Japanese Bobtail Cats

Japanese Bobtail cats are an old cat breed that was imported to the United States in 1968. Even though Japanese Bobtail cats have existed in Japan for centuries, they were only accepted for championship status by the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) in 1976. The longhaired Japanese Bobtail cat was accepted in 1993.

Japanese Bobtail cats come in a large variety of colors and patterns, though chocolate, lavender, Siamese points, and Abyssinian agouti colorings are not permitted by the CFA. The possible solid colors are white, black, cream, blue, or red. Tri-color Japanese Bobtail cats can be Mi-Ke colored. Mi-Ke and bi-colored cats are to have distinctive markings. Popular Mi-Ke colors are black, red, and white though other Mi-Ke colors are possible. The cats need occasional brushing, especially the longhaired cats. The eyes of a Japanese Bobtail cat are large and oval.

Japanese Bobtails should have a muscular build. The torso is lean and the legs are long and slender. The Japanese Bobtail cats are medium-sized cats, though the males are larger than the females. The shorthaired cats have medium length hair. Ear and toe tufts of hair are considered a desirable characteristic for this cat breed.

The tails of Japanese Bobtails are unique from other cat breeds. The tails are even different among individual Japanese Bobtail cats. The Japanese Bobtails are not born tailless like the Manx cat breed. Japanese Bobtails do not have full tails. The tails may be flexible or rigid. The tail may have kinks, which is a disqualifying feature in other cat breeds. Some Japanese Bobtail cats’ tails are curled.

The Japanese Bobtails are active and enjoy playing fetch. This cat breed gets along well with children and often adjusts to other household pets without much difficulty. They also seem to readily adjust to changes in their environments. The Japanese Bobtails cats tend to travel well. Some Japanese Bobtails enjoy carrying things in their mouths. Japanese Bobtails are generally healthy. Japanese Bobtail kittens are quicker to mature than many cat breeds. They often walk and become more active very young. The mortality rate for Japanese Bobtail kittens is very low.