What Make American Bobtail Cat Breeds Unique?
Price Range
Price of the American Bobtail Cat and kittens ranges from $400-$800.
Introduction to American Bobtail
Similar to wild cats, the American Bobtail cat has a unique and wild appearance, but they are extremely intelligent and loving cat breeds. They were not commonly found before the 1960s, but the breed got prominence only after the 60s.
This is a medium to large sized cat with a short tail. Native to America this cat has a stocky and muscled appearance that is very similar to an athlete. Developed by natural selection to survive in its native environment, these cats have a rectangular body and a small tail. Even though the tail is short these cats tend to hold them high when they are alert and wag it often to express their different emotions. This cat takes two years to attain maturity, with females smaller in size compared to males.
The American Bobtail comes in many different colors and patterns each of which is suited to meet the demands of its surroundings. Every pattern and color gives this breed a wild appearance. The Bobtails come in two coat lengths; one with a dense shorthair and the other with medium longhair.
These family loving cat breeds enjoy interacting with their human friends and entertain them with their naughty antics at one time and even curl up to their owner in distress. These highly active cats can play seek for hours together and are a true entertainer at home. They will display their hunting skills if they encounter any flying insects that enter the house or their territory by mistake.
American Bobtail Origins
This unique cat breeds has gained popularity only after the 1960s and is similar to the Japanese Bobtail, which was imported to the United States in the 60s. The true history of this cat is not clearly known, though it is believed that this breed was a result of mating between a short-haired tabby male and a seal point Siamese female.
The unique tail in these cats is a result of a genetic mutation and maybe related to the dominant Manx gene. The original bloodline of this breed has died out and the genetics and appearance were modified to produce a new and improved breed that came in different colors and coats.
History of American Bobtails
Even though the Bobtails have been in the Americas for many years, the real development and prominence of this breed began only after the 1960s. The history of this stocky cat is not very clearly known. The original bloodline came from the mating between a short-haired tabby male and a seal point Siamese female.
Almost all breeders of the American bobtail have heard of the story of Yodi, the patriarch of this breed. Young American couples John and Brenda Sanders while vacationing in Arizona discovered a unique brown colored tabby kitten with a short tail and decided to take him to Iowa the couple’s hometown.
He was named Yodi with an unknown parentage, though it was thought to have been a Japanese bobcat with an unusual tail. Yodi mated with the couple’s non-pedigreed color point female domestic cat Mishi. The kittens born to Mishi had the same short tail of Yodi that garnered a lot of attention from family and friends.
The friends of the Sanders, Mindy Schultz and Charlotte Bentley saw a potential to develop a new cat breed. They crossbred many kittens with the longhaired color points to produce the first American Bobtails. Most of the initial bloodlines have been erased and the breeders from the 70s decided to deviate from the original blueprint, which was a cat with short tail and pointed longhair and white mittens. The original pattern was difficult to create for most breeders.
The latest Bobtails are available in various colors and patterns. The breeders decided to create a cat breed that is more domestic, nice and has the natural wild look of a bobcat. The basic foundation of this cat came from feral cats with a natural short tail coming from different parts of America and Canada.
The short tail found in the bobtail is a result of genetic mutation within the domestic cat population or a result of the dominant Manx gene. Out crossing the bobtail with the domestic cat hybrids is still allowed, but the main aim is to keep the gene pool healthy since they are very miniscule. Neither the Japanese Bobtails, nor the Manx have been used to breed, nor are the bobcats bred to the existing lines.
Recognized originally as the longhair, the shorthair pattern has also been accepted as a standard. TICA has recognized the American Bobtail as a naturally occurring cat breed in the year 1989.
Traits
The American Bobtail comes in all colors and patterns. They come in black, brown, chocolate, blue, lilac, red, cream and fawn with or without white. Other than the color options these cats come in two patterns short and medium-long hair. The short hair is thick while the long hair is easy to maintain. These stocky and muscled cat breeds have more bone weight compared to their muscle weight. The males weigh between 12-16 pounds while the females are lighter weighing between 7-11pounds.
The stand out feature of this breed is its short tail. The length of their tail is between 1-2 inches. The tail length can vary for each cat, which is a result of a gene mutation that cannot be controlled in these cats. Overall these cats look stocky and rectangular with a full and broad chest. The hips are of the same size as their chest and their hind legs are longer than the fore legs.
The head is broad and is proportionate to the body. They have a prominent whisker pad, medium sized muzzle, and a slightly sloped and wide nose. Their almond shaped eyes are in tune with their head, which provides the cat with a natural alert look. The color of the eyes depends on the color of their coat. The athletic stance makes it look like a heavy cat breed. This cat takes a minimum of two years to reach adulthood.
Personality
The American Bobtails are highly interactive and loving cats. You can challenge their brains by teaching them some tricks. They are through entertainers and love to play games like fetch and hide and seek for hours together. They like to curl up to their owners and love to garner attention when in distress. They are experts at initiating games and will display their hunting skills if they notice any insect flying within their territory.
These cats love playing with toys and love to trill, chirp and click when they are excited. These people loving cats are equally at ease with humans and other pets in the house. American Bobtails are used by several Psychotherapists in their treatment programs due to their sensitivity to the human feelings and emotions. These cats can travel long-distances without any trouble, that’s why you will notice them with truck drivers in their trucks.
Healthcare
The Bobtails take two years to mature, but these active cats are robust and overall healthy. They need an occasional bath and a light brushing to keep them hale and hearty. This healthy cat breed has no known genetic health issues and requires no special care and attention. Occasional trimming of nails and ear cleaning is the only grooming required for these loving cats.
Behavior
The American Bobtails are friendly and very interactive cats. They are very loving and caring cats. These affectionate cats are easy to train and loves sitting on their owners lap.
They are the type of cats who will receive you at the door when you come back from work, play with kids and are highly devoted to their families.
American Bobtail with as Pets
These loving cats are excellent pets as they get along well with people. They are friendlier with children making them a preferred choice for homes. These cats are friendlier with other pets in the house, which is a boon. You will never be short of entertainment if you have a bobtail as pet. You can easily get them to your house full of noisy children and see how comfortable they are with their new environment. They love the company of humans, other cats and even dogs.
Height and weight
The American Bobtails are medium-sized cats with a stocky appearance. The males weigh between 12-14 pounds and females are much smaller weighing between 7-11 pounds.
Age Expectancy
The average lifespan of an American Bobtail is 13-15years, which is longer as compared to many other breeds.
Country of Origin
The origins of this breed are not clear, but after 1960s this cat breed has gained popularity in the United States.
Feeding
Since the Bobcat is considered an ancestor of the American Bobtails, breeders prefer feeding them raw meat like chicken, quail, rabbit, and fish. Even dry cat food is fine, but make sure you provide them with sufficient water to rehydrate their body.
