Cat
Breed Description:
The American Bobtail is a medium-to-large breed of cat with a naturally occurring bobtail. The American Bobtail is a noticeably athletic breed of cat with a well muscled body giving the appearance of power. The breed's tail should be clearly visible above the back when the cat is alert and is not to exceed the hock in length. The optimum tail is articulate and nearly straight with the slightest of curves.
Temperament:
American Bobtails cats are loving, kind and incredibly intelligent. The American Bobtail breed is noted for their dog like personalities; this is displayed in their devotion to their owners. The average length of the tail is one to four inches, however this is an average, and some tails may be shorter or longer.
Health Problems:
American Bobtail cats sometimes exhibit bad hips and Rumpies (tail-less Bobtails with a shortened spine)
Living Conditions:
The American Bobtail cat easily adapts to a busy or quiet living environment.
Exercise:
Bobtails are playful, friendly, energetic and extremely intelligent,but some are born scared ,not playful ,and not very fast at opening up to you. American Bobtails have dog-like personalities, often play fetch and greet their owners at the door.
Grooming:
The American Bobtail cats do require brushing and grooming in order to ensure that the coats and tails do not matte.
Origin:
The legend that currently dominates the American Bobtail breed is as follows; Bobtails are the result of a crossbreeding between a domestic tabby cat and a bobcat. Although there is no actual control or data to support this theory it is considered that this type of cross breeding would have produced a sterile cat. What is commonly recognized is that the American Bobtail bloodline began with Yodie, a short-tailed brown tabby male, who was then mated with a seal point Siamese colored female. This is the popular belief of the American Bobtail's original bloodline. There is speculation however that unusual tail is actually the result of a random spontaneous genetic mutation within the domestic cat population.
