The Traditional Cat Association, Inc.©¹⁹⁸⁷®^TM Official Website
Founded 1987, by Diana L. Fineran 

THE NINLARET FAQs 

Q: What is the History of the NINLARAT?

A: A cat with black fur, teeth, eyes, claws, and tongue really sounds rare. So rare in fact that they can not be located in their native Thailand today by the contacts I have made. Some say it is extinct. Others say it may never have existed. Still others believe they might be found in a remote locale. To cover our bases, just in case a Ninlaret surfaces, I have written a Breed Standard for this cat from the drawings and written texts of the Cat Book Poems. With so much documentation to back up their existence, I wrote this Breed Standard for the most genetically plausible version of the Thai description. We know the Chow dog has a black tongue, so perhaps that could be possible in a cat.

From the "Cat Book Poems" (as translated in Martin Clutterbuck's book "The Legend of Siamese Cats", e-mail: martin@amanuensis.th.com.  To order contact Martin at 
62/35 Soi Rung Petch 
Bangkhunn ond Bangkok Noi
Bangkok Thailand 10700 )

"As the name the breed-dark sapphire
Perfect shiny black form
Teeth, eyes, claws, tongue, black as the body
And tapering tail to the end, running back to touch the
Head."

ALSO:

"One named fine sapphire, entirely, claws and tongue fine black
Whichever cat you meet, black as they say, must be looked after
It will bring you all, retainers and food in ample amounts
With power, happiness, and welfare against danger."

ALSO:

"All black over the body, tongue, teeth, replete,
claws, eyes and face all, as ink poured bright
Raise it and do well-a rich man of great wealth
Grand to men and women, with an auspicious "black jewel"
(Ninrat)."

ALSO:

"The second feline entails rank, completely black all over
the body, claws, tongue, teeth and eyes well black, named
Ninlarat (black sapphire). No other colour interrupts, who
Feeds it will be ministers, big men of high office, everything of
Nourishment, long life and cool happiness."

ALSO:

Completely black throughout, all the body
black eyes shine, all over even
black tongue and all teeth
all ten claws black, excellent sapphire."

ALSO:

"Any cat of eye and tongue fine black
Fur and claws are black all over
Ninlarat is the cat's regular name
Highest rank comes to anyone."

ALSO:

"Any cat all black, all fine and perfect in dignity
claws, tongue and teeth black is the gleaming sapphire (Ninlarat)
Whoever cares for it will do well, a rich man and an elder
All black, so fine and clear, the auspicious name Nina rat
Whoever cares for it will get results, fortune and everything."

Courtesy of  Martin Clutterbuck.