As its name suggests, the rare Japanese Bobtail is native to Japan, where it is called the Mi Ke (mee kay) cat. Its most distinctive feature is the short bobbed tail. It is intelligent, loyal and friendly, is said to love swimming and can retrieve like a dog. It is vocal without being noisy and has a large vocabulary of chirps and meows. Characteristically, the Bobtail will stand with one front paw uplifted in welcome, and in fact the store windows and counters in Japan often display china models of this cat with its paw lifted to welcome shoppers and passers by. Such cats are called Manekineko or welcoming cats. This cat is said to mix well with other cats but to seek out members of its own breed.
Grooming
The Japanese Bobtail is very easy to maintain in perfectly groomed condition as it has a non shedding coat and there is no thick undercoat to get tangled up. A light brushing and combing with a medium toothed comb and pure bristle brush will suffice.
Origin and history
The Japanese Bobtail is a natural breed, native to the Far East, notably to Japan, China and Korea. Such cats have appeared in Japanese prints and paintings for centuries and even decorate a temple in Tokyo, called the Gotokuji. The cats shown are numerous and all have one paw lifted in greeting. They were first imported into the United States in 1968 but are still a rare breed. The Bobtail gene is recessive, and therefore a Bobtail mated to an ordinary tailed Domestic Shorthair produces only tailed kittens. Bobtail to Bobtail mating, however, produces 100 per cent bobtailed kittens. No outcrossing to other breeds is necessary or permitted. Bicoloured males are the best to produce the red, black and predominantly white females.
Kittens
Japanese Bobtail kittens are lively; usually four in a litter. There is no lethal factor with Bobtails they are usually very healthy.
Grooming
The Japanese Bobtail is very easy to maintain in perfectly groomed condition as it has a non shedding coat and there is no thick undercoat to get tangled up. A light brushing and combing with a medium toothed comb and pure bristle brush will suffice.
Origin and history
The Japanese Bobtail is a natural breed, native to the Far East, notably to Japan, China and Korea. Such cats have appeared in Japanese prints and paintings for centuries and even decorate a temple in Tokyo, called the Gotokuji. The cats shown are numerous and all have one paw lifted in greeting. They were first imported into the United States in 1968 but are still a rare breed. The Bobtail gene is recessive, and therefore a Bobtail mated to an ordinary tailed Domestic Shorthair produces only tailed kittens. Bobtail to Bobtail mating, however, produces 100 per cent bobtailed kittens. No outcrossing to other breeds is necessary or permitted. Bicoloured males are the best to produce the red, black and predominantly white females.
Kittens
Japanese Bobtail kittens are lively; usually four in a litter. There is no lethal factor with Bobtails they are usually very healthy.
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