Group Classification: New Breed (CFA and TICA)
Country of Origin: USA
Date of Origin: 1960s
Weight (M): 10-14 lbs.
Weight (F): 8-11 lbs.
Life Expectancy: 16+ years
History
The history of the American Bobtail is the story of breeding success in the modern age. In the 1960s, a random-bred bobtailed tabby kitten in Arizona was brought to Iowa by cat fanciers Brenda and John Sanders. Attempts to produce the breed failed initially; in the 1980s Reaha Evans phased out health problems with the introduction of colors and patterns to restore the'wild' appearance of these muscular cats. New breed recognition was in 1989.

General Description
A modified wedge-shaped head features high cheekbones and large oval almond eyes with heavy brows. Their brawny and athletic body is heavy boned and muscular. Legs have large round paws. Bobtails actually do have a tail, usually from one to six inches in length, which must stop above the hock.

Colors
All

Coat
Double coat with short underhairs and shaggy, semi-long top hairs. Waterproof and resilient, there is little if any matting.

Notable Features
Wild looking cat thans to a shaggy coat, powerful body and muscular back legs that are longer than the front legs.

Health and Care
These native American tabbys come in a variety of colors, including fawn and white, pointed and mink. They appear shaggy, yet they need little grooming since their fur does not mat. This is a slow-to-mature breed: owners need to be aware that their new kitten will not reach maturity for approximately three years. As a relatively new breed, genetic predispositions regarding health have not yet been compiled.

Resources
None at this time