American Bobtail Cats

These Wild-Looking Cats Make Great Family Pets

One of the relatively more recent breeds of cats, American bobtail cats were first recognized as a breed in 2000, and gained championship status in 2006.

The first bobtails were said to have been bred in the 1960’s between a short-tailed tabby cat and a bobcat, creating the bobtail’s original bloodline. Since then, old bloodlines have been phased out and the breed was taken in a new direction to produce cats that resembled bobcats, but with a friendlier, domestic temperament.

American bobtails have dog-like personalities; they love to play games, are easily leashed trained and like to go for walks.

Still a relatively new breed, American bobtails were accepted for registration by the Cat Fanciers’ Association, the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats, in 2000.

American bobtails have dog-like personalities; they love to play games, greet their owners at the door, are easily leashed trained and like to go for walks. Bobtails are friendly and intelligent, and are great family cats: they are good with children and other household pets.

American bobtails are known for their wild looking appearance, most notably by their “bobbed” stubby tails and natural hunting gaze. Bobtails are athletic cats with a medium to large sturdy frame, wedge-shaped head, and come in both non-matting short and long-haired varieties of all colors and patterns. Bobtails can weigh up to 20 pounds, although female bobtail cats are normally smaller.

Bobtails are prone to hip dysplasia, a hereditary disease that has the potential to cause crippling, lameness and arthritis of the hip joints. Although generally healthy cats, some bobtail cats are born without tails. Bobtail cats without tails are known as “rumpies”. Rumpies are not acceptable for breeding because of health problems associated with a shortened spine.