The Made in America, American Bobtail

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     The American Bobtail, a rare breed of cat, gets its name because of its close resemblance to the wild bobtailed cat. Completely domesticated, the Bobtail has a wild or feral look about it that comes in part from its almost almond shaped eyes that lie beneath a fleshy brow. This hunting gaze look, along with the Lynx style of tipping on the ears, combines perfectly to give the Bobtail its wild look.

However, don't confuse the look with the personality of the Bobtail. It may be cautious with strangers, but the Bobtail actually is a loyal cat with a loving and tractable nature. It is a medium to large sized cat than can have either a long or shorthaired shaggy coat and has a natural born short tail that only reaches half way down to the hock. The males of the breed are typically larger and actually have jowls, while the females do not.

One of the interesting things about the American Bobtail cat is that its coat can come in a variety of patterns and colors ranging from white to distinctive tiger striping. This breed of cat is truly a made in America breed and is as American as apple pie. A relatively new type to the cat world, the American Bobtail wasn't discovered until the 1960s by a couple on vacation in Arizona.

It was originally thought that the cat, named Yodie, was part bobcat because of his cute abbreviated version of a tale. This, however, is highly unlikely as such a mating usually produces sterile males in the first and second generations and Yodie was anything but sterile. After immediately mating with a female seal point Siamese, some of the kittens also had the short tale, proving that it was a dominant gene. Later Yodie was also mated to Himalayans, Birmans, Siamese, and Ragdolls as well as other domestic breeds, resulting in the variety of colors and patterns now found on the American Bobcat.

As of the year 2000, there were only two hundred and fifteen registered American Bobtails, but the breed is growing in popularity, and despite rumors of bobcat and domestic interbreeding, is considered to be a randomly occurring American breed which is a product of spontaneous mutation, not bobcats. They are extremely intelligent animals that are both kind and loving. They are happy in any kind of environment and resemble Golden Retriever dogs in devotion and personality. They also get along well with other animals and when introduced to it at a young age, are known to be great travelers. Long haul truckers often adopt them because they make such great cabin companions. The American Bobtail is also a popular breed with psychotherapists, who have used them in their treatment programs. Well behaved and sensitive to people in distress, they are wonderful cats for people in need.