The Kuril Bobtail is a short-tailed cat breed from Russia. The homeland of these cats is the islands of Iturup and Kunashir, from where they were brought to the mainland at the end of the 20th century.
The Kuril Bobtail is a cat breed that originated, as the name itself says, on the Kuril Islands, through a long process of natural selection. Its ancestors are Siberian cats and bobtails imported by the Japanese.
From the Kurils began to bring cats not long ago, around the 80s of last century. The first to bring unusual cats were families of military men and geologists, and then noticed a new breed of felinologists. And in 1991 several cats were brought from the islands, which gave rise to the already well-known breed. And in 1994 the standards for the breed were officially recognized by the SSF and FAR. Then in 1995 the WCF (World Cat Federation) breed standard was brought to cats. Coordination meeting of felinologic clubs associations of CIS countries was held in 2001, where members and experts of ICEF took part and the standard of bobtail was affirmed. And in 2004 the breed has been recognized by International European Cat Breeding Federation and has been given a Champion status.
Breed description
Cats of this breed have a small size, but they can be called muscular. They have a short, rounded tail, a length of about 3-8 cm, and the back legs are strong and long, due to this their croup is slightly elevated. The head is large and trapezoidal in shape. The wide and straight nose is of medium length. The muzzle is medium length with a broad and well developed chin. The wide set eyes can be different colors from yellow to green. The breed has medium-length ears, broadened to the base, which are set high and tilted slightly forward. Bobtails with long wool, the ears have tassels at the tips. Often called the “little house lynx,” because they resemble it in color and behavior. The accepted standards are in two variations: short-haired and long-haired. Most often the color of the Kuril Bobtail is tiger, dark stripes run along the back and tail, and there are vertical stripes on the sides. Sometimes the color of bobtails and spotted, then it is very similar to a lynx: on each side the spots are round or oval, and along the back runs intermittent line. This breed also has marbled color, when the sides are diluted and two stripes run along the back.
Character of Bobtails
The Kuril Bobtail breed is not exactly known for its feline habits. They can get attached and be so friendly that it resembles a dog. They will give preference to only one member of the family, but to the others they will treat quite friendly, without aggression. They have a cozy disposition and get along well with other animals, including dogs. Moreover, such cats will not be afraid of the dog; they will either be friends or the dog will be afraid of it. But the fish can be endangered, the cats are able to dive into the aquarium for them. Because of their inquisitiveness, it is not recommended to keep rodents or parrots at home with them. Cats of this breed do not like solitude, they are constantly near their owner, then on their lap, they can accompany them everywhere. But they are not intrusive, if they see that the object of attachment is not up to them, they will not impose their society. The Kuril Bobtail is characterized by willfulness; they can growl if they don’t like something or if they are not in spirit. Due to their wide sound range, cats of this breed are able to show their mood by using sounds. Very intelligent and confident cats can sometimes show incredible intelligence, which is not inherent in all of their brethren. Due to these qualities, you can see that in a short time bobtails become a full-fledged member of the family. They can jump well and easily climb to any height, but you can be calm about the integrity of things in the house, as these cats are easily trained and if they are told several times what not to do, they will remember well. Kuril Bobtails are easily trained, they can be taught many canine commands: show your voice, fetch a ball, sit or lie down. They do not like strangers and can even defend their territory, to warn of danger. They have personality, have good stamina and stamina, like any hunter, making them good rat-catchers. At the age of 5 months, the Bobtails begin puberty, and then it becomes necessary to softly, but insistently let them know who’s boss in the house. As a rule, cats have the first role in the family, and all their owners are distributed according to ranks. Therefore, it is worth to make it clear that they are only pets, and not the main thing in the family. On the plus side we can include the fact that the Kuril Bobtail has excellent health, thanks to its good genetic background, they do not have a predisposition to disease. Also, these cats are not afraid of water and can even swim. Their fur is unique, it almost does not get wet. They are also notable for the fact that they practically do not shed and do not produce an unpleasant odor. Disadvantages of this breed: chunky, like a rabbit’s tail, too strong bend of the back.