Felis catus
Australian Mist Longhair
The Australian Mist Longhair is the longhaired division of the Australian Mist, Australia's only domestically developed pedigree cat breed. TICA and the Australian Cat Federation recognize both coat-length divisions. The standard describes a medium-sized cat with a distinctive misted spotting or marbling pattern and a soft, silky semi-long coat.
Quick facts
- Origin country
- Australia
- Origin period
- Breed developed by Dr. Truda Straede from 1975; original name 'Spotted Mist'; renamed Australian Mist 1998; TICA championship 2014
- Coat type
- Long
- Coat colors
- Brown spotted, Blue spotted, Chocolate spotted, Lilac spotted, Gold spotted, Caramel spotted, Peach spotted, Brown marbled, Blue marbled, Chocolate marbled, Lilac marbled
- Size category
- Medium
- Average lifespan
- 12–16 years
- Recognition
- TICA 2014
Origin
The Australian Mist is Australia's only domestically developed cat breed, created by Dr. Truda Straede in Sydney from 1975. The foundation used approximately nine generations of selective crossing of Burmese, Abyssinian, and random-bred domestic shorthairs to achieve the characteristic misted spotting or marbling pattern against a warm background. The breed was renamed Australian Mist in 1998 when marbled patterns were added. TICA granted championship in 2014; the longhair division recognized by both TICA and the Australian Cat Federation.
Standard
The TICA standard describes a medium-sized, well-proportioned, rounded cat with a broad, rounded head and large expressive eyes in a range of warm colours. The coat pattern is either spotted or marbled, always against a warm, misted background — the distinctive 'mist' comes from the ticked undercoat showing through. The longhair division has a semi-long, silky coat with the same pattern, a full ruff, and a plumed tail. Seven colour classes are recognized in both spotted and marbled patterns.
GCCF Recognition
In addition to TICA (championship 2014) and the Australian Cat Federation, the GCCF in the UK recognized the Australian Mist in 2011. This makes the Australian Mist one of the few non-British, non-Continental breeds recognized by the GCCF, reflecting the UK's historical ties with Australia and the efforts of UK breeders who imported the breed from Australian foundation stock. The GCCF recognition covers both shorthair and longhair coat-length classes.
Sources & further reading (2)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-27
- registry-breed-profile — accessed 2026-05-27
Frequently asked questions
What creates the 'mist' in the Australian Mist's coat?
The distinctive misted background comes from the Abyssinian's ticking gene interacting with the spotted or marbled pattern from the Burmese/domestic foundation. The agouti ticking produces a warm, stippled background through which the spots or marbling are visible, giving the coat a soft, diffused appearance rather than sharp contrast.
Is the Australian Mist recognized outside Australia?
Yes. TICA granted championship status to the Australian Mist in 2014, making it internationally competitive. The breed is also recognized by the GCCF in the UK. FIFe and CFA do not currently recognize the breed.
Does the Australian Mist exist in any colour other than those listed?
The seven recognized colours — brown, blue, chocolate, lilac, gold, caramel, and peach — cover the full range of Burmese-derived base colours on the Australian Mist's ticked Abyssinian background. TICA and the Australian Cat Federation currently do not accept additional colours beyond these seven in either spotted or marbled pattern. The colour range reflects the Burmese, Abyssinian, and domestic shorthair foundation of the breed.
