American Bobtail cat breed characteristics and facts

The American Bobtail is a stunning cat breed, has a wild look, short tail, and friendly personality. These cats have muscular, athletic bodies that give them an attractive wild appearance that harkens back to their supposed ancestry as bobcats. Their short tail—a most distinguishing feature—may be of variable length, including being kinked or curled rather than straight. The breed has a coat of many colors and patterns, it grows to semi-long to short lengths, helping with their luxurious feel as they’re so soft American Bobtails showcase grammy almond-shaped eyes of different colors, often creating a beautiful and engaging gaze.

When it comes to personality, American Bobtails are known for being intelligent, playful and adaptable. — These cats form strong bonds with their human companions and are gentle, loving pets. Informally they’re Often good with children (and other pets) and can be fine in families American Bobtails, despite their exotic looks, are placid and laid-back cats that can thrive well in different living settings. This paired with their love for interactive play and to be taught new tricks,they certainly keep a smile on the face of those that appreciate interesting feline side-kicks.

American Bobtail Facts

• Origin: United Statespreserving the bobtail trait.
• Size: Medium (7-16 pounds)
• Breed Group: Landrace
• Lifespan: 13-15 years
• Coat: Short or longhaired
• Temperament: Adaptable, intelligent, affectionate, playful, friendly, enjoys human interaction and playtime.
• Exercise Needs: Moderate
• Training: Trainable with positive reinforcement
• Grooming: Weekly brushing

American Bobtail History

Over the months, bobtailed cats (a type of natural genetic mutation that causes a shortened tail) have been spotted all over the "world" through time – from Japan to Isle Man, in various forms. Finally, sometimes they catch the eye of a person in power and bam! A new breed is born.

So it was with the American Bobtail, a breed that has its beginnings in an Arizona short-tailed stray kitten acquired by John and Brenda Sanders while on vacation. (They would ultimately name him Yodi, a character straight out of Lord Of The Rings. He’d become the father of a breed in the swinging ‘60s once he had his way with the Sanders’ female, Mishi after arriving back home to Iowa.) Kittensfrom there too had short tails which meant that the trait was due to be from a dominant gene or allele.

A family friend, Mindy Shoultz who had previously bred Persians worked with Charlotte Bentley to develop the unusual looking cats as a breed. They created the International Spirited Tiffanies in 1999. The kittens were then bred to other naturally short-tailed cats in different locations throughout the United States and Canada. View More With selective breeding, they turned them to large and robust feline creatures that resemble a wild animal but still keep their sweet personality. All of the cats which were used to develop this breed were non-pedigreed, domestic shorthairs and longhairs.

The International Cat Association accepted the American Bobtail cat breed into its “new breed” category in 1989 and granted it full recognition as a breed in 2002. The Cat Fanciers Association and the American Cat Fanciers Association both also recognize the breed, as well as.

American Bobtail Size

The American Bobtail generally almost weighs 8 to 13 pounds.

American Bobtail Personality

For example, perhaps you love the Golden Retriever's personality, but find his his size and energy level are a little much for what you can manage. Reportedly, if you’re an American Bobtail lover, this is the cat for you. He is a lover with a heart of gold who adores his people, sticks to them like glue, plays well with others-most of the time.

American Bobtail is a bright cat who prefers puzzle toys, will learn many tricks and often plays fetch. Not as vocal as some breeds, the Burmilla lets you know how happy he is with chirps, clicks and trills in addition to a purr or two and an occasional meow. The American Bobtail is naturally good traveler due to his love of adventure.

The cats have also been embraced by some psychotherapists, who say the felines' affectionate and intuitive demeanor is a perfect fit for their practice. That adaptability and kindness also makes him a good family companion, suited to all lifestyles from relaxed to rowdy.

American Bobtail Health

pedigreed cats and also mixed-breed cats have differing incidences of health problems frequently hereditary in nature. Even after the birth, American Bobtails is usually healthy. However, be attentive and on the lookout for signs that your cat may be in severe health or suffering.

American Bobtail Care

As long as you comb or brush the American Bobtail coat a couple of times weekly, it should not mat or tangle. If you cat seems to shed more in the spring and fall, then it may be a good idea to groom him more often at that time. Abathis rarely necessary.

Take those teeth brushing measures to keep that gum disease at bay! It’s best to brush daily, but once a week is better than no brushing at all. Trim thenails every two weeks. Use a soft, wet cloth to gently wipe away any discharge from the corners of their eyes. Be certain to use a different area of the cloth for each eye, as you do not want to risk spreading an infection.

Check theearsweekly. If this area looks dirty however, you can wipe it out regularly with a cotton ball or soft damp cloth moistened with a 50-50 mixture of cider vinegar and warm water. Things to avoid: cotton swabs could damage the inside of your ear. It's important to make sure the litter box is kept very clean. Also, cats are really picky about their bathroom manners.

Considering this, it's a prudent move to have American Bobtail inside cat looking after him again infections spread by different felines; assaults from canines or coyotes; and different threats that face felines who go outside like being hit via cars. It fasn't all sweetness and light for American Bobtails; those that went outdoors also ran the risk of being snatched by a cat burglar-someone who wanted to own such beautiful cats without paying for one.

American Bobtail Grooming And Coat Color

A short tail, tufted ears and toes, and a powerful body make the American Bobtail’s silhouette distinctively wild: like that of a bobcat. But he’s all domestic cat conteplating it from my lap,living.mind you. This medium to large size god takes a long time to mature, not reaching full size for 2-3 years.

For a breed that is characterized of it’s short, or even “screwed” tail this is as good a place to start as any when trying to describe the looks! Each tail is unique. The majority measure 1–4 inches; however, they may be shorter or longer. 'Optimal bobtail is pliable and versatile," writes Perdue. "It's long enough to protrude from the back while an alert cat gazes ahead, direct with a paunchy cushion at its tip; somewhat curved or twitched-y, corn-on-the-cob manner down the length."

This is almost never a completely tailless kitten, as can happen with the Manx. Every so often, a litter will have one or more kittens with full length tails. They may not be good for exhibiting in the show ring, but can still contribute to testing strains. A two-length shaggy coat conceals the remarkably athletic body. Contrary to its name, the shorthaired American Bobtail has a medium-length double coat. The hard outer hairs lay over a soft downy undercoat.

Although, with a coat that is of a dilute color (lynx point or silver), the coat may have an entirely softer texture than other exhibiting cats. The Longhaired Bobtail has a ruff around the neck and long hair on the britches (upper-hind legs), belly, and tail. From the face the longhair may look like it’s wearing mutton chops on each cheek. Color: The fur can be any color or pattern. “Except for odd (i.e., each eye is a different color).”

American Bobtail with Children And Other Pets

The social, laidback American Bobtail likes to play so he is a good choice for families with children. In any case, small kid should always be watched to make sure they do not hurt the cat by over-pulling his fur or turning his tail.

He's most content living with other cats and cat-friendly dogs were he not to be on his own because of his friendly personality. If a couple does decide to adopt an animal in hopes that it will bring them closer, they should introduce the pet “slowly and under very controlled circumstances,” Lundquist said.