Alirose Japanese Bobtail Characteristics

The Japanese Bobtail is a medium sized cat, well muscled, but straight and slender rather than massive in build. The unique short tail resembles a bunny tail with the hair fanning out to create a pompom appearance which camouflages the underlying bone structure. The head is triangular in shape. The high cheekbones and unique set of eyes lend a distinctive Japanese cast to the face.

The Japanese Bobtail is an intelligent, fun, playful, affectionate, spirited, beguiling, elegant, beautiful cat. Their outgoing and loving temperament make them excellent pets. They retain their playfulness into adulthood. They travel well and adjust easily with other pets in the household.

Japanese Bobtails love water, retrieve, talk Japanese, and are extremely intelligent. They are not very big on jumping, but some do Their soft voices are capable of nearly whole scale tones; some people say they sing. They adore human companions and they always speak when spoken to.

Japanese Bobtails are a "natural" breed. They are not related to the Manx cat in any way being completely different in body type and genetic factors. The genes that creates the Japanese Bobtail is not related to the genes that make the Manx "tail-less". Japanese Bobtails are always born "with bobbed tails."

Japanese Bobtails are extremely healthy sturdy cats. They have a high natural disease resistance. This breed has low kitten mortality rate. Compared to other breeds, the kittens are active earlier, walk earlier and start getting into trouble earlier. Litters are usually 2-4 and are large for newborns.

Japanese Bobtails are easily trained to use scratching posts. We discourage declawing them. We clip their claws shortly after birth getting them accustomed to it. For further information on declawing: http://amby.com/cat_site/dc-wyntk.html or www.cfainc.org/health/declawing.html

The Distinctive Tail

The tail is unique to the Japanese Bobtail breed and to each individual cat like a fingerprint is to a human. No two tails are ever alike. Exactly when or where the mutation that created the bobbed tail occurred is probably lost forever. Mention should be made that bobbed-tailed cats are seen in most of the Orient.

The tail must be visible and is composed of one or more curves, angles, or kinks or any combination thereof. The direction of the tail is not important. The tail may be flexible or rigid. Hair fluffs out to resemble a pom-pom.

The Porcelain Coat

The Shorthair Japanese Bobtail has a soft silky coat of medium length which appears flat rather than fluffy, giving it the look of porcelain.

The Longhair Japanese Bobtail have bellie shag and definite britches on the hind legs. The tail leaves no doubt as to whether the cat is short or long haired.

Color

The Japanese Bobtail comes in almost every color. The Mi-ke is a Japanese term meaning "three-furred" or most commonly known as calico. It is a predominatly white cat with bold patches of red and black. Other colors include bicolors, tabby/whites, dilutes, smokes, and solid. Vividly contrasting colors and bold dramatic markings make the Japanese Bobtails a very beautiful cat.