Loyal and intelligent, the American Bobtail cat is a beautiful breed that makes a wonderful companion for any home.
Origin: United States Other Names: Bobtail
The American Bobtail’s short tail, powerful body and distinct wild look sets them apart from other breeds. Although it can take American Bobtails a full two to three years to reach full size, this medium-sized breed is quite striking at any age. Although it is generally short, the American Bobtail’s tail can be multiple sizes, while their full chest and broad hips give them an overall muscular, athletic appearance.
The American Bobtail may come in any color or pattern, and their coats can be either a dense shorthair or medium longhair variety.
American Bobtails are a medium sized breed, typically weighing between 8 and 13 pounds.
| Full Grown | |
|---|---|
| Female | 0 in. / 8 lbs. |
| Male | 0 in. / 13 lbs. |
Height is measured up to the shoulders.
American Bobtails typically weigh between 8 and 13 pounds.
As a medium to large breed that enjoys playing and entertaining, a little more space is recommended for ample room to roam.
The American Bobtail is incredibly intelligent and loves to play games. In fact, they’ve been known to play fetch and hide-and-seek, and can even be leash trained.
While affectionate and devoted, the American Bobtail isn’t overly needy.
The American Bobtail’s friendly and outgoing personality make it the perfect, kid-friendly companion.
This breed comes in two coat lengths, a dense short hair or medium long hair. Both require weekly brushing that might be more frequent during shedding season.
The American Bobtail doesn’t have any particular needs when it comes to weather, but like most cats, they do better when kept indoors in stable environments.
The American Bobtail is entertaining without overdoing it, affectionate without being needy and makes friends quickly with people and other animals alike. As a very intelligent breed, this cat takes well to leash training, and can even be taught to play games with its owners, like fetch or hide-and-seek. Although this breed is energetic, they’re also happy to play by themselves, especially when provided with toys that keep them guessing and learning, like puzzles.
Most American Bobtails will be happy with the basics — plenty of entertaining toys, good food and lots of love and affection. While they tend to be quiet, the American Bobtail has also been known to trill or chirp when particularly happy. In addition, you’ll want to pay close attention to your American Bobtail’s tail, as it is one of most expressive characteristics, says Lil Borg, an American Cat Fanciers Association American Bobtail breed chairperson.
“Being short, they use it more to show how they are feeling,” she says. “You can tell if they are angry, happy or excited watching the birds coming to the feeder. It’s a lot of fun to watch them use it to express themselves.”
This smart and curious breed loves learning, and puzzle toys will help keep your cat engaged for hours. Bobtails will also be happy to play fetch with you or go on long walks on a leash, although it’s important to pay attention to your individual cat. “Some cats are very needy, and others very independent,” says Borg, “so time spent with your cat will depend on what the cat demands.”
Enjoys some moderate exercise every now and then
As with all cats, insufficient exercise and overfeeding can result in weight gain. Although American Bobtails are generally fairly active, they still require a proper diet with portion controlled meals. Avoid offering table scraps or too many treats to these generally active cats, as they will result in weight gain.
An adult Bobtail eats about 1/2 cup of dry food per day
Although no specific conditions have been identified as occurring at an increased frequency or through genetic links within the breed, American Bobtails should maintain regular visits to the veterinarian for preventative care. Physical exams once or twice per year are useful in evaluating the overall health of an American Bobtail to detect any changes before they become more significant. The routine use of flea, tick and heartworm preventives are highly useful in keeping common parasites at bay, even in indoor cats.
Given their origination from feral cats, no genetic conditions have been identified in the American Bobtail cats.
The typical American Bobtail can live between 11 and 15 years.
Although the American Bobtail comes in two coat lengths — dense shorthair and medium longhair — their fur isn’t overly difficult to care for. The Bobtail’s fur doesn’t tend to mat, and once or twice weekly brushings should keep shedding at bay.
Short or Long
Frequent
Groom an American Bobtail once or twice a week is generally sufficient to avoid excessive shedding, but more frequent grooming may be necessary during shedding season. During the end of winter, your American Bobtail will shed their winter coat, so some extra care and attention may be needed.
Although the American Bobtail has very exotic features, it was developed with the help of experienced breeders who used domestic bobtail cats from all over the United States to develop the breed seen today. It is interesting to note that no recognized breed of pedigreed cat was used to help develop the American Bobtail, and the foundation of today’s American Bobtail breed were actually feral domestic cats with naturally bobbed tails.
