Suphalak
The Suphalak is a rare Thai cat with a solid copper coat, historically linked to the Tamra Maew manuscripts and currently being revived as a distinct breed.
The Suphalak is a rare, solid copper-colored cat from Thailand, described in ancient manuscripts as a symbol of wealth. Its rarity stems from a specific genetic combination that is difficult to reproduce naturally, and it is currently the subject of an active breeding program to distinguish it from the Burmese breed.
History and the legend of the copper cat
The Suphalak, also known as Thong Daeng or "copper," appears in the Tamra Maew, a collection of historical Thai manuscripts dating back to the Ayutthaya Kingdom between 1351 and 1767. These texts describe the cat as being as rare as gold, with a legend suggesting that the Burmese King Hsinbyushin ordered his army to steal all Suphalaks during the sack of Ayutthaya in 1767 because owning one promised wealth. This story serves as a humorous but plausible explanation for the breed's extreme scarcity in modern times.
For decades, the Suphalak was often conflated with the sable Burmese cat, an American and European breed developed from a single female named Wong Mau. While the Burmese expresses a colorpoint gene that creates dark extremities, the true Suphalak is a solid chocolate self with no dark points. The confusion persisted until breeders realized the ancient poems described a cat with reddish skin and paw pads, a trait absent in the standard Burmese.
Genetics and the difficulty of resurrection
Genetically, the Suphalak is a chocolate self cat, requiring two recessive alleles for brown color (b) and the dominant allele for full color (C). This specific combination is rare in the wild population of Thai temple cats, making random occurrences uncommon. The primary obstacle to reviving the breed is not just finding a cat with the right color, but finding one with the correct underlying genetics without the influence of the colorpoint gene.
Efforts to resurrect the breed faced significant hurdles. For years, only one male, Samsen, was available for breeding at the Thai Cat Preservation Center. Even with dedicated breeding programs, reproducing the exact phenotype proved difficult because the solid copper chocolate trait is so scarce that many cats with the color were overlooked or misidentified as standard Burmese. It was not until the establishment of the International Maew Boran Association (TIMBA) in 2014 that a systematic search and genetic testing program began.
Physical characteristics and breed standards
The defining feature of the Suphalak is its coat, which must be a rich, even shade of warm brown, often compared to the pulp of the tamarind fruit. Unlike the sable Burmese, which can have dark points, the Suphalak shows no tabby markings and has a uniform color from nose to tail. The breed standard specifies a medium-sized, muscular body with a modified wedge head that is neither extreme nor overly rounded.
Distinctive physical markers include brown whiskers, a rosy-brown nose leather, and light brown paw pads with a pink tone. The eyes are a bright yellow or gold, described in the ancient texts as shining like sun rays. These features collectively create a cat that looks distinct from the Burmese, which typically has dark points and a different head structure.
Temperament and behavior
Like other heritage Thai cats, the Suphalak is notably people-oriented, intelligent, and affectionate. They are active and playful, often exhibiting dog-like behaviors such as following their owners around and demanding attention. They do not tolerate being left alone for long periods and are communicative, making them engaging companions for owners who can dedicate time to their social needs.
Current status and health
As a newly developing breed, there are no known breed-specific health issues for the Suphalak. However, like all domestic cats, they remain susceptible to common genetic diseases that affect the general population. The breed is currently in a critical phase of development, with a small number of foundation cats in active breeding programs in Thailand and the United States.
The first Suphalak to be exported from Thailand was a female named Thonga, who was imported to the US in 2013. Her offspring marked a milestone as the first Suphalaks born outside of Thailand, proving that the breed can be successfully established internationally. Today, the breed is recognized by the American Cat Association, and efforts continue to expand the gene pool while preserving the unique copper phenotype described in the ancient texts.