Japanese Bobtail
Quick Facts
- Weight: 7 – 10 pounds | male
5 – 7 pounds | female - Height: 8 – 9 inches
The Japanese Bobtail’s Appearance
A long bushy tail is conspicuously lacking. However, some Japanese Bobtails do have a short tail or a tail that rises. Although rarely longer than three inches, the tails can be either rigid or flexible.
The bi-color and tri-color coats of this breed occur in solid colors, tabby patterns, and tortoiseshell shades. It is available in shorthaired and longhaired variations. The most popular shade is referred to as Mi-ke, which is white with patches of red and black fur.
Their triangular-shaped skulls have oval eyes, a long, straight nose, high cheekbones, and wide, round-tipped ears. Their medium-sized bodies are athletic, long, and thin.
Males typically weigh between 7 and 10 pounds, compared to 5 to 7 pounds for females.
Traits
- No tail or a stubby one
- Very confident and intelligent
- Speaks in chirps and soft meows
- Enjoys playing in water
- Athletic and entertaining
Ideal Human Companion
- Active households
- Households with older children
- Singles
- Households with other pets
- Experienced cat owners
What It’s Like to Live With Them
Japanese Bobtails convey self-assurance, intellectual vigor, curiosity, and great energy. They are not very anxious or timid, but they do like playing.
They are well renowned for being chatty and will speak softly and in a songlike manner to their favorite persons.
This breed makes excellent traveling companions since it is adaptable to various environments, people, and other animals.
It is simple to train them to walk on leashes and to understand the fundamental tricks and instructions of obedience.
Things You Should Know
Large litters are rare among females. In actuality, a litter of this breed’s cats often contains no more than four kittens.
The Japanese Bobtail is fortunate to have strong genetic health and illness resilience. It has a life expectancy of 15 to 18 years on average.
Japanese Bobtail History
Unexpectedly, China, not Japan, is where this breed originated and where it first appeared some 1,000 years ago. In the seventh century, it is thought that the Emperor of China gave Bobtails to the Emperor of Japan as gifts.
In the Far East, this breed has experienced both fame and humiliation. Prior to the rich silk trade in Japan being threatened by vermin, they had the title of “Fifth Order of the Court” in Japan. The Japanese Bobtails could no longer be purchased or sold, and the government ordered that they be released into the wild in order to solve the issue. They were downgraded to the level of feral cats.
Introduced to the US in the late 1960s, and their popularity has been steadily rising since then. Today, this breed is recognized as a good luck charm in Japan and can be found in Japanese restaurants as a porcelain cat figurine with a raised paw.
The Japanese Bobtail, both the shorthaired and longhaired varieties, received championship status in 1976 and 1993, respectively. It is currently the 24th most popular breed among those recognized by the CFA.