THE
OFFICIAL
AUSTRALIAN  MIST  BREED STANDARD

LAST REVISED  for the NSW CAT FANCIERS ASSOCIATION on 5-9-98

The Australian Mist is a well balanced cat of moderate foreign type, with no tendency to extremes in any characteristic. Both males and females have an open generous expression. The males may be slightly larger than the females with facial characteristics and musculature more developed. Muscle development, coat and eye colour achieve adult expression by 2 years of age.


HEAD: Head of generous proportions and comparatively broad, carried on a well defined neck. PROFILE: Nose break is concave below, convex above the line of the eyes, the two parts of the curve being of equal length. NOSE: broad, balanced by a firm chin and well developed whisker pads.
EARS: Large, wide at the base, rounded tips. Set low on the head and tilted slightly forward.		 20 POINTS
EYES: Large and lustrous, upper lid straight, lower curved; wide apart, slanting towards the nose.  10 POINTS
BODY: Medium in length, hard and muscular, heavier than it appears; chest broad and round. 
LEGS: Proportionately strong, hind legs slightly higher than forelegs. PAWS: Neat and oval. 
TAIL: Long, thick, minimal taper, well furred.		 20 POINTS
COAT TEXTURE: Short, glossy, dense and resilient. 10 POINTS
 COAT PATTERN: 
     SPOTTED
An unbroken line runs back from the corner of the eye to meet a broken line running from the corner of the mouth. Markings on the forehead form an intricate letter M, and extend as lines over the top of the head to the shoulder region. Several broken/unbroken necklaces on neck and upper chest. Spine line/s broken or unbroken, no penalty. Body markings symmetrical spots of any size or shape over sides, flanks and belly. Elongated spots, or banding on the legs permissible. Tail evenly ringed, with a solid tip. Paws may be spotted above, undersides of the pattern colour.

     MARBLED
The marbling consists of symmetrically placed patches of the darkest colour, broken internally with blotches of lighter colours, on a pale ground. Margins between ground colour and dark patches may be uneven, but should be clearly delineated. Ground colour has uneven margins along the spine.
Head: Dark lines from the corner of the eye, below the eye and below the jaw to meet mid-cheek below the ear. Markings on the forehead form a coronet with a central apex between the ears. From the coronet, four parallel lines run over the top of the head and neck. 
Body: Shoulders, sides and flanks, marbled. The flow of the pattern to be horizontal, not vertical. Dark spine- line from level of mid-point of the rib-cage to base of tail bordered by two bands of lighter colour. Belly spotted with at least two rows of rather heavy elliptical spots.
Chest: A series of broken or unbroken necklaces, or scallops which extend from the shoulder pattern.
Legs: Irregular-shaped banding on the upper legs, incomplete smaller bands and spots on the lower legs and feet. Underside of feet of darkest pattern colour, which should extend to the hocks
Tail: Dark colour above, light below. Banding on the upper surface irregular, due to extensions of pale bands from below. Seen from the side, it looks like irregular scalloping.

 15 POINTS 
CONDITION: Cats should feel firm with rounded contours. 10 POINTS

 

FAULTS:
1. Shallow long or flat skull
2. Pinched muzzle
3. Small or round eyes
4. Upright or small ears
5. Fine bones
6. Poor muscle tone
7. Whippy or visibly kinked tail
8. Woolly or sleek coat
9. Excessive shyness		 WITHHOLD FAULTS:
1. White toes
2. Blue, amber or orange eyes
3. Pattern on flanks obscured by 
overmasking (resulting in lack of definition.)

 
 
AUSTRALIAN MIST COLOUR STANDARD 15 POIN TS

EYES: Clear delicate shadings of green from chartreuse to aquamarine, the same for all coat colours .

COAT: Markings are delicate, though distinct from the paler ground, which provides a misted background. Overall colour should be rich and warm, paler on the underbody, with rufous tonings on nose, cheeks and ears present in even the palest colours. Chocolate, lilac, gold and peach  kittens are very much paler than adults, with the rufous toning dominating the body markings. Full colour is not obtained until 2 years of age.
 
 
BROWN: (Genotype AA BB/Bb/Bbl cbcb DD/Dd)
Seal brown markings against a silvery fawn to old ivory ground.
Rufous toning reddish-brown.
NOSE LEATHER: brick red, outlined in brown.
PADS: brown.		 BLUE:(Genotype AA BB/Bb/Bbl cbcb dd)
Bluish-grey markings against a dusty blue to silvery-cream ground.
Rufous toning pinkish-cream.
NOSE LEATHER: pink outlined in blue.
PADS: blue.
CHOCOLATE: (Genotype AA bb/bbl cbcb DD/Dd)
Chocolate markings against a creamy-fawn to old ivory ground.
Rufous toning reddish-gold.
NOSE LEATHER: pinkish-orange outlined in chocolate.
PADS: chocolate.		 LILAC: (Genotype AA bb/bbl cbcb dd)
Dove grey markings against a delicate mushroom to pinkish-cream ground.
Rufous toning pinkish-fawn.
NOSE LEATHER: pale pink outlined in dove grey
PADS: dusty pink.
GOLD:(Genotype AA blbl cbcb DD/Dd)
Old gold markings against a rich cream ground.
Rufous tonings on ear tips, nose, underside of paws and tail tip intensify the colour to bronze.
NOSE LEATHER: pinkish-orange outlined in bronze.
PADS: pink.		 PEACH: (Genotype AA blbl cbcb dd)
Pinkish-salmon markings against a pinkish-cream ground. Ear tips, top of head and back brushed with a faint lilac bloom.
Rufous tonings salmon pink.
NOSE LEATHER: pale pink, outlined in salmon pink.
PADS: pink

TO SEE EXAMPLES  OF EACH  COLOUR IN BOTH THE SPOTTED AND MARBLED  PATTERN CLICK ON THE COLOUR NAME.
New photographs of some colours and patterns will replace  current illustrations from time to time
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