American Bobtail Cat

American Bobtails are playful, energetic, and friendly.

American Bobtail Cat Personality

While the breed is still developing, breeders say that Bobtails are playful, energetic, and friendly, and possess an uncanny intelligence for Houdini-type escapes from closed rooms and fastened cages. Very people-oriented, they are not above demanding human attention by meowing or commandeering available laps.

On the cat activity scale (with, perhaps, the Persian as a serene '1' and the Abyssinian as an animated '10'), the Bobtail rates a 7 or 8 ' fun-loving and frisky but not overactive.

American Bobtail Cat Breed Traits

Bobtails are slow to develop, reaching maturity somewhere between two and three years. Like bobcats, the Bobtail's hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs, and the feet are large and round and may have toe tufts.

The Bobtail's most noted feature, its succinct tail, is one-third to one-half the length of an ordinary cat's, and should not extend below the hock. Like the Manx, the Bobtail's tail appears to be governed by a dominant gene. The tail is straight and articulate but may curve, have bumps or be slightly knotted. Bobtails with no tails (also called rumpies) are not acceptable because of the health problems associated with the shortened spine.