American Bobtail

The American Bobtail is a friendly, loving, affectionate and radiant cat. The main feature is a short, as if chopped off tail.

Characteristics of American Bobtail

The American Bobtail is a breed of short-tailed cats. It gives the impression of a wild animal, which contrasts sharply with its absolutely non-aggressive, good-natured character. Cats of this breed are muscular, strong, usually medium in size, but there are also quite large individuals. American Bobtails are intelligent and human-friendly pets. The breed is divided into long-haired and short-haired.

American Bobtail History

The American Bobtail is a fairly young breed, the ancestor was discovered in 1965. It happened like this: the Sanders couple found an abandoned kitten near an Indian reservation in Southern Arizona. A kitten is like a kitten, if not for one “but”: it had a short, like a hare, tail, curved up. His “bride” was a Siamese cat, and in the very first litter a tailless kitten appeared, which gave rise to the development of the breed. After a while, breeders became interested in short-tailed purrs, and from that moment work began on breeding the American Bobtail.

True, there is an opinion that it appeared as a result of mutations in the breeding of ragdolls. Another version is based on the assumption that the ancestors of the American Bobtail could be the Japanese Bobtail, Manx and even lynx.

As for the unusually short tail, it must be admitted that this is undoubtedly the result of a genetic mutation.

The standard of the American Bobtail was developed in 1970, the breed was recognized in 1989 according to the PSA.

American Bobtails are bred only in North America; it is almost impossible to get a kitten outside of it.

Behavioral Features

A very friendly, loving, affectionate breed radiating tenderness. American Bobtails are balanced, calm cats, but do not tolerate loneliness easily. They are truly attached to their master and have a unique ability to sensitively detect the slightest changes in his mood. In the United States, they are used for some types of therapy.

Bobtails are smart, easy to train, flexible. They get along well with other inhabitants of the house, even with dogs. Despite the rather “wild” appearance, these are very affectionate and gentle, truly domestic creatures. Being extremely active and energetic, they are very fond of walking and playing outdoors. Since they quickly get used to the leash, exercise will bring a lot of pleasure not only to the pet, but also to the owner, and the presence of a leash will save you from unnecessary worries and troubles.

A cat of this breed, like a dog, brings a toy or other items on command during the game. He is great with children and enjoys playing with them.

If an American Bobtail lives in the house, tenderness, fun fuss and excellent relations between the pet and family members are guaranteed.

Character

The history of the American Bobtail breed began in the 1960s in the United States. The Sanders family was vacationing on an Indian reservation in Southern Arizona, where they accidentally found a cat with a very short tail. They named him Yodi and decided to take him with them to Iowa. The first crossing took place with the Siamese cat Misha, and among the kittens born, one inherited a short tail from dad. And so the selection work began to develop a new breed – the American Bobtail. It was officially recognized in 1989 by TICA.

The American Bobtail, like its Kuril relative, has a genetic feature. A short tail appeared in a cat as a result of a natural mutation. Its average length is from 2.5 to 10 cm; breeders value individuals whose tails do not have creases and knots. There are no two bobtails in the world with the same tails. By the way, like the Kuril , the American Bobtail has a special structure of the hind legs. Affects the aboriginal nature of the breed. The fact is that they are slightly longer than the front ones, which makes the cat incredibly jumpy.

This curious, active and highly intelligent cat makes an ideal companion for both families and singles. Despite the fact that cats of this breed are not intrusive at all, they adore their owner and do not tolerate loneliness. Owners say that when happy, these cats wag their tails just like dogs.

Representatives of this breed are very attached to a person. Their sensitivity and ability to understand the mood of the owner is surprising. By the way, this breed is even considered therapeutic: cats are involved in psychotherapy.

In addition, they are very friendly. Finding a common language with a dog or with other cats is not difficult for them. If there is a child in the house, be careful: together this couple can turn the house upside down.

Appearance

The color of the eyes of the American Bobtail corresponds to the color, the shape is almost almond-shaped or oval, large, slightly slanting.

The coat is dense, hard, dense, with a significant undercoat.

The tail of the bobtail is quite pubescent, mobile, curved (clearly or not too noticeably), the length is from 2.5 to 10 cm.

American Bobtail Health and care

Grooming the American Bobtail is not difficult, but should be constant. A short-haired pet is combed out once a week, a semi-long-haired pet three times more often. It is important to bathe the bobtail regularly, as well as take care of the eyes, ears, teeth, and trim the claws as necessary.

In order to maintain the health of the American Bobtail, you must carefully monitor the balance of his diet.

It should be noted that the American Bobtail is a breed of late puberty. An individual becomes sexually mature at the age of two or three years.

In general, these are very healthy cats, no hereditary diseases have been noted. It happens that kittens are born completely without a tail.

American Bobtail Cat – Video