American Bobtail
Encyclopedia
The American Bobtail is a relatively new and uncommon breed of cat
which appeared in the late 1960s. It is most notable for its stubby "bobbed" tail about one-third to one-half the length of a normal cat's tail. This is the result of a cat body type genetic mutation
affecting the tail development, similar to that of a Manx
. The cat is not related to the Japanese Bobtail despite the similar name and physical type—the breeding programs are entirely unrelated and the mutation causing the bobbed tail is different because the mutation causing the American Bobtail's tail is dominant, whereas the Japanese Bobtail tail mutation is recessive.
American Bobtails are a very sturdy breed, with both short and longhaired coats. Their coat is shaggy rather than dense or fluffy. They can have any color of eyes and fur, with a strong emphasis on the "wild" tabby appearance in show animals.
and a bobcat
. Yodie, a short-tailed brown tabby male, mated with a seal point
Siamese colored (cat) female to create the Bobtail's original bloodline. Most of the early bloodlines have been eliminated. Although this is genetically possible, the bobcat/domestic cat hybrids, particularly the male, would probably become sterile. The unusual tail is actually the result of a random spontaneous genetic mutation within the domestic cat population or is related to the dominant Manx
gene.
This cat's original appearance genetics were modified in the breed to form a new and improved breed which comes in all colors, categories and divisions. New shorthair versions have appeared where once only longhair versions were fully recognized. These new lines, which invoke a gentler, sweeter cat with the remaining wild look features, may have begun in Florida
. It is still permitted to outcross
the Bobtail with domestic stock, so long as the currently small gene pool is kept healthy. Manx and Japanese Bobtails are not used in the integrated matrix.
The breed was recognised by the International Cat Association in 1989. The breed is accepted for Championship competition in The Cat Fanciers Association, The International Cat Association and the American Cat Fanciers' Association.
Bobtails also have a tendency to steal shiny objects and stash them away in a hiding place, requiring owners to know where their cat keeps their hoard when the owner wants to retrieve the items.
The American Bobtail is an ideally naturally occurring hearty short-tailed cat. Its body is moderately long and substantial, stocky, with a noticeable rectangular stance. Boning is substantial, and the chest is full and broad. The hips are substantial, almost as wide as chest and hind legs longer than fore legs with large round feet which may have toe tufts. The head is a broad wedge without flat planes, size proportionate to body. There is a concave curve from nose to brow, or rise to prominent brow, a broad unpinched muzzle, prominent whisker pads, a gently sloped wide nose and full strong jaws. The ears are medium-sized, wide-based, and equally mounted on top and side of head with rounded tips. The eyes are almost almond shape,with size proportionate to head. The aperture is angled to base of ear, and with medium wide spacing and deep sockets. Eye color varies with coat color. The end of the tail is visible above the back, but not beyond the hock
while the animal is in repose. The tail is straight or curved, slightly knotted or may have bumps.
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
which appeared in the late 1960s. It is most notable for its stubby "bobbed" tail about one-third to one-half the length of a normal cat's tail. This is the result of a cat body type genetic mutation
Cat body type genetic mutations
Cats, like all living organisms, occasionally have mutations that affect their body type. Sometimes, these cat body-type mutations are striking enough that humans select for and perpetuate them...
affecting the tail development, similar to that of a Manx
Manx (cat)
The Manx cat , formerly often spelled Manks, is a breed of domestic cat originating on the Isle of Man, with a naturally occurring mutation that shortens the tail...
. The cat is not related to the Japanese Bobtail despite the similar name and physical type—the breeding programs are entirely unrelated and the mutation causing the bobbed tail is different because the mutation causing the American Bobtail's tail is dominant, whereas the Japanese Bobtail tail mutation is recessive.
American Bobtails are a very sturdy breed, with both short and longhaired coats. Their coat is shaggy rather than dense or fluffy. They can have any color of eyes and fur, with a strong emphasis on the "wild" tabby appearance in show animals.
History
Bobtails are said to be the result of a crossbreeding between a domestic tabby catTabby cat
A tabby is any cat that has a distinctive coat that features stripes, dots, lines or swirling patterns, usually together with an "M" mark on its forehead. Tabbies are sometimes erroneously assumed to be a cat breed. In fact, the tabby pattern is found in many breeds of cat, as well as among the...
and a bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
. Yodie, a short-tailed brown tabby male, mated with a seal point
Point (coat color)
Point coloration refers to animal coat coloration with a pale body and relatively darker extremities, i.e. the face, ears, feet, tail, and scrotum...
Siamese colored (cat) female to create the Bobtail's original bloodline. Most of the early bloodlines have been eliminated. Although this is genetically possible, the bobcat/domestic cat hybrids, particularly the male, would probably become sterile. The unusual tail is actually the result of a random spontaneous genetic mutation within the domestic cat population or is related to the dominant Manx
Manx (cat)
The Manx cat , formerly often spelled Manks, is a breed of domestic cat originating on the Isle of Man, with a naturally occurring mutation that shortens the tail...
gene.
This cat's original appearance genetics were modified in the breed to form a new and improved breed which comes in all colors, categories and divisions. New shorthair versions have appeared where once only longhair versions were fully recognized. These new lines, which invoke a gentler, sweeter cat with the remaining wild look features, may have begun in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It is still permitted to outcross
Outcrossing
Outcrossing is the practice of introducing unrelated genetic material into a breeding line. It increases genetic diversity, thus reducing the probability of all individuals being subject to disease or reducing genetic abnormalities...
the Bobtail with domestic stock, so long as the currently small gene pool is kept healthy. Manx and Japanese Bobtails are not used in the integrated matrix.
The breed was recognised by the International Cat Association in 1989. The breed is accepted for Championship competition in The Cat Fanciers Association, The International Cat Association and the American Cat Fanciers' Association.
Personality
Breeders claim that Bobtails are playful, friendly, energetic and extremely intelligent, but some are born scared, not playful, and not very fast at opening up. American Bobtails have dog-like personalities, often play fetch, and greet their owners at the door. They are very tolerant of being picked up by younger children and handled like a sack of potatoes. They have been known to escape from closed rooms and fastened cages. They are also known to annihilate stress, anger, sadness and other emotions.Bobtails also have a tendency to steal shiny objects and stash them away in a hiding place, requiring owners to know where their cat keeps their hoard when the owner wants to retrieve the items.
Development and appearance
Bobtails require two to three years to develop, slower than many domestic cat breeds.The American Bobtail is an ideally naturally occurring hearty short-tailed cat. Its body is moderately long and substantial, stocky, with a noticeable rectangular stance. Boning is substantial, and the chest is full and broad. The hips are substantial, almost as wide as chest and hind legs longer than fore legs with large round feet which may have toe tufts. The head is a broad wedge without flat planes, size proportionate to body. There is a concave curve from nose to brow, or rise to prominent brow, a broad unpinched muzzle, prominent whisker pads, a gently sloped wide nose and full strong jaws. The ears are medium-sized, wide-based, and equally mounted on top and side of head with rounded tips. The eyes are almost almond shape,with size proportionate to head. The aperture is angled to base of ear, and with medium wide spacing and deep sockets. Eye color varies with coat color. The end of the tail is visible above the back, but not beyond the hock
Hock (zoology)
The hock, or gambrel, is the joint between the tarsal bones and tibia of a digitigrade or unguligrade quadrupedal mammal, such as a horse, cat, or dog...
while the animal is in repose. The tail is straight or curved, slightly knotted or may have bumps.