The first of the bobtailed breeds, the Japanese Bobtail is a naturally-occurring breed that evolved on the islands of Japan centuries ago. Cats arrived in Japan with Buddhist monks in the seventh and eighth centuries, brought to help keep rats out of the rice paper scrolls. They helped the Japanese economy flourish, keeping the delicate silk trade safe from rodents. They appear in much Japanese folklore and paintings; the maneki-neko, the lucky beckoning cat whose statue is often displayed at the front counter of Japanese restaurants and stores, is a Japanese Bobtail—just take a look at the back of the statue! The first Japanese Bobtails were imported in 1968, and were accepted in 1976. They are full of energy, always playful, loving, endearing and happy—a people-oriented cat that loves to help you with your daily tasks. They are naturals at feline agility, and have been known to complete the course in under ten seconds. They need an active and quick-witted owner who realizes that mere height is never an obstacle—few things are to a Bobtail who has set their mind on something!
Type & judging remarks
The Japanese Bobtail is a medium-sized cat with clean lines and bone structure, straight and slender rather than massive in build. Its short bunny tail should look like a pom-pom. Traditionally, calico van (mi-ke), red van, and black van Japanese Bobtails were preferred over all other colours. Today no one colour is favoured over the other, but these three colours nevertheless remain very prevalent and it is rare to find a Japanese Bobtail without white spotting. However in all colours rich, vivid shades are preferred.