The Bombay cat is a beautiful domestic cat that has characteristics similar to panthers, hence its nickname "panther cat". This is a breed that we can see mostly on the European continent, although there are not many of them unlike other breeds. This animal is very attached to its owners, which is why it always goes wherever they go and hates being alone.
Origin of the Bombay cat
This breed of cats was created from the crossing of different breeds to create this new one. The beginning of this breed of felines began in 1950 thanks to a panther-loving woman, Nikki Horner, who lived in Kentucky and who wanted to have a domestic panther, it was she who began the search for specimens that could interbreed and result in black cats similar to a panther, affectionate, attached and with a muscular body.
His first attempt was unsuccessful, he began by mixing black American shorthair cats with Burmese cats that had dark brown fur. It was finally in 1965 when the first successful crossing took place, from which the first offspring was born, a beautiful ebony black cat that also had spectacular coppery eyes. This puppy as he grew up showed not only to have the physique that she wanted, but that he was very affectionate and loved to always be with her.
Nikki decided that the name of this new breed would be in honor of the Hindu city Bombay, which is currently called Mumbai. These new cats were not very well received at first, however, this changed in 1976 when one of them won first place in one of the most important feline championships in the country.
Physical Characteristics of the Bombay Cat
The appearance of the Bombay cat stands out for having a short but beautiful and shiny black coat without any type of stain or degradation and with large copper-colored eyes. It is said that when the eyes of a Bombay cat change and become lighter as they age, it means that this is not a pure breed, however, the specimen is still a true beauty in the eyes of its owners. However, this fact has never been confirmed, as the breed has a variety of yellow colors in its eyes.
Getting a Bombay with copper-colored eyes is not something easy, because this Feature Of Cats Bombay is not very common due to its rarity. For this reason, we can find many specimens of this breed with eyes that range from gold, gold or dark yellow. These three shades are legitimately accepted for the breed, if a Bombay cat is born with another color of eyes, it will be said that it is a mestizo. Copper-eyed Bombays are the most sought after and costly of the breed.
These striking eyes are positioned separately on the animal's head, its ears, instead of being elongated and pointed, are small with rounded tips and are positioned slightly forward. They have a slightly rounded and wide head with a short, small but slightly bulging nose at the top.
There are few breeders who say Bombay cats are only accepted as such if their coat is completely ebony, without any other shade on it. However, many puppies are known to be born having a coat that may appear to be a bit reddish when daylight reflects off of them, but this changes as they grow older and shed their baby coats.
The size of the Bombay cats is corresponding to that of the medium cats and with a remarkable musculature, however, their body has a thin and fine appearance, contrary to this they can weigh more than it seems, since their musculature tends to be a little heavy. The female of this breed can weigh around 4 kilograms, while the males can even weigh 5 kilos.
Bombay cats have legs and tails that are not extremely long, they are of average size which makes them look very similar to panthers.
Bombay cat character
This breed of cats is very loving and very attached to their owners, which is why they do not like to spend a lot of time without them. They are highly intelligent and love to play, especially if humans get involved in their game. They are ideal cats to live in family environments and with children. They form such a strong bond with their owners that they may sometimes follow them wherever they go, some owners even (if they can) take them to their workplace so they aren't alone.
One of the characteristics of their personality that amuses their owners the most is that sometimes they take their human to their food bowl to indicate that they want to eat. After eating, and as a thank you, the Bombay usually approaches and sits on the lap of its owners with the intention of being close to them and giving and receiving love. These cats love to be part of the family and be considered as one of them, which is why it is recommended that they live in family homes, as they like this more than living alone with a single human.
They are extremely playful, just as they like to be pampered by their owners, they also love to play with them. However, the Bombay breed is not usually a very active breed to exercise, it is rather delicate, for this reason its owners should be the ones who are aware that the feline exercises through stimulation to play. For these miniature panthers, playing alone is not fun, that is why, despite not being active, if it is with their owners, they will love to play for a long time.
Bombay cats love to be near warm places, so it is recommended that they be placed in beds or places where they can lie down near those places in the house where there are sources of heat, an example may be a window where the sun filters in the mornings or during the afternoons.
Bombays are considered indoor cats, this means that they do not need to be outside the house, on the contrary, they prefer to be inside and thus receive all the possible attention from their beloved humans. In addition to this, they are cats that can live with other pets and with children, as their personality is very soft and not at all aggressive. As an added bonus, Bombays are quite quiet, they do not meow loudly, on the contrary, their tone is said to be very pleasant and sweet.
Food for these cats
These are cats that can gain weight if they are not kept on a proper diet, especially those that are always at home and do not exercise properly. It is extremely important that the owners of the pussycat always be aware of their weight and the amount of food they are given.
If you notice that the cat's coat is dull, it may be an indication that the pet's diet is not adequate or that it has a decadent nutrition. The quality of the food is going to be fundamental for obtaining good nutrients and proteins. Although veterinarians recommend feeding them cat food, many of their owners choose to feed them human food prepared specifically for them since they contain more protein and are more balanced.
Proper care for Bombay cats
El Animal Care like these is not complex. The coat of the Bombay is easy to maintain, since it does not require much dedication to keep it shiny and silky, to maintain a constant intense shine you will only need a piece of leather cloth which you will rub on its hair, in this way its shine. it will intensify, in addition to this, another way to get it is to brush it for a few minutes.
A good diet is also important for maintaining a healthy coat, since the lack of nutrients can cause it to become dull and even fall off. Other care that the feline may require is that of its nails and the claim of territory, for this it may be necessary to place scratchers in the house where it can sharpen its nails and leave its smell, in addition this can help the cat stretch your muscles when using it.
One of the most important cares that as an owner you must keep in mind is to have an adequate control with the veterinarian, this will allow the doctor to constantly evaluate the cat's health and, if necessary, to carry out tests and a Prompt diagnosis for any eventuality presented.
Occasional problems related to genetics
Bombay cats tend to be in very good health, therefore, they do not usually get sick too often or have excessive genetic problems, however, there are some problems that can affect them and that have to do with their genes, although it is not very common that affects them, as the owner, or future owner, of a feline of this breed, you should know what these are.
One of the diseases that can affect them would be the so-called "craniofacial deformation" also known as "Burmese head", this genetic disease comes due to its crossbreeding with the Burmese cat who are also prone to this condition.
The Bombay can be affected by "hereditary hypertrophic cardiomyopathy", this is a condition that directly affects the heart of these felines. Its symptoms can begin with respiratory deficit and momentary loss of consciousness. The onset of this condition can rarely be detected by the pet owner because it does not usually show noticeable symptoms. If you notice that your kitty is suddenly short of breath or faints for no reason, take him to the vet.
Another thing that these miniature panthers are prone to is that they can quickly catch a cold if they are constantly exposed to cold air currents, which is why it is necessary that they always have quality beds to sleep in and close to sources of heat.
How to find the right breeder?
If you decide to adopt a Bombay cat, you should look for whoever sells it to you to be legitimate breeders of this breed, as there are many cheaters who claim to sell cats of this breed and it turns out that they are mestizos or simply similar cats, but not of the breed.
Because Bombay cats are very common in the world, there are also few legal breeders of these, to recognize them, you could ask them to show their membership of the cat association to which they belong, since legitimate breeders always belong to one of these. Beware of clandestine farms!
Another way to recognize if the breeder is serious is because the same, at the time of your visit, will show you the evidence of the puppy's pedigree, in addition to this, it will not be delivered to you before it is 12 weeks old. In addition to this, the breeder will give you a certificate where it will be verified that the cat has been vaccinated, dewormed and neutered, along with the certificate of good health issued by a veterinarian.
Another thing you should know before adopting is that many Bombay cat breeders tend to sponsor the cat even after it has a new home. This is because the breed is highly appreciated and loved. This sponsorship is ideal for those people who for some reason can no longer have the cat in their homes, instead of taking them to a shelter or abandoning them, they could have the option of returning them to the breeder, regardless of the age of the animal, he will take care take care of it or find a new home for it.