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Breed Profile

Size: Medium
Origin: Japan
Colour: White, Black, Brown, Red, and Cream

A stump-tailed Eastern cat, sometimes referred to as the Mi-Ke Cat (pronounced mee-kay). Among their owners, they are affectionately known as 'Bobs' or JBTs.

Owner's Guide

Domestic Breed: A stump-tailed Eastern cat, sometimes referred to as the Mi-Ke Cat (pronounced mee-kay). Among their owners, they are affectionately known as 'Bobs' or JBTs. In Holland the breed is known as the Japanse Stompstaartkat.

Appearance: A short-haired cat with a lean, muscular body and slender legs. The hind legs are a little longer than the front legs, giving an upward tilt to the rump region. The unique tail is a stump two to four inches long, tightly curved on itself and with restricted movement. The hair covering of the tail is thick and fluffy, giving it a pom-pom like quality. The delicate head is slightly pointed, with slanted eyes.

Despite its superficial resemblance to the Manx Cat, the two breeds are genetically quite distinct.

History: This is an ancient breed which, although now thought of as exclusively Japanese, originally appears to have been observed in many regions of the Far East, including Malaysia, Burma and Thailand. There are nineteenth century references to a breed called the Malay Cat, which from its description sounds identical. (See entry for Malay Cat)

There is some disagreement as to the precise date at which the Bobtail arrived in Japan. Some authorities claim that it was introduced from China about a thousand years ago, probably at the instigation of the cat-loving Japanese Emperor Ichijo. Others put the date even earlier, in the ninth, eighth, seventh or even the sixth century, because of the existence of very early woodcuts and paintings of cats, especially those from the Gotokuji and Niko Temples.

For centuries the Bobtails were the exclusive pets of the nobility, who used to walk them on a collar and lead, and it was not until the beginning of the seventeenth century that they were allowed to spread to the general population. The reason for this change of heart was that it was officially decreed that all the noble cats had to be set free to act as badly needed pest-controllers. From this point onwards it became known as the Kazoku Neko, the Family Cat of Japan.

The Bobtail has been pictured in Japanese works of art from many epochs. The most famous representation is in the woodcut ' Cat in Window' by the nineteenth century artist Ando Hiroshige.

The favoured type is the Mi-Ke (meaning three-coloured, or , literally, 'three fur') which is white with bold patches of black and red. It was believed that to own such a cat would bring good luck, and it has become increasingly identified with the legendary 'Beckoning Cat'. (See separate entry)

An additional factor that may help to account for the popularity of this short-tailed cat is the existence of a folk-myth in Japan which warns that long-tailed cats can change into human form and bewitch their owners.

The breed attracted the attention of the West when the American soldiers of the occupying army encountered it at the end of World War Two. In 1968, an American called Judy Crawford, who had been living in Japan for fifteen years and who had been breeding these cats during most of that time, sent a pair to the United States.

The pair consisted of a tortoiseshell and white female called Madame Butterfly and a red and white male called Richard. They were sent to the well-known breeder Elizabeth Freret who had already discovered the breed and become intrigued by it.(She also received a third one, a cinnamon tabby female, which she did not keep.) The pair soon produced kittens, which Mrs Freret took to an American cat show in 1969, where they aroused great interest.

Judy Crawford herself was soon to return to America, accompanied by 38 of her Japanese Bobtails. There she continued to breed her cats and to create a circle of enthusiasts. In 1970 the International Japanese Bobtail Fanciers Association was formed and the breed was well on the way to acceptance as an exciting addition to the world of pedigree cat showing. In 1978 the CFA granted it full recognition.

Despite its growing popularity in America, the Japanese Bobtail did not arrive in Great Britain until the 1970s, when a single female Bobtail was brought to England from Japan by its owner.

A long-haired version also now exists (see below).

Personality: Terms used to describe this breed include the following: Friendly, loyal, intelligent, affectionate, playful, outgoing, lively and inquisitive . Vocally, they are said to have a 'melodious chant' unique to their breed, which they use when they are pleased.

Colour forms: The following are the favoured ones, although many other combinations are accepted: (1) Black, red and white (Mi-Ke); (2) Black, red and cream (tortoiseshell); (3) Black and white; (4) Red and white; (5) Tortoiseshell and white; (6) White; (7) Black; (8) Red.

Bibliography:

1995. Edwards, A. The Japanese Bobtail. In: All About Cats, July 1995. p.13-21.

Breed Club:

Japanese Bobtail Breeders Society. Address: 1272 Hillwood Lane, Vineland, New Jersey, 08360, USA.

Note: There are also two breed publications: Bobs. Address: 1069 Gridley Street, Bay Shore, NY 11706, USA; and Pom! Address: P.O. BOX 338, Napanee, IN 46550-0338, USA.