The Residents of Sailbourne Cattery
Kyouju(GP Kurisumasu Kyouju Sanjuro of Sailbourne)
Kyouju was our first Japanese Bobtail. He has the classic Bobtail look, of mostly white with a few black patches, and a bunny tail. He's a neutered male, and holder of a Grand Premier title in the CFA association.
Kyouju is the designated welcoming committee for our house, and is friendly with just about everyone. He even gives the vet head bumps when she comes over, making him one of her favorite clients. Although when she does his annual physical, she has to blow in his face to get him to stop purring long enough for her to hear his heartbeat!
Eddie
(PR Sailbourne Edogawa Rampo)
Eddie is a rarity among Japanese Bobtails, a shy and even spooky sort of cat. He is beautiful in show terms -- a rare solid black who yet has a great deal of refinement and the elegant JBT look -- but his personality, alas, isn't much amenable to showing. He will demand attention from his people, but only in the mornings and evenings, when we are getting up or going to bed. The rest of the time, he's that big black blur you see running!
Wendy
(Senan Wendy)
Wendy's color is dilute tortoiseshell, but the "tortietude" of her personality has not been diluted in the least. She can be extremely opinionated when it comes to meeting new cats -- although she gets along well with them once proper acquaintance has been made. She is friendly and very affectionate toward her people, and is a very attentive mom to her kittens. Wendy is co-owned with Nancy Sproelich of Senan Cattery (www.senanbobtails.com) and at the present time lives with Nancy in Wisconsin.
To see more pictures, visit our gallery page.
The Personality of the Japanese Bobtail
Japanese Bobtails are very active cats, who often maintain a kittenish fondness for play well into their later years. They are also very loyal and affectionate cats. They will gladly spend just as much time draped over your lap -- or better still, across your chest -- as they will chasing toys or playing with another cat.A companion -- canine or feline -- is almost essential to keeping a Bobtail happy and out of trouble. Because they are both highly intelligent and fearless, they can easily get bored and destructive if not kept occupied.
Most Bobtails will get along just fine with dogs and with other cats. Being very high-energy cats, they also get along with children well – as long as the children are mature enough to understand the cat needs to be treated with respect.
Because of their intelligence, Bobtails are easy to train. I know many people whose Bobtails walk on leashes, and have one friend who trained her Bobtail -- in about a month -- to use the toilet! (Alas, she still hasn't quite figured out how to teach him to flush.)
Health Issues of the Japanese Bobtail
The gene that causes the shortened tail is different than the one that causes a short or absent tail in the Manx, and there are no known health issues associated with the Japanese Bobtail's shortened tail. The short tail always breeds true, but each tail is one of a kind, as unique as fingerprints! Sometimes there are joints in the tail bones, but often one or more of the tail bones are fused together. As a result the tail can sometimes be sensitive – always handle it gently!While most cats use their tails for balance, Japanese Bobtails seem to have adapted well to the lack of a tail, and have no problems with climbing and jumping. Their deeply angulated back legs give them great agility, and the ability to turn on a dime.
Perhaps because of their heritage as street cats who never knew where their next meal was coming from (or when) many Bobtails have a tendency to overeat and put on too much weight. Feeding them a high quality, low calorie cat food (such as Royal Canin Slim or Iams Less Active) can help this problem if it arises.
