The Toyger cat breed was created by Judy Sugden to resemble a miniature tiger.
Sugden began developing the breed in the United States in the 1980s. She selected domestic cats with particular striped patterns and worked toward a companion cat with a tiger-like appearance, including bold vertical striping and a long, low-slung body.
The name Toyger combines “toy” with “tiger.” Despite its wild-looking pattern, the Toyger is a domestic breed and does not descend from a tiger. Its development focused on appearance using domestic cats.
The Toyger is sometimes confused with the Bengal or the Ocicat because all three can have dramatic markings. Bengals generally have spotted or marbled coats, Ocicats have spotted coats, and Toygers are specifically associated with tiger-like striping.