The Japanese Bobtail cat is known as the lucky cat, more in the provinces of Japan, where the famous tricolor cat has become a symbol that has turned the world. The Maneki-Neko, cat of luck, the cat that raises the front leg and moves it as if it were waving.
The Japanese bobtail is cute and affectionate, he adapts to living in an apartment since his need for space and exercise is not high.
Images and photos of Japanese Bobtail Cats
In this section you will find images of Japanese bobtail cat. Click on the image to see it in full resolution.
What is a Japanese Bobtail cat?
The Japanese bobtail cat in a cat of origin in Japan. Medium in size, muscular and slender. Its tail is similar to that of a rabbit. It was the cat that inspired the character Hello Kitty.
He is an intelligent and friendly feline, when they do not pay attention he is offended. They are excellent companions and adapt easily to people.
What is the origin of Japanese Bobtail cats?
The origin of the Japanese bobtail cat is uncertain, as it is believed that they were taken to the Asian continent about 1000 years ago. The cat originated in the Kuril Islands and arrived in the Asian country by boat.
The 1602 year was prohibited to buy, sell or keep a bobtail cat, because they should be released to control the rat plague that affected the rice and silk industry. After this they became famous cats of the streets of the country
It is in the second world war that the presence of this race is diversified, with its characteristic short tail.
It was Elizabeth Freret and Lynn Neck in 1968 who took the cat to America and from there to the whole world.
In the United States, 1968 began its breeding, in 1969 the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) recognized it as a breed. Currently all federations accept it in the championships.
The famous Maneki-neko is represented by a Japanese Bobtail. The most well-known and revered type is the Mi-Ké -tricolor, black, red and white.
What are the most common features of the Japanese Bobtail cat?
The Japanese Bobtail cat has the following physical characteristics.
Its head is of triangular form, with high cheeks and remarkable mustaches. The nose is long and well defined, the snout is broad and rounded in the whiskers sector.
The ears are long, straight and spaced
The eyes are large, oval, wide, their color harmonizes with the color of their fur.
The tail of the Japanese Bobtail cat is clearly visible, composed of one or more curves. The hairs on this give the appearance of a flake.
The leather is slender and muscular, the legs are robust and athletic.
The coat can be short hair and long hair. The hair is of medium length, soft and silky. With front curls and streamers on the ears. The hair highlights the lines of the body.
All colors and patterns are allowed, except restricted points (Siamese) or agouti (abyssinian) patterns, preference is given to the Mi-Ke pattern
In general weighs between 2.5 to 4 kilograms
Its name bobtail means “short tail” since it does not exceed 10 centimeters long.
The responsible of the short tail is a simple recessive gene, the Japanese bobtail crosses with Japanese bobtail produce an 100% of Japanese bobtail pups. The bobtail gene is not related to the manx gene and has no genetic deformation effect.
How is the behavior of a Japanese Bobtail cat?
The Japanese Bobtail cat is one of the best pets. The Japanese bobtail are curious, intelligent and alert cats, they adapt easily to people, animals and situations, they are easy to show cats.
They are active cats, but not too much. They play interactively and are friendly. They always want to get involved with people and they will spread a leg when you need it.
He loves to take things to his mouth, so they are perfect for playing with the ball or the ball of wool. They also love being high, so they would like to jump and rest on the shoulders of their owner.
The Japanese bobtail cat are chatty, they have voices that can be described as chants.
It is good for travel, as they are not scared by its safe and balanced nature.
Japanese bobtail cats are precocious, since they usually have litters from 3 to 4 large size kittens. They are fast when it comes to walking and develop their feline skills fast, after three weeks of life they are already explorers
According to the tradition of fishermen, these cats were used as lucky talismans. He did not go out to sea without a Japanese bobtail cat (tricolor), hence his heritage that they like to play with water and eat fish like a good sailor.
How much does a Japanese Bobtail cat live?
These Japanese bobtail cats, have a life expectancy of between 9 to 15 years, however with good care, good feeding can quietly be longer lived and reach the 18 years.
How can you get the confidence of a Japanese Bobtail cat?
The Japanese bobtail is a very calm, sociable and active cat, so the situations of change to adapt to a new owner or change of place, do not disturb him so much. If you want to get the trust of this cat just treat it well always, feed it and take care of it. Let him know that he is a member of the family and you will spend pleasant moments with him.
Earning the confidence of a Japanese bobtail
How to care for a Japanese Bobtail cat?
The Japanese bobtail cat breed does not require special care like any other cat, but it is good to consider some aspects.
For your Japanese bobtail cat to be a well-groomed cat, you must take into account its diet, it must be of quality. You should also keep it clean, with a daily brushing being fine
How to clean a Japanese Bobtail cat?
Cleaning is a very important detail that you should not neglect to take good care of your Japanese bobtail cat. In order to eliminate dead hair, brush it once a day.
Clean the eyes and ears, with damp cotton, once or twice a week. For this it is better to use what is recommended by the veterinarian.
In case your cat gets too dirty you should bathe him
How to bathe a Japanese Bobtail cat?
To bathe your cat follow the following recommendations.
We must prepare the necessary implements to bathe our cat, things like shampoo, towels, plastic jug, cat nail clippers and warm water.
Before bathing the cat, we recommend trimming your nails, in order to avoid scratching if you get nervous.
For your affection to the water, it will not bring you problems to wet it, so take care not to wet your eyes or your ears. Put the shampoo on and massage your coat to remove dirt. Rinse with plenty of water. To dry it, wrap it in a towel and rub its fur to dry.
Then you can trim your nails too, so you will notice the living part of the nail so as not to mistreat your cat.
How to clean the litter box of your Japanese Bobtail cat?
The box of sand of your Japanese bobtail cat is an aspect to which you must pay special attention.
To keep the box clean, you should clean it daily and once a week remove all the sand.
To clean the litter box you must use gloves and chinstrap, remove the agglomerated urine and feces in a garbage bag with the help of a plastic shovel, throw it away in a trash can. Then fill it again with sand.
The weekly cleaning will imply that you eliminate all the sand, also use gloves and chinstrap, throw all the sand in a garbage bag. Wash the litter box, use a detergent that has no scent, let it dry and then fill the box with preferably unscented cat litter. If you want to avoid the bad smell you can place a layer of baking soda in the bottom.
Where should you place the sandbox of your Japanese Bobtail kitten?
If you want to avoid unforeseen events and your cat does not use its sandbox, you must find the ideal place to place the sandbox.
It locates a quiet place, away from the noises and passing of people. Do not place the sandbox behind doors and do not change your location frequently.
What do Japanese Bobtail cats eat?
The Japanese bobtail, like any cat, should be fed good quality food.
Offer dry cat food, look in the pet store for food that contains more than 70% protein. Another food you can buy is canned wet cat food.
Regarding natural food, it is advisable to give a lot of cooked fish without thorns, as it is very much desired by the Japanese bobtail cat.
How to train a Japanese Bobtail cat?
The training of a Japanese bobtail cat is not very complicated, since it is an intelligent cat and is always predisposed to changes.
It is a cat that will not require you to teach it to give the leg, because it is a natural feature they have.
What is natural in cats is to scratch objects, the most precious thing is furniture and better if they are yours. To avoid you destroy your furniture buy a scraper and use it to use it, placing it near the furniture you like to scratch.
It is possible to scratch your hands when you play with him, to avoid this, play with objects such as balls and balls of wool. Teach her what things she can play with and what not.
Diseases of the Japanese Bobtail cat
The Japanese bobtail cat, is a breed of very strong and healthy cats, however, it can get sick due to lack of care and caution.
The most frequent diseases that can suffer are:
- Allergies
- Bronchopneumonia
- Cataract
- Conjunctivitis
- Flu
- Otitis
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Hair balls
How to keep a Japanese Bobtail cat healthy?
In general, to keep your Japanese bobtail cat healthy, clean it frequently, brush your cat once a day, to avoid hairball problems.
It is also good to place a little malt on your legs at least once a day.
Do not neglect your diet, offer fish, dry food and plenty of water to balance the nutrients it requires.
Keeping the Japanese bobtail kitten healthy
How much does a Japanese Bobtail cat cost?
The price of a Japanese bobtail cat will vary depending on where you buy it, it can cost around 500 dollars if you buy it in a hatchery and about 300 dollars if you buy it in a pet store or private.
Where to buy a Japanese Bobtail cat?
If you are already decided on acquiring a Japanese bobtail cat as a pet, then it is preferable that you get it in a hatchery, to certify that it is a cat of the breed, it will also give you its pedigree. Where you can see and touch the cats.
Curiosities of the Japanese bobtail cat
The Japanese bobtail cat has a tragic origin
According to a Japanese legend, this account that the tail of the bobtail is due to an accident of a cat in a common house, who burned by accident. The cat, scared, runs through the city with its tail with fire and burning where it passes. The emperor ordered to cut the tails of all the cats so that it does not happen again.
The monster cat Bakeneko
In Japanese folklore, the bobtail cat becomes a Bakeneko when it has a certain age and a certain size. It becomes aggressive, its tail grows and roams the roads doing bad things to the visitors of the place.
In the Gotokiji Buddhist temple, near Tokyo, there is a cult around this legend. And it is that the figures of the cat have been scattered all over the world, considered curiously as a Chinese tradition.