hindquarters, extending as far as possible down the legs.

Large well-scattered thumbprint shaped spots appear on the sides of the torso, with a subtle suggestion of a classic tabby pattern – a spot circled by spots in place of the bull’s eye.

CFA breed Standard
There is an intricate tabby ”M” on the forehead, with markings extending up over the head between the ears and breaking into small spots on the lower neck and shoulders.
Mascara markings are found around the eyes and on cheeks.
Rows of round spots run along the spine from shoulder blades totail.

The tail has horizontal brush strokes down the top, ideally alternating with spots, and a dark tip.
Spots are scattered across the shoulders and hindquarters, extending as far as possible down the legs.
There are broken bracelets on the lower legs and broken necklaces at the throat – the more broken the better.
Large well-scattered, thumbprint-shaped spots appear on the sides of the torso, with a subtle suggestion of a classic tabby pattern – a spot circled by spots in place of the bull’s eye.
The belly is also well spotted.
The eyes are rimmed with the darkest coat color and surrounded by the lightest color.
Penalties should be given for elongated spots following a mackerel pattern.
Remarks
The Ocicat is medium to large in size; it should be noted that females are generally smaller than males.
An allowance is made for jowls in mature males.
The Ocicat should have surprising weight for its size.
The overall structure and quality of this cat should be of greater consideration than merely the size alone.
Preference is given to the athletic, powerful and lithe, and objections made to the bulky or coarse.
No reds, creams or torbies are allowed. Very rufous cinnamon and fawns may resemble red or cream, but never produce female torbies.

Faults

Body
Bulky and coarse.
Coat
Faint and blurred markings
Elongated spots following a mackerel pattern

Disqualification

Eyes

Blue eyes
Coat

White locket or spotting
White anywhere other than around the eyes, nostrils, chin and upper throat – except white agouti ground in silver colors.