American Bobtail

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Size

Medium

Life span

15 Years

Group

American Bobtail Overview

The American Bobtail cat has a moderately sized body with a short tail and hearty exterior. Their chest is broad and full and their hind legs are longer than their forelegs. Their head is broad in shape and proportionally sized for their body. The American Bobtail has a rather strong jaw with a wide nose. Their eyes are almond shape and vary in colour.

They’re an easy-going cat breed and get on really well with other domestic animals as well as children. The American Bobtail takes about two years to develop into an adult cat which is slower than other domestic cat breeds.

Thinking of buying or adopting a American Bobtail?

American Bobtail Characteristics

History & Origin

The American Bobtail is a natural breed of very recent origin. It is understood that the breed's ancestor is a brown tabby kitten with a short tail that wandered around an Arizona reserve in the late sixties. Under his spell fell a young American couple on vacation, the Sanders. They named the kitten Yodi, and took him home in Iowa with them. Yodi wooed the cat of the house, a colour-pointed, pedigree-free kitten that gave birth to a litter of short-tailed kittens. These peculiar kittens were intrigued by a friend of the Sanders and he decided to make them an official breed. In the United States and Canada, domestic cats with the distinctive short tail were found, and their breeders literally supported nature by breeding these cats together. Along the way, a long-haired cat was introduced into the lineage which resulted in the appearance of a mid-length hair variant of the American Bobtail.

American Bobtail Temperament

The American Bobtail’s coat comes in a variety of colours and requires regular grooming. The American Bobtail is a playful cat breed with moderate needs for exercise and they possess a very social nature. They’re an independent cat breed but also like the attention of their owner. They grasp their owner’s attention by meowing and stroking themselves along their owner’s leg. They’re an intelligent cat breed and very affectionate. They show great devotion to their loved ones and will always be by their owner’s side when needed. This cat breed is known to be very fond of playing games and will happily entertain their owners for hours with their fun and silly ways. This cat breed is easily trained and has been known to walk on a leash as they love walking with their loved ones.

Health

The American Bobtail is prone to suffer from a few health conditions such as hip dysplasia and spinal problems. 

Children and other pets

This wonderful cat breed tends to get on very well with children and other household pets. Because they're sociable and love to play they love being around children. Playtime must always be supervised to prevent rough play. 

If you are to introduce another pet to the household this must be done from an early age and continuous training is a must so both pets understand their boundaries.