The Bombay cat breed was originated in an American cat breeder’s attempt to generate a cat breed that resembled a small panther. The name of this cat breed was chosen due to reflect the desire to capture the characteristics of the black leopard of India. The Bombay cat breed began with the breeding of a black domestic shorthair male with a sable Burmese female cat. The deep copper eyes and black hair of the black domestic shorthair became defining breed characteristics for Bombay cats.
In 1976, the Bombay cat breed joined the other cat breeds with Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) championship status. This was eighteen years after the Bombay cat breed was created. Bombay cats are lively and athletic. They are described as having characteristics of dogs and monkeys. A Bombay cat can be leash trained like a dog. Bombay cats also enjoy games like fetch that are typically associated with dogs. They are also loyal and affectionate.
True to its roots, the Bombay cats often have the easy-going temperament of the American shorthair and the affectionate and social personality characteristics of the Burmese. Bombay cats are intelligent and outgoing. These friendly cats will often greet guests and interact with them. The medium body of a Bombay cat should not be as stocky as Burmese cats can be. Bombay cats are moderately slender and lithe.
The head of Bombay cats is rounded without any sharp angles. The Bombay cat has a short, rounded muzzle with a moderate stop, not an abrupt stop that would give the muzzle a pugged look. Ears of Bombay cats are medium in size and set well apart. The tail is medium in length.
Mature Bombay cats have dark black hair that is black to the roots. The shorthaired coat is fine and lies close to the skin. Bombay kittens may have slightly lighter hair. The hair of a Bombay kitten tends to darken as the Bombay kitten matures. The eye color ranges from gold to copper. The eyes of Bombay cats are rounded and set wide apart. Deeper colored eyes are most desired by Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) standards.
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