American Bobtail Personality and Temperament
The American bobtail cat is renowned for its friendly, almost doglike personality as well as its wild appearance. This incredible cat does have wild ancestors, but it's behavior is purely domesticated.
American bobtail cats are highly intelligent, with a reputation for being talkative. They are known to develop wide vocabularies that include a variety of meows, chirps, and purrs.
Despite the American bobtail's wild ancestry, members of the breed are known to develop strong bonds with their human families. In addition, they have a reputation for getting along very well with other pets.
American bobtails aren't just outgoing: they are also incredibly active, with an appreciation for jumping, climbing, and exciting games. These cats are highly trainable, too Favorite activities include playing fetch and walking on leashes with their family members.
American bobtail cats are wily escape artists, easily making their way out of confinement even when placed in closed carriers. If you have an American bobtail cat and you need to transport it, you'll want to make sure that the carrier is latched!
Care
Nutrition
Grooming
Exercise
Health
American bobtail cats do not have any special dietary requirements, other than a nutritious meat-based diet that satisfies their needs as obligate carnivores.
Regular brushing will help keep your American bobtail cat looking good, and they'll love the attention. Since these cats are robust climbers, you may wish to keep their nails trimmed.
American bobtail cats are highly active and are very playful. These curious cats love games, and will play and climb with intensity. If you've always wanted a cat that enjoys human interaction, and you like the idea of walking your cat on a leash, then the American bobtail might be the ideal breed for you.
We recommend treating your cat to a high-quality climbing tower and a window perch as well as multiple scratching posts and a basket full of toys. If you can find toys with shiny surfaces, it's likely that they'll become some of your cat's favorites.
American bobtail cats are notorious for their good health. They are not predisposed to any known health conditions.
History
The American bobtail cat is a relatively new cat breed, having been developed in the 1960s using a brown tabby male with a short tail and a seal point Siamese female. While many cat breeds are formed using exclusively pedigreed cats as foundation stock, this breed stands out for its development through natural selection.
The foundation stock was almost exclusively made up of feral domestic cats with natural bobtails.
It's worth noting here that the gene that gives the American bobtail cat its signature shortened tail is dominant. This is an important difference between the American bobtail cat and the Japanese bobtail cat. The Japanese bobtail cat has a recessive gene for its short tail.
Several different breeders worked together to develop the American bobtail cat as we know it. Even though the foundation cats had no known common heritage, they were all alike in type. The result is a strong, vibrant cat breed with a distinct appearance and no known genetic defects.
The International Cat Association officially recognized the American bobtail cats in 1989. Since then, it has been accepted for championship competition by the American Cat Fanciers Association and the Cat Fanciers Association. It is also sanctioned by the Cat Aficionado Association of China. The World Cat Federation recognizes the breed but does not accept it for competition.
Did You Know?
American bobtail cats take a long time to reach maturity. Most of these cats don't reach their full stature until they are between two and three years old.
American bobtails have a fanciful quirk that new pet parents should be aware of: These cats absolutely love shiny objects, and will go to great lengths to steal them. It's not uncommon for owners to find stashes of shiny missing objects that have been hidden by their American bobtail cats!
Even though they are big and wild looking, American bobtail cats make excellent family pets. They love children and they enjoy snuggling. Some people refer to them as the Golden retrievers of the cat world.
The Breed Standard
Eyes
Legs & Paws
Tail
Body
Head
Ears
Coat
Color
FAQ
How much does a American Bobtail cat cost?
American Bobtail cats cost between $600 - $1,000.
How big do American Bobtail cats get?
American Bobtail cats tend to be medium in size. A fully grown American Bobtail cat might weigh between 7-18 pounds or more and range in height anywhere from about 10"-14" inches tall.
How long do American Bobtail cats live?
The Average lifespan for American Bobtail is 12-15 years.
Do American Bobtail cats shed?
American Bobtail are long-haired cats, so you do have to expect a certain amount of shedding from this breed, but they don't shed as much as other cat breeds.
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Looking for American bobtail with a long tail just lost mine had him for 12 years. When I purchased him they called it a throw away maybe because his tail was long not bob. If someone can back to me and recommend a breeder I would appreciate it. Thank you
A Bombay cat is a really great cat but they don’t drink much water and gets really bad uterine infections which can kill them if they don’t get spayed. They follow you around every where and if you leave them alone a lot make sure she has toys everywhere and they get depressed when their person isn’t around my cat goes in the bath with me to keep me company in the tub. They love water playing and snuggling under blankets. I have an orange bobtail and a Bombay
That is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard lol. Bombay cats don’t drink less water than any other breed. And they, along with any breed of cat can get URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS if they don’t drink enough water not uterine infections! So spaying is not a factor whatsoever! Eliminate dry kibble completely from their diet (read catinfo .org) and invest in a water fountain and whether your cat is spayed or not (though they should be) this will insure they won’t suffer urinary tract infections.
Hey my name is Brittany Johnson Daniel and I’m looking for a female bobtail cat
I have two bobtail cats (siblings). I have had a number of cats in the past. These bobtails are the most affectionate cats I have ever had. They love to be pet and often cuddle up with me. They are also strongly bonded- they groom each other and sleep next to each other all the time. I adopted these bobtails from humane society and consider myself extremely fortunate!
Thanks for sharing, Heather!
Love my little bobtail. She plays fetch and walks on her leash for as long as I will let her. Absolutely loves little fake mice and will jump and bat them out of the air. I almost wish I could have found another to breed her but unfortunately I got her spayed. Will be my little friend for life.
We adopted a American bobtail 6 yrs ago. She came from a reservation and we were told she didn’t like other cars, dogs or small children. She’s not very playful but does like to sit in my lap or next to me. She won’t do that with my husband although she will play on the floor with him. She also doesn’t meow. Don’t know what happen to her in her first 6 months but she is sweet in her own way.