The Supurr Australian Mist was created by a Sydney ecologist, Dr. Truda Straede of Nintu Cattery who developed the breed from the idea to full register over ten years from 1976.  Sound husbandry and selection, combined with the perseverance of the experimental breeders has led to a pleasingly uniform, but genetically broad-based population of cats which are now recognised Australia-wide.

    The latest development is the change of name to Australian Mist from the original Spotted Mist. This took place in June 1998 after the development of a new pattern- the Marbled Mist- from recessive genes carried in the Spotted Mist. It has the same colours and characteristics as the Spotted Mist but has a tabby pattern instead of spots.

    The breed has a large gene pool of over 30 foundation cats. Half were Burmese and a quarter were Abyssinian with the final quarter Domestic Tabbies. Burmese contributed the dilution of colours, the "laid-back" temperament, four of the colours and some spotting as well as general size and conformation. From the Abyssinians came the beautiful ticking to develop the spots, two more colours, and a touch of lively intelligence. Domestic tabbies contributed to the best spots but primarily to vigour, with a dose of "uncossetted" cat genes improving teeth, kidneys, mothering qualities, and helping to stabilise litter sizes around the feline average of four.

    There is nothing extreme about the Australian Mist; they are of moderate size, medium boned, rounded of head, with large eyes and ears. The coat is short but resilient, the tail is plumply furred. The colours are warm brown, blue, chocolate, lilac, gold and peach; the pattern is of delicate spots against a misty ground, with legs and tail ringed and barred, and the face lined. Eyes are large and expressive in a range of greens. The nose, chin and whisker pads are broad giving the face a generous expression.

    They make excellent mothers, are moderate breeders, and superlative studs.

    Temperament is such that many males are able to live in small groups with other males.  Desexed cats, females and kittens fit in easily with all sorts of other cats, being neither aggressive toward them, nor allowing themselves to be upset by the unfriendliness of others. Less frequent calling and later maturation of both males and females is being selected for, in an attempt to increase the pleasure of the small breeder, and to control the rate of growth of the population.

    Their people-centredness contributes to their willingness to remain indoors between dusk and dawn or to be wholly indoor pets. This is an essential characteristic for Australia where some Governments have placed curfews on cats in order to protect native wildlife. While it is not possible to alter the inherent behaviours which enable the cat to hunt, these characteristics can be redirected towards interacting with people. Selection will continue to enhance these qualities further, creating a truly companionable pet, which quickly becomes a member of the family.