Cat Cat Breeds
American Bobtail Cat: Characteristics, Temperament & Cat CareAmerican Bobtail Cat: Characteristics, Temperament & Cat Care
The American Bobtail cat is the most recent breed that has been accepted for championship status (2006) by the Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA). The American Bobtail is easy to recognize by its wild appearance and naturally occurring bobtail. The American Bobtail is totally unrelated to the Japanese Bobtail and its stumpy tail seems to be a product of the Manx gene. The Bobtail is a purely American developed cat and at this time is not recognized by British or European cat fancy organizations. The Bobtail seems to have originated in Iowa in the early 1970’s and at some point in its development was crossed with Himalayan and Birman cats which probably accounts for the varied coat lengths which range from medium-short to semi-longhair. The Manx gene is unstable so Bobtail kittens can be born with no tail, longer tail of the bobtail. In 1990 the CFA and the International Cat Association started to accept American Bobtails for registration.