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Japanese Bobtail Short Hair

Japanese Bobtail Short Hair

The Japanese Bobtail cat has elegant lines and well-developed musculature. The head is finely chiselled with large upright ears and large round eyes set at a pronounced slant. The tail, when carried normally, only extends about 5 to 8 cm. When the cat is relaxed the tail is carried upright. The hair on the tail is generally thicker and longer than elsewhere and grows in all directions to create the effect of a pom-pom or bunny tail. Bobtail cats can be long- or shorthaired. The coat is soft and silky and comes in many colours. The preferred colour in Japan is the tri-colour, or tortie and white (known as Mi-ke), a mixture of black, red and white, which symbolises luck -this colouring is usually found only in females.

The need-to-know
  • Playful and curious cat
  • Sociable and dependent cat
  • Very talkative cat
  • Lean and elegant cat breed
  • Requires grooming once a week
  • Non hypoallergenic breed
  • Needs some out-door space
  • May require familiarisation before living with children

Personality

The Japanese Bobtail cat breed is friendly and intelligent. The breed is said to have a sweet nature and get on with most other animals and love human company. Some can learn tricks and do need to be kept amused and stimulated. It is a fairly talkative breed.

History and Origins

Country of Origin: Japan

The unique feature of the Japanese Bobtail cat is its tail. When the cat is relaxed and natural the tail looks like that of a rabbit, but it can be unfurled to a length of about 10 to 12 cm. In Japan, the breed can be traced back to the 8th century but it was not seen outside Japan until the 1960s when the shorthaired Japanese Bobtails were imported into America. The Japanese Bobtail cat has established a following in America and it is now a recognised breed and is widely shown in the USA. There are not many in the UK.

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