The Ocicat was recognized for CFA registration in 1966, but issues in Mrs. Daly's personal life meant it took another twenty years to develop the breed and gain the support for provisional status. The Ocicat was advanced to championship status May 1987. Since then, several have achieved National and Regional wins, or Grand Championship status, and many more have gained championships. They can now be seen at most shows, and a few Ocicats have been exported to other countries where their popularity and numbers are increasing dramatically.

Originally, there was tremendous controversy about the genetics of inheritance associated with the spotted pattern. In the earlier days of the cat fancy, when life was simpler, all patterned cats were believed to display one of the three tabby patterns: ticked (Aby), mackerel (tiger striped), or classic (blotched or bull's eye).It was thought then that spotting had occured as a separate pattern. However, further investigation has revealed that spotting is simply a modifier of the underlying pattern. In the case of the Ocicat, that underlying pattern is that of a classic tabby. Mackerel tabbies were eliminated from the breed early on, as they did not produce the desired spot size (the mackerel tabby has narrow striping). The spotted pattern of the Ocicat, at least on the better examples of the breed, is consequently notedly different from other spotted breeds or varieties. It is more dramatic, and generally shows off the bullseye found in the classic pattern. Selective breeding has moved this pattern forward to create a cat with lovely pattern and dramatic color.

Ocicats come in many colors, all those colors associated with the two foundation breeds: tawny (ruddy), chocolate, cinnamon, blue, lavender, fawn, plus silver, ebony silver, chocolate silver, cinnamon silver, blue silver, lavender silver, and fawn silver from the American Shorthair.