Vietnamese domestic cat (mèo ta)

A large 2008 genetic study compared cats from around the world, including 20 random-bred cats sampled in Vietnam. It found that Asian cats split off early and developed in relative isolation. It also found that Southeast Asian breeds such as the Siamese and Korat cluster closely with the Vietnamese cats ^[2]. In other words, the everyday mèo ta belongs to the same regional gene pool that gave the world some of its best-known pedigree breeds.

We haven't found a reliable source for when cats first arrived in Vietnam. We'll update this page if one turns up.

The Year of the Cat

Most countries that follow the lunar zodiac celebrate the Year of the Rabbit. Vietnam celebrates the Year of the Cat instead ^[3][5]. There's no official explanation, but researchers offer a few theories:

• The zodiac term "Mão" (卯) sounds like mèo, the Vietnamese word for cat ^[3][4].
• Cats were prized by rice farmers for catching rats ^[5].
• Rabbits were simply never common in Vietnam ^[3].

Older Vietnamese texts do mention the rabbit, so exactly when the switch happened remains a mystery ^[4].

With no breed standard, there's no "correct" mèo ta. Most are short-haired. Vietnamese owners often name them by coat: mướp (tabby), vàng (ginger), mun (solid black), white, bicolour and tam thể (calico) ^[1]. Size and weight vary with the individual, diet and lifestyle.

Personality depends on the individual cat, how much it was handled as a kitten, and where it lives. Some are lap cats, others are fiercely independent. We deliberately don't describe a "breed temperament" here, because there's no evidence for one.

A mèo ta needs what any cat needs: age-appropriate food, fresh water, a clean litter tray, scratching posts, toys and places to climb. International Cat Care notes that indoor-only cats are less exposed to traffic and to infections caught from other cats ^[8], so consider keeping your cat indoors or giving it supervised outdoor time. Whatever you choose, iCatCare recommends microchipping, neutering, vaccination and routine worm and flea treatment ^[8]. See our Cat care guides for more.

No inherited disease is documented as specific to mèo ta as a group, but they can get any common feline illness. A UK study of almost 8,000 cats found that cats that weren't neutered, and cats that were too thin or overweight, had shorter lives ^[7]. We don't yet have lifespan data for cats in Vietnam.

For any specific health concern, talk to your veterinarian.

Don't confuse with… A mèo ta isn't a British Shorthair or a Siamese. Those are pedigree breeds with written standards, even though plenty of mèo ta happen to share their coat colours.

• Vietnam is one of very few places with a Year of the Cat in its zodiac ^[3][5].
• Southeast Asian pedigree breeds are genetically close to random-bred cats sampled in Vietnam ^[2].