JAPANESE BOBTAIL CAT PERSONALITY AND BREED (ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW)

Are you wondering about the Japanese Bobtail cat personality?

These extraordinary cats have inspired the Japanese tradition of positioning a ceramic ornament called Maneki Neko on the windows of homes and offices so that it is also clearly visible from the outside.

The Maneki Neko depicts precisely a cat with its paw raised in greeting and seems to bring a lot of luck.

At a glance, the Japanese Bobtail cat is an ancient Breed, able to live for a long time. In addition, the kittens are typically born premature, and the severed tail does not create health problems.

Let’s know more about the Japanese Bobtail cat personality and breed.

WHAT IS THE JAPANESE BOBTAIL CAT GENERAL ASPECT AND SIZE?

In Japan, the Japanese Bobtail is a tricolor variety, which is also the most widespread. This variety is called ” Mi-Ke,” which means “lucky.” In fact, this cat is considered an authentic good luck charm.

Many Japanese painters have immortalized the exotic charm of these cats in their works. The main peculiarity is the “pompon” tail, which is straight or curled but has no adverse effects on the cat’s spine.

The hind legs are slender and longer than the anterior ones, but generally, the difference is not visible because the legs often remain folded.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JAPANESE BOBTAIL CAT

Characteristic	Description	Notes
In summary	Not so much widespread beyond the Japanese borders, especially in Europe
Personality	Very friendly and adaptable, playful and loving	Ideal as a pet, above all, for those with children
Appearance	Really particular. The longhair variant has the semi-long coat
In the house	It easily gets used to the home environment, becomes a truly agreeable companion
Behavior	It is not advisable to always keep this cat at home, because he loves to go out on a patrol	Keeps the hunting instinct, especially for rodents
Grooming	It must be more frequent during moulting. However, this is not a problem, not even in the long-haired version
Most common health problems	There are no major diseases. If it is often outdoors, beware of fleas	The severed tail is not leading to health problems
Size	Medium, between 2 and 5 kg
Ears	large, round pointed, distant, and perpendicular to the head
Eyes	Large and oval in shape
Head	perfectly triangular in shape; long and straight nose
Paws	Long and tapered; feet of medium to large and ovals
Coat	Soft, silky, medium length, and slightly raised
Allowed colors	All but the most common are white with dark spots scattered all over the body, especially on the tail, head, and ears

AN ADVICEThe Japanese Bobtail is not to be confused with the Manx. However, the difference between the two cats can be seen in the appearance and because the tail is absent in the Irish breed.

The Japanese Bobtail has a triangular head. The shape of the head reminds an equilateral triangle, with big and well-spaced apart ears. The heterochromia constitutes an element
of further value.

THE COAT OF THE JAPANESE BOBTAIL CAT

All varieties of the Japanese Bobtail cat are accepted, apart from the color point and the Abyssinian type. The bicolor varieties are widespread (white is the predominant color), but the traditionally preferred coloration is the tortoiseshell known as “mi-ki.”

They are friendly cats that emit a wide variety of sounds. They love chasing balls and bringing them back to the master. In many respects, this breed represents the pet animal for excellence. In fact, those cats get along well with dogs and children.

Until 1968 they were known only in their country of origin; today, they are widespread in the United States but still relatively rare in Europe.

In addition, it is very rare to see the Japanese Bobtail at cat shows. The “wad” tail makes it look like a rabbit in the back.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE ABYSSINIAN?

Cats were imported to Japan from China over a thousand years ago. Initially, they performed the function of pets for the nobles, who often took them for a walk on a leash.

Later they revealed all their usefulness when an invasion of mice threatened to put the country on its knees, destroying even the precious texts written on rice paper.

Since effective rat poisoning had not yet been discovered, the cats were the only salvation and have held a special place in the Japanese culture ever since.

There are variants of the Japanese Bobtail. There are long and short hair types; the latter is more common, but the tail length (differently from Manx ) is identical in all types.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE JAPANESE BOBTAIL?

Contrary to the name, this breed originates in exotic Chinese lands. Some documents dated back to 1000 AD speak of the presence in China of gifted cats with a particular mutation to the tail to give it an almost deformed appearance.

In particular, these cats were imported to Japan in the 11th century, where they are still considered a talisman, enough to be reproduced in statuettes and on postcards with the paw raised almost in the act to impart a blessing.

Actually, the first selections started in the United States, where some specimens,
in 1968, were introduced by the American military and conquered immediately many cat enthusiasts.

But, unfortunately, the Japanese Bobtail only arrived in Europe at the beginning of the eighties of the last century and, while being extraordinarily intelligent and fascinating, he did not find in the old continent the same success it had in America, where even the long-haired variety was selected.

In fact, to the exclusion of Japan and the United States, it remains an almost completely unknown breed.

JAPANESE BOBTAIL CAT PERSONALITY

It certainly cannot be said that the Japanese Bobtail is an introverted cat: a lover
of the company of others and the people of the house and strangers, he has no problems sharing the affection between his masters and other cats and dogs.

He particularly likes to communicate and never misses an opportunity to show off his eloquence, modulating the voice in delicate vocalizations. His movements are as harmonious as those of a graceful dancer, and it is practically impossible not to be seduced by his elegant bearing.

The Japanese Bobtail loves to communicate with the master.

Lover of children, the Japanese Bobtail is a lively cat that fits well into life in an apartment, provided that you dedicate to him long play sessions when you come back from work. Like a good climber, he especially loves to snuggle up on the shoulders of the master.

The Japanese Bobtail, among other things, shows no difficulty traveling with his family. Another peculiarity of this cat is that he has no problem learning his name and responding promptly when he is called.

AN ADVICE
The Japanese Bobtail does not need expensive jigs to have fun. It is just necessary one of those balls that bounce to chase and bring back to the master.

HOW TO CARE FOR AND FEED THE JAPANESE BOBTAIL CAT

The Japanese Bobtail is a sturdy cat, does not suffer from particular health problems, and the kittens of this breed are earlier in development compared to other cats. The soft coat, long or short, does not needs special grooming.

It is enough to comb it once a week with brushes that are not too harsh. This cat can eat practically everything, even if it shows genuine reverence for fish, especially if fresh ( it can never miss from his diet).

MANEKI NEKO

The name Maneki Neko literally means “cat beckoning,” which is known throughout Japan. Therefore, it is possible to find statuettes of various sizes and colors that reproduce the Japanese Bobtail with a raised paw throughout the country.

Each shop exhibits its Maneki Neko because it is said to bring good luck in business, but they can also see it at temples or in people’s houses to welcome guests.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS