About the American Bobtail
Origin: United States
No breeder is on record here yet. Portugal’s FIFe member club does not list this breed in its breeder directory at all, so an absence here says nothing about whether anyone breeds it in Portugal.
- Typical life span
- 11-15 years
- Size
- Large — from its typical weight
- Weight
- 5.4-7.3 kg
- Height
- 28-36 cm
- Registry status
- Recognised by TICA
- Breed group
- Short/Medium-hair
- Origin
- United States
- Known hereditary risks
- None well documented
About
What is a American Bobtail?
Medium to large cat with a distinctive naturally short tail, wild appearance, and athletic build. Known for its dog-like personality and exceptional intelligence.
American Bobtail history and origins
Developed naturally in the United States starting in the 1960s. The breed originated from a short-tailed tabby kitten found in Arizona. Bred to maintain the wild appearance while ensuring a friendly, interactive temperament.
American Bobtail appearance and size
Typically 5.4-7.3 kg and 28-36 cm at the shoulder — published as one range rather than separately for males and females.
American Bobtail temperament and personality
Generally described as intelligent, interactive, lively, playful, sensitive and devoted.
That is the breed in general, not a promise about one animal. Ask the breeder what their own line is like, and meet the parents before you decide.
Breed reference from The Cat API.
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the American Bobtail
What you get with the American Bobtail
- Commonly described as: “Intelligent, Interactive, Lively, Playful”
What you are taking on
Nobody has written this side yet. It is a judgement rather than data, so it waits for a person — not for a missing source.
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. The Cat API. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
TICA divisions
TICA lists the American Bobtail in these divisions. They are the registry's own groupings — usually hair length — not a list of colours: no registry we hold publishes one. Ask a breeder what colours their line produces.
- Shorthair
Temperament
Breed-level information from The Cat API. It describes the American Bobtail in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
Health & screening guide for the American Bobtail
Nothing hereditary is documented for the American Bobtail breed, but there is still specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
No breed-specific hereditary disease has a published, authoritative source naming this breed. The breed's natural short tail is a distinct mutation from the Manx tailless gene, and no source found linked it to the spinal, bowel or bladder defects documented in Manx cats bred rumpy-to-rumpy.
What to ask for anyway
- Cardiologist echocardiogram on both parents (general HCM screening, as for any breed)
- Veterinary hip and gait examination, given the breed's large, muscular build
- FeLV/FIV status of the breeding cats
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where American Bobtail owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Kittens
No kittens listed right now
No American Bobtail breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.