Japanese Bobtail

By Franny Syufy, About.com Guide

Warau (which means "to laugh" in Japanese

Derek Hom hageshiku; used with permission.

See More About

The Japanese Bobtail did indeed originate in Japan, and has been beloved in that country for centuries. In fact, the popular Maneki Neko (beckoning cat) is a ceramic image of the Japanese Bobtail.

Their popularity is legendary, and no wonder. They are the ultimate pet. They love to fetch, carry things around in their mouths, and ride on shoulders. They adust well to travelling, dogs, and children. More importantly, they are strong, healthy cats with comparitively high disease resistance.

Breed Brief:

Body: Long and lean, of medium size, with well developed muscular strength.
Coat: Shorthair- Medium length, soft and silky with no noticeable undercoat. Longhair- Medium-long to long, soft and silky, accenting the lines of the body. Tri-colors, bi-colors, tabby and solid.
Extra: Although to the novice, the Japanese Bobtail may resemble the Manx, the two breeds are unrelated, and differ both to their genetic makeup that creates the short tails and their body types.

Registry Standards and Profiles:

Photo Credits:

Warau (which means "to laugh" in Japanese, owned by Derek Hom hageshiku; photo used with permission.

More Breed Information :

Information from FBRL (Fanciers' Breeder Referral List), a great source of information on all approved breeds of cats.

Grooming Tips, Japanese Bobtail, a breed article by Allen Scruggs written for CFA.

Japanese Bobtail FAQ, a great all-around breed profile, including a comparison of the Japanese Bobtail to the Manx, written by written by Jean Marie Diaz.

More profile and history information on Japanese Bobtail cats, assembled by your Guide.

Breeders :

Listing of Japanese Bobtail breeders, assembled by your Guide. This list is for convenience of the viewer, and is not intended to be an endorsement of the breeders and catteries contained herein.

More Cat Breeds, by Name:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z