Red and white bicolor longhaired Japanese Bobtail Photo: Chanan Photography
Weight: 7-9 lbs.
OverviewBobtails are friendly, intelligent, very affectionate, and among the happiest breeds of cat. They're wonderful with children, and just about anyone else. They are also playful cats and enjoy carrying objects in their mouths and romping in water. Their voices are chirpy and soft.
AppearanceThe Japanese Bobtail is a medium-size cat, slender and well muscled. The legs are long and fine, with the hindlegs slightly longer than the forelegs. The stumpy tail, the result of a naturally occurring mutation, is covered by a fan of thick fur and resembles a rabbit's tail. The kinks and curves of the tail are unique to each individual cat, and the length ranges between one and three inches. Bobtails have triangular heads, high cheekbones, long noses, and oval eyes. Odd-eyed and blue-eyed cats are not uncommon. Japanese Bobtails come in short- and longhaired versions. The most popular coat pattern is the tricolor calico (also called mi-ke, Japanese for "three-fur"): red and black in bold contrast to a vivid white background. Black on white and red on white are also popular, and tortoiseshell and solid coats in black, red, or white are also acceptable.
OriginsFor centuries, the Bobtail was the closely guarded pet of Japanese nobility. In 1602, however, the Japanese authorities ordered all privately owned cats to be released into the countryside to combat the rodents that were threatening the lucrative silk industry.Since that time, Japanese Bobtails have been celebrated in folklore and art and are considered to bring good fortune. An American breeder brought Bobtails to the United States in 1968, and the breed was fully recognized ten years later.